10 November 2014
Dear LottieI have been thinking that you must be missing your garden in Yarborough Street.
I thought I would let you know how the garden is progressing since moving in 8 months ago.
The hebe's have gone mad with flowers. They look lovely at the moment and while I was taking this photo this morning a woman walking the dog said "It looks very pretty".
Behind the Hebe's I put a rose "Julia" that my friend Julia gifted me from her mother in law along with a host of blue pots. It was a sad looking thing but now has 6 small buds on the new shoots. I put it in the centre of your front garden to give some height to the garden beside the lovely orangey-yellow blooms of the Californian Poppy that was already growing there.
Another rescue were the five pots of white geraniums. I am not sure whether or not you planted these or Jono. I am really pleased with how they have come back and I have them lined up to welcome visitors along the fence line before the gate.
When Matt visited us in the winter I showed him the garden when the Clivia's were coming out that he really appreciated and couldn't get over the height of the palms growing in the garden. I know from visiting my home garden in Dunedin it's always good to see how trees and shrubs have grown.
I took this shot late in the afternoon when the fig tree was just coming out. The orange of the Clivia's late afternoon become almost fluorescent. Peter has made up a name for the transformation from bud to leaves for Beau - Bidingo! So Beau went around early spring pointing out all the trees and plants that were going "Bidingo".
When we arrived we tried to make a small veggie patch down on the lawn beside the Clivia's but everything got eaten. I thought I would just have to live with pots but all over winter we have cut up organic material and buried our household Bokashi compost to the old veggie plot that exists above the clothes line. I showed Matt this area when he visited but it was looking pretty ugly with piles of decomposing matter. It was worth that period of ugliness because now the soil is in great condition and I hope will now have water holding properties. To test it I have put in a row of Swift new potatoes and they have grown amazingly well as you can see below. The proof will be in the number of potatoes however - they should be ready either at Christmas or soon after.
On the brick area lives the Olive Tree that is doing well and has tiny fruits, three tomatoes and two bags of potatoes. I found the bags in the shed and not sure if these were yours or Jono's. Anyway I thought it worth a try to grow some Swift new potatoes in a bag as I haven't tried this before.
I will continue to update you of your southern garden via the mobile app Instagram #Lottiesgarden. You can also follow my kitchen-garden Instagram #Jeannieskitchen #Sanctuarygardendiary. This way I can just take a photo and post it immediately.
I am continuing this blog page for documentation, required by my Organics course, of the planting and maintenance work I have completed on the property.
22 February 2015
Dear Lottie
Thank you for permission to plant the large olive tree Olea Europea J5 into the front garden. It is crying out to be released from its pot - even though we had replanted it into the largest pot we could find last winter it was always difficult to keep the water up to it.
For your records the label said: A vigorous upright tree. Produces heavy crops of large fruit with high soil content. Excellent for picking. Cold hardy. Well suited to Auckland and northern regions. Resistant to peacock spot (whatever that is).
It did fruit this year but the birds got to harvest before I did. As the foliage is an attractive green grey I have decided to plant 5 grey Santolina shrubs to form a grey hedge background to the olive. The small mauve with yellow centre daisy that I haven't yet identified I have cut back because it is becoming quite "leggy" and unruly. It should be allowed to remain but in behind the white camellias.
19 March 2015
Dear Lottie
We have moved upstairs and have now another small patch of garden in the centre of the concrete entrance courtyard to upstairs. I am looking forward to keeping as many pots as possible in this area because its so sheltered and warm...although there is surprisingly less sunlight hours than I thought.
I am going to utilise this small plot which is only 1 metre by 50 cm. But yuk! I discovered heavy sodden clay - real yellow stuff. There is no sign of worm life and the thin layer of topsoil has had lot of gravel added. As this layer is friable I set it aside and dug down 45 cm removing the clay clods. The two large buckets of clay I spread under the big trees at the back of the section.
I sprinkled dolomite into the hole to assist with further break down of the clay but really needed gypsum. Also aerated well by pushing down garden fork into the clay surface. I was careful not to step into the garden to avoid further compaction of the soil.
I notice little skinks live in this area as I see them scurrying from garden to hide around pots against the walls. I am going to put in some large stones to give them some safe haven in the garden from probably their greatest predator "Ollie the cat".
22 March 2015
Dear Lottie
The gaping hole is still in the courtyard garden. I have added the contents of my Bokashi compost bucket to the prepared ground in the courtyard plot and filled up the plot with a mix of the topsoil kept aside. Painstakingly tried to pick out all the teeny wild garlic type bulbs that this area seems to be chock full with them. I will leave the Bokashi for a period before planting.
29 March 2015
Dear Lottie
Planted 5 Santolina aka Cotton Lavender as a hedge. These are leftovers from our Community garden's plant sale. I have been reviving them at home while still in their plant bags by trimming back and watered with fish fertiliser. I am now planting them with a handful Bio Fert Garden Plus fertiliser and a couple of handfuls of our class compost. These will be the"background singers" for the Olive.
It's a constant task digging out the onion weed and Japanese anemone runners from this front garden. All I can do is keep them in check and plant up the area enough to give them no room to expand.Otherwise if left this garden would be entirely covered with anemone and onion weed.
17 April 2015
Dear Lottie
Enjoying a lovely overcast but warm day while digging over the courtyard garden weeding out evermore wild onion bulbs ...tiny bulbs! Bokashi nearly totally broken down.
Decided to do something with the foot square plot inside the gate and have purchased a climber Dipladenia sanderii rosea to go in that shaded foot-square corner in the hope that will climb over the not so interesting roughcast wall. It will have shady conditions at the base but once its up on top of the wall it will get plenty of sun. I chose it because of the pretty pink trumpet shaped flowers that continue to flower year round. I planted it with two buckets of organic compost, handful of Pacific Biofert and topped off with well rotted wood chip.
Into the larger plot in the centre of the courtyard I planted the larger of the two Rosemary's growing in a pot as the centre piece. I planted three well established Alyssum plants as a food source for beneficial insects, a piece of Suffolk Marjoram in the right hand corner and thyme in the top left hand corner. Also as this is going to be my easy go to kitchen herb plot I have planted one of the celery plants I purchased to grow at the Community garden. Also planted 3 Red Mizuna that I think I have left a little long before planting out but going to give them a go. All the plants in this area have benefited from a dressing of Pacific Biofert, a handful of our class compost mixed with Daltons commercial compost and a covering of well decomposed wood chip.
While in this garden area I also trimmed off all the blotchy geranium leaves of my reliable and frequent flowering white geraniums in 5 pots. They look good along the wall. I would like to try and get some more geraniums growing on the sunniest part of the wall as you see in Spain.
19 April 2015
Dear Lottie
Today I planted 3 bulbs of Hyacinth "Sky Jacket" for scented spring on our outside dining table. Used our class compost as its quite chunky so that there will be good drainage as Hyacinths don't like wet feet.
My local garden centre owner said not to put the bulbs in the fridge. I had asked about chilling the bulbs in this warmer climate. Would the bulbs get old enough to trigger new growth. I would need a separate fridge for the chilling because other fruit and vegetables produce ethylene gas when ripening and this can cause damage to the bulbs. I await to see if they will sprout out and be a fine table piece.
2 May 2015
Dear Lottie
A patchy but warm day that started with me intending on making compost...but I saw all the weed growth in the bush area of the section. The Poroporo tree was dead so I decided to deconstruct it and lay down the branches to eventually break down. Most of the weed was an invasive vine that I have yet to identify that was climbing up into the canopy of the tree ferns and palms. I managed to fill a 50 litre black plastic rubbish bag and put it behind a tree to sit for a long time before putting through the compost. I would like to slowly build up the native species in this part of the garden to keep the weeds down and to attract birds and have a habitat for native insects. I did see holes in the Poroporo and then discovered a tree weta that I showed 4 year old Beau. I want him to be unafraid of seemingly frightening but harmless insects like our native weta.
I also sprayed the geraniums in the pots with a 50/50 kefir whey and water to fight against what I think is rust fungal infection removing the really damaged leaves before spraying.
11 May 2015
Dear Lottie
Planted 3 Kawkawa Macropiper excelsum aka Pepper Tree plants in the bush area where the Poroporo tree had previously been. They should do well in this forest type environment and I'm keen to use its culinary and medicinal qualities. These were given to me by my organic course colleague Sue.
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| The kawakawa leaves with holes is said to mean those leaves have more of the active medicinal ingredient than leaves without holes. |
7th June 2015
Dear Lottie
Two of the three hyacinths have come through in the pots outside.
Lots of onion weeds appearing in small courtyard garden.
Raked leaves from lawn and gathered a sack of Plane tree leaves from Selby Square with Beau and put both leaf types in and around the row of Griselinia down the side of the house. One of the Griselinia's have died and they looked very sick (except for the one beside the door) for a while over the dry summer. The applications of Bokashi water and a dressing of Biofert seems to have helped them quite a bit. On the look out for Passion Vine Hoppers (Fluffy-bums) laying their eggs on some of the small dead branches.
Began prep of front garden for planting of Olive tree in the centre. dug an enormous hole and was relieved to find out it wasn't all heavy clay. Spent ages digging up onion weed bulbs and Japanese anemone.
The White Camelias are looking particularly healthy and glossy and are now in full bloom of a most pure white. (Lovely)
Julia the rose has also done good work here but she did take a lot of attention especially watering.
As a parting gift I gave Julia some of Chaos Springs compost mixed with some Biofert and topped with well rotted wood chip.
Lots of onion weeds appearing in small courtyard garden.
Raked leaves from lawn and gathered a sack of Plane tree leaves from Selby Square with Beau and put both leaf types in and around the row of Griselinia down the side of the house. One of the Griselinia's have died and they looked very sick (except for the one beside the door) for a while over the dry summer. The applications of Bokashi water and a dressing of Biofert seems to have helped them quite a bit. On the look out for Passion Vine Hoppers (Fluffy-bums) laying their eggs on some of the small dead branches.
Began prep of front garden for planting of Olive tree in the centre. dug an enormous hole and was relieved to find out it wasn't all heavy clay. Spent ages digging up onion weed bulbs and Japanese anemone.
The White Camelias are looking particularly healthy and glossy and are now in full bloom of a most pure white. (Lovely)
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| This shows the height of the camellias when I stand 4 year old Beau beside them. |
19 June 2015
Dear Lottie
Peter planted the olive tree (under my instructions). I had previously watered it well and he planted it with a mix of compost from Chaos Springs and the garden soil.
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| Luckily the Olives roots were in good order as we had repotted it earlier in the year. |
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| The Olive has given the garden an additional level and looks in proportion with the house. We also like the idea of a tree representing peace be at our front entrance. |
Let me tell you about "Julia" the rose. Today I pruned "Julia" really hard ready for her journey down to Tauranga. My work is done .. and we are returning her to her namesake Julia is a wonderful woodland garden. Was given Julia when we first moved in as my friend Julia didn't have room for her. She came from Julia's mother in law's house. Julia the rose was in a sorry state but I potted her
up and put her in the centre of the front garden to add a little height...and hopefully some blooms.
up and put her in the centre of the front garden to add a little height...and hopefully some blooms.
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| October 2014 good healthy foliage; so pleased to discover the Californian Poppies - these last for ages. |
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| November 2014 with Hebe in full bloom and Californian poppy making colourful display. Lots of foliage but no flower as yet. |
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| Julia has bloomed 3rd December |
25 June 2015
Dear Lottie
I dug in a trench of Bokashi around the Olive tree to encourage more worm activity and to add fertility.
The Olive tree really likes it's new home as are the Santolina's that form a semi-circle behind the tree.
Also dug some Bokashi into a trench behind Santolina that I plan to plant sweet pea seeds.
At last transplanted the mystery yellow perennial that was growing in the area where the Olive tree is planted. Have decided that the area that we have attempted to grow veggies in is a hopeless case because of the amount of predation and not enough sunlight hours. So will try a number of perennials that can serve as habitats for insects. (In digging for the planting of the mystery yellow plant I discovered a group of Swift potatoes that failed miserably earlier in the summer...my excitement was short-lived when I discovered in the kitchen that the flesh was all watery. You can see that there is plenty of mulch that has been laid down in this area...perhaps it will have a better life as a flower garden.
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| Red Mizuna with a celery plant partly obscured by it;s red foliage. |
Peter commented today how attractive the Red Mizuna is in the small courtyard plot. It's red coral like leaves soften the edges of the concrete and it's handy to pick to add to salads.
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| Looking down at the mystery lavender blue with yellow centre daisy that I have clipped back to hug against the wall of the house behind the white camellias. |
Tuesday 30 June
Dear Lottie
It's a soft drizzling rain but I was determined to get rid of those many wild onion bulb weeds that annoy me overtime I walk down the stairs.
I didn't mind weeding because I had plants I could replace the weeds with.
I have planted in there (believe tor not)
- 1 xBishops Flower seedling (because of its umbelliferous flower head that will attract beneficial insects like hover flies and parasitic wasps
- 4 x rooted pieces of carpet thyme from the Sanctuary community garden
- 1 x Corn Salad
- 2 x caraway which will also have the umbelliferous flower head when it goes to flower
It's my small and perfectly formed kitchen garden and asI pass it everyday I enjoy seeing its progress.
The climber has survived so far and on the left hand side a leader is heading up the wall. The Busy Lizzies or Patience Impatiens are looking like they love this damp and often shady corner. Busy Lizzies can get zapped by frosts but I am hoping that the concrete wall's passive heat sink will ensure they don't succumb.
Two of the tree Hyacinths are doing really well (testament to our class compost!). While I thought three would look better than two on the table - it's okay with two. The third one I will either buy a ready grown bulb or buy a vivid mini cyclamen.
One thing about gardening Lottie is that nothing is ever constant - if you like constant change be a gardener.
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