My Fella went to WA for a week, coming back last Monday. So I had a week to myself. By Friday I realised that I was on Holiday. Now some of you must think that, as a semi-retired person, I am on permanent holiday. (A big part of me agrees)! I didn’t go anywhere, except the movies, and some days I only ventured as far as the backyard. But interestingly I didn’t go into the Playroom, the room where the computer is, as well as my painting things. I seemed to be on holiday from Etsy shop, my painting and my blog (sorry about that).
I was also on holiday from Getting Ready For Christmas. You haven’t received my Christmas card in the mail because I haven’t sent it. The tree has just been decorated. Unlike last year, there are no tasty treats. But I may get around to them…..just not today, because it is 40 degrees C!
However, I came out of slothfulness to do some gardening. The last time I wrote about the garden it looked like this
Now I can proudly unveil the same bed, which looks like this:
Because of a prolonged drought in Victoria — over 10 years — I couldn’t justify water for annuals. Now I have lobelias and pansies flowering, the foxgloves just budding and the aquilegias putting forth their light foliage. The fern like leaf in the foreground is from the prostrate banksia, and the flower cone is in the bottom right corner.
Another view, because I am so happy with the way it looks. This time I took the photo over the pot plants. My garden is not big. Keeping some in pots, like the chives, is a good use of space.
The chives up close
The salvia and fox glove buds up close
And what is a garden bed without a rose? This one is something like Spirit of Peace.
I have also carved some space out of the former jungle to put up the birdbath. It was a Christmas present from my Mum last year. I finally have it in a spot where the birds are happy to use it and where I can keep it topped up. I have planted some impatiens, which should look good. Fingers crossed that they grow!
I can see the birdbath from my window and know that it is used a lot. Where did the birds go before?
And lastly (well done if you have got this far!), the hydrangea my sister gave me. I have always wanted one. As I was not sure where it should go, it went into a pot. The photo shows how cleverly I have been able to crop the other photos to not show the mess and raggedy bits of the garden, like the hose, bricks, leaf litter and weed mat!
Unfortunately the hydrangea is struggling today. It doesn’t like 40 degrees, but then not many of us do.
I am sure you are thinking “But where are the veggies?” How astute of you. Unfortunately, they are something else growing in pots this year. Our Veggie Patch, otherwise known as the Front Yard is a fallow wasteland at the moment. Enough said about it, as today I am enjoying the colours and pleasures of the back. I might have a moan to you about it next time.
Enjoy your gardening, wherever you are. If your world is too cold to garden at the moment, I hope that my flowers have given you some extra warmth. 🙂
Anne Lawson Art 
11 replies on “How does my garden grow?”
Anne, what a delightful post. Your garden, transformed, is both inviting and uplifting. I love the combination of flowers, and the way you’ve interspersed pots.
Hydrangeas are my favorites. I admired them for years before planting one. Now I have six, one in a large pot, three under the window and three more in the back corner of the garden. You’re right, they don’t like the heat. But I’m sure yours will spruce up again when temps cool off.
It’s winter on this side of the globe, and we’ve just come off of an unusual 7 day freeze, so I’ll simply enjoy the view from here of your place.
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Thank you, and I am glad that you are enjoying the view! I use pots quite a bit in the garden. I have enough things planted in the ground that grow exuberantly, so I try to keep somethings contained. However, I am certain that the cumquat and lemon trees must have put down long tap roots into the ground!
Good to know that hydrangeas like to be in pots. Are all of yours the same varieties?
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We have two or three hydrangea varieties, but it has been awhile since I planted them so I don’t recall what they are. I like the lacecaps, but honestly, they are all beautiful and vibrant.
I’m sure you’re right about the tap root. Plants have a way of setting down roots if they’re happy where you put them.
We had a miniature lemon in a pot for awhile but it didn’t thrive. It’s doing better now that we have it in the ground.
Gardening…it never gets old. Happy New Year!
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Happy New Year to you too. Gardening is a great way to centre your soul, isn’t it?
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It sure is! And now the countdown for spring can begin in earnest.
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A beautiful garden, and wonderful acomplishment to have transformed it. Now it’s time to enjoy it… and the odd visit to the garden centre for supplementary plants I’m sure is justifed 🙂
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Yes, I am sure that I could squeeze in just one more plant! That’s the good thing about annuals — they are meant to die and be replaced. 🙂
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Lovely! Thank you so much for following Mr Bradshaw and me – it is very good to know that people enjoy the posts. I also garden and you might like some of the pictures at http://suffolkdiary.wordpress.com which is where I garden in Suffolk. Nothing in the last month as I desperately try to sort out before Christmas but I will be starting again in the New Year
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I will jump over there and have a look. Thanks for visiting my Melbourne garden!
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Lovely transformation! I have just completed a little shade garden under the open-slab stairway by my place. Ferns, leafy / stalky things (how botanical) & a rock river brightened up the spot.
By the way, do you know how to change the image at the top of your blog? I have the same format for my blog & was thinking of changing out the artwork but I couldn’t find instructions. Happy holidays. Beth B
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I am looking forward to the sketches and watercolours of your new shade garden! Such a satisfying thing to do. 🙂
As to the image, it is easy to do. However, sometimes it doesn’t seem to work. I always new posts through the admin pages. (I get a bit confused using the quick way.) On the right side there, under the tag box, is a box that allows you to add the featured image.When you click on that you are taken to your media library and then just click the one you want. Hope that helps.
Happy holidays and lots of painting time to you too!
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