By Beatrice Hawkins
I have an area in a corner of my house yard that I would like to turn into a garden. Given the current and ongoing water restrictions, I have at this time put it on the back burner. It is very definitely a work in progress with not too much progress!
I have started to put in place some sleepers at the back so I can level the area a little and to spray out the existing Kikuyu lawn knowing that this is something that is not going to be achieved quickly or easily.
Ideas for the area change with time.
Initially I envisaged an area full of hardy flowering natives to provide colour, attract birds and provide shelter for some of the smaller wrens etc.
A friend suggested that I should follow a different path altogether and put citrus trees there as their glossy green foliage, perfumed flowers and colourful fruit would look great and I would be able to eat the fruit! It is a position that would lend itself to this as it would be relatively protected from frost, get the morning sun and be well protected from hot westerly weather. I don’t doubt the merits of the suggestion but somehow the idea of natives and their bird attracting properties still appeals to me.
I thought of a pond with water iris and a fountain of some sort so I could sit on the verandah and hear the sound of splashing water. At that time I had small children as neighbours and my yard isn’t fenced, so the safety aspect of that idea was a concern. I do, however, have two lovely metal jabiru that would look great near a pond and reeds. The pond pump would have to be solar and I would need to have a tap closer to the area.
A friend has recently told me “gardening is a seed that, once planted, never dies” and I believe she is right. Even with a drought and water restrictions it is still possible to dream and plan, google and research and change your mind endlessly!
In the mail this week I received the first of the bulb catalogues to drool over but I am going to resist as I really think our climate is not cold enough to be truly successful with these. Having grown spectacular daffodils at Walcha I am only disappointed when they don’t live up to expectations. I might succumb and put some hyacinths in a pot to be able to enjoy the heady perfume.
Another project still under way is my mother’s old wheel barrow. Initially I planted it with gallardias and alyssum as Mum used to grow these, but being away for prolonged periods was not helpful in keeping them alive, so I think another friend’s initial suggestion of succulents and small cactus might be a good idea as I am planning on being away again at different times during 2019.
I am hoping to do a trip to W.A to see family at some time this year, there is definitely a trip to Adelaide happening in April as my 14 year old granddaughter will be swimming in the Australian Championships there and I definitely need to go to be a part of the cheer squad! There will be trips to Bourke again also, even if they do get drought breaking rain, and my first great grandchild will be arriving in Young in April, so a visit to meet him will be in order.
Add into all this the Autumn flower show and a visit from my grandson for his birthday and so his parents can go to the CMC rocks the country at Willow Bank, in March, at least one bus trip somewhere with the Horticultural Society, the information night in May, the Gardening Extravaganza during Jumpers and Jazz in July, and then the Garden Competition and Spring Flower Show in October and my calendar is already looking overcrowded.
I still want to be involved with Thursdays at the CWA tea rooms when I can and I greatly appreciate their tolerance of my erratic schedule.
I would also like to be able to assist in some way with the proposed “Community Van” for the funding of which, Warwick saw the biggest ever garage sale held recently.
I have heard it said that once you retire you wonder how you ever found time to work – I surely concur with that thought!
So with this schedule you can see why my garden needs to be self-caring to a large degree with watering systems and timers, loads of mulch and drought tolerant plants.
Good soaking rain will be the answer to many problems both for town gardeners and farmers alike.
