Secluded Sanctuary

When I first arrived in Galloway Street early January 2010 a section of the garden that was down the back had a large vege plot. Although the only thing that really grew in this vege plot was weeds so it began to look quite untidy. The best option at the time I thought was to get rid of it and replace it with grass so my partner and I spent a weekend weeding, removing the border, flattening the area and sowing grass seed. 

Before (during summer)

After (winter)

However it is quite damp in this area and in addition this is where the bees are now housed so mowing these lawns with a push mower is a bit of a mission to say the least. Although I am yet to fix the boggy ground by planting a more shade loving grass seed I have created a garden bed that will one day make a nice backdrop for this area. I transplanted from other parts of my garden two hydrangeas and a mexican orange blossom along with some forget-me-not seedlings I found loitering in my upstairs vege plot. I then had a thought that I could fill the last spaces with arthropodium a lovely native grass that flowers during the summer and does nicely in sun or shade. After receiving my 12 root divisions bare rooted via the post I put them in the ground. However a week later I came down to mow the lawns and found that some of the plants had been removed. I need to explain now that this part of the garden is semi shared with the neighbours next door however I do have my side and they have theirs. However I think while one of them was tidying up their section they mistook the arthropodium plants as weedy agapanthus and have pulled them out to stop them spreading. I am little annoyed to say the least, but I have a soft spot for my neighbours as they are old, quite cute and I am sure no harm was intended so I will just let it be. However watch this space, in the next few months I am sure these plants will flourish and I will soon have a lovely section amongst the natives (kowhai, pseudopanax and arthropodium) where I can sit and feel completely cut off from city life.

Arthropodium - Renga Renga Lily