My Apprentice

Guarding the bird table

Keeping me company

Quenching her thirst

Although my cat Meowman can be a little be shy around strangers she loves to keep me company while I potter around. Sometimes I have my head down trying to get every last bit of chick weed in a certain patch and she will surprise me by scooting past and then sitting down to watch my progress. She is quick to ensure she adds little bits of fertiliser to freshly hoed areas and does a pretty average job of keeping the neighbouring cats away. But every now and again she will do something to redeem herself, like bringing inside helpless native wetas and tormenting them till they shrivel up and die.

Plant of the Week

Kilmarnock Willow - Salix caprea 'Pendula' 

I was first drawn to this beautiful tree in my partner's mother's garden. In spring it's branches are laden in cute fluffy catkins (pussywillows) that look wonderful in a vase and keep for months. I had been looking for one for ages however they were quite pricey in the gardening shops like bunnings and mitre 10 mega. It wasn't until I was passing a nursery outside of Invercargill where I saw a sign "Willows ready soon" that I got really excited. This nursery is owned by someone I know, so I contacted him and he quoted the wonderful price of $56 including postage to Dunedin and I was sold. My tree arrived a few days later barerooted so I got it in the ground quick smart and then staked it. The birds have already become quite accustomed to it's presence in my garden and use it as a perch while waiting their turn in line to sugar water I put out on offer everyday. Now I just can't wait till spring.

Doesn't look like much at the moment, but after a years growth it really will be one of the best features of the garden.

The Viewing Platform

At the start of 2010 I moved into a beautiful old two storey villa in Galloway Street, Dunedin. For almost    a year I stayed indoors and completely ignored the overgrown garden below, in the belief that I had inherited my parents distain for anything that meant getting dirt or bugs on your hands. However as spring rolled around I realised I could no longer ignore the borage and onion weed that threatened to take over. I went into attacking mode, and after a few hours looked back at my progress and felt some sort of accomplishment. In the next few months this feeling of accomplishment actually turned into enjoyment. I had found a real passion for all things gardening.  This blog is my sounding board for all my gardening inspirations, inspirations that probably had their beginnings on this very balcony, the veiwing platform that looks over my Galloway garden.