Gold Bunny...

Gold Bunny on Monday morning...

Tuesday morning...

& today.

I have been waiting weeks to see this rose bloom, ever since the first bud appeared in August, and I just had to share her radiant prettiness (has a lovely scent too). This is the sole surviving rose bush in our garden, after a standard and another bush (Queen Elizabeth) died over winter, but there are, of course, plans to plant more next season (now we know that we can grow them!).

In the Garden: Early morning admiration...

Armeria: Pretty in pink...

See that gravel? SJ did it. All of it. I am full of admiration and gratitude: It must have nearly killed him. It would have me!

Look closely: It's corn!

No, really. It is.

New lawn: Apparently fertilizer works wonders.

Who knew?

Out the front: See that gravel? SJ did that too.

Isn't it just so neat and tidy?

I love neat and tidy.

Okay, so it's a patch of dirt, but hopefully there will be lawn soon.

But there are no weeds and no dead leaves and it's neat, at least.

I also planted kangaroo paw at the corners (if you squint you might be able to see one).

And finally: A yellow rose.

My favourite.

I can't wait to see it in full bloom.

Spring into Happiness...

 [Newly planted carnation, aster & alyssum]

With the glorious, sun-shiny weather we are having at the moment, it probably comes as no surprise that I spent a fair portion of my weekend outdoors, tending the garden.

[Left: Armeria, daffodils, golden daisies, blue marguerite daisies, and irises in the flowerbed.

Right: First buds on the apricot tree.]

It was so wonderful to be outside, to feel the warming sun on my skin, to hear the bees buzzing and watch the birds with their young, to admire the flowers in bloom and to watch the garden come back to life after a short but frosty winter.

[Strawberries, out of reach of the lizards!]

I pulled weeds, removed dead shrubs, pruned, fertilised, and planted carnation, aster, alyssum, and geranium in the new flowerbed to accompany the roses, along with strawberries in hanging baskets.

[Top: First rosebud; Bottom: Golden daisies.]

Bailey-dog and I visited the in-laws and came home with cuttings of succulents and lavender, which are now in pots readying themselves for a transfer to the garden beds at a later date.

If this wonderfully wonderful weather continues into next weekend I hope to start planting in the veggie patch, although having said that the raised beds are still a work in progress (SJ may well have a busy week in the garden himself!).

"Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer." ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

In the Garden: Winter Planting

 Standard Rose (White)

Bush Rose (Pink & Yellow)

Peacherine

Apricot (Trevatt)

It's so good to be able to get out into the garden and plant things, even in the middle of winter!

SJ and I busied ourselves over the long weekend with planting some bareroot roses and fruit trees.

It is our first attempt at growing these, so we have started small: Just two rose bushes to accompany the standard rose we moved from the front yard to the back, along with a peacherine and apricot tree, both of which do not require a pollinator. If we have success (meaning, if they don't die) we will plant more next winter.

Now I really cannot wait for spring, when the garden will burst with colour, and I can really get my hands dirty just sowing, planting, and growing...

A single rose can be my garden...

1. Rose, 2. Perfection is a Rose, 3. White Rose, 4. rose bunch, 5. a rose from rose.., 6. Ramo de rosas - Roses bunch, 7. White rose , 8. Last Rose @ Public Gardens (20071021-114530-PJG), 9. Yellow rose for Shana

In our part of the world, June is the month for planting roses (or, at least, this is what my trusty Yates' Garden Guide tells me).

I want a garden with roses.

At the moment the only rose we have is a standard white in the front yard that we never see in bloom because we're never out the front and it gets forgotten. So, this coming June I am going to risk moving it whilst it is dormant to the back yard, and cross all fingers and toes for its survival.

We're also going to plant a selection of other rose bushes to keep it company. Last weekend whilst the weather was good, we got outside, allocated a spot in the garden and dug through some organic matter in preparation for the roses. Actually, if I am truthful, SJ did the digging and the preparing, whilst I stood by and (helpfully) pointed and gave instructions.

I've no idea how the roses will fare, but we've tried to select a location that will give them enough light without them getting burnt to a crisp during the peak of summer. But I still don't know which varieties to get and where to get them from: Some further research is in order, and I suspect a rose-hunting trip to Adelaide will be taken sometime next month when the patch is ready for planting.

So, who knows the secret to growing beautiful roses? I suspect they'll need quite a bit of attention, but having said that I'm sure the work is worth it just to see those stunning blooms!