What Ive been doing in my garden..

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

What I've been doing in my garden in the past & coming weeks..

I've been busy in my garden... yesterday I was clearing an area that was over grown along the fence line as I'm wanting to create better borders this summer, and I came across some huge bulbs I wasnt sure of what they were, so did a garden bulb search on google, it looks like some could be Belladonna bulbs & others daffodils that were struggling to survive being that other plants had smothered them, so I pulled them all out and I am now going to put them into pots and wait till they flower to see if my hunch is correct.. before I put them in a place in the garden they dont suit.. cos I read that Belladona's love full sun, these were really in the shade.

Image below shows the two sets of bulbs I found I think Daffodil bulbs are on the left and the Belladona's ? on the right.

I've been busy planting in my new pots on the patio also, just trying to create a colour scheme at a low cost,what do you think of these amazing pots that I purchased for $20 from our local recycling refuse centre.. I couldn't get my dollars out my pocket fast enough as they had just come in.. the lady was driving out the door as I walked in.. the man at the counter said she'd had a garage sale the day previous being Saturday and no one came to it.. so she bought all the stuff into the refuse station..woah..my best score of the week..$200 dollars worth of amazing huge pottery pots I priced them at my garden centre..

Love these bargains!!...

I also purchased my very first Amaryillis Belladona Lilly and its just flowered, and oh so pretty.. this is it below..

Also I'm growing strawberries this summer as I was given a load of small plants by a staff member, my wheel barrow wheel popped its tyre and it was going to cost just as much for a new  tyre as it was to purchase a whole new wheel barrow.. so I opted for a new wheel barrow cos it came with a new tyre anyway and I used my old one to grow the strawberries in..my first fruit picking harvest is almost here..

I also made a bird feeder to hang up away from Orik as he's become a prolific hunter in my garden, I've found a few remnants of feathers & organs of dead birds sadly..

That's it for this week, I will keep posting below in comments with updates to other garden ventures I do, I'm collecting river stones at present as my next big project will be creating a fish pond surrounded by rocks like the one in the video below would be awesome & raised garden borders [rockery maybe?] with these rocks..I also think my bird aviary needs a spruce up and a paint job,water blasted first,I'm wanting a dove cove so I can let my fan tail dove can fly free,but I'm not sure I want to make it myself yet or just buy one second hand [cant see me getting one they cost a fortune] so I'll wait one will come my way...till then I will share progress photo's when  projects start to happen in my garden in the comment section below,..so WATCH THIS SPACE! its to be continued...

I'm going to be really busy this summer for sure..my green thumbs are itching big time..lol..I'm told I'm just a natural..

Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።

I went to a car boot sale this morning and purchased these little succulent gems one bright Orange the others Crimson Pink..both of them are Kalanchoe blossfeldiana calandiva..

And I have put my potato's in their growing bag this is the first photo just showing the tops of a few,I will update in photo's as they grow..

Well that's it for today projects..more to come..keep watching this space..

My tiny orchids have started to flower this week,I've had them for over 6yrs and separated & transplanted them into other pots now they are going for it..so sweet teeny flowers..

And Orik just loves the garden right now,he  lazes around outside on the table & chairs and rolls in frount of me on the path or if I'm in the garden doing stuff he flops himself down beside me while I work..he wont come in at night without being coerced with food and he's made friends with a sweet ginga cat across the road and they love each other cos they both boof heads & rub up to each other,he's a male also and both are around the same age. It's nice cos hes been looking for a friend, since hes a rescue cat he was raised around many cats,so all he wants is to be friends with them, but sadly the older cats dont like this they just growl at him and slap him or fight n flight.

My ducks are in molting mode & are continually grooming themselves my doves are as well their aviary looks like somethings been killed in there,feathers everywhere,my best mate Josh had to check it out and look twice just to make sure something hadn't got in and attacked them LOL..but they are all happy & healthy..

My Vege garden is pumping now after all the rain weve had in the past few weeks..managed to keep the ducks out of it by placing metal trampoline rails I got from the refuse station around it so they couldnt jump in LOL sussed them out..I have been eating from it daily already..

Check out the tree Magnolia growing out over the back fence,first time flowing look at the size of those flowers its just amazing...highly scented at night time too..I get a waft every now and again through my back door..

Here's more info about it..

Magnolia macrophylla also known as

Large-leaved Cucumber Tree

https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/80566/#b

Sabrae' my male failtail dove went for a flying adventure this week was missing for 3 days, but came back exhausted..LOL.. that will teach him..here he is sleeping on the shed roof on his return..I thought if Sabrae went free he'd just stick around the house on the roof line, being he's well homed, but no he decided to fly off totally, I thought ok mate nice to know you dude its been great for the past 6yrs, some appreciation you had for all the good food & love n care I gave yah..well I should have bit my tongue cos he did come back after checking out the neighborhood a bit, and how selfish of me.. why shouldn't he fly off & spread his wings hes been in a large aviary for years..I'd do the same thing if I was set free..

Here he is up on the house roof,poor tired out boy,done a load of flying..excuse the dirty guttering OMG!!, I never noticed that before I will have to get the water blaster out on the next fine day I think..

I need a nice wooden sun lounger on the concrete pad,but cant be buggared to make one myself..now that would be a  great addiction,but I also have to repair the concrete pad first cos its all cracked and dingy looking, I'm also going to the beach to get some drift wood so I can mount my bromilaids as they have pushed out and broken the pot, so I have to mount them now,on wood and up in my palm tree with wire,now that's going to be a mission "WITH GLOVES' cos they have spikes on them..but will take photo's of he process & end product when I do it, also Im going to create a fish pond, its been a dream to have one..I'm collecting stones now, cos I'm going to need a lot of them..so each time I go for a trek I bring back a boot load of rocks..LOL.. Im also making garden art, will post images of that too when I'm finished..

My potatoes are shooting away nicely after all the rain we have had in the past 3 days and yet very warm temperatures..

and a few other images of things that are taking off around the garden including my tomato pot,and hanging baskets..

Been busy making garden art today, it was so easy, all I needed was a hot glue gun, some picture hooks which I stole from the back of old picture frames from my garage, some padding cushions I found at the Bunnings Handyman Store, and some old plates & bowls I got from the refuse station..

I was going to add them all together, starting with the larger one, but then it dawned on me it would be far too heavy and just fall apart when hung up, so I managed to make two pieces instead..one large one I hung in my tree..

And the smaller lighter one as the large bowl is actually plastic not glass so I put it on a garden stake..

I will keep going back to the refuse station looking for other plates & bowls,saucers & pin dishes to make more over the summer,they are so easy to make..here's a video on others people have made..however they use silicon glue from a tube,or two pot mix epoxy resin...I used silicon hot glue..probably does the same thing??...

ooh next might be a glass bird bath if I can find some amazing pots & bowls like this woman has..

Having a invasion of the earwigs at present,they are everywhere,and the old newspaper trick isnt really working, nor is the recommended piece of garden hose pipe left in the tubs, I get like only one or two and that's it. So am going to ask the nursery what to do to be rid of the blighters,cos they are eating my flowers at night. and the leaves on my potatoes too..

Ok pulled some of my potatoes out yesterday and left some still in the bag to grow bigger,I just wanted some for dinner..plus I pulled out a few carrots as well and two of my tomatoes were ready and splitting so took them off too..

Had to pick the Black Russian tomatoes from my vege patch as the ground is dry and they are cracking..but they are ready anyway..

I've been busy outside today in the sunshine after a frosty morning.. potting up some more plants,some small cactus & succulents given to me yesterday by a client.. I've re-potted them..my collection has grown now from a few cuttings a few months back to a table full now and I'm propagating them too, I've only lost one cactus cutting,[I think it was just too young taken off the mother plant,I should have waited till it was larger..] but also I'm taking clippings and laying them on potting mix to grow, so I can give some I have to those who dont have them, its cool fun and so easy to do..a kid could grow these things..they dont need much care..I'm watching tiny cactus grow in weeks..and succulents thrive all just with a little seaweed mix in their water,that's it..

Cresting Clavifolia

Tiger Aloe - Genialoa veriegata  & Mesembryanthemum & Lemon tears

White Ghost - Variegated Corn Cob Cactus Euphorbia mammillaris

& Golden Barrel [foreground]

A few more additions to my succulent & Cacti collection, its getting added to often now that my clients know I'm collecting.. they are even sussing clippings for me from friends, how cool is that and a good way for it to grow fast, I have a table full now, so I will have to stop soon LOL..I cant believe just how many wonderful variety of succulents & cacti there actually is..and I havnt even touched the surface with the ones I have..there is a place up in Auckland that used to be in the Coromandel Peninsula that cultivates exotic cacti and succulents... they have some amazing specimens, but I couldnt afford any of them though...its called 'Desert Maniacs' on Trademe, they have even won Gold at competitions with some of their  exotic cacti at the Ellislie Flower Show.. see link below ..

http://www.cacti.co.nz/

Crassula Gollum

Echeveria Perle Von Nurnberg

Echeveria Topsy Turvy

Titanopsis Schwantesii

Blue tears Sedum dasyphyllum

Titanopsis hugo-schlechteri

Baby Slim leafed alligator - Mother of Millions - Bryophyllum daigremontianum

String of pearls

Euphorbia Flanaganii cristata

A few more cacti were given to me over the weekend,they are small, but'm sure they will grow for me..

Astrophytum

Gymnocalyclium

My small Titanopsis hugo-schlechteri succulent flowered for the first time today...

And I have a new Heurnia zebrina magniflora cactus too,it has a few flower heads on it,so will wait if they come out.. I'm really enjoying my cacti & succulent collection its growing fast...will update as more come my way..the word is out around work now with work mates asking friends for clippings and divided plants for me lol..love it!..

I do want more cacti,not so much succulents now..but when your given them how can you refuse. I'd love one of these below,but it would cost a fortune over here..

Gymnocalycium mihanovichii f. rubra

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

These are whats termed as Bonsai plantings with pumice stone & fern type plants..they arnt bonsai trees but rather bonsai plants, that wont grow any larger due to the confinement of the pots I put them in..all I have to do is make sure they are trimmed back if they try to grow outside the pot..I'm growing another type of fern called a rabbits foot fern  [Davallia fejeensison] over a large stone rock at present,.. I'm just waiting for it to get a little larger before I take any photo's of it, so  again watch this space for updates on that....

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

I made a gate to the back part of the section as the other one was starting to fall apart,it was too flimsy made from trellis on a frame..I had never made a basic garden gate before, so Youtube did the trick to help..a old trampoline spring tacked to the bottom made a good retractor,it works well..

The garden has a few flowering plants I couldn't help but take photo's of..especially the neighbours rambling magnolia vine that's hanging over my back fence,as well as a tree that has these string tassel like flowers [if anyone knows what this tree is called let me know,as I've never seen one before] ..and the Kowhai tree out frount is in full  flower,saw a Tui up in it the other day..and so is the Wisteria vine & the plum tree is flowering too...

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

I have a few new succulents that have grown from clippings..two varieties of Mother of millions & Mother of thousands,

and my air plant has flowered

and a few of my other succulents are growing fast,I will take more images of them as they grow but this

one is called 'baby toes'..

some pretty flowers showing their heads in my border...and the nasturtiums are flowering along my fence line..

My fish pond plants & pond weed are growing well and I've had to thin the weed out a few times as it grows so damn fast,but the fish love it as they have shelter from Kiro's peering eyes...

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I have bok choy & lettuce growing my my vege garden which I hope arnt going to be eaten by ear wings,as I cant seem to get rid of those blighters....

along with self seeding cherry tomato's, so least I'll have something for my first summer salad hopefully & with a bit of luck..

Its been extremely wet here of late and many cyclone storms, so folk have been holding off planting things in their vege patch in case they loose them,so I'm holding off till the weather warms up a bit to plant my courgette and possibly the pumpkins cos they will get battered with the high winds..

I'm also gonna plant runner beans this season as well as spinach,all are tender plants and need wind protection..

My ducks have both now come into lay again, they have been hiding their nests from me, I had to go hunting for them this time, I found one in the back of the compost pile 'Cocoa' hid it with leaves..and one in my wood shed under a old wheelbarrow I had on top of it by 'Orio' & she'd even lined it with belly feather down & some old shredded material she'd found from somewhere,damn cleaver my ducks are...love em to bits...

Orio is the older dark one shes 4yrs old with white around her neck, & Walnut is a year younger and looks like a latte coffee..they are inseparable companions I tell yah..

And lastly from this urban farmer...Oh before I post this I have a lovely rabbit paw fern growing over a rock I put under my bench seat on my back deck and its shot a few new fronds out in the past few days,its looking really good now..

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

I just keep adding updates on things happening around my back yard & garden as one does..things change all the time out the back, things die back and others grow larger, look at this wee succulent how much its grown it looks like a baby cabbage now...

From this:-

To this:-

and my tea trees I planted last summer in the copper pots on the top of this article are just flowering again now and have been covered in bees from the wild hive in my neighbours garage out back, same with my lavender bush flowers too, I just wish I could get some of that honey from inside those walls..

Got advised to remove my inverted aquarium over the summer months by another person who has one in there garden, sadly she lost 8 of her fish real fast one day.... they loved it so much they wouldn't come out and the heat of the sun at 29degreeC  heated the water fast & in a sense cooked them in it fast..OMG

I was like oh Nooooo woah!!!..and that thing came down real fast, I dont want to cook my fish..

I'll put it back up in the winter months again..the plants in the pond have now taken over and I've had to scoop them out on a regular basis, but they are keeping the water temperature down, one even just flowered..see images below..

Other flowering things in my garden..

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

Whats growing in my garden right now in Summer..

First ever time I've grown passion fruit and blow me down its flowered and bearing fruit in less than 6mths growth,they normally take a year to bear fruit..but I have a healthy virgin soil and I've been feeding it worm pee,think it paid off..healthy looking fruit about 8-10 of them yay!

Black Doris plums this season are humongous,pollinated by the wild native bees in the neighbours garage and they managed to form before the huge storm winds came through so a very good crop this year..will be fighting for them with Lacuna,as she loves plums and has even been caught nicking those at her height directly off the tree.. shes a sneaky minx..

Gonna have a massive crop of grapes this season also compared to last season which was pitiful, I pruned the vine right back to stock before it sprouted and I think that's why as its putting all the nutrient into solid old stock vines not new ones..

Potatoes in the garden this season growing well, also sweet cherry tomatoes,and the rhubarb is huge this season it was a young crown last summer,so now is matured its doing its thing..strawberries in the garden too, I've even nicked a few already..gathering seeds now for Bok Choy already and about to plant a few more lettuce.. Mandarin's are loaded this season also same as the lemons, I hope the poor wee mandarin tree can cope with the weight of them all or I might have to make some bracing to hold it up..Thats about it as far as the eating stuff goes,all the plants are growing well & the feijoa tree I pruned right back hard to stock last season is now recovered and may bear fruit I dont know we will see..

And Oreo & Walnut have started to lay again and are gifting me with an abundance of wonderful yummy tasting eggs..

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

Only one self seeded pumpkin this season,but its a  huge one,least it will give me a huge pot of pumpkin & vege soup for winter,last season 9 was too much I had to give them away before they rotted out..

missing the duck eggs since they have gone off laying after a moult,and they wont lay now till spring comes around..my emperor tree aka china doll has been visited by parakeets and gold finches,they have made a right mess there are seeds and chewed casings everywhere..

not much is flowering at this time of the year but the chives are flowering

& Rhododendron verticillatum

& few snap dragons

along with the Fatsia Japonica plant is encouraging the bees big time delivering its nectar as a treat for pollination..

and my Banana palms are looking great until the first frost comes along that is..

and my doves though scabby looking after a moult and obviously growing new feathers on their heads, are enjoying the early morning sunshine sunbathing at every opportunity..

[Taikunping avatar ~ Julie Parry]

So many things here that I've grown too, others I've never seen in this country.

Have you every grown borage, I remember years ago having a plant in my garden and adding the little blue flowers to ice cubes

I tried an air plant but I'm not sure the conditions were right for it probably too cold perhaps.

I've grown nasturtium and eaten the leaves, think they tasted peppery

The bees definitely loved the snap dragons when I had those in pots near the pond and it was lovely to see their little bottoms wriggling to get right inside and then they disappeared.

I've grown the stone plants, think I may have been over generous with the water....

Fatsia Japonica - Japanese Aralia - I grew from seed, it lived until it was put into the conservatory as it had grown too big for the house. 

I grew several Yucca plants they take from cuttings quite easily and then again when it was too big for the house I left it outside, it survived the mild winter then got frosted one year.

I haven't tried growing rhubarb, but mum and dad had some in their garden, likes lots of well rotted compost and in this country it isn't so lush.

My grapevine didn't do well in my conservatory, that died last year not quite sure why, the leaves grew small then dropped so I cut it down in the hope it would shoot out and kept the little heater on frost setting this winter.

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

Ahh Borage yes I had one given to me by my neighbour,its great to help the compost get loads of nitrogen,but is seen as a weed over here, it grows too rampant due to our higher temps, unlike in England where its cooler to keep its growth rate down, ..its the same for ivy & privet,the worst things the early settlers to bring here,as our conditions it loved and took hold over everything,now it too is a noxious weed, same with wild white ginger & Agapantha's & your normal oxalis & Wisteria & Honey Suckle oh and white Jasmine is deadly here....all termed as weeds here to be eradicated..sadly.. 

I have huge Yukka on my back section yes they are tropical but mine have survived hard frosts ones even just finished flowering.. pretty flowers & highly scented to attract the moths.

[Taikunping avatar ~ Julie Parry]

Himalayan Balsam seems to take over the sides of the rivers locally and this is seen as a weed in England.  I remember the plant as a child popping the seed pods to explode them.  We used to grow it in a small border by the house wall, it must have liked the heat from the house bricks.  

Ahhh yes my Yucca was ok for a few winters then a hard frost.  The passion flower I had was a beauty and it did very well for several years outside.  It didn't seem to like being in the conservatory.

I've got a honeysuckle which is pretty rampant, it's winding its way through the apple trees and clings to everything, I love the fragrance so keep it in check.  My ivy took over my eucalyptus tree, and when the tree died I had an ivy tree!  

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

Oh those are nice,very pretty flowers.. what a shame they are a weed..but are they like the buzzie lizzies aka 'Impatiens' over here, they have these seed pods that when touched they act like a spring & open a pod scattering the seeds..

[Taikunping avatar ~ Julie Parry]

Guess so, from what I remember of the balsam seeds you only had to touch them lightly to make them pop...this was lots of years again when I was a teenager! ;) but then because they were unusual and magical to me I remember these things 

[ënagualí ~ Ꮙℓἇ∂ἇ ኔጡ።]

Yes I just looked up the species its full namesake:- Impatiens glandulifera so many different species of Impatiens but I can agree I used to pop them open myself,I have them in my garden, but they do manage to get less n less over the seasons..but I dont have that species I have the one I showed in the video.