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

[Taikunping avatar ~ Julie Parry]

ahhh I learn that there there is more than one species, didn't know that Vlada