My Garden from Space

In this world of modern miracles - this is how my garden looks from space:

I can't get much better resolution than this - my place is on the left, and the older house we used to own is on the right. But the thought that fascinates me is that trees I have planted can be seen from space. And my solar hotwater system.

I am fortunate the town is in the high-resolution area - which stops just down the road - in other towns nearby you cannot even pick out houses.

To see yours, do a Google Search for "Google Earth", and if you have a modern computer and broadband access, you can download a small program and look at anywhere in the world.

Garden Ramblings

I've been rambling around the garden - so here are some random ramblings:

The purple Iris is out. This was in the garden of an old house a friend bought - it always flowers now, not at the same time as other, more respectable purple irises. And that is all I know about it.

My lemon tree is loaded - and is much yellower than it shows in this picture. I have tried all sorts of things - citrus fertiliser, the worm wee, to no avail. I think it needed more water - it was as dry as everything else, and the lemons are small but usable. Right now I am picking and giving away heaps, as the tree will never have a chance with this many lemons on it. And it hasn't really recovered from years ago, when I rented this house out, and the tenant tied a horse to the much smaller tree and almost completely ring-barked it.

And, here is the first Daffodil - it was hiding under a bush. It is in the King Alfred group, but isn't quite one, as the petals are much lighter. It beat the true King Alfred (below) by about a day. So, where have my doubles gone???? They were always the first, I thought.

One thing about a blog - it sharpens your observation and helps you keep a record

Beautiful Winter Weather

It is wonderful winter weather here. Yesterday I pruned all the Hybrid Tea (and a few Tea) roses, and the ground was quite wet underfoot then. Since then it has rained steadily overnight - there was 29.5 ml (118 pts) in the gauge this morning, and there has been heaps more since.

I am enjoying watching the rain on the radar. I have discovered what the loop link is above the map - it lets you see things actually move!!!

There's not a lot of colour in the garden - I didn't get any winter annuals in, but the perennial snapdragon (which I think is going to flower 364 days of the year), is looking wonderful.

This is how it looked a couple of months ago - not as many flowers now, but definitely still has a presence.

But I do have to admit that the first daffodil is really only just a bud - but a big, fat one that will come out any day now.

I think it is a King Alfred - strange, as I thought my very old double daffodils were always the first to flower. I got them years ago from an abandoned mining settlement out in the bush (although I made sure I only took a couple and left most of them there). They are quite ugly things, but I like them as they are so old. Pictures to come - once they come out in flower.

Right now I am wandering around trying to reduce the number of clumps of old-fashioned cream Jonquils (others might know them as Narcissus) - otherwise they are going to take over the whole garden.

The worms, of course, are loving all the wet soil.

And, in one of the nearby towns, the elms have all broken out with their new leaves. I think spring is on its way.

First Daffodil

The first Daffodil is out - I have seen them around earlier elsewhere, but my first one is out, and I don't have the camera with me. :(

But I did get the China Doll camelia planted where the Garry fell over when I leaned on it. Poor Garrya - it never had a chance where it was dark and dry.

Memo - must water the camelia. There was nowhere else to fit it.

Beautiful Rain

It is so beautifully wet and sodden and wintery - and impossible to work in the garden.

But here are some Nerines I was talking about a while ago:

They are the ones that are much more vigorous than all those around them, and flower later and taller etc. And it can only be because the bird bath is always emptied on them - full of yuccky green water and bird poopings etc.

So the others come out for a few weeks as little stunted flowers, and finish, and then a few weeks later these come out like this.

And look just lovely in the rain, still.