ALL CLEARED

Doug has been working hard and the boundary is now clear ready to start building the new fence. We bought a post hole borer at the weekend and arranged for the posts and concrete to be delivered on Wednesday. The palings and railings are all stacked up under cover.

A bit hard to see as it is cloudy today.  The fence will be built with the palings on our neighbours' side as it is easier that way.

We had a lovely walk around Lake Waro in Hikurangi and everyone enjoyed the home baking in the cafe afterwards.

BUSY

There are never enough hours in the day.  The boundary fence is gradually coming down ready to put the new paling fence up.  I cannot remember if I mentioned that we are going to build the fence ourselves.  Doug as the fencer and me the helper.

Last week we had two storms, one on Wednesday and the other on Friday.  There were strong winds and  a lot of flooding around and we had a very wet lawn but it soon dried out.  

I staked the foxgloves and they survived except from the smaller ones on the large white foxglove so I picked them and put them in a vase.

I was quite surprised that the gardenias are looking so good in spite of the storms.  They are so pretty.

Yesterday we drove down to Mangawhai and met up with an old school friend of Doug's they often talk on the phone but he hadn't seen her for about 40 years so it was great to catch up. We drove on the coast road from Waipu and it was a very pleasant drive.

We got home just before our Japanese Cedar palings were delivered (the cypress rails had been delivered the previous day).  We now have to order the posts, screws, stain, concrete etc. and will be able to start the job.

The bananas have been wonderful.  This is one of the later bunches.

and this is the stem with just a few bananas left.   We picked just under 9 kgs from this bunch.

SKIP AND BANANAS

We ordered a 6m skip for the creepers we had cut down from the fence and other rubbish

and were quite surprised when the one below arrived (a 9m skip)  apparently they didn't have any of the 6m available so gave us the larger one instead (at no extra charge).  It arrived on Monday and has been a busy week clearing up and filling the skip.  

being taller it was a bit harder putting the rubbish in but we have made good use of it.  The old garden edging is in there and a lot of prunings that were too large for the compost bins.  We have it until Monday so may well find more over the weekend.  As you can see it is cloudy today and a shower or two would be very welcome.

On the banana front we have almost finished the first bunch as we have had several visitors this week.  The second bunch that was green when picked has started to turn colour.  The ripe ones were on the far side so I had to spin them to get a photo.  Today's visitor was one of Doug's nieces and, when we asked if she would like some bananas asked what type as she has been eating locally grown ones and wasn't interested in going back to the shop ones. 

BANANAS

Our bananas were covered in a blue plastic bag for protection from the elements and any vermin so we could not see whether they were ripening or not.  We had decided to pick them anyway but had put it off until we had cleared the boundary fence.  On Friday I happened to notice ripe bananas lying on the ground.  They had over-ripened so we set to to pick them.  It is a big job as the bunches are quite heavy and high up but we got them down and then cut up the stems for mulch around the remaining plants.  Seeing they were over-ripe we decided to pick the second bunch as well.  This is still quite green but we think/hope it will ripen.  Anyway, even though a lot of the bananas have split they are absolutely delicious, far tastier than any bought in the shops.  We have given quite a lot away but still have plenty as well as the green ones to look forward to.

A bowl of ripe bananas

The rest of the bunch hanging up to ripen.

The second bunch as we were picking it.

The plants after the first two plants have been removed.

 

SPRING - A BUSY TIME OF YEAR

Spring is always busy.  Old vegetable beds to be cleared out and replanted, winter flowering plants to be cut back or removed.  Here, in the north of New Zealand, everything keeps on growing so we don't actually have a winter rest period.  Although the grass grows more slowly, it still grows and needs mowing and most plants keep on growing.

Apart from this general maintenance Doug decided that the edging of the flower bed along the drive needed replacing.  He built it in 2009 just after he moved here.  This is the flower bed earlier in the month before the old edging was removed.

This is the new edging.  Doug cuts each piece individually then nails them on to the backing timber in panels.

The following photos are of the garden a couple of weeks ago.

We then decided that the various creepers growing on the boundary fence needed removing and a new fence put in.  It was a fairly big job removing the creepers and we have a skip booked for tomorrow to take the rubbish away.  We got a quote for a new paling fence but as it was nearly twice as much as we expected, even allowing for the huge increase in the price of timber,  we have decided to build it ourselves. Fun times!!!

I had not taken a photo of the new edging so just took a couple which also show the old fence with all the creepers removed.  The garden looks a bit bare as we removed a few plants while clearing out the creepers.  Yesterday we planted various salvias, zinnias and petunias.  We got them in just in time for today's steady rain.

SPRING IN THE QUARRY GARDENS

 We really enjoyed Monday's walk in the gardens.  It was a cloudy day but quite pleasant.

Clivias are doing well at present.  We have several clumps in our garden.

We also have a small pot with a Poor Knights Lily only found in the wild on the Poor Knight's Islands.

A couple of us decided to walk up to the Arid Garden.  Although I have been to the higher path many times I had never been on this path to the Arid Garden halfway up the cliff.  This photo taken half-way up the path shows how high one climbs in a short period. That is the car park we started from.

Higher up looking down on the rest of the group at the lake.  The water is quite murky following rain.

I don't know the name of this plant but it is very pretty although I wouldn't want to grow it as it has vicious thorns.

The bottom photos are Doug's who did not go up to the Arid Garden.  This is a bug house 

and below with one of the doors open.  No bugs in residence.

another photo of Chris Booth's sculpture

A pretty tea tree which I believe is an Australian one. 

I was asked to stand next to this tree to show the size of the leaves.

We always enjoy our walks in the Quarry Gardens which was followed by a cuppa at a nearby cafe.  Unfortunately the Gardens' Cafe is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

QUARRY GARDENS - CHRIS BOOTH SCULPTURE

 In 2018 I posted a photo of a Chris Booth Varder Sculpture which is designed to be consumed over time by fungi.  

We have seen it several times over the years but were surprised to find this when we had the Parkinson walk there today.

This is the sign that was underneath it.

We had a most enjoyable walk around the gardens.  More photos in a day or so.