A bright spot amongst the graft and pain

This dinky flower on our Leptosermum Huia was the one bright spot in the garden this weekend. Apart from this is was simply hard graft, rain and lots of pain.

We managed to get the final tree holes dug and planted. Then came the tricky bit to put in the stakes to keep them protected from the Wellington winds. The landscapers recommended Y Shaped Steel Fence Posts, commonly known as Waratahs and we have two for every tree to keep it safe and sound.

Waratahs

Sinking waratahs into the ground is best done with a special Waratah driver. This is a metal gizmo that weighs about 10 kg.

Picture this. 40 trees, two stakes and for every stake is takes around 20 bashes with the 10 kg driver. I don't want to split hairs on the amount of metal I lugged around let's just say my arms were levitating at the end as the muscle memory kicked in and thought that's what my arms were suposed to carry on doing.

Rain stopped play (I mean work) on occasions which made the job harder and more miserable than it might otherwise had been. Looking on the brightside. The trees are in and well watered. Now all I need is some arm rest for the remainder of the week.

All hands and paws for tree planting!

Although a little earlier than I was expecting our second delivery of trees came on Friday. It's been all hands and paws on deck for tree planting as these trees came bare root so there was no time to waste before getting them into the ground.

Given there was 40 to plant I brought in the lovely John from the landscaping firm to dig the holes and help with the planting and staking. He did a sterling job and got us ready for what turned out to be a late in the day delivery.

You just can't do justice photographing the trees as they are simply sticks in the ground. You'll just have to take my word that it's starting to transform the place and give much needed structure to the landscape around the house. I can't wait till spring when they start to come into life. Then I'll be able to share the tree vistas.

Anyway, here's some photoblogging to show our efforts of the last couple of days.

MT taking five after digging holes and planting

Note the difference in pose - me getting stuck in!

Some of the smaller trees lined up for planting in the new area cleared after the gorse harvest

People say that they start to look like their dogs - can you see the resemblance?

Talking about the bassets, you might be wondering what they've been contributing to the horticultural endevours.......

"So what's this hole, can we put our bones in here?"

"Do you mean this hole I'm stuck in?"

"Hmm, much safer just sniffing the breeze"

"You talking to us? We're not doing anything, honest!"

"Nah, I think this hole is better for the bones. He seems better at digging them than her. Closer to the house too!"

We have planted all the trees but they need staking to be protected from the Wellington winds heading our way. Staking trees, that's a whole different story. Tune in bloggers for the next installment!

Mammoth gorse harvest

The bassets and I have had a very productive afternoon. Exhausting but very satisfying and we had glorious weather to brighten our day.

After a couple of wet weekends it was important to restart the gorse harvest. We've got trees to put in but can't do so until some of the gorse is cleared. So the boys and I set to and we cleared about 20 m of gorse and as if by miracle we finally find the boundary to the land at the bottom of the garden.

The only problem with gorse harvesting is what to do with the gorse harvested. Although my friend Gill mentioned that she knew someone who made wine from gorse, I'm not sure that this is a good idea since our gorse has been exterminated with industrial strength killer spray.

I've created a massive pile to be burned tomorrow. I think if we set light to it as it is we'd probably take the rest of the bush with it so there'll need to be some careful planning and fire building skills.

It's fair to say that my hands, arms, legs and back ache after all the physical exertion but I'm so pleased to have made it to the bottom of the garden at last. If those living in the northern hemisphere get woken by a bright light in the middle of the night, don't worry it's just us burning our gorse!

Fortnum admiring the growing gorse mountain

Rubbish picture (sorry, it was getting dark) but if you squint you can see the bottom of the garden.

Yes there are still plenty of gorse stumps we've got to deal with!

My basset boys on guard protecting the gorse mountain

Domestic Executive neat stacking of the gorse!

Honest, this isn't a line of gorse bushes. My gorse mountain in all it's glory!

Tomorrow when I crawl out of bed complaining of the muscle ache I shall think of my father-in-law who started this whole gorse thing off in the first place. After his marathon spraying efforts during his holiday with us earlier in the year it would be rude not to follow through and clear the dead gorse. I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end. Won't it?

Guestphotoblogging: just how a garden should be!

I'm always looking for inspiration for our garden. Looking at other people's gardening success makes it a whole heap easier to keep the vision for our own garden and landscaping alive.

It was after reading about the gardens at the Chateau de Villandry in Monty Don's new book that inspired me to establish my own box hedging which the nice people at Kiwi Hedge dutifully supplied. Whilst the small plants will take some growing and trimming to reach the Villandry standards it's nice to dream!

My parents garden been an inspiration for years. In their last house they developed an amazing garden from a sadly neglected patch of land that was as good as some of the National Trust gardens we used to visit. Their current place is smaller but nevertheless the garden reaches standards of excellence I can only dream about.

Described as in the National Garden Scheme guide as a garden for plantaholics. It's 1/3-acre garden packed with a wide range of interesting plants, colour themed borders, large covered shade area, and water feature. Many pots with tender plants. Here's a glimpse of it through guest photoblogging courtesy of my Dad.


Our garden at domestic executive HQ has been designed to be a little lower maintenance than the traditional English garden that my parents specialise in. I simply don't have the patience or talent that they do but it doesn't stop me enjoying what they achieve!

It's a marathon not a sprint

For one that's completed the Great North Run I know what it's like to run a half marathon. Today we were gorse harvesting again and fueled with enthusiasm and a glass of barley lemon I was determined to set to and create enough of a view that you'd notice what gorse we'd removed.

MT thought I was being too enthusiastic and suggested that gorse harvesting was more of a marathon than a sprint. On one hand that put things into perspective but it was an equally demoralising thing to think that I've got to go through the pain of the Great North Run, not once but twice. I know my mate Ron wouldn't mind but I'm just not as fit as I used to be.

Still we did make some progress - although these pictures just don't do it justice. Just take my word for it. We are clearing the gorse and revealing - wait for it - more gorse! Yes, behind the first line is more, and more, and more.

This really isn't a marathon. It's an iron man/woman triatholon event. Just wish me luck!

Yes, those are gorse bush/tree stumps!

Look what we found hiding behind our dead gorse bushes - a live one!

Protection from Wellington winds

Tree planting has included special bracing to protect our trees from the Wellington winds. Although technically we don't get the Wellington winds when they do come it can be very gusty and unforgiving. I had to tie up the trees to the fence when they were delivered to make sure that they didn't get blown over.

Anyway I thought I do some photoblogging to show the new arrivals settling into their new spots. It's fair to say that this blog entry will mean more to those people who have actually visited our place but I do hope all my blog readers will enjoy the views though!

Note basset boys on the sniff!

Opphs, need to take the instruction labels off these!

If you're wondering what the snake thing is across the picture it's our new drainage pipe.
George and the girls are enjoying their new tree view!

Trees give garden shape

It's been a busy day for moving trees - well landscapers moving trees. I've taken a more executive role highlighting the tree planting plan in lots of different colours. There is method in my madness.

After a minor hiccup of placement because the new picket fence is not on the plan the boys started to motor along and get the large trees into place. They'll be back tomorrow to complete the job and we'll be left with a number of the smaller trees to plant up ourselves.

Although it's hard to tell from the pics putting the trees in place do really give some shape to the garden and will look great when they grow some leaves back in the spring. Now the tree is in the roundabout we'll have to start thinking about the under tree planting so that it doesn't look quite so lonely!

As you can imagine Fortnum and Mason are loving having the landscaping boys back on site. It was a bit of a shock for them to see how much they've grown (that's the dogs not the landscapers). There was some mutual admiration and much belly rubbing (again, it's the dogs getting the belly rubs not the landscapers) during the coffee and lunch breaks.

Another small step for our small piece of paradise.

Mud, glorious mud!

It was all go yesterday at Domestic Executive HQ. Diggers and lorries and men wielding rakes and nosiy machinery. To make sure that all the activity went swimmingly it rained for most of the day!

Still, we now have a completed drive, top soil reinstated along the drive and the top paddock all of which are primed ready now for more thistles to start growing at a rate of knots. The landscapers come later this week to start planting trees and finally we'll be complete with phase one of our landscaping plans.

It's amazing how a bit of gravel and mud can tidy a place up. Well until the bassets start playing in the new soft to play in areas. Deep joy!

Eagle eyed bloggers will notice the basset play pen is gone in readiness for trees!

Guess where these guys have been?

The sun down the valley!