I have been busy as a bee on stringybark flow since an hour before first light but I'm determined to do a blog entry and to hell with the pressure I''ll be under for the rest of the day as a consequence. Having written nothing for many days was leaving me feeling miffed and the song 'What About Me', a hit for someone called Moving Pictures many years ago, which I heard on the radio the other day, seems like it should be my theme song.
The weekend was wonderful. Saturday I was a free agent after my normal daily chores and I soaked every second like a pup suckling. I had collected a number of plants over some years which have been on the south side of the house under some tree ferns. Some of them, namely the Abies nordmanniana, I grew from seed several years ago, and after being potted into some crook soil after which they sat still and went yellow for two years, they have gradually come good after repotting and feeding and a few more years. They are Caucasian firs, a truly delectable tree with dense tiers of shiny dark green, soft needles, and their origin is the Caucasian mountains between Iran to the south and Russia to the north with the Black Sea on one side and the Caspian on the other. How I would love to go there one day! I got the seeds fom a tree in Cynthia's garden in Avonsleigh. (Cynthia sold up recently and went to Bali to live with a Hindu she fell in love with, but she's back renting somewhere in Dandenong I heard, it didn't work out with the Hindu, I suspect he was after the house money but I'll find out one day and it might make an interesting blog.)
I took these trees and several flowering magnolias, to Ian the plumber, who has developed a passion for growing things. He planted out 2000 rhododendrons on his block just down the way and they are thriving. He has 30 or so acres and is preparing for life after plumbing which he has had a gutful of.
I took several camelias which I had bought years ago as tubestock and a few magnolias and philadelphus (mock orange) and stachyurus (spiketail) to Geoff and Sylvia who used to live in our street but now have moved into the new estate and are starting their garden.
The rest I took to my accountants house. Again, camelias, magnolias and a few shrubs and a North American dogwood.
I was pleased to find these plants a happy home. It has been a nuisance having to water them every day in the hot dry weather and pot them on when they have needed it. And having someone water them when we are away has also been a hassle.
I spent the rest of Saturday digging and dividing clumps of yellow pokers and planting them about. There's still room in our garden for that sort of thing but space is limited and I had no room for the trees and shrubs.
Sunday we went to the footy in Melbourne. Robbie drove all the way there and back on 'L' plates. He did well. He has exams starting today ...Physics. I hope he gets a good start. His monthly reports have been excellent.
