Spring, volunteers and freebies in the garden

The second day of spring and a perfect spring day. Started off a little cool and warmed up to about 21 degrees. We had 10 mls of rain on the weekend so the garden is going quite well despite a few hot and windy days already.
This week I have been doing lots of clearing away and weeding so we can see and appreciate all the lovely plants that are growing. As I was doing this I was really amazed to notice how much of our garden is now comprised of things that we have propagated, Lavender, Rosemary, Pomegranate and things that are self seeded (volunteers). The garden is also full of hardworking insects, birds and bees and my favorite volunteer, a blue tongue lizard that I credit with getting rid of the snails and slugs!
On the poultry front we now have a turkey hen sitting on twelve eggs and another silkie sitting on four hen eggs. We had a bit of a calamity though with something (Peter suspects a feral cat getting into the turkey pen and killing one of the hens)
When i looked at my photos I thought i will have to start taking more care when I take them as the light is generally wrong! Oh well practice makes perfect I guess.





China Bell's grown from cuttings from Robyn's garden. We planted these Easter 2007 and they now need pruning so we will be able to take lots more cuttings. I plan to have these interspersed with Plumbago right along the back fence. They are very hardy and I hardly ever water them.
















A little piece of the back yard I have been working on this week. this garden is almost all made up of things we have propagated as well as the China Bell's from Robyn's garden and various things from "Bindawalla".

















Hearts Ease grown from seed about two years ago and now coming up all over the garden for about ten months of the year.















View from the Back gate


















Lavender and Rosemary grown from cuttings, these are going to grow into a hedge from the back gate to the back door!



















I don't know what these are but there are a lot of them coming up near the back fence and as we get the weeds cleared away they make a nice display.















when we came here there was a few big clumps of these Iris. We are gradually moving them and getting rid of the weeks around them so we can actually see them. So far this year there are quite a lot of the dark purple and while ones.



















Broody Turkey hen. she is sitting on twelve eggs. Should hatch 27th September.



















If you look closely you can see the blue tongue lizard! I think he eats all the snails and slugs. Have to get one to send to Katie and Andy in Brighton!




















Angus said he is the best volunteer in the garden. He digs lots of holes for me!

Comments

How did you grow the china bells from cuttings? I have one that I would love to get cuttings from and have in a couple of other places in the garden, thanks xx
Anne said…
Well my sister grew them, but she said just take some pieces and stick them in some potting soil and they will strike. I think you could also layer them. Just push a piece of stem into the soil and secure with a wire peg, when it forms some roots cut it off and voila! a new plant.
Hope this works for you.
Anne
Running Mojo said…
I agree with Angus, he is a great Volunteer. He is also very good and puting holes in the fly screen doors!

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