Category: Gardening
Growing in the Garden
Our New Zealand summer garden has been a haven of fun and activity over the last two months. We’ve had the most glorious weather and have eaten outside almost every day.
There’s still brilliant sunshine forecast for New Zealand but the mornings and evenings have started to have the feeling that summer is passing. We travel back to London in a few days we’ll miss playing in the outside garden, watching all the creatures that live here, splish splash sploshing in the paddling pool and helping to water the flowers and vegetables.
We found green and golden bell frogs with beautiful markings in the tomato plants, on the runner beans and in the patch of strawberries in my parent’s garden.
A pumpkin growing organically from the compost heap.
The beautiful New Zealand native Pohutukawa tree.
New Zealand Country Life
After a coffee in Greytown we visited my Uncle and Aunt in Mikimiki on a beautiful hot day in the Wairarapa. Their house sits in the middle of several acres of garden, pasture and wooded land. A stream runs by the land and there are some deep spots for taking a dip when you need to cool off in the summer. The perfect setting for New Zealand country life.
Enjoying lunch with Gran
Following a delicious lunch al fresco we explored the garden where Imogen found a hammock between the trees to swing in with Grandma and Grandpa, a wheelbarrow, a spade and a bathtub full of rainwater and lily pads. In the afternoon she had fun with her new friend Ellie, playing with a bucket of water.
The setting for my Uncle and Aunt’s home is idyllic. My Uncle has built an outdoor kitchen, aka the Man Cave, that is just incredible. It gets plenty of use throughout the year and there’s even hot water for doing the dishes when you’ve finished eating in the outdoors. Don’t you love the Man Cave sign?
It was a glorious day spent catching up with family and reminded me of how much I’m looking forward to having our own garden and organic vegetable plot one day. As for a hammock between the trees to relax in and read… yes please!
Imogen’s quite the country bumpkin even in her Vertbaudet skirt and since we’ve been in New Zealand she’s rarely seen without her purple wellies and Grandpa’s large hat.
Outside Garden
I can’t stop Imogen from venturing into the garden and I don’t want to, although she would be out at all hours if she had the chance and was allowed to stay up throughout the night.
It’s absolutely wonderful she has green fingers at such a young age. Hubby and I are keen nature lovers and Imogen’s been watching. She’s heard us talk about birds, flowers, fauna, insects and wildlife since she was a tiny baby and we had our first family holiday in Orford.
Every morning as soon as she wakes we look outside and assess the weather with Imogen giving me the lowdown. Windy trees, misty, sun, rain or fuffa for cloudy. And then it’s shouts of Outside Garden. This is what Imogen’s named my parent’s garden in New Zealand. It’s not an inside garden is it?
I love being outside and in the garden. My dreams are to landscape our 2.5 acres of land in Brittany, France. It’s in a state at present given that we can’t be there enough to keep on top of the weeding, manage the brambles or prune the trees. But when we are there it’s all hands to the deck and what we achieve is nothing short of a miracle in such a short time.
Whilst we’re not working on our garden in France I love to use any spare time I have learning about gardening online. There are some amazing resources and very inspiring gardeners who give me lots of ideas and helpful hints for the near future.
Two of my favourite Gardening Blogs are The Enduring Gardener with all sorts of helpful tips and facts on gardening whilst being a thoroughly great read and My Tiny Plot a blog about vegetable gardening, seasonal cooking and family life in Portland Oregon.
And if you’re after some quick and purse friendly recipes then head over to Love and Olive Oil which is one of my favourite food blogs. When my vegetables are growing in my garden this blog will provide me with the inspiration for some delicious family meals.
What’s your best gardening tip?
