Things other than my plants

Evenings in winter tend to be much slower, so I tend to pick up a hook and do some crocheting.   I'm by no means an expert, more of a beginner really.  But its calming.

I finished this one today - made this one for a christmas present for a family member (unfortunately it will probably be 40deg when I give it to them...) but hey the love is there!

Pattern is  Primavera Flowers Granny-Square tutorial

Kalanchoe rhombopilosa

Trying to create a little forest of these guys - but they are sooo slow growing.

I keep freeing leaves from the bottom and getting new plants going.  Hoping to fill out the whole container.

Slow - yes!

But hey they do make me smile

Front yard makeover

Mum came over the other day commenting that there was this place on Dellamarta Rd in Wanneroo that was having a second clearance...  so I wandered down with her for a look.

I was looking for a large bowl for the front yard - came across this beauty for $50 (hate to think how much it would normally cost).  Putting this into perspective, the pallet is 110cm wide....

Of course this mean I REALLY did have to get on top of the front yard.  The couch grass was doing my head in, and I needed to space out a lot of the plants

I recruited a few friends and we started sorting out the mess.  

They do say you have to create a mess FIRST.

Well we did really really well at creating that mess!

But I think it was worthwhile to do

Thankfully we got this garden bed mostly finished before the bowl turned up.

Next stage it to actually get it UP to where the dragon tree is.....

My youngest and I managed to roll it on its side and move it up off the verge at least (she kept making comments about how a mother  is soooo strong they can lift a car off a child trapped beneath it... I offered to drop the 200kgs or so of bowl on her to see if I could replicate this event, but she declined  😉 Oh the youngest is nearly 13, so it wasn't QUITE slave labour)

Once upon a time there was a sad neglected part of my garden

This was the trampoline... 

 as you can see it got a lot of use (NOT).  I finally managed to convince my partner that maybe, just maybe it was time to get rid of it.

Stage 1 of the project was rediscovering the golden can palms.  Palms are not my thing.  They take quite a bit of effort to maintain - the only good thing about them is that there never seems to be water logged soil around here - the palms soak up all the water.

4 hours into cutting back the palms....

8 hours later....

this is just the dead stuff that came out of that area!  I bagged up like 5 bags of greenery as well.  Most of this dead wood will get used in our firepit as it dries out.

OK that's it for day 1.  Trampoline down, palms hacked. (oh and grass area sprayed as I want to kill it all off before I relay nice grass and make this look pretty)

Onto the adjoining section.  Firstly down with all the old hanging baskets....

Add caption

 This is what Xandadu roots do to metal fences.... think my neighbour is going to be happy I'm removing these!

 Pile of Xandus that came out....

So that's two areas now cleared, and I scored a few on special feature pieces to set up.....  Can't complain at $59 marked down from $160 for that vase.

I even managed to drill it without shattering it! (Phew)

 By this time my friends were helping me source new features in my back yard.  So this one then turned up.... I like! problem is now I have to decide if it will be a water feature or a succulent feature.  Oh the decisions!!!

Anyway next step is planning how its all going to go back together.  It's really fun and I look forward to seeing it all evolve again.

Aeonium Mardi Gras.... how I love your colour changes

Aeonium 'Mardi Gras'

New one to my collection and I have really 💜'd watching the colours develop.

 20th July

12th July

7th July

 5th July

 3rd July

28th June

Gin Gin ... stop 2

Another beautiful garden... another beautiful day out with friends.

Gin Gin...One stop

I was lucky enough to get to visit this gorgeous garden in Gin Gin.  I wont say whose garden.  But if you are ever around Gin Gin and there is an open garden going on - lets just say it might be worthwhile to go for a visit!

Aren't these photos just stunning!

These of course have me all inspired for my own garden. Which sadly has been neglected over the summer.