The tomatoes were thriving and beginning to fruit. Most of the new growth has been broken off and fruit is on the ground
I was relieved that the winds saved themselves until the day after the Garden Fair, given they made their mark on the last of the sweet peas, broadbeans and stopped the cornflowers from feeling so cocky. But I wasn’t expecting a huge hailstorm to hit after I went back to Sydney.
Fortunately one of the last things I did was net off the berry bed to stop the birds who have discovered the ripening gems, and they have been spared. However anything with leafy growth has been massacred. It looks like a plague of green caterpillars has eaten their way through my beds, but it’s all the damage from hail. This time the damage is more widespread than the frosts.
Zucchini – after a number of unsuccessful attempts. I had baby zucchinis on this a few days ago
I’ll be replanting all the leafy greens like lettuces, spinach, rocket and can hope that the tomatoes just kick on and grow. But it’s disappointing to see the veg that were just beginning to establish themselves and fruit looking so stripped and bare. Moreso after so many attempts to get the cucumber and zucchini started and sourcing so many mini tomatoes. Fortunately most of the other plants in the garden seem to have been spared. Just the food crops took most of the force.
Another gardening experience. I now have a bit of hospital work to do in the garden.
Eggplant – this was a picture of purple flowers last Saturday
Now that the Convent will be my permanent home, and I have no immediate plans for work, I’ve realised it is important that I make the most of what I’m doing at the Convent and also do justice to the garden produce.
After the first planting of the garden beds, I know now to plant what I will actually use, not just what seems interesting to try and watch grow. This round of veg is very practical – things I know will grow and I will eat. Lots of leafy veg, my mini tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, capsicum, beans … and I’m beginning to benefit from the produce.
I had a now deleted draft post on whether the broad beans were worth the effort. I had planted them in a few spots, not knowing how they would behave and for a long time I just had l tall plants taking up room but not doing a lot. How wrong I was. After suffering unruly plants falling all over my garden beds and dominating other plants, I’ve now harvested over 4 kilos of podded beans to place in my freezer. That’s after eating and giving away possibly that much again. They were heavy cropping wonderful produce and will again be included, although not in the raised beds – they are better against the wall where I can stake them against the heavy Kandos winds.
I’ve been picking half a dozen strawberries a day to include with my breakfast and they took quite a hiding from sampling visitors during the garden fair, but I’ve managed to pick 400g for the first batch of strawberry icecream which is now sitting in the freezer. I’m looking forward to the removalists arriving next week as I really need my big fridge here. The berries are only just starting and I can see Youngberries, Blueberries and Rasberries all forming and some beginning to show colour. Not sure I will have enough for jam this year but there will me more icecream and some syrups to put away.
The herbs are going crazy and I’m letting plants go to seed so I can continue to propagate without purchasing new plants (I hope). Next on the list is storing some herb butters – parsley, tarragon and chive are the obvious ones.
I’m enjoying the industry, but I also appreciate the practicalities of owning and running the property and making the most of the efforts put into establishing the garden.
For the Kandos Gardens Fair, I was lucky to be provided sculptures from some of the local sculptors. The Kandos/Rylstone district is home to many talented artists and craftspeople and it was wonderful to benefit from and display their wonderful creations.
Inflitrator Glitch by Mr & Mrs Brown
Firstly, attracting the eye of passers-by was ‘Glitch – Infiltrator Robusta’ byMr & Mrs Brown, the talented and friendly owners of the lovely Brown Owl Gallery in the main street of Kandos.
Ludwig Micek provided the “birds on bikes” – Balance and On Your Bike – that looked so at home positioned in front of the back wall and Follow Me was stunning and appropriate with a beautiful gold angel towering over the Grotto and visible from many aspects of the Convent garden.
The sculptures attracted much attention and looked very comfortable in their settings. I hope I get the opportunity to showcase more talent in the garden in future.
Well, we did it. The Convent participated with other gardens in the district for a weekend of open gardens. I have no idea how many people came through but anywhere from 200 – 400. From locals who wanted to see what I’ve done with the building to people in Sydney who just love gardens.
The Chapel greeted visitors for the first time since its makeover
My Sydney friends acted as my volunteers, for which I will be eternally grateful, and it made the job so much easier for me. I met so many lovely people and now know many more locals. People seemed relieved that the Convent was being treated with respect and, if anything, was just going back to what it always should have been. The Chapel was open and did me proud.
My garden was the “newest” in that most of it was very newly planted and was positioned as “in progress”. Many visitors were keen to see it in a few years time, particularly once the new roses have kicked in. Given I’m not a local and have planted things I love and experimented a bit, many commented that I had plants not often seen in the area but which seemed to be thriving and they were going to now try – which was particularly rewarding to hear.
The Cornflowers – “Look at me, look at me!”
Whilst most of the roses (particularly the original ones) had finished flowering, some plants held back to show their best for the weekend. I think the cornflowers wanted to own the show and dominated in a few spots (and were much loved and admired). They worked well planted so thickly, which was quite unintended and I had no idea they would grow so high. Monday saw heavy winds and a number have now snapped and fallen, so the weekend was their pinnacle.
The standard Good Samaritan roses chose their time to flower well and were much admired
By some strange fate, the Good Samaritan standards chose the weekend to be in their glory and were much admired. The Fairy roses also chose this to be their weekend. I knew the lovely little wisteria-like plants would be my downfall and had tried to find out their names to no avail. Many people asked what they were and no-one could help, including some seriously knowledgable people. Of course I accidentally stumbled across it straight after – indigofera decor. Bugger!
The name stumped us all – indigofera decor. Apologies to everyone who asked!The Lobelias were electric down the side bed
The verandah side garden bed (the pinks, blues and whites with the sparky lobelia at their best) was very popular, but everyone loves to poke through the veggie beds and identify food. The berry bed was a particular hit. Given my garden is so new, people liked to be able to look at all the tags.
All the hard work out the front is not obvious from the street and people were surprised to come inside the gate and see that the front wall is now planted out with the deep sleeper planting beds.
Living Earth’s plant stall provided interest and temptation for visitors
Sculptures (which I loved) and a plant stall all added entertainment and interest and we also served sandwiches, cake, tea and coffee, so had lots going on. There are a few learnings for next time, but would be happy to participate again and the Convent seemed to love the attention.
The Fairy Rose also chose to bloom at its bestThe Chamomile – which I had thought was lawn chamomile – made an amusing and quirky path borderThe Foxgloves on the back wall also chose their time well. Lots more of these and Hollyhocks next year!Roxy refused to miss a minute whilst Tango decided the bedroom was the best place to be
If I’ve been a little lax with posts lately it’s because things are pretty hectic just now. I will be packing and moving out from Sydney in just over a week and this weekend the Convent is open for the Kandos Gardens Fair. Tomorrow the Convent opens its garden and the Chapel as part of a local gardens exhibition for the weekend – going public for what has been a very private building.
It’s been dry here for months with barely a shower – but, of course, rain is forecast for the next few days. We’ll have to see how this works out but I’m hoping the visitors will get a chance to have a good look-around.
I have a bit of latitude given my garden is positioned as “in progress” as the sale only went through earlier this year, but I’m hoping people will find plenty to interest them and enjoy in the work that’s been done so far. I also have amazing sculptures, food, tea and coffee and a plant stall to provide additional interest.
I’ll post pics and a debrief later, but just now hoping I have everything under control. Things should settle down in around ten days (I hope) as my new life kicks off.
The Kandos Gardens Fair is now rapidly approaching, meaning that most of my time is spent in the garden. The other gardens on show are well-established, but given the Convent garden only really started this year, I’m eager to have something to show visitors.
Rose hospital or graveyard? Home to the unsuccessful bare root roses
There have been a few disasters. The bare root roses I planted in a prominent position in front of the established roses at the front of the Convent, did nothing – I mean nothing, other than perhaps die. I’m not sure if they are still alive or not but looked very sad, bare little sticks. I’ve now taken the step of replanting them together in a more protected area which I am hoping is a plant hospital rather than a rose graveyard.
Also taking advice to spray for lawn weeds wasn’t the smartest move. I did it well in advance – maybe around three weeks ago. What I didn’t bargain on was my lawn being all weeds, which means I have large expanses of brown. Or more accurately, very little green areas. It’s also been very dry so I’m now watering like crazy to get some green back.
The back gate garden – looking cheery although the blues haven’t kicked in yet
Otherwise, there are areas I’m really happy with and the garden is positioned as “in progress” which cuts me some slack. I think the roses peaked too early and the lovely original old rose bushes have already finished their main flush of flowers, although I’m deadheading them and feeding, hoping to get some more flowers for the viewing.
In the meantime, the roses that were planted throughout the year are now coming into their own and look like they will be winners. It’s exciting to see plants grow and flower for the first time. Hopefully they will be doing their thing for the visitors we are anticipating.
Lots of blue here with electric lobelias and verbena. That’s Tango admiring the bed
In the meantime, my days are filled with digging, mulching, weeding, pruning, planting, watering and feeding!
Pierre de Ronsard’s first yearMadame Isaac Perriere making her debut!
One of the few vegetables I planted when I first arrived (even before moving in) was tomatoes – mainly the cherry variety. These are great little plants and fruit – being able to pick a handful of mixed varieties for a salad for one person, or harvesting a larger crop for entertaining or preserving. The cherry plants are also a little more manageable than some of the more rampant varieties.
This year is no different, just that I now have more room and can plant more. As usual, like the potatoes, I have approached this with enthusiasm and seem to have collected lots of plants that now need to be planted. The back garden wall is an excellent location, offering lots of sun and is fully wired which saves me from staking. I’m also using terracotta pots and the raised veg beds. I’ve overdone it and think a few may find their way into neighbour’s gardens. So far for the cherries I have:
Tomatoes on the back wall
Cherry Gold
Orange Sunrise
Sweetbite
Grape Toms
Yellow Pear (a favourite visually for colour and shape – tastes good too)
Broad Ripple Yellow Currant
Cherry Ripe
Cherry Roma
Truss Sweet
Cocktail
Mini Roma
Black Cherry (sounds dramatic)
Sun Drop
Little Sugar Yellow
Pink Cherry
Cherry Falls
For larger varieties I have
Tumbling Red Tom
Tumbler Yellow
Grosse Lisse
Beef Steak (sounds like a “Man’s Tomato”)
Black Russian
This time, all varieties are clearly tagged so I can determine the best performers (or best locations). I’ll also collect and label seeds. It’s been a bit disappointing that I don’t seem to have plants coming up from last year’s crop. I was careful to leave some of the tomatoes to self-seed. Well, it’s still early in the season.
Tomatoes in the veg beds. I’m sure I can find a few more places for them. I’ll have to!
The blues have always been my favouritePure yellow next to the Grotto
I’ve loved Aquilegias for some years and always had a few in my garden. They have such stunning flowers but are also fairly hardy plants that self-propagate well by seed. Since being at the Convent and indulging a little more in different varieties now I have the garden beds and suitable conditions, I am loving these lovely perennials more and more.
Yellow with a touch of pink near the Grotto. Is that pesky ivy I can see making a reappearance?
They prefer dappled shade but seem to flourish in a variety of conditions. The flowers are so diverse in colour and quite spectacular for some varieties with towering spikes of flowers. The flowers last well and are also great cut for indoors. The old flower heads set seeds which are easily collected and resown. So the plants are great value, coming back year after year as well as providing new stock.
A gorgeous mauve out the front. So delicate a flower.
I have a penchant for blue and have opted for a few different varieties. It’s still pretty early in the season and I’m continuing to plant new varieties that haven’t flowered yet, but these pictures may give you an indication of why I love these so much in my garden and intend to make them one of the mainstays in the Convent garden. Somehow they seems so appropriate.
Pure white eleganceDramatic red – you can see the spurred petals clearly
The front garden bed is now taking shape with the arrival of the sleepersTaking shape but so much more digging to go.
Last post was about my front wall garden that I am creating and that the sleepers were about to arrive. They have now been placed and even though the beds require much digging out and planting, just having the sleepers provides so much more definition and structure to the garden. I’m thrilled with them – big old hardwood worn railway sleepers with lots of character. Now I just need to keep digging… and planting!!!
One of the online sources I regularly use is Honeysuckle Cottage, which is a supplier of wonderful heritage plants, particularly perennials and herbs which I love. I was surprised when a friend told me they were just near Kurrajong, which I drive through each week on my trip between Kandos and Sydney. This week, dogless in the car, I dropped by and was enthralled by a nursery unlike any other – nothing commercial, just a charming bush setting garden with pathways and arbors leading to table after table and many sections of heritage roses, herbs, perennials – so many plants that were mainly propagated onsite – and plants I have not come across before.
This nursery specialises in heritage plants and propagating the many old and rarer variations – so many thymes, rosemary, lavenders. I was particularly interested in the aquilegias and have never seen so many established plants in so many varieties and colours in one place. Needless to say, the car, which was already pretty solidly packed, managed two more roses – another Lamarque and Madame Alfred Carriere, many aquilegias (after receiving a great run down on the different varieties and their history from an impressively helpful and knowledgeable staff member) and a number of salvias.
The garden path through friend’s eyes – once a bare, unadorned entranceBroad beans – “This could be in Tuscany.” Well, Tuscany/Kandos – very similar.Foxglove (or Digitalis). Planted last Summer and forgotten until now. Dramatic and fitting for the back wall.
I also had friends visiting this weekend. Looking at photos they took of the garden gave me a great feeling of satisfaction and an appreciation of how far the garden has come. This is a wonderful time of the year and for the first time I am seeing growth and flowers on plants that, for some, were planted late last year or early this year.
The flowering Crab Apple – still a small tree but has great promise and the blossoms are lovely.
Forgive me if some of the photos appear indulgent, but I’m also using this Blog as a garden diary so I track what goes in when and when plants flower. Ideally I’d like to keep colour in the garden year round.
This week looks like it will be a pretty physical one with lots of digging, feeding and planting for the front garden bed. I’m comfortable that the Convent gardens will be very unfinished for the Kandos Gardens Fair, but keen that visitors can get a perspective of the direction of the garden and what it will potentially look like.
The original roses from the sunroom. This is the first week of flowering and they are just beautiful and adorning vases inside.
As it was – grass running up to the fence. Low maintenance but just a bit boring for a gardener.
In the quest to rebuild the garden, one of the more obvious options was to put in a bed along the front ash brick wall. Obvious and will look great but it is around 40 metres long and I want a deep bed. With grass running right up to it, that’s a lot of digging. But digging I am doing and now beginning to make progress.
Making progress. I’d like the bed to be about twice as deep to allow for an abundant garden
I’ve been planting as I go, starting with the larger plants nearest the wall. After some foundering, I have realised that the plants will be south-facing. I’m not great with my north, souths etc when asked, so whilst the wall may face north, there happen to be two sides to any wall and I’m not planting that side!
This means that I can plant shrubs that are happy with some shade, such as camellias and azaleas near the wall as they will be more protected. I’ve opted for vigorous climbing roses as they should bundle themselves over the wall onto the footpath chasing the sun (or at least so I hope). There are also some standard maples and other ornamentals including lilacs, which I will endeavour to keep to a reasonable height.
Lots more to go
The bed is planned to have three layers – the higher plants and climbers at the back, the salvias and sages and mid-sized perennials in the middle and smaller groundcovers and perennials at the front. That’s the plan. I’m getting some inspiration from fellow bloggers, looking at local gardens and heaps of books. I’d like to incorporate some “useful” plants as most of the garden beds include plants that do more than look nice. I already have the odd berry plants and envisage more fruit and particularly herbs playing a role.
… and even more
Tomorrow I hope my sleepers arrive which will add some much needed structure and stop the rampant grass from invading. The bed will be much deeper than it is currently which will make it screamingly obvious how much more I need to dig out! However I’m sure this will be a very rewarding project and give me a wonderful outlook from the front windows and a great deal of future interest as I watch the plants develop.
A troublesome corner. I’m thinking it may house a deep bed of azaleas.
................... for lovers of ice cream. Your free on line magazine for sweet frozen treats. Recipes, inspiration, artisanal ideas for your delectation.
CONVENT AND CHAPEL 