Author: Cath

I'm working on transforming around 3 acres of paddock into a garden. I'm only here a couple days a week so the result so far is more like patches of garden. Our water is rainwater collected off the roof of the hut, the house, and greenhouse, and the power comes from solar panels. We try to grow enough tomatoes for frozen and bottled purée to last through the year, and enough kumaras (sweet potatoes) and pumpkins. We can generally harvest fresh greens of some sort.
acidanthera dahlia coreopsis tropical milk weed cut flowers

In a Vase on Monday – all sorts

On By CathIn Flowers24 Comments

I actually planned my vase this week, but I didn’t follow the plan, and then my next plan didn’t work out. I was going to make a vase with Magnolia grandiflora. The big white blossoms have been catching my attention with their lemony exotic scent as I’ve walked past. And then I discovered that the first of the Acidantheras were flowering. I’ve been waiting for these for ages. AKA Gladiolus callianthus or Gladiolus murialae these are related to Gladiolus but scented and triangular with a dark purple throat. Continue reading “In a Vase on Monday – all sorts” →

mixed cut flowers

In a vase on Monday – ‘dark’ colours

On By CathIn Uncategorized25 Comments

I had forgotten the Japanese Iris, so I was blown away by this one appearing so long after the Dutch Iris have finished. It’s the first year it has flowered, and is growing in what I call the night time garden, not because it’s meant to be seen by night but because it’s a mix of dark colours, dark leaves, bright colours and white. (So it’s night time in the city – not so interesting if it was night time in the country which is  ‘dark as the inside of a cow’s stomach’ as they say here)

Continue reading “In a vase on Monday – ‘dark’ colours” →