Side View of
the Boy Barn in March 2004, note that the ends have been filled in with
fibre glass, and that is one of four tanks right at the left hand side
.... what is not visible is that the roof and other side of the Barn
are now clad in brand new colourbond - and properly guttered to help
feed those tanks... this event is recorded below - note the cats are
behaving as though nothing untoward is occurring ....
Below is the front of the Boybarn in May 2004
By October 2005 the plantings at the front entrance have really matured, and one of the right hand side stud houses has exit to that trellis covered outdoor run, through a cat door in the wall. The new cladding on the side can just be seen above this run.
HOUSE & GARDEN
I wanted to grow raspberries and youngberries, but the bird population is so dense, that this is impossible without some protection - hence the BIRD CAGE, but mine keeps them out, not in!
In February 2003, structure complete, plantings in it and the orchard about 1 year old.
In December 2005 the youngberries were almost more than I could manage, the orchard needed severe pruning the winter before, the vines on the fence needed positively to be subdued, and that is a dahlia bed between the drive and the bird cage. We had a huge crop of delicious quinces which we stored in our cool room/cellar, and ate after overnight cooking in our slow combustion oven well into July .... nectar ( or perhaps ambrosia, I can quite see why 'slices of quince which they ate with a runcible spoon' formed part of the owl and the pussycat's wedding feast ....)
THE COURTYARD
has undergone extensive development - one of the first steps was to create an outdoor seating area under that wonderful oak ....
Then I started to dig it all up, and lay more paved paths ...
Then there is this hole that I had had dug to a careful design - we needed earth for a mound on which to build the Ag Shed to house the library, and I planned ( in the long term) to establish a BUSH GARDEN in the back paddock - so took my opportunity to shape the land for it even before I had moved in ...
This is what it looked like after roughly 2 years- a low mound covered with cardboard, paper and hay (baled from our back paddock) . A few planted trees ( Araucarias, Blue/Manna Gums) but most cover from seed stored Blackwoods, which came up by themselves. This is the north side of the mound, the excavation was to the south, with a steep slope, a 'gully' running east west, and a long gentle slope back out to the paddock ... the intention being to create a number of microenvironments in the longer term ...
and it has started to work ...
July 2006 That is the end of the mound still visible amongst the trees - mostly blackwoods, with spires of Blue and Manna Gums. My planted Araucarias ( Hoop and Bunya pines, which I grew from seed) have settled in well, and grown unaided by extra water over the last summer. In my gully I have established ( and some lost) a selection or rainforest margin species, and some rainforest species themselves ... some of these need assistance over summer, but as the canopy closes, this is less and less necessary ....
then of course, there is the oldest part of the garden -
THE FRONT GARDEN
This garden contained numerous (too many!) established trees and shrubs, the most loathsome vanished in the twinkle of an eye ... to be rapidly replaced by more suitably arranged more interesting plants. The 'lawn' is disappearing - just give me a couple more years ....very hard to record, too, as views tend to be obscured by plants!
Below is the front of the Boybarn in May 2004
By October 2005 the plantings at the front entrance have really matured, and one of the right hand side stud houses has exit to that trellis covered outdoor run, through a cat door in the wall. The new cladding on the side can just be seen above this run.
HOUSE & GARDEN
I wanted to grow raspberries and youngberries, but the bird population is so dense, that this is impossible without some protection - hence the BIRD CAGE, but mine keeps them out, not in!
In February 2003, structure complete, plantings in it and the orchard about 1 year old.
In December 2005 the youngberries were almost more than I could manage, the orchard needed severe pruning the winter before, the vines on the fence needed positively to be subdued, and that is a dahlia bed between the drive and the bird cage. We had a huge crop of delicious quinces which we stored in our cool room/cellar, and ate after overnight cooking in our slow combustion oven well into July .... nectar ( or perhaps ambrosia, I can quite see why 'slices of quince which they ate with a runcible spoon' formed part of the owl and the pussycat's wedding feast ....)
THE COURTYARD
has undergone extensive development - one of the first steps was to create an outdoor seating area under that wonderful oak ....
Then I started to dig it all up, and lay more paved paths ...
Then there is this hole that I had had dug to a careful design - we needed earth for a mound on which to build the Ag Shed to house the library, and I planned ( in the long term) to establish a BUSH GARDEN in the back paddock - so took my opportunity to shape the land for it even before I had moved in ...
This is what it looked like after roughly 2 years- a low mound covered with cardboard, paper and hay (baled from our back paddock) . A few planted trees ( Araucarias, Blue/Manna Gums) but most cover from seed stored Blackwoods, which came up by themselves. This is the north side of the mound, the excavation was to the south, with a steep slope, a 'gully' running east west, and a long gentle slope back out to the paddock ... the intention being to create a number of microenvironments in the longer term ...
and it has started to work ...
July 2006 That is the end of the mound still visible amongst the trees - mostly blackwoods, with spires of Blue and Manna Gums. My planted Araucarias ( Hoop and Bunya pines, which I grew from seed) have settled in well, and grown unaided by extra water over the last summer. In my gully I have established ( and some lost) a selection or rainforest margin species, and some rainforest species themselves ... some of these need assistance over summer, but as the canopy closes, this is less and less necessary ....
then of course, there is the oldest part of the garden -
THE FRONT GARDEN
This garden contained numerous (too many!) established trees and shrubs, the most loathsome vanished in the twinkle of an eye ... to be rapidly replaced by more suitably arranged more interesting plants. The 'lawn' is disappearing - just give me a couple more years ....very hard to record, too, as views tend to be obscured by plants!
My circular
garden - the first border plantings grew like mad, and were frost
sensitive, so were removed to the courtyard ...I planted the weeping
cherry in 2002.
In 2004 the straggly old Rhododendron had been cut right back and was starting to reshoot , the cherry was growing.
By mid winter 2006, the cherry is well developed, the Rhododenron well grown and the violets busily colonising the path. Oh, and of course, the garden beds have expanded....
And while there is a great deal more ... just a final view of outside the FRONT FENCE
In February 2003
in October 2005
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AND LATER -----
In 2004 the straggly old Rhododendron had been cut right back and was starting to reshoot , the cherry was growing.
By mid winter 2006, the cherry is well developed, the Rhododenron well grown and the violets busily colonising the path. Oh, and of course, the garden beds have expanded....
And while there is a great deal more ... just a final view of outside the FRONT FENCE
In February 2003
in October 2005
Return to Index
AND LATER -----