HOW DOES MY GARDEN GROW?

It’s time to take stock.

 

Time to evaluate where we are and how far we have travelled.

No, I’m not talking about trekking the Himalayas or precariously negotiating the path at Caminito del Rey; I’m talking about my creative goal, my obsessive urge – my tropical garden.

 A tropical garden that has been sadly neglected of late.

I’m afraid it’s true. Life, or rather work, has gotten in the way of my ultimate dream and my gardening muscle is in danger of becoming weak and flabby (or weaker and flabbier). I need inspiration, a horticultural shot in the arm; and, now that the nights are drawing in, a few extra hours of daylight wouldn’t go astray either.

So I’m doing a tour of the garden, camera in hand, in an effort to regain my momentum.

First stop, the ugly backyard fence garden. This was how it looked before…

And now…

This was my first garden makeover.

The bed was cut out of the lawn and mulched to within an inch of its life. Even with all that ground work, the plants have struggled. Having to compete with massive gum tree roots plus the hard depleted soil has seen quite a few specimens give up the fight forever.

But, like any obsessive gardener, as one plant withers, I put another in its place. There is no such thing as sentimentality when it comes to gardening.

 

Even so, I have to admit to shedding a tear when my Licuala Ramsayi (nicknamed Gordon) curled up its toes. I loved that palm and tried everything short of giving it mouth to mouth to revive it. Now there is a Rhapis palm where Gordon once lived, and I’m watching it like a hawk.


'Gordon'Ramsayi before his demise

Fortunately for this garden, the mulch has started doing its thing and Ian’s irrigation system (the one that’s has seen our water bill go through the roof) has given the bed a much-needed boost.

 Plus, I’m delighted that some of the ugly fence is finally being camouflaged. Hopefully, by this time next year, it will be completely hidden.

 

Next, the front garden.

Before…

 

And after...

 

This area has really improved.  It had reasonable soil to start with and just went from strength to strength when we added the mushroom compost and forest mulch.

The Heliconias give the tropical lushness I am after and the palms, after a shaky start, are growing well.

This is also the bed with the wicked yuccas.

We cut them back quite severely but these plants never give up. For every cut limb they shoot two or three new potential eye stabbers. I spend endless hours cutting off the new growth, only for the tree to sprout again when my back is turned.

But fear not, armed with my trusty chainsaw, this winter will see me once again go into battle.

Next up -the pool garden.

How it was...

How it is now...

 

 

This is the sunny area of the back garden, so the new plants have taken some time to adjust. And while they were busy acclimatizing, the agapanthus attempted a complete take over.

I have dug out numerous clumps of these hardy little beggars and replanted most of them up the back. I use the term ‘replanted’ loosely as I’ve literally just thrown the clumps against the trees but miraculously they survive. Try doing that with a rose bush.

While the palms and cordylines are doing well, I did lose a Dianella and a couple of crotons plus something ate my black Mondo grass, but, since they were planted at the height of the long hot summer, I probably got what I deserved.

 And lastly, my hillside garden.  At the start…

 

And now…

 

 

 

This was the most time consuming of all the work I’ve done so far. But it’s my pride and joy. And even though I still have a way to go before this garden is completely finished, I'm loving filling in the spaces.

Being on the side of the hill adds such depth to a garden bed, and the tropical plants thrive on the dappled sunlight. 

A quick tour of this section finally restores my gardening mojo and my imagination runs wild for my next big project - the huge side garden out the front.

I tell Ian what I'm thinking.  Why don't we mound it up and make a  hill? It wouldn't take much would it? Just a few truckloads of soil?

I think he's pretending not to hear me.