Even though we’re languishing in what feels like the longest kiwi winter our friends in the northern hemisphere are enjoying things a bit brighter and warmer. They are also enjoying the height of the gardening summer. A touch of summer arrived by email the other day and it was like opening electronic sunshine to brighten my day.
This is the garden of my parents in full summer bloom. Gardening for my step mother is a full time job. She’ll be out morning, noon and night making sure things are just so. I think it’s fair to say that once again her hard work has paid off. The garden is a riot of colour with a multitude of plants. There is always something to be done in this garden to achieve perfection.
Just when my Dad thinks that it’s just as it should be and he sets up a comfy chair somewhere to enjoy the view, he is brought to his senses with a list of projects to keep him busy and bring further enhancements to this picture perfect garden.
Always on the look out for some sort of construction project I think he’s taken his responsibilities seriously to create a decking area around their garden pond. Here’s the project in it’s early stages. Looks like that crazy paving is having a makeover.
It’s amazing what a bit of decking can do to tidy a place up. It looks like a complete transformation to me. Except it’s not quite finished yet.
Oh no, the gardener needs to do the finishing touches.
It looks to me like something from the Chelsea Flower Show.
Except without the crowds. Although I think that they get plenty of visitors from local garden clubs as they open the garden to raise money for charity. Looks to me that the price of a cuppa on that decking might need to rise in price in recognition of the makeover effect.
Hopefully I’ll be able to use this garden for some photography practice when I visit during my big trip back to the homeland. In the meantime I’ll just have to keep dreaming of a brighter garden here in New Zealand.
Wow! Absolutely stunning! My parents used to visit ‘open gardens’ with my dearly departed Grandmother. The owners of the masterful garden artistry said the only time they sat down to enjoy a drink in the garden was one day a year, on ‘open garden’ day! I would very much LOVE to partake in afternoon tea in this wonderful garden! What a lovely e-mail for you to receive. I shall look forward to lots more bright photographs from your forthcoming trip.
That ia an amazing garden, so full of colour. And I bet there’s not a weed in sight. The decking certainly transformed the pond area. Can you send your Dad over my way when he’s got a spare moment ? If you’re down in Devon on your visit to the UK you’re welcome to come and stay ( if you don’t mind a house full of untidy youngsters) or at least call in for a cuppa and see my scruffy garden.
I love your Dad’s garden, it reminds me of the garden my Dad had in the 1960’s but we did not have a pond. The variety and colour are magnificent and would do credit to any show garden. I did not inherit his green fingers unfortunately they went to my brother.