The Secret Garden

In Summer when our Japanese Maples are in full leaf, they make a beautiful canopy that you can hide under.   

Now we have little ones - It is time to finally turn it into a Magic Secret Garden.

With the trees bare it's a good time to get in under there and do some SERIOUS weeding.

I have no idea how the Violets arrived, but they are hard to get rid of.
Somewhere under here are my Hellebores.

Time to turn the problem into an asset and just leave it.

(Considering a 6"pot of Common Violets is AU $ 8:99 - I have a small fortune here!)

And I don't have to worry about them getting trampled! 

We pulled out enough to find the Hellebores and create a path. 

The old Step has, once again become a seat.

Now a Secret Garden would not be complete without a Guardian.

THIS is Colin - 

We didn't find him - he found us.

(And I know Colin is an odd name for a Battle hardened Dwarf but --- the sales guy said he looked like his brother....)

Add some Night Ambience 

and Wait for the Canopy to once again hide the Garden from all the "Grownups".

In the Meantime ...

Apparently, 

No.#1 Granddaughter considered that she was being neglected so deciding to take matters into her own hands, built herself a Car and when asked Where are you driving? Casually replied "Grandma's!"

(I think we are going to have to keep an eye on this one!)

 

Catching up with The Garden.

I was going to do a post about what we have been up to during May/June but on looking back over previous Blog Posts I came to realise that I haven't done any updates on our last Garden Makeover, which was back in July 2019.

As I left it, The Garden was rather bare and waiting for things to grow....

And Grow they did.

For a while, It all looked quite lovely. But it became rather overgrown. 

The Happy Wanderer happily wandered everywhere and crowded out the Magnolia

And the Standard Grevillea, which would have been a nice Lawn Specimen had we planted it in the Lawn 20 years ago, became a Blob that just got in the way.

They had to go!

And one day we had the excuse to do something about it.

Wedding Photo Shoot!  No, we don't have anymore Children to Marry off - Just a re-run of the last one.  This time with the Mother of the Bride present!

First to go was the Grevillea.  It was of course, rather top heavy and didn't need much convincing to give up its position.  

We transplanted one of our Grass Trees into that spot and immediately the Garden started to open up!

Next to go was the Arbour. 

"If it's not working - Don't keep it"

We decided it had done it's job of protecting the Magnolia while it got established.

And the Happy Wanderer?  

It certainly didn't mind it's massive prune and is happily sitting in it's pot - In flower and thinking about wandering somewhere else!

The Magnolia can now stop hiding in the background and show off her Flowers.

The timber 'Jetty' got a makeover, replacing the old Step with a Red-Gum Railway Sleeper.

It is now much safer - and looks like it has always been there.

A few more plants here and there and some Black mulch to create pathways.  

And the little Red Car - has always been here. A  Family heirloom that once belonged to DH's older Brothers, now has somewhere to permanently call home.

And just one finishing touch - Lighting!

We are absolutely delighted with the results.