I’ve been really distracted lately and not gardening as much as in past summers. For one thing, we tore out some of my garden to build a “garden room” or conservatory. We had to remove two 8-year-old liquidamber trees that had reached the height of 10 feet. Too bad, they were just beginning to flourish. I looked into having them transplanted but it was too costly, and not guaranteed to survive the move. Trees are hard to transplant.. The advice I was given, “Just buy some young ones in the largest container you can afford.” Liquidamber grow fast so perhaps I’ll do just that. I do so love the ‘Burgandy’ variety. Glorious in the fall.
Then we spent a couple of days trying to transplant some low-growing rosemary. It appears that none will survive. I thought they might be successfully transplanted because rosemary is easy to start with cuttings. I’ve seen new roots appear within a month. But no such luck this time.
We filled the compost bins and green waste barrels with lavender, yarrow, geranium, a couple of lavatera, penstemon, and pittosporum (along the foundation of the house). I wish I had taken a picture of it “before” as it was really quite pretty. The only picture “before” picture I could find was of Maddie, posing on a cement bench, with my “soon to be destroyed section of garden” in the background. The photo gives you an idea of what was removed.
A lot of thought went into the designing of the garden room. Our house is only 8 years old. We designed and built it to suit our lifestyle. You know the story…not too big, not too small. Great for entertaining. Children have “left the nest” so no need for a playroom or lots of bedrooms. Who would have guessed that our family would grow to include two companionable Australian labradoodles and that we would be involved with a breeder in producing two litters of pups from each of them. Alas, we need an indoor-outdoor room with cement floors. One that allows the dogs to come and go. A place to hang our jackets, and a place to take off our boots in wet weather. A pretty room to “sit a spell”. A room for a few plants, a sink, and a view of the garden.
So once again we are involved in construction. But how wonderful it will be when it is finished, with the paths cleared again… with the water system to the garden turned back on…. with the landscaping established…. with it furnished with an armoire for jackets…. with a sink for water…… We’re about half-way there.
