I entered a Seniors Garden Competition!

Last week I saw an ad for a garden competition, judging on August 12th and thought, "oh I could enter that!".  After popping my entry in the mail I reflected that I have in fact been very slack in the garden lately.  So this weekend I made time  for a couple of hours gardening.  The veggie garden has been the most neglected.
A couple of weeks ago I threw a bunch of lettuce seeds into a well composted area.  Well yes I know it was well composted because in between the lettuces were tonnes of  tomato and passionfruit seedlings.  It is so hard not to dislodge the fragile lettuces, and some of them needed to be thinned as well.  A little bit more spread out, weeded and well watered, we will see how they go now..... The poly box with the eggplant was moved into the corner to get more sun, and I discovered that some sort of squash seedlings are coming up - I wonder if they are gemsquash?.  The paths in the veggie garden are old bits of weed mat, and every now and again I lay down cardboard on top.  When I weed I throw the weeds onto the path where they dry out and hopefully die. Flowering weeds and really invasive weeds I tend to throw in the garbage. I rolled up the bits of well rotted cardboard, old weeds and dried bits of hay and popped them into the compost.  Then I simply turned the weed mat over and voila!  Clean paths!  The herb spiral looks very overgrown and permaculturish, but I think it is ok.  Some labels might be nice if I have time....

The area next to the birdbath has recently for some reason looked a little bare.  The geisha girl has  become top heavy with the branches dripping down over the bare lower branches.  I don't know how I did it, but I do like it that way.  I needed something in that lower bare area, and since the one side of this bed has become more colorful with crotons and cordelines, I added a few more cordelines to this area, and also moved over some ground cover which was getting rather leggy where it was.   The amaryllis were treated to a support bar as they fall and flop over into the path.  It would be really nice if they flowered for the judges.  I cut a few of the nasty looking leaves off - I am not sure if that induces flowering, but they look somewhat tidier.  It still looks rather tatty in this area, so I think needs a bit of work.  If that ground cover doesn't pick up I might  move a few pots over to fill in the area.  Or put another low birth bath there? When I had finished I sat on the swing watering, and the honey eaters were having a wonderful time enjoying the spray from the hose, and then darting in amongst the branches of the geisha girl. Gosh those little birds can put a smile on your face! :)
 The front entrance also got a bit of a tidy up and would appreciate some weeding if I have time.  I moved those white pots in a bit but think they are better wider apart... or somewhere else entirely?  Either side of the wooden gate, or right out in the front of the driveway?
This first little part of the pathway behind the lychee tree is fine I think,

 Especially when you carry on right into the corner and see my sexy pink lady flowering!  I see I need to cut back those dead branches around it!  Funny what the camera captures!

Then the other side of the path is also fine - just a bit of trimming back of yellowing leaves etc. to do there.


 This is a seniors garden competition (you have to be over 50) and although I feel old enough with all my aches and pains, I will also be competing with people who have retired and have lots of time to spend in their garden. I really don't know what competition I am up against, but thought it was worth a try.  I would appreciate you pointing out any other areas that you feel could do with a bit of work. Sometimes you look at your own garden so much that you miss what is glaringly obvious to others.

Comments

  1. So glad that you have entered the Senior's garden competition...wishing you lots of luck.
    I would reposition the two white pots by using them to anchor the entrance to a walkway, or either side of the gate. I would also trim back some of the shrubs that run along the side of the house, since they are now the same height as the house.
    I hope you win a prize.

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    Replies
    1. thank you Virginia,
      I will take your advice into account. Yes I was thinking of trimming those shrubs down.

      Delete
  2. Good Morning! Your garden is lovely and I'm going to use your idea for my path. I think the white pots would look lovely framing something as Virginia suggested. It is amazing what a photograph will reveal. I recently noticed that my white walls in one room look fine to me, but not to the camera. I must paint! Best of luck on the competition!

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    Replies
    1. Lesa,
      Oh once you paint then you will have to re-decorate - it never stops! I love my path :) glad you like it too!

      Delete
  3. Your garden is beautiful, I'm impressed with all the effort you've put into it, not at all easy to manage such a huge garden. I love best wherever you've added some colour contrast to your mainly green landscape. The areas that stand out for me are shown in the 2 photos above that of your pink heliconia.
    All the very best to you, Gillian... hope you win!

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    Replies
    1. Jacqueline,
      Oh you would be surprised to see how small my garden actually is - it is all an optical illusion! Yes I also love colored foliage. thank you!

      Delete
  4. Your garden is looking beautiful. What type of material do you use for your stone looking pathway in the last picture? It looks like rock, but I don't think I've ever seen one like that before. I love the looks of it as well as the walking stone way in it. I think you have a great chance of winning this contest. Best of luck to you.

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    Replies
    1. Miss LindaLee,
      that is called 20mm aggregate, but not sure what it would be called in your area. I actually prefer smoother pebbles, but the price was right for this. It is quite sharp to walk on barefoot and that is the reason for the pavers, but it all worked out well in the end.

      Delete
  5. What a fun idea to enter a comp. But I imagine, no matter how beautiful your garden is (and yours is very beautiful) when you look at it with an eye to what judges might see you'd find a million things to do. Don't work yourself too hard.

    That lychee tree - Lordy! it shows no signs of that drastic pruning. It's HUGE still and lush.

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    Replies
    1. Laura,
      Oh they are going to have to take it as it comes. I might spend hours working on something they don't even notice! I know! we were just commenting that one year ago we were searching for tiny leaves appearing!

      Delete
  6. Seniors at only 50??? Who are they kidding? 50 is middle aged. Seniors should be at least over 65, and probably even older. This sounds like a set-up so the organiser could win!!
    Good luck in this competition. It will depend on who else enters of course, but I think you stand a very good chance of capturing a prize. Your layout is interesting and gives the impression of a large rather than small garden. You will knock the socks off everyone with your colour, height variation, and texture.

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    Replies
    1. Louise,
      Thanks for your lovely comments - I suppose it all depends on what the judges are looking for. I will not have all the weeds removed, old trimmed branches are lying around as mulch, and baby tomatoes are popping up everywhere, but that is the way I garden. I was also a bit taken aback by 50 being considered a senior. Gosh I have been a senior for 8 years!

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  7. Your garden looks great Gill, love the area with the pebble paths. Will the weed mat be covered with mulch or something to make it look nicer? Best of luck for the competition.

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    Replies
    1. Sami,
      thank you, no! What you see if what you get.....:) I just picked up all the untidy mulch and weeds from the path!

      Delete
  8. "Senior" at 50?!!! I am rapidly approaching Senior next monday...might spend the day under the bed now methinks ;). Good luck in the competition, your garden is lovely :)

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  9. Almost senior,
    Happy birthday for Monday! thank you

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