Just the other weekend, Mum and I disappeared off to Fremantle to check out a private garden opened to the public as part of Open Gardens Australia.
This particular garden was the same size as Mum's and written up to sound like a lovely mix between the typical cottage garden and a natives garden.
Unlike Mum's block, which she'd been working on for almost 30 years, this one had been completely overhauled three years ago when the owners bought the place.
Many of the plants went in then, and have spent the subsequent years growing veraciously, and crowding each other out.
It was a pretty place, an avenue of roses with some of the most delightful heritage and scented ones into the mix. And we were able to get the names of the most spectacular ones.
I'll admit, there may have been an element of wildlife missing from the garden due simply to the number of people wandering around.
So, the plan is to convince Mum to have her garden as an open garden.
There's also another pond that should go in, sooner rather than later as Mum has been planning it for years.
And I can see Mum spreading a thick layer of mulch upon everything to hide un-pleasantries and better define the meandering paths.
Aside from that (and the inordinate amounts of weeding Mum always complains about), timing just needs to be decided. A time of year when everything is looking its best and the carpets of pretty pink weeds and nasturtiums cover over those that are not so kind on the eye.
She may not necessarily see it, but even these guys will agree, Mum's garden is spectacular and well worth a visit.
This particular garden was the same size as Mum's and written up to sound like a lovely mix between the typical cottage garden and a natives garden.
Many of the plants went in then, and have spent the subsequent years growing veraciously, and crowding each other out.
It was a pretty place, an avenue of roses with some of the most delightful heritage and scented ones into the mix. And we were able to get the names of the most spectacular ones.
I'll admit, there may have been an element of wildlife missing from the garden due simply to the number of people wandering around.
However compared to Mum's garden it was so tamed, so sparse.
Cottage gardens have never been my favourite (as I've never been used to anything quite to neat and tidy in the garden) and I frequently fail to see the majesty in these types of plants. Too often I am comparing them with the striking flowers that litter Mum's garden.
The back garden of this open garden, where the orchard and natives live was rather barren (compared with the wilderness I'm used to). And those plants that did were, I regret to say, some of the more boring varieties of natives.
So, the plan is to convince Mum to have her garden as an open garden.
There's a little bit of work that needs doing first, like reclaiming the front verge from the council (if they're not going to mow their grass they don't deserve to have grass). The plan is to kill off the offensive grass and plant it with low lying natives that the postie can ride over without harm.
There's also another pond that should go in, sooner rather than later as Mum has been planning it for years.
And I can see Mum spreading a thick layer of mulch upon everything to hide un-pleasantries and better define the meandering paths.
Aside from that (and the inordinate amounts of weeding Mum always complains about), timing just needs to be decided. A time of year when everything is looking its best and the carpets of pretty pink weeds and nasturtiums cover over those that are not so kind on the eye.
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