A Garden Journal
We moved house just 2 years ago
We found a once glorious garden
Now neglected
The drought had also taken its toll
I could see the challenge in the mess
So when I found a beautiful journal
With blank pages
And tiny watercolours by Mary Woodin
Scattered throughout
I decided to start a Garden Journal
I taped a pocket inside the cover
To store the plastic tabs that come with new plants
I began with general first impressions
I wandered around with my camera
Snapping at what was or may have been…
I drew a plan, mapping plants, dry patches,
Weather influence, shade, soil types etc…
Marking jobs to be done
I tried really hard not to do anything major for the first year…
Except to remove dead or rogue bushes and obvious weeds…
Years ago as newly weds our first home had an over grown garden
We ploughed into without realising the wonders we were destroying
So we waited… and watched
And recorded it all…
I keep the photographic record through my computer
By copying photographs to a word document
Printing them off on ordinary paper
I cut and paste them into my journal for an ongoing record of the plants…
Their progress … or decline…
I have learnt a great deal
Even though it says they will thrive in a particular aspect
Plants do not always like where we put them…
It appears to be true that plants like company
I’ve lost quite a few plonking them in wide open spaces, on their own…
I find
A Garden is best grown out from what’s already there…
I also record the plan, the dreams, the what if’s
There were some big decisions to make
By recording the progress we can see what worked, what didn’t
And speculate perhaps why?
I planned various garden rooms
Imagined how they may develop
I sit and gaze trying to imagine
How best to use the garden as a buffer to the new street pathway
There are some wonderful discoveries which,
With just feeding and watering have come on a treat…
Including patches of violets and freesias that have, over the years, naturalised
Showing a priceless investment of time
I record what plant food worked best and where
What plants I’ve put in, when,
How they’re doing in company
What might further enhance the space
Season by Season
I don’t know the names of some things the previous owner planted
But gradually I am finding out and adding them to the pictures and descriptions I’d pencilled into the journal
I collect flyers, information of gardens I’ve seen and admired
I’m not a professional gardener
I don’t necessarily have green thumbs
But I do love our garden
I don’t have a big picture
Just things I’d like to see
I wait for an opportunity to include them
And gradually the garden continues to evolve
I have a record of the gumtree
Seeded and planted by our son
The Wattle tree gifted at Christmas by our grandsons
Planted by them
How it has grown
As they have grown
The Auzzie Wrinkly Tin Tank catches water for the garden
The huge rocks levered into position
Create another new little garden feature
In progress
Also into the journal
Events, like
The Digg-in
A Family get-together
When Boundaries where staked out,
Flower beds established
A huge pile of soil bought in to enrich the poor earth
Moved, one barrow load at a time,
By strong backs and loving hands
Beaut Bargains are recorded like the $10 Ever-red Japanese Maple
The journal came into its own when we bought and planted
2 bare rooted weeping silver birches
That first spring
A small flush of tiny green leaves, soon shrivelled and died
With nothing further to show for all the seaweed solution and TLC they received…
We waited for signs of recovery
When they did not, we were able to go back to the nursery
Giving an exact account of what we had done
Showing evidence of where they had been
And how the garden around them had come on
I still had the proof of purchase in the journal
After checking out our soil
The nursery asked that we returned the trees
The verdict was definite
The trees had been shocked at some point in production
The root ball showing no signs of further development
With no further argument the nursery replaced them both
Taking the time and effort to find suitable replacements
As spring approaches once again we wait with breath baited
Neighbours also watch as they pass
Many are keen to share what they feel about the garden we are growing
It all goes into the journal…
Words and Photographs © Denise Stanford 2010
Within the Vine 