Semi-makeover 2 1 2012

The ex-vegetable garden now looks like this:

My last post (1 1 2012) showed how it looked yesterday and my plan, which has now changed a bit. I have taken out the marjoram and I am going to plant a small box hedge immediately above the lavender. I ended up getting English lavender from Swane's because they said they had French lavender, but when I got there the French lavender looked like what I thought was English lavender and visa versa. Anyway, because I was too impatient to wait for the weekend and go to Honeysuckle Cottage I ended up compromising. Doesn't matter, it looks fine. I just won't be able to make Chanel No 5.

I am now going to spread the white gravel under the lemon tree. I am also toying with the idea of whitewashing the exposed fence, brick-work and steps, but we are painting the house this year so I might wait.

So far it has taken 11 hours (not counting planning). Three hours clearing weeds, two hours shopping, six + hours laying weed mat and planting. Cost: $150 for the gravel and weed mat and $80 for the plants; six  lavender and one red geranium.

I have to decide whether to buy small tube-stock box at $3.30 per plant or larger plants, which will have an impact sooner. Having watched tiny peach and apple trees grow from tube-stock to productive plants in 4-5 years it's probably worth getting the smaller plants and watching them grow.

Bowral on Thursday and it's about the right time of year to take camellia cuttings from Mick's garden.

The more I look at the photo the more I think white-washing with lime is a must.