Wednesday, May 6, 2009

My Father's Garden

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In my Father's Garden



My parents' tiny slice of Pavlova Paradise contains a large vegetable garden.
My father has tended his veggie plots with loving care for over 58 years.
He particularly loves compost and with the frequent addition
of rotting matter the garden beds now stand 12" above
the surrounding paths.



Coming into winter the vegetable garden is almost bare.
A few giant carrots remain - flourishing green
in their perfectly straight rows.



The humble pink geranium will always remind me of family
as this plant was grown from a cutting taken from my
grandparents' Timaru home.



A few colourful flowers are clinging to the remnants
of Autumn days before the long, cold winter when
the flower beds will mostly stand bereft of colour.








And then it will be left to the privet hedges to paint the yard.




The strawberry patch is still a mass of vibrant greenery



And look - a few late strawberries,
lets eat them before the frosts...


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29 comments:

  1. Your father has green fingers. He has a slice of heaven on earth.

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  2. Sarah,
    It sounds like you had a very long day...take care

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  3. Stiletto,
    My father is happiest when he is in his garden and with the long winter approaching I worry for him, but he also loves writing and is tapping away on his second book.
    Happy garden days

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  4. I love the one of the fuschias. Just beautiful.
    How do you get your name embedded on your photos,Delwyn?

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  5. I think it is very good when men love to garden. It gives them something to potter away at, outside the house, in their retirement years.

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  6. Hi Natalie,

    I'll write you an email to explain...

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  7. Hi Violet,
    yes a great interest, great exercise and providing for all the vegetable needs of the family and friends for a lifetime...
    and organic to boot...

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  8. Slowly but surely I have been easing my way into the whole garden malarkey, mainly spurred on by my wife who is the one who tends our garden. For me at the moment, mowing the lawn remains my chief contribution and it has a therapeutic effect, too. I love your dad's garden, it looks so well-taken care of and dainty. Many thanks for the shots and the commentary. And re the 1973 trousers, let's just say that a few years later (I was born in '71) I was in a similar pair to your beloved's ones. Corduroy methinks. Hmmm... the 70s :-).

    Greetings from London.

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  9. Thank you for the wonderful walk through your father's garden. I enjoyed it very much! :-)

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  10. Beautiful garden, and I love the way sun reflects on all the plants, it makes me feel warm.

    I wish I had a garden. I think I would be really enthusiastic about gardening if I had one.

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  11. It looks lush and brilliant even at the end of the growing season. Any secrets for the compost he makes?

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  12. Mr Cuban,

    I love gardening too, so much so we established a nursery at one stage. We grew palm trees and tropical understorey plants.
    You are right about the cords, my little boys wore them too and my big boy - well he actually preferred fire engine red ones at that time...
    Such a spring chicken you are...I was married in '72!
    Happy gardening days

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  13. Rosaria,
    He used to have a huge concrete enclosure but now has one of those commercial bins. First he puts all the vegetable matter into a pit in the ground, I'll have to ask him why and what he adds. I know it eventually comes out of the process looking very soft and friable.
    Happy gardening - I'm watching your progress...

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  14. Polly,
    gardening is a great therapy and form of relaxation. you puddle away getting the muscles working while at the same time the mind is meditating on its own little course. Having the hands in the soil for me is one way to feel a part of nature and to unwind.
    I have a very small block of land and as we are coastal it is sand so I have rows of large pots housing herbs and some tropical bromeliads - it works very well.

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  15. Merisi,
    welcome to my little patch...
    It's nice to meet you.
    I scuttled over your way very quickly and glimpsed some beautiful peonies so I am returning after breakfast to have a good wander through your beautiful postings
    Happy Days

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  16. Beautiful garden by your lovely dad and he is so good at taking care of his babies:)
    I always want to plant carrot and I have no ideas how to.......
    Strawberries taste good and I love its cool shot.
    I love the 4th photo the most, really lavish in colour and number!

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  17. I wonder if New Zealand's climate is like New Hampshire's? These flowers and plants look just like ones from here. Welcome home! I hope you enjoyed your visit to your parents.

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  18. Your dad's garden is absolutely lovely. Hope you enjoyed your visit.

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  19. How about posting a photo of your dad? I'd love to see him.

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  20. Hi Yoon see
    I'm glad that you enjoy the garden as much as I do.
    Happy plants

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  21. Dan,
    will do. email coming...

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  22. Willow,
    thanks for your interest. I did enjoy seeing the parents and checking on their coping ability however I hate the cold with a vengeance so am pleased to be back.
    Happy gardens

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  23. Jennifer,
    NZ temps vary a lot as it is made of islands and also very different geographically.
    CHCH has heavy frosts but very rarely snow, and can reach 30*C in summer. It's unpredictable weather and can change from summer to winter over an hour...
    They had a frost yesterday- thank goodness I had left.

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  24. Hi Delwyn

    You have grown up with beautiful organic Vegies you must have a healthy constitution eating all that love!

    Beautiful day's!

    XXX mona

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  25. Mona,
    you are right and I think it may be partly responsible for my parents longevity.

    Happy veggie days

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  26. Your father's garden is beautiful! I have never had a garden in my adult life, but my parents and uncle had gardens side by side oh so many years ago.

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