A lot of hard work

G'day. We have been very busy here the last couple of weeks. I took this photo before going to work one morning last week. This is our front yard. The guy with the excavator was coming to dig all this up a few hours later. We planted lavender under the two front bedroom windows not long after moving in and it made a great difference to that area. The three roses in the background were already there. The beautiful bougainvillea on the trellis screens our front veranda and it truly a magnificent sight when in full colour. It's an absolute show stopper.

This is what the front looks like now. It has had about six inches of soil removed from most of it, though the guy didn't take any away from the edge of the driveway for some reason, so he has to come back.

Because of the gas and water pipes, we had to keep the slightly higher area near the neighbours fence. Hubby said he wanted large rocks to border that part off from the lower section, so off we went to the property where he does some plumbing and got the biggest and best rocks we could manage to lift. Some of them have a touch of pink because of the soil they were embedded in and we sure did have fun trying to get them on the trailer. I of course, had to choose ones that were a touch on the big and heavy side, much to hubby's dismay. They actually don't look too bad in the scheme of things. The ones at the base of the fence will not stay there, they are what was left over, they will most likely be scattered around once the plants are in. This area will be planted out with roses, mainly pink ones. The front area will have a load of topsoil put on this weekend and there are eight standard roses waiting to go along the length of the front fence. I can't quite decide what design to make in the main area, but whatever it is, it too will have roses in it. All we have decided on, is that there will be some lawn. It would be an easy choice if the soil was great, but it's not. This is solid clay. Even with a truckload of topsoil, it won't make much difference when it comes time to dig in plants. It will be hard yakka. But, somewhere down the track, it will look lovely. We are in no hurry.

After moving from the farm and the three hundred plus roses we had there, I said I wasn't going to go the rose route anymore. I just can't seem to keep any promises. Already we have twenty one, including the three that were here. There are the eight standards, plus another four in pots waiting for there turn to be planted. Where will it end?? Don't worry, hubby is asking the same question!!

I am pleased to say the those lovely little Willow boys that came to stay with us arrived safely in the Northern Territory. This is their last Aussie home before flying to New Zealand. From what their host, Sarah said in her email to me, was that the heat up in the top end of Australia, may lay them low until they get used to it. If you would like to follow their further Aussie adventures please check out Sarah's blog.provincialhomemaker.blogspot.com You are sure to enjoy reading about their time in another beautiful part of this glorious country I am fortunate to live in. Take care. Liz...