Grand Children My Little Treasures

Photos by Mr Kristopher

Saturday we had magnificent weather 28 degrees and sunshine, no wind a perfect day. I spent the day with three very special little people Mr Kristopher 13, Mr Caeleb 10, Little Miss Ameiliah 6, my grand children who had come to spend the day. Mr Kristopher bought his camera along this time so that we could go out taking photos. Mr Caeleb forgot his camera so he borrowed my small digital camera for the day. Cameras in hand we headed off to the new Junction Village play ground, all three of them enjoyed trying the new play equipment and I had good sujects to photograph while they did. From there we came back home and wandered around my garden to see what we could find to photograph.

As always Little Miss finds her way to the fairy garden I designed with her in mind and the boys came for a look too. Mr Kristopher who has a good eye with the camera, as I sat and watched him he took photos of the fairy garden from all angles. He stood on the garden seat to takes shots of the water feature from above; he got down at eye level and took more. He did manage to get some very interesting shots of the garden. Mr Caeleb also took shots of the fairy garden, but his first shots were out of focus, so we spent some time with him teaching him how to make sure the shot was in focus before he took it. Second time around he had much better results and he was happy with them.

As I sat in the fairy garden with Mr Caeleb watching Little Miss playing with the fairies, he asked me who was the garden made for. I told him that it was made for everyone to enjoy; I said that fairy gardens were normally girlie gardens. But as we sat I told him to look around and see how beautiful the garden is. With the water feature you can sit an hear the sound of the water, yet it is so peaceful and a garden we can all enjoy it's not just a girlie garden. I love to sit out here I said to him and enjoy the sun, fresh air, the garden the sound of the water, the beauty and the peace. Then Mr Caeleb asked if the garden was my happy place? From the mouths of Babes, such a lovey way to put it, I had it admit that he was right it was when I think about, it is my happy place.

Australian Natives

©Copyright nansgarden.blogspot.com

Photos - Prostanthera Incana Blue

After a long day at work it's nice to take a wander around my garden in the fresh air and sunshine. Now that we are once again on daylight savings time I get to just that, take nice long stroll around the garden with camera in hand and see what pictures I can take today.

With sandy loam type soil we grow mostly Australian Natives plants in the garden as they can tolerate the dryer soils with much less water. With the water restriction in Victoria we all need to be water wise with our gardens.

When we moved to the Junction we down sized our suburban block so that we didn't have to spend all weekend mowing lawns and trying to upkeep the gardens. Well that was perhaps the single biggest mistake we have made. Now that I'm closer to work and don't loose three hours a day traveling to work and back home again, I have more time to spend doing the things I love (gardening) is on the top of my list.

Gardening For Health

Gardening is a healthy activity that provides bodily exercise that tends to increase regular breathing, reduce muscular tension, lower the blood pressure, provides needed sunshine and fresh air, and calms, relaxes and rejuvenates the mind, body and soul. Gardening is an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The rewards are endless when you walk through a garden and see the beauty that nature puts on display for us to enjoy.
Photo - Lotus

Apple Blossom Time

Apple Blossom

As soon as I came in from work today I got the camera and went out to the apple tree to try again to take a photo of the apple blossom. This time trying to do it justice as it looks truly beautiful in the daylight and smells wonderful too.

The beauty of an apple tree in blossom, watching the sunlight peeking through the branches all covered with deep pink buds bursting into delicate gossamer skin of white petals glowing with a magical sheen. This is perhaps my most favorite time of the year blossom, flowers, spring colour everywhere what could be more perfect.

Apple Blossom

Going out in my back garden after dark I could smell the apple blossom on my tree, it was so strong I just had to go over to have a closer look. The tree was loaded with blossom and looked so lovely in the filtered light from the house. I just had to try and get a photo of it, not as good as I had hoped but I had to try. Tomorrow after work I'll be back out there with my camera, for a photo in day light to try and do justice to the apple tree.

Photo - Apple Tree at night

Back From The Brink

Thrown out on the nature strip across the road were some very neglected and sad elkhorn ferns that had a sign on them free. Although they looked almost dead the man of the house decided to bring them home, and see if any were worth saving. The long hot summer we had last year didn't help their cause but after much care and many months they are now coming back from the brink. Photo left was taken this week and even to me this one looks healthy and now in good condition.

Photo - Elkhorn

Ferns Spring Back To Life

After the very hot summer we had last year my ferns were looking the worse for wear, they had been sun and wind burnt quite badly. So there was nothing else I could do for them but cut them back, which is what I did at ground level. I made sure that over winter when the weather was dry or windy to keep them well watered.

And just before spring I started to fertilize them once every two weeks in the hope that they would spring back into life. And spring back into life they did, they look like coming back bigger and better than ever.