This week I thought back two years to the day I moved into my new home/newbuild. It was exciting and scary to build a
home while unemployed but I enjoyed making the thousand-and-one
decisions on my home and garden. Each has been completely personalised.
The garden is coming along, despite climatic damage and challenges. The wind here is horrid; it's so strong and frequent. I often find just one day of wind here sears the lawn, drying everything out and breaking stuff and the soil isn't great either, as you will know from a previous post on drainage problems this year. However, I find persistence over the long-term usually gets you there.
My place and I have survived possum attacks, drainage problems created by the developer, several minor repairs. I've done all the painting of fences and garden planting and design myself so it is a source of satisfaction but nature being nature, it is interesting to see how it evolves over time.
Gardening here on my own has meant rather a sacrifice in the health area. At my age, wielding a crowbar repeatedly over 2 days had permanently bad consequences down the track. I hadn't realised the impacts would have such an 'impact'. ACC didn't want to know. My hands and shoulders are bad as a result which is limiting what I'd like to do and affecting quality of life, but the worst of the heavy stuff is done. There was no option but to dig holes and plant things myself. I can now sit back and enjoy the beauty.
Some of the most rewarding plants this year have been my peonies and hostas. They've settled in well, sheltered a bit by the house. Lavender does well here too, all varieties. My little citrus trees benefitted from frost cloth over winter but my fruit trees did not like a late cold snap here and failed to develop fruit or, if they had some, it all dropped off. At least the trees, unencumbered by fruit, are putting out a lot of wood. Maybe next year I'll see a bumper crop of apricots, plums, nectarines and apples. This year, nothing.
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, boysenberries are all giving me plenty of yummy mouthfulls but not enough yet to convert to jam. The blueberries have some fruit but are are not looking as happy as they might. My French potager is keeping me well fed so I don't need to buy much from the supermarket produce department. New potatoes and peas will be welcome this Christmas.
Inside the house most of the decorating is complete. There's still a bit to do but I have run out of money for now. The French influence has grown over the two years, with small contributions from Jean-Claude before Covid hit. He has passed on things he doesn't want or which he has seen in second-hand stores. Mostly they are small decorative items such as plates or bonbonnieres, or very old French books to decorate my library (and read too, from time to time). I have his mother's tapestry on my bedroom wall. Sometimes it feels as if I am sleeping in a French chateau. Perfect. I love to fill the vases with perfumed roses I have grown and at this time, of course, Christmas lillies.
It's good to step back and look at progress to see that the sacrifices and effort do indeed bear 'fruit'. I can now look out of each window and see a pretty vista specifically designed to add value to my interior decor. 
Climbing roses and grape vines add such a 3-D effect. Delphiniums and other herbaceous perennials add a romantic air and on a warm summer evening I can choose to sit outside on my patios, garden lighting switched on, and dream of the progress I might see in another two years. The hard stuff may be finished but the gardening effort never will be. Over winter I can hunker down and enjoy my home, working on other projects I am planning. I'll keep you posted.
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