February 2021 update

Shade is where it is at right now.

Temperatures are rising very early in the day so have been getting up extra early to get work done before the heat kicks in. Up until recently the weather has been a good mix of sunny and rainy days so the little plants have been doing well. The grass has turned crispy, and finally stopped the mad mad growth so there is a bit of a mowing breather to be had.  There is a fire ban in place now.

Since October a lot more mulch was put in place and seems to be helping the new plants get established with minimal watering, still remembering to water the babies coming on in pots, they have a nice shady spot by the glasshouse and the bigger ones will find their place once the first good rains of Autumn arrive.

The studio is crazy busy with several shows in the pipeline. Paintings, Solace and Into the Blue found their home in Whanganui this month so there will be some money in the kitty for new Autumn plants.

Plant Count: 550+

PLANTING A FOREST/LOOKING AFTER A GARDEN
Since moving to Hendersons Line, Marton in June 2017 Sam and Lorraine have planted a huge number of native plants and trees. Eventually they hope to cover most of the site (4 acres) with a diverse mix of plants including plenty of food for the bees and birds, This will be combined with walking tracks and hidden spaces to just sit or stand, listen, catch a breath.

21st March 2021 update

The relief of cooler temperatures at night has arrived, thoughts are turning to an exciting new planting season, starting with some healthy new natives purchased at a local sale last weekend. These plants will be temporarily camping out with the other babies by the glasshouse until the the first good rainfall arrives – and the ground softens enough to make digging a bit easier, hopefully not to far away now. Tweaking curves of paths and garden shapes has begun using a mower and trimmer helping to visualise where the new arrivals will finally find their homes. The making of compost has stepped up a notch with the arrival of several nice big loads of horse poo (thank you Noel!) now mixed in to nine large bins, this should make great feed for the trees as they settle in.

Plant Count: 550+

PLANTING A FOREST/LOOKING AFTER A GARDEN
Since moving to Hendersons Line, Marton in June 2017 Sam and Lorraine have planted a huge number of native plants and trees. Eventually they hope to cover most of the site (4 acres) with a diverse mix of plants including plenty of food for the bees and birds, This will be combined with walking tracks and hidden spaces to just sit or stand, listen, catch a breath.

October 2020 update

It has been a really busy month in the studio with the Manawatu Art Trail deadline looming and Spring in full swing in the garden.

After some manic cutting with a hand saw on a way too hot day, the orchard has been opened up into the front yard area and it has made a big difference to the way the energy moves. Some existing garden beds have been rearranged and suddenly new pathways open up. I love this kind of instinctive and gradual design – waiting for the next move to reveal itself and the dogs are definitely enjoying the extra space to run around in. The timber removed from the fence has already been repurposed into the start of a trial composting area in the orchard which will be handy when finished. Additional hedging has also been planted to try and add further shelter from the wind for the orchard trees.

A big thank you to Anna from Waikanae and Merle & Sam from Marton for their wonderful gifts of new home grown plants – being able to add these into the mix is so appreciated. The bigger specimens have already found their spots in the garden and are growing beautifully, with smaller plants still growing in a sheltered space by the greenhouse. I am beginning to lose count of the numbers now in the ground but it must be getting close to 500.

The birds are also very busy here at the moment with their morning song and some seem to be building nests. The Tui are clearly back and vocal and there is often a fantail or two flitting about in the garden. Recently we had a visit from a Kereru – NZ Wood Pigeon – it’s a first in our time here and very exciting to see one so close up.

PLANTING A FOREST/LOOKING AFTER A GARDEN
Since moving to Hendersons Line, Marton in June 2017 Sam and Lorraine have planted a huge number of native plants and trees. Eventually they hope to cover most of the site (4 acres) with a diverse mix of plants including plenty of food for the bees and birds, This will be combined with walking tracks and hidden spaces to just sit or stand, listen, catch a breath.

Another 200 natives planted

For reasons I won’t go into here, it is fair to say 2020 has been the worst year right from day one for us, With the help of friends, Lorraine and I managed to beat the biggest of all curve balls, then just as I thought we might catch our breath early March – that damned virus arrived.

You’d think a creative introvert hermit would be in their element at home, and I usually am but the loss of choice to wander was a kicker. Combine Winter income worries with two shows cancelled and level four lockdown there was no mojo left in the tank – exhaustion set in. In between doing the tedious necessities, I am pretty sure April was spent curled up in a ball. Thoroughly sick of myself after a month of glum, I put my gumboots on and dragged my sorry arse out to face the garden which had gone completely rogue, it was depressing! May and early June were spent putting things back in order, by mid June it was back in the fun zone planting and improvements including new compost bins and converting the chickens’ space for deep litter composting system. The fresh air and physical work has done wonders, it was a relief to feel my brain finally switching from survival, back into creative mode.

The Spring rain appears to have arrived with gusto, grass is greening up and growing like mad, the ground is very soggy under foot. The front paddocks are beginning to look almost like there is a plan (there isn’t), with paths and a vehicle track being cut with a weed eater and lawn mower. Over the past four months another 200 hundred natives have gone into the ground, cabbage trees, flax, pittosporum, ribbon wood and Ake Ake. so the total now stands at 450 approximately. A few casualties are expected.

Along with the natives some exotics that the bees should love have been planted too, just a few at this stage in a lower paddock to see how they cope with the soil. Also several varieties of basket willow are growing. Two fence lines have been pole planted with willow to provide some shelter from the winds. these will be coppiced back at some stage. Still debating the plantings for the western boundary.

Using some on site recycled timber, the orchard has some new wonky garden beds, I just can’t do straight! Plans for this space include a six bay compost system, more beds and another entrance way from the house for easier access from the back door. There are still many more home grown babies to go in the ground, more natives plus lots cuttings taken for the orchard space and surrounding gardens this year – raspberries, black and red currants, strawberries, grape, fennel, comfrey, rosemary, lavender, daisy, and hydrangea. Fingers crossed for Karo and Tagasaste – Tree Lucerne seeds planted recently – I was sold on the latter when I read that wood pigeons love these trees.

Hopefully the next update will not be so far away, looking forward to sharing new creative work at the Manawtu art trail in November, fingers crossed. I hope you are coping with all that 2020 is throwing your way.

Plant Count: 550+

PLANTING A FOREST/LOOKING AFTER A GARDEN
Since moving to Hendersons Line, Marton in June 2017 Sam and Lorraine have planted a huge number of native plants and trees. Eventually they hope to cover most of the site (4 acres) with a diverse mix of plants including plenty of food for the bees and birds, This will be combined with walking tracks and hidden spaces to just sit or stand, listen, catch a breath.

Another 100 natives for Autumn

A successful exhibition at the Kapiti Gallery during September has meant there is now $500 in the kitty for new planting, this will pay for another 100 natives. While we would love to get them in the ground now, with summer fast approaching, and on the advice of a much wiser gardening/horticultural guru (thank you Alona’s mum) this lot of planting will now happen in Autumn 2020 to give the new plants the best chance of survival.

We have also had the very kind offer from a friend who has said she will pot up the random native seedlings that pop up in her garden that she does not have room for. She is going to save them for us so they can have a chance here. This is so exciting – every little bit helps as it is quite a daunting area to plant out, thank you Anna.

Plant Count: 350

PLANTING A FOREST/LOOKING AFTER A GARDEN
Since moving to Hendersons Line, Marton in June 2017 Sam and Lorraine have planted a huge number of native plants and trees. Eventually they hope to cover most of the site (4 acres) with a diverse mix of plants including plenty of food for the bees and birds, This will be combined with walking tracks and hidden spaces to just sit or stand, listen, catch a breath.