Happy New Year everyone, wishing all gardeners, readers and online passers-by the very best for 2023. May it be a much, much better year than the one just finishing.
Frangipani 'Serendipity' is enjoying the late arrival of the Sydney summer. |
It's been quite a long time since I posted anything here at 'Garden Amateur' (more than a year in fact), and over the course of 2022 I am pleased to say that a lot has happened in our garden, but nothing much has changed, either.
For this Happy New Year posting I was going to include some more photos of the most eye-catching plants in our December 2022 garden, but when I checked on the previous photos from my last update from November 2021, they were almost identical, so just one photo this time, of our very colourful frangipani.
And that's when I realised nothing important has changed here. It's still full of colour and all the key plantings seem to be healthy.
The good news is that Pam and I are just like our plants: still healthy. Somehow we've managed to dodge the Covid virus and are enjoying the good but quiet life. I am such a homebody that "staying at home" is my preferred lifestyle option, anyway. Pam's much more social than me, and she's enjoying having restrictions lifted a bit. But homebody me? I'm happy in my garden and my kitchen.
Our major news this year is the sad passing of Pam's lovely 93-year-old mother, Val, who slipped away peacefully in her sleep back in July. How we all would like to go after a good and very long innings.
Val was a truly green-thumbed gardener of the old school, who could snip off a cutting of almost anything and have it thriving in a pot three months later.
Val had often said that she wanted to be buried in our garden as she loved being here. I think she was serious, because she didn't like it much when we explained that the authorities might not be so keen on that idea. So we've found a nice place for her to spend a well-deserved eternity of peaceful rest at a proper lawn cemetery that has lots of lawn and native trees nearby.
Hi Jamie & Pam, I’m glad you’ve posted again. And I hope your 2023 has been kind to you so far. Much less rainy this year! I suppose your frangipani will be springing back to life soon now that spring is arriving again.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss. I’m imagining Val is quite free to catch a breeze and visit you in your garden and bring you love any time she likes. It’s always sounded like a magical space, as all gardens are.
Take care of yourselves x
Hi Erin
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, much appreciated.
I've been thinking of updating my blog yet again, as we're doing a major front garden makeover, and that actually qualifies as "news"! It should all be planted up and ready for photos in about a month. So stay tuned, and best wishes.
Jamie