332/30

Today it was time to take the Auckland visitors to the airport, early!!! so we decided to continue to Central Otago for the day and visit the Auntie living in Ranfurly. The day was much cooler than we have had but pleasant all the same. My camera had a lovely ride but never came out of my bag so a walk round the garden when I got home was necessary. This is showing off, my Lilium Regale's are late but seven flower on on stems not bad!!!

331/29

Thursday was another "busy" holiday day, with not much achieved and a lot of time used. The rain late in the afternoon was most welcome for the garden. The photo is a close up of a little geranium I bought at Wals Plant Land last year, it is called Geranium pratense 'Summer Skies'. It has flowered very well this summer.

330/28

Another very relaxed holiday day, with OK weather.  I can't say I managed to achieve anything, but never mind. This is" Remember Me" a lovely rose which  came from a friend's mum's garden.

329/27

Thought I would do today's post now as I get distracted later in the day. I have several self-seeded Canterbury Bells in the garden, and I was interested to notice how many variations there are. Not all of them have "saucers" under their "cups". The shapes vary, as do the stamens ect, I guess the bee's have had their say!

328/26

Boxing Day was brilliant sunshine and more good food, company and drink!!!! There are more lillies opening every day, some I love, others I'm not so sure.

327/25

Christmas Day 2011, a beautiful sunny day with great people, fantastic food, a drop or two of good wine, who could ask for anything more. Well.... my mother-in-law did actually notice a flower in my garden, first time in 30 odd years, so that is today's pic, a very pretty pale pink edged Japanese iris.

326/24

A lovely Saturday, very busy with church flowers for Christmas to set the tone for the day. The afternoon saw a gathering of family and friends for a Welcoming ceremony for the Granddaughter. The day was a sunny one with white table cloths, pink roses, lovely food, and a drop or two of bubbly!!! The pic is the afters, no food left and not so white a table cloth,  bother about needing it for Christmas day..........

325/23

To busy on Friday for a pic, but I did "pick" my only Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) flower. Thank you Louise who works at Wallis's for giving me the bulb a couple of years ago..

324/22

No, it isn't the iris I was going to photo, but this one has opened in the mean time.

323/21

I went out last night to photograph another iris, but came in on dark having forgotten the reason for going out!!!  This morning the iris is past it's best so instead it is  rose  Blackberry Nip, I wish I could bottle it's perfume.

322/20

A fine Tuesday and three more gardens done. I still can't see me getting everyone finished! Another Japanese iris out in my bog garden, I think this one is stunning, but I do love purple.

321/19

A full day at work trying to get round everyone before the Christmas break. I took the camera with me when I went to feed the hens, and decided my lilies were worth pic. The orange and yellow Asiatics have been stunning this year.

320/18

Sunday, we have had a walk, now putting the calories back on with coffee and Christmas cake. The walk around the garden when I got back resulted in this pic of my newest lily, Lilium martagon var. album.

315/17

Saturday, My eldest daughters birthday, so some more babysitting. The second daughter arrived from Auckland to stay for Christmas, so a lot of talking and not much working. Lots more pressies under the tree too.

314/16

Catch up time, Friday was a busy one, the highlights were Babysitting, Friends for tea and Christmas drinks, and the first of the new seasons jam made. Strawberry, YUM.

313/15

I have two very nice iris's flowering at the moment. The Japanese iris, Iris ensata, didn't flower last year, so I'm pleased to see it has obliged this time round. The other picture is (Iris chrysographes) I think.There are alot of  pic out there that don't look quite right!

312/14

My second clump of different coloured ixia's have been very pretty this year, with heaps of flowers. I think I still like virdaflora better, but this is more subtle.

311/13

A stunning day yesterday, I didn't get much done in the garden last night as my day at work was rather long and hot. I did wander around with the camera though. This collage is a selection of the late peonies that are still flowering, I didn't realise I had so many still out.

310/12

The clumps of rhodohypoxis in my rockery have been outstanding this year.  They are almost past  now but the show they put on has lasted over a month.

309/11

Yes, Christmas is coming, and we have a tree. Some baking will be next on the list.

308/10

Time in the garden today, time for a haircut for some of my topiary.

307/9

So much for blogging over breakfast. My babysitting duties started early on Friday. I did manage to put up some decorations with the help of my granddaughter. I feel the Christmas spirit starting!!!

306/8

I did some foxglove research and have found only the cream one without spots in my garden. I did find a white one in a clients garden also spotless. While weeding last night I also discovered how tall they can grow while your not looking. I haven't measured it but it must be close to 8ft.

305/7

I have decided I must do my blog over breakfast, as the days seem to be getting  busier and I get lazier at night. So the photo will be from the day before, probably, unless I have made and early tour around my garden. Today's photo is the start of a mission... to find out if there are other foxgloves out there without spots. I noticed this one  while  putting more water in the pond, then it rained of course.

304/6

My rockery is looking very pretty at the moment. It has two seasons, spring with lots of bulbs and now with mini roses, alstros and other bits and pieces.

303/5

A full day at work and finally I feel I am catching up a little. I'm of out to the garden to pull more weeds, but did walk round with the camera when I got home. This is the first time I have ever staked my own delphiniums (always do clients!!) and I am impressed. The photo isn't great, too much sunshine, but it will have to do.

302/4

Home from Invercargill and straight into the garden. There is soooooo much needs doing, but first job was to get the new pond pump up and running. This meant a lot of rock rearranging, but it seems to be OK.

301/3

Saturday was a trip to Invercargill for hubby's Xmas work do. Go Kart racing followed by ten pin bowling then a very nice meal out. After last year I was allowed to NOT go karting (So hopeless it was embarrassing) but I did OK at the ten pin bowling.

300/2

Catch up time. Friday was spent babysitting and helping with cupcakes. My guest photographer still hasn't given me the stall photo to post so had to go with a garden one instead. I do love the way my white garden is looking more established every year.

299/1

A busy day yesterday, some work, some gardening a home, and babysitting. What more could you ask for as the weather was stunning as well! My vege garden has finally started to grow, but it is still average compared to last year. There are less weeds in the pic then there were the day before, tomorrow will start the down hill slide though.

298/30

The first of the lillies are just out, I do prefer the perfumed orientals, but these are very colourful in the garden.

297/29

A white combo today.

296/28

At last made it round the garden with the camera. I tried not to look at all the work that needs done NOW!!!!!! This pic is  all the roses flowering at the moment. It is amazing how similar they are in colouring, but different in form.

291-5/23-7

This week has been to chaotic for photos every day, so I am cheating. There will be more pics of the wedding once I obtain guest photographer  shots. I kept forgetting to get my camera out!!!!!

290/22

So, here is, hopefully, the final version of ribbon roses for THE DRESS . I don't like making ribbon roses!!!!!! I will post a pic of the finished outfit after the weekend.

289/21

Spent last night sewing the Granddaughters wedding outfit and time got away on me. I had a lovely outing to a beautiful garden, then a scenic drive with a friend who likes geocaching?. Have I spelt that correctly? I do wonder what passing motorists must think!

288/20

The drive home was great, until we hit the rain, and I made hubby stop in Ophir so I could snap pics of the lovely old buildings. I feel a crib here would be neat, well in summer anyway. Anybody got a loan for me?

287/19

Just home from a lovely weekend in Wanaka, attending a friend's daughter's wedding. It was a beautiful day with a lovely bride and all the trimmings. The reception was at www.thelookout.co.nz. Spectacular!!!!!!!

286/18

Well the weather gods were average today. I did get some work done but it was rather cold. So obviously this photo was not taken today..... but it was taken yesterday, in the sunshine before the weather changed. The peonies are slow this year, I only have these two out, and I'm supposed to be using pink ones at my sons wedding next weekend.

285/17

A good week of gardening until this morning  when the weather gods decided to be mean. It is like winter out there again. This little primula was given to me on a garden visit a month ago, and it has decided to flower, rather sweet. Now I just have to find a place in the garden where I won't lose it.

284/16

Today's collage is the clematis that are flowering at the moment, I know I have had them on my blog before but I don't care , I love them.

283/15

Another busy day at work, and a little time helping put some compost on my daughters vege garden. I did get tea cooked for me though. My brief trip round the garden was cut short by a sudden change in the weather. This is my new deciduous azalea, name already forgotten!!

282/14

Catch up time. Monday was back to work, with lots of weeds and cutting grass that was more like haymaking!!!!

281/13

A pleasant Sunday, with the afternoon spent at Outram, a Show and Shine car fundraiser, which seemed well supported with a wide variety of cars.

280/12

Saturday I had church flowers to do for a wedding. It takes me so long these days as I do it so seldom. It is a good time of year at least and I managed to get everything out of the garden.