Blank Canvas to Green Garden

We have recently moved into a new home ( actually it was the same week as we moved the retail store to online only) so the past weekend has been the only opportunity so start gardening. I love to garden but when you are starting from nothing there is lots of infrastructure and groundwork to do before the fun part of planting starts.

The past few weeks have been sorting out a design, of which I have enlisted help from Margot Mills Garden Design. Margot has come up with a lovely plan that includes all the things I love. In particular I love Paul Bangay's formal gardens, with clipped hedges,straight lines and pleached trees. I do love colour in the garden and I do love my roses, so many have been included in the plan.

In Mildura we also have to be very conscious of our long hot summers and minimum water usage, so plants are being chosen with this in mind. But first we have to tackle the ground work. That's where my poor long suffering husband comes in. He really is quite handy though! He has already started laying paved paths and his next chore is to put in a small retaining wall and watering system and stepping stone paths surrounded with stones.

We are starting in the front garden and working our way around the house and it will certainly be a work in progress for a long time. But isn't that what gardening is all about? Of course our gorgeous dog Diesel has to be amongst the action and I only hope he keeps out of the newly created garden beds.