A half-finished corner

A day spent digging, until the weather came in, at least. Doesn't look at all spectacular, and the lawn is a little worse-for-wear (since it's had half a tonne of soil and rocks on it for the past six months), but very happy to have that little white cherry tree (centre) in place at last.

For those playing at home, that assortment of twigs and trees from left to right is (not including the trees right along the fence): the grafted weeping mulberry, dwarf white cherry, thornless lemon (at back), my beloved Moorpark apricot (largest), and the dwarf black cherry (far right).

Underneath so far, and so small most are almost invisible, are a couple of volunteer broad beans, three Salvia leucantha, two Penstemons (I think "blackbird" possibly, cuttings from an unknown variety in my mother-in-law's garden), one surviving peony (forget which), "Munstead Wood" David Austin rose, a prostrate caper, some Gaura from self-sown seedlings transplanted from the front garden, "Sandford" raspberry, and far too many Oxalis pes-caprae (Sour Sobs) that I just can't seem to stamp out. That seems like a lot, now that I make a list, but there is more depth to this area than appears in this 'in-progress' shot. And, let's face it, I tend to over-plant. 

From Saturday, there'll be a couple more plants in here because it's ROSES COLLECTION DAY! Wheee! 

Bargain plants make for happy gardeners.

We might have moved temporarily to another house, but it hasn't stopped me shopping for the garden and the nature strip takeover.Since we're now within walking distance of the 'Village of Stirling' (which, by the way, is a very pretty place to spend the Autumn even if I am dreading Winter here just a little) I was able to wander up to the monthly Stirling Sunday Market, where I discovered, to my joy, that there were many stalls selling plants and one in particular even had cheap plants (bonus for the gardener on a budget). These little beauties were $2.50 each, or 10 for $20 (5" pots, woot!). Naturally, I got 10 plants without even blinking, asking the plant-guy for bags to put them in as I walked around choosing my babies. 

I got:

Catmint 'Walker's low' (Nepeta × faassenii) because I've read it's a traditional rose under-planting, and very pretty, and attracts bees to the garden.

Pepino Gold (Solanum muricatum) for it's 'melon-like fruit,' even though I've never eaten it in my life.

White butterfly bush x 3 (Gaura lindhermeri) because I've recently fallen in love with it. 

Common Rush (Juncus usitatus) because I'm quite taken with rushes and grasses at the moment.

And to help me in my quest to bring in the birds I bought:

Correa 'Dusky Bells', One of my favourites, as you should know if you're a regular reader. 

Eremophila 'Rottnest Emu Bush' (Red form).

Eremophila maculata compacta (Red form).

Melaleuca fulgens 'CF Payne'.

Those four are Australian natives though not indigenous to my area. Stay tuned for updates on their progress.