Where do I start?

Spring is truly upon us now and I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do first.

I did get out this week and pruned the majority of the roses in the front yard, quite hard; some of them I hadn't touched in 10 years. I'd had a bit of a snip at others as I got more interested in how to prune different types of roses over the last few years. 

I've decided I don't want any high maintenance plants in my revamped garden, So I went hard with confidence, thinking it they flush with new growth and flourish, that's great, but if they are too weak or sick and cant handle it then bye bye.

I also did a tiny tip prune ( spontaneously ) to the tea trees which are in bud. the white flowering one is a semi pleasing shape and the pretty hot pink one is on a steep lean and top heavy on a long bear trunk, not too visually appealing as a general shape. I have attempted to strike cuttings from what I pruned off these.

In the front yard there are 3 beds here with good bones. The triangle bed has an olive tree at its peak, about 15 to 20 roses, 2 of which are half dead standards, at the other end. It has some day lilies, salvias, a couple of different Correas, Dutch iris, bearded iris a smattering of bulbs and some self seeding annuals. Generally a lot of bare soil and it's over run with a pretty grass that has most attractive drooping seed heads, but I don't want that grass in that bed. I don't want all that bare soil.

The big front border has about 1/2 dozen LARGE trees including a willow and a Eucalyptus.

The Eucalyptus end has a lot of callistemon and grevillea most of which are at least 8 feet tall and form a bit of a canopy over the area, there is no understory or ground planting here. The issues are privet, honeysuckle and ivy all being dropped into the leaf litter and sprouting.

The other end is the willow tree with a large rose climbing up it, under planted with camellias and a couple of hellebores, there are two large Correas in between each end. The entire willow tree end and through the mid section is overrun with very dense blue periwinkle (vinca major). It is climbing the Correas and Camellias, the camellias are also heavily polluted with privet and cotoneaster seedlings and black berry is beginning to creep in.

All the weeds through this bed, aside from the vinca major, are deposited via bird droppings.

 The third front bed is largely shaded by the willow and has a couple of large oaks on one side. It has a smattering of roses, a few healthy grevillea shrubs, a beautiful Philotheca, a viburnum juddii a small, healthy box, a few other bits and pieces it has a lovely dark green ornamental grass spreading through it. The weeds of concern here are again privet and cotoneaster, along with general non welcome generic grasses and Blackberry!  

So how do I tackle this? Is it a deal systematically with all weeds, in all the beds kind of deal, or focus on one bed at a time? I know the Vinca major is going to be a nightmare for a long time, do I try to free up the plants first, or start at the edge where it is least bad and work my way back into the depth of it? Do I select and grow new plants as I move through or wait till all the weeds are gone? Will the vinca major ever be entirely gone?

Decisions, decisions.

Pretty Weeds

I love the poppies, they are gorgeous and plentiful, however not many of them are actually in the garden beds! This scene makes me smile How can I consider something so stately and delicate as a weed :)

If only the grass would stay out of the garden beds and the flowers would stay in :)

the prettiest weed

Poppies popping up everywhere not at all restrained to the garden beds. I am trying to break off the flower heads as soon as they finish.

Just in case you were wondering ...

There are plenty of weeds in my garden and its downright overgrown in some places.

( there are dead things too )

Invasive, Beautiful, Bland.

This Invades the garden and appears indiscriminately. I was told by several people to expect Banana passion fruit, but No. The best I can ascertain it is actually a Blue Passion Flower . 

This vine entwined with roses and Chinese Star jasmine, overhanging pathways and making a nuisance of itself.

The flowers are oh So pretty and intricate.

The ripe fruit is Orange, the shell is soft like citrus, the flesh is red and the taste bland and sweet with no tang of true passion fruit.