Surprised that my favorite David Austin rose, Abraham Darby has been discontinued.

I am madly in love with Abraham Darby roses. This may not be the best staged photo ever, but I really love this photo of my precious roses in my little Waterford vase in my old house in Sidney. I now live in the Gulf Islands, and below are my first flowers up here at my new place. Next year I will definitely have lots to pick and share. I’m a happy girl. 

I feel bad that David Austin has discontinued them. So many people will be deprived of the beauty of this amazing rose. That said, I will be selecting two new varieties for my garden next year. 

Front door makeover

A couple years from now, on the renovation schedule, we will be moving the front doorway forward and putting a westcoast style beamed entry over it. This will of course include a new door and lighting. In the meantime though… we ordered a piece of safety glass and decided to turn the existing very outdated western horseshoe/English Lion knocker/bizarre carved panel combo door that created a claustrophobic and dark look to this part of the house, into a simple glass door. Win win. More light and not so oddly a 70’s, western and English style combo door. Also, the door bell didn’t work and there were wires dangling from it. All in all, it needed a bit of love. 

BEFORE

Trees on the move… and a new Japanese maple tree.

I cannot believe how much work the new garden is. But also how exciting it is. Moving a few large/mature trees is wonderful. It will give the garden a more mature look instantly. We moved a lilac tree and a Pink Lady Dwarf Apple today. 

It is the second time I have moved my favorite plants from my old garden in Sidney, in the last two years. I located another of my favorite Japanese Maple “Harvest Orange” at Dinter in Duncan and will be picking it up on Tuesday. They had a large one, so that is wonderful. I’ll take a good look around while I’m there and see if there is anything else they have that is on my list for this year. I don’t really plan on moving again any time soon, so it is fun to be setting up a garden to last for many years of enjoyment. 

My Sidney Japanese Maple “Harvest Orange” 

See why I love it so much. 

Raking sticks and large pieces out of bark mulch in the flower garden

This is something I learned in Sidney when I turned two large back yards into a Back to Eden garden. When you get free wood chips there can be a lot of sticks and debris to remove. (I have learned that even if you buy it, that can still be the case). I just do a gentle raking over the surface, in kind of a herringbone type pattern with a soft leaf rake. (Either water it well first, or wait for a heavy rain. It is so much easier). It allows you to both level the mulch and make piles of sticks and large ‘chips’. Look at the difference it makes. 

BEFORE

Jumble of sticks and huge chips… close-up

Very messy garden

DURING

Piles to be disposed of

One side done, one to go 

AFTER

I do this raking every week or so for about a month and after that I just pick up sticks that pop up to the surface. So easy.

The chandelier is finally finished it’s makeover

Really happy with how it turned out. I wouldn’t change a thing. 
Remember this?