The Ups and Downs of an Urban Backyard

Gardener:Northland Backyard Gardener

Date:10 Jul 2023

Blog Type:Vegetables, Flowers


As many of you know, as part of our urban backyard garden we not only have our gardens, vines and trees, but also our much loved animals. These not only work in harmony with our gardens, but are our much loved pets. 

Sadly, over the weekend we had to say goodbye to our much adored Peter, our Flemish Giant, who has been with us for nearly 5 years, and has been an integral, and inspirating part of my boys" gardens in the past. Despite the vets best efforts we got the dreaded phonecall early Saturday evening. In the past, we've learned the hard part with rabbits is that they mask symptoms until it's really late. We had got Peter in very early, which gave the vet some hope, but unfortunately I think it was one of those situations where more time wouldn't have made a difference. 

In order to distract myself on Saturday, I managed to potter in the garden, and planted up the slips and pups from two pineapples that we've picked recently, and also transplanted some flowers to the front gardens. I often leave this empty during winter (aside from the roses), but have decided to plant out some stock, snap dragons  alisium, and lobelia. Sweet peas (along with a few other flowers) were also planted in varying spots around the veggies. There is still room left for my dahlias, but this year they will be interplanted with other flowers to add a bit more variation. I think with all this dreaded rain and mud, I might be attempting to over compensate with flowers. 

Connor and I have also been working on making our chicken coop more of a feature now the new coop has gone in, as opposed to the mud bath it had become with all the rain (even with the bark in it). 

 

 

 

 

The Ups and Downs of an Urban Backyard