EASTER OPEN GARDEN TO BENEFIT Western Qld Drought Appeal

"The Shambles" 85 western Avenue Montville, Qld

Sat 20th Sun 21st April, Easter Saturday and Sunday

9am to 4pm

PLANT STALL AND REFRESHMENTS

$6 entry children free, ample on road parking

Many parts wheelchair accessible, Heritage garden around  century old farm house

Visit popular tourist village at Montville

Michael Simpson

0458 429524

the summer autumn feeling

Michael has taken total responsibility for all publicity for the open garden and his routine documentation of plants that keep coming . I have been working on the garden as usual and always find that an impending date on the calendar for an Open Garden increases the need for a multitude of lists , working bees with unsuspecting visitors and new ideas to be implemented. I can be found most  days out in the garden somewhere with Shadow not far away. I am still trying to figure out a useful thing for him to do apart from looking like a spunk !
During my latest visit to Sunray a local  family owned nursery at Nambour we had a brief dicussion about the Nursery Industry and how gardening in the 80's and 90's was huge and supported in the media. We had the Open Garden Scheme, some really focused gardening programmes and it seemed that a lot of people were very keen. Since that time it is obvious that many people now live in units, have smaller gardens and perhaps have a more interior life style with electronic devices. I also find that the scope of gardening has narrowed to the point where if I see any more school children in their vegie gardens I will scream. Honestly even if you have the best crop of home grown beans and carrots  there will be a fussy toddler or 10 year old who will refuse it point blank. Time to be quiet!

This weird Autumn /Summer weather does not appear to be affecting the garden. Everything is so hardy and resilient  including some pretty flowering weeds that are filling in some gaps.
We are looking forward to seeing visitors at the Open Garden  this Easter and as usual will have a treasure hunt for the children .

Esster in a Montville Garden
Plans are well under way for our Easter Open Garden

EASTER OPEN GARDEN

& Plant Stall

Sat. 20^th & Sun. 21^st April:9am to 4pm

The Shambles”

85 Western Avenue

Montville

Beautiful Heritage Plant collection around century old house.

Plants for sale

Refreshments

Funds raised for western Queensland drought Appeal

Visit beautiful Montville Village and the scenic Blackall Range attractions

Entry $6   Children free

House and garden

It seems a long time since writing a blog which means I have just been more occupied in the garden and doing the routine maintenance such as painting the house. Not the whole house though it sometimes feels like,why stop now?Painting lattice has been a pain but it looks heaps better now and Shadow's ( border collie) bedroom (aka verandah ) has been made over in a colour named Tendril that is paint that needed to be used up.  All he needs now is a statement piece ,perhaps a good sized picture of a bone .The paint tins are actually rusting so like many things they don't make tins like they used to.Another big job that has been completed today is the relaying of pavers around they pool which was done by Rick a professional . Naturally it had all been laid wrong the first time 20 years ago but they have to say that ! It looks great .

A lot of work has been happening in the garden  including the addition of new plants due to a diversion to Sunray Garden Centre and a brief visit to Manawee and Bunnings. Not to mention a fairly constant stream  of cuttings from friends and  road sides.It has also been the biannual repotting of the anthiriums which is a a pleasant thing to do. Cuttings of rosemary and lavender are in the nursery and I will soon do some rose cuttings too. The composting area has been reorganised with the mulcher now nearby for quick use. No  garden waste is removed from the property and who cares about a few discrete ( cubic metre ) piles in the corners?

I can be occupied out in the garden most days until dark  as there is always a new idea or something to be done.  Having groups of visitors to your garden does make you focus so I suggest that anyone who has some jobs to do around the garden just call a local club and arrange for them to visit you in a months time and see how you get into action. It doesn't matter which club , the local tennis club, canoers, darts group or machine knitters. I find that groups are often looking for a place to come and sit down and to have a nice morning tea. Write a few lists and get on with it. 

I got heaps done , painted the gate house, trimmed, mowed, raked, cleaned and I think we all felt better for it especially after the glass of midday merlot .

Finally it is time to revisit the coral fountain and to actually finish it. In preparation we are gathering shells and I am making a clam shell from clay as a real one is $1000. 

One more thing that is on the go is the re painted signage for the plants in the garden .Buckets of signs are everywhere and yet not all the plants have been named! So I will say happy Christmas now as I may not emerge for some time. Kyleigh

Midwinter at The Shambles 2018

Midwinter rain has guaranteed success for a lot of garden reorganizatuion and transplanting and planting.
A new garden 'The Magnolia Garden' near back stairs around Magnolia liliiflora 'Vulcan. Agapanthus , large clumps transplantedto Eastern boundary beyond the pool fence. New garden has Haemerocallis (Day Lilys) transplanted from front path garden, Violas and already has little Rosas from cutting,'Eyes for You', '10000 lights', 'Mutabilis' a Cream tea , 'Victora pride' and has places for 'Blue for You' and 'Blushing Knockout' which arenot ready yet as cuttings. Violas and possibly Bellis perrennis make up the look

Newly painted Plough Inn and large Macadamia just before complete removal

Plough Inn repaved and repainted June 2018

Large Macadamia removed from SW corner Plough Inn.
North end Central Shrub garden
Roses from cutting transplanted to North Rosa Garden along with Lilium yankonensis from front ath garden. Rhododendron vireya from cutting also doing well in garden behin North Rosa Garden

Gordonia axillaris flowering well into July

Into North end central Shrub garden were transplanted large Callicarpa bodineri, Salvia 'Follets Folly', Cuphea salvadorensis and Brunfelsia americana

Behind Plough Inn cleared
Overall the process of reorganization and garden development will help us look forward to a wonderful spring display from many new specimens

Art Exhibition SEED
Kyleigh Simpson

Reflections Gallery, Montville Uniting Church
Main Street Montville
Open Daily, Free Admission
All of June 2018

Seed

This exhibition started with a seed. From a seed the work evolved and took on a life of its own.

Embedded in the theme is a love of nature and gardening.

As a gardener seeds are familiar and fascinating to me. I observe natures constant cycle in my garden. The symbolism of seeds is of hope, faith, resilience, reliability, strength, patience & renewal. Each piece of work makes use of collected and found objects including wooden drawers, old furniture, off cuts of timber, plaster, fabric, paper, buttons, seeds, miniature bits and pieces, wire, paint &glue.

I have lived on the Blackall Range in Montville for the past 26years.I am passionate about my garden “The Shambles” and have enjoyed creating new gardens around the Church here.     Kyleigh Simpson  

Reflections Gallery Montville Uniting Church

Greetings from the Shambles

After the very welcome rain we have over flowing tanks and happy plants . I can hear the steady whirr of chain saws in every direction as the clean up continues after the storm that hit Montville a couple of weeks ago. Added to that is the need to reduce overhanging branches and to let the sun into dark corners and for these jobs we have Brent come in to help so I don't have to struggle with inadequate blunt tools and directions from Michael . Not only that but he "chips " and that is a great relief to me because I hate the chipper even though it does do a great job. It is something about the noise and the need to be so selective when feeding the thing not to mention the occasional blockages that annoy me.
On the fun side we are planting out a huge collection of cuttings grown plants in order to clear the decks as well as a few new shop bought plants that we keep buying even though we don't need more plants. The latest is Diamonds in the Dark, Lagerstroemia indica - Pure white . This gorgeous plant has deep plum coloured foliage and white flowers. I like the contrast and hope it will do well in a few places around the garden.
Sadly the Plough Inn is very damp after the rain and it is necessary to repave it and do a better job of raising the floor level . It even has a sink hole which is interesting if you don't accidentally step in it. There is something down there because Shadow is intrigued and emerges with a dirty nose.
As usual the garden is always in a state of flux and we would hate it to be a static space where all that was required was hedging. The garden is a main topic of conversation and we both have notebooks (where's the pen?)with "ideas and plans" that keep us amused. The Plough Inn for example could have french doors , be sealed properly and have a stove recess. The side verandah could become a dream bed room to look out at leaves  and a tree house could be built in the nut tree. We could have a bridge but we don't have any water!Doesn't everyone do this? Don't get too excited because nothing may happen!Ideas aren't always good.
We are looking forward to two groups doing return  visits the garden in March and April . This is lovely for us as it will show the garden in a different season but there will be other  changes to see as well. K