Just another day

Hi All.

I just wanted to de brief  about my awesome day yesterday!!!

Possible titles - 'Shadows Big Day"  " How to make 10 Butter Menthols last a whole afternoon"  ' Do I need to carry a mobile phone?'How would it help?"

I started the day pushing  Michael up to  work and going to pilates. exercise- tick!

After an enjoyable yet hot morning of barrowing mushroom compost , Brent arrived to do some major pruning. Brent is Michael 's physical contribution to the garden and he had drawn a picture of what he wanted cutting seeing as he was at work. Brent is super slick and cheap!! and in no time we had the ute piled up with branches. We had a bit of a chat about the Mapleton tip and the hopeless opening hours and I decided that I may as well drive down to Nambour tip. Otherwise snakes might decide to get into the ute. ( in hindsight  - "snakes in a ute", may be preferable and could be a good movie) 

So I grabbed Shadow and we headed off. Straight to the Big Dump where serious dumping goes on. I unloaded , swept out and was ready to go when the ute wouldn't start. 

Not wanting to believe it I got out and waited and tried it again just in case it was being fickle.  ( The Prefect only started after it had been washed) 

None of the guys around me seemed to have a clue although they did insist on raising the bonnet and looking querulous for a while.  Brent drove in about 20 mins later and asked if it has fuel!! 

As I have no phone  Shadow and  I  in my mushroomy state of attire, went and bashed on the door of the office and was eventually heard.I now have a great appreciation for the amount of dump trucks there are on the Sunny Coast. I also have witnessed the amount of recycling  and the number of turkeys that go through it all.Anyway the guy there was lovely and gave me a phone and water for Shadow. I rang RACQ Waited for about an hour and more humming and haring when it was decided that it would need to be towed. 

More waiting and chatting to the guy when there was a lull in dump trucks and the general public  . I heard all about the whole enterprise and the way in the lead up to Christmas there is heaps more rubbish.Apparently lots of renovating goes on . Shadow and I did circuits of the place and wandered down the road always imagining that at any moment the tow truck would be there.(The watched tow truck never comes) Then yeah it was there!

This saga began at 2.30 and we didn't get home until 7.00pm. The tow guy said I couldn't have Shadow in the RACQ Cab and he would have to ride in the ute so poor Shadow looked very forlorn as he was winched up.

I can only describe the drive in the truck up the Range was like a bat out of hell. Was it the great rush of air due to no aircon , was it the speed and swervy cornering or was it the hits of the 80"s at volume? I was holding on and couldn't look back to see Shadow.  I was so worried about Shadow being tossed around or found unconscious on arrival. Anyway finally landed   at Montville Auto in darkness. I  rescued Shadow and walked home. Dragged the bin out as ironically it was bin night.

I walked in to Michael sitting at the table . No sign that anything had been done like taking his tablets or rustling up a delicious meal -drat! 

All he could say was gee Brent really massacred the wattle bird!!! Actually he was concerned about my day but mainly the fact that through Chinese whispers aka the receptionist he had no idea what had happened or where I was. 

After a shower I steamed those Japanese stand by dumplings and watched Man Up. Kyleigh

stop press: The ford falcon ute has a smart locking thing with the ignition .At this moment I hope the whole thing is being dismantled and thrown in the bin. Kyleigh

open garden over and Summer is here

Our Open garden , Springtime in Montville was sucessful in perfect weather and almost overnight summer arrived.
We were blessed with incredible luck that the open garden event coincided with a flowering event involving most plants in the garden with spring, summer display.

 Ellie from Cittamani Hospice service receiving the proceeds of Open garden 2016

Open Gardens can't appen without help and input from family and friends. there is aquite a bit of work to do. Thanks to Chris and tracey, Chris Donlen and Ed, Margaret Jeays, and from the uniting Church, Heather, Darryl, Merle and all who helped. Then there is of course Eleanor, Denise and John who worked all weekend

Denise and John manning the gatehouse.

Eleanor and John the plant sellers.

THANKYOU FOR ATTENDING OUR OPEN GARDEN

"Shadow" waiting to welcome garden vsitors

Thankyou to all who attended our Open garden in perfect weather on 1st and 2nd October.
Over $2400 was raised for the Cittamani Hospice Servicehttp://www.cittamanihospice.com.au and over $1000 was raised for Frontier services, through the Montville uniting Church https://frontierservices.org/
Everybody wanted to know about the Golden flowers of The Tabebuia chrysora, and everyone loved the orchids

Tabebuia chrysora "The Shambles" 

Dendrobium nobile "The Shambles"

OPEN GARDEN BRISBANE THIS WEEKEND

VISIT SUBTROPICAL OPEN GARDENS IN SPRING.

HERITAGE ROSES FOR SALE

Open Gardens Springtime in Montville is an opportunity to visit two of the best mature country gardens in Queensland, near the popular tourist town of Montville.

When:  Saturday and Sunday , 1^st and 2^nd October 2016

              9 30 am to   4 pm both days

Admission:  $6 per person, to each garden with all funds going to the charities described below. Under 18 free. 

Street Parking. At least ½ of the gardens are disabled access. Most of “The Shambles” is accessible

Where and Why:

“The Shambles”, at 85 Western Avenue, Montville, is a collectors garden established over the last 25 years around a century old farmhouse. Highlights will include many spring flowering shrubs, perennials, bulbs and orchids, and spectacular flowering trees. An extensive network of paths with no dead ends.

Refreshments available at The Plough Inn. Proceeds from the Open Garden benefit the Cittamani Hospice service on the Sunshine Coast   http://www.cittamanihospice.com.au . The Shambles has opened in support of many charities since 2001.

“Wongawilli”, at 19 Manley Drive, off Western Avenue, Montville, is another collectors garden commenced 16 years ago. Rowena, the garden's owner, describes having “phases of collecting plants" such as Magnolias, Wisterias, Brugmansias, Begonias and many more. A wide range of sub-tropical and temperate plants can be grown on the Range and are thriving in this garden. A difficult slope has been tamed with wide terraces and there are areas of woodland and revegetated gullies, a testament to the skill and horticultural knowledge of the owner. Proceeds from Wongawilli go to Fiji cyclone reconstruction relief.

“The Shambles” Web   http://www.montvillegarden.com

“The Shambles” Blog and Facebook   http://montvillegarden.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/montvillegarden

ABC  Gardening Australia http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s4248133.htm

Youtube  https://youtu.be/MkT1vFZYP_o

Web references:  Queensland Tourism   http://www.queensland.com/en-AU/event/open-gardens-springtime-in-montville

OPEN GARDEN THIS WEEKEND

HERITAGE ROSES FOR SALE THIS WEEKEND INCLUDING "MONTVILLE ROSE'
COME UP TO MONTVILLE 1st 2nd OCTOBER
Open Gardens Springtime in Montville is an opportunity to visit two of the best mature country gardens in Queensland, near the popular tourist town of Montville.
When: Saturday and Sunday , 1st and 2nd October 2016

9 30 am to 4 pm both days
Admission: $6 per person, to each garden with all funds going to the charities described below. Under 18 free.
Street Parking. At least ½ of the gardens are disabled access. Most of “The Shambles” is accessible
Where and Why:

“The Shambles”, at 85 Western Avenue, Montville, is a collectors garden established over the last 25 years around a century old farmhouse. Highlights will include many spring flowering shrubs, perennials, bulbs and orchids, and spectacular flowering trees. An extensive network of paths with no dead ends.

Refreshments available at The Plough Inn. Proceeds from the Open Garden benefit the Cittamani Hospice service on the Sunshine Coasthttp://www.cittamanihospice.com.au . The Shambles has opened in support of many charities since 2001.
“Wongawilli”, at 19 Manley Drive, off Western Avenue, Montville, is another collectors garden commenced 16 years ago. Rowena, the garden's owner, describes having “phases of collecting plants" such as Magnolias, Wisterias, Brugmansias, Begonias and many more. A wide range of sub-tropical and temperate plants can be grown on the Range and are thriving in this garden. A difficult slope has been tamed with wide terraces and there are areas of woodland and revegetated gullies, a testament to the skill and horticultural knowledge of the owner. Proceeds from Wongawilli go to Fiji cyclone reconstruction relief.
“The Shambles” Web http://www.montvillegarden.com
“The Shambles” Blog and Facebook http://montvillegarden.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/montvillegarden
ABC Gardening Australiahttp://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s4248133.htm
Youtube https://youtu.be/MkT1vFZYP_o
Web references: Queensland Tourism http://www.queensland.com/…/open-gardens-springtime-in-mont…
Thankyou for considering helping us to promote this Charity event
Dr Michael Simpson 5/9/2016
85 Western Avenue Montville
0458 429524

Open Gardens next weekend 1st &2nd October

Here we are discussing an important topic. It may well be about the open garden or one of our many garden conversation starters who knows?

After attending rehab “for the over committed and compulsive gardeners “ we constructed a 12 step program and Gardeners Anonymous support group for people who feel they are slipping into the mulch pile like us.

Anyway we got over it and have pledged to open the garden at “The Shambles” Montville to raise funds for The Cittamani Hospice which does amazing work supporting people in the palliative stages of their lives as well as their carers. The refreshments takings on the days are going to help Frontier services to support the mental health needs of people living in remote Australia.

That in itself is enough to encourage you to come along on the weekend with the added enjoyment of seeing the garden. The garden has been in our care for 25 years and has reached that slightly paunchy, blousey stage. It is a well-used garden where family and friends have gathered to have parties, for quiet chats and for musical interludes. Camp fire cooking ,playing hide and seek ,having treasure hunts and drawing or making clay sculptures are regular occurrences at “The Shambles”.

While you are in Montville head just down Western Avenue and take the next street to the right which is  Manley Drive and visit “Wongawilli “ a big beautiful garden growing on terraces facing Obi Valley views.

TRUMP your other weekend plans OPEN GARDENS SPRING TIME IN MONTVILLE.

TRUMP all the other plans for OCTOBER 1 & 2, 2016
"Make Your Weekend Great Again"
OPEN GARDENS SPRING TIME IN MONTVILLE.
9.30AM -4.00PM $6.00 ENTRY CHILDREN FREE
"THE SHAMBLES"" Kyleigh and Dr Michael Simpson, Ochre Montville
85 WESTERN AVE MONTVILLE 4560

...

"WONGAWILLI"
19 MANLEY DRIVE, MONTVILLE 456O
Our garden Notes

Welcome to our garden at “The Shambles”
This garden has been developed over the last twenty four years around our century old farm house. There were a few shrubs and fruit trees, one large Camellia and our hedges planted by earlier gardeners.
We are collectors and conservers of charming traditional and often uncommon trees, shrubs, perennials and ornamental plants in as many varieties as we can.
There is no irrigation system here or prescribed rules by which we work. We are enthusiasts not experts and nature, not gardening fashion, is our influence. In our climate we continue to collect China and Tea roses, grown from cutting, species Camellias and favourite Japonicas and Sasanquas. Contrasted to these are the epiphytic orchids and many subtropical subshrubs under our collection of trees.
See our plant inventorys www.montvillegarden.com
http://montvillegarden.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/montvillegarden
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s4248133.htm

FORGET ABOUT THIS GUY FOR A WHILE AT OUR OPEN GARDENS.