I never could actually envision just how El Noor Gardens would burst this Spring, but boy, has it ever. Is it the rain? The soil prep? The good energy? I think it must be a combination of all of it together.
It is finally nice to see the fruits of my labour from the months of work beforehand. All the sawdust trips to the saw mill, the laying of it, the fertilizing (Urine only), the setting up of the drip irrigation—which I have barely used btw…has all come full circle.
It is true—some roses have done better than others, whilst others have really gone nuts. One rose is now up to my chest in growth, and is only a 2nd year rose, whilst another has pretty much stayed the same—about a foot in growth.
I think it all depends on the type of rose, and the cultivar. Some just perform better than others in different climates, and some root stock is just stronger than others.
One thing the change in season has brought is the mosquitoes!! They are back at El Noor, and with a vengeance. We’ve had so much rain here that it was fairly inevitable that they would be back in droves!
My cowgirl neighbour and I have had a chat about this—because at her house, she really doesn’t have mosquitoes like I do…and none of us can work it out! She is approx. a mile over the hill from me only, and so it seems odd that the mossies are everywhere here…and not there.
The days will get hot enough to a point where both the chickens and I, will no longer want to go out to work. Hence why I worked so hard over the Winter to get the gardens ready for the Summer. I do like going out at an hour or so before sunset however, or very early in the mornings.
I don’t know about your location, but here, we have daylight saving- so our clocks are turned forward, and in the peak of summer, it doesn’t get dark until about 9pm… do you any of you have it??
So this is the time of year where I begin to work indoors…down in the cellars, in the nice cool underground for a while. I remember when it would be 40 deg Celsius outside, it would be 22 degs down in the cellars.
I have been busy in the workshop also. Many of you are owners of your own Sumerian Emuqkha and whilst I realise its not the most practical of my esoteric tools, I created a smaller version as a keyring or one you can hang/put in your bag!
Things are also busy in the hot house. Have a look at my zucchini! She’s happy.
The challenge in front of me now, is how to keep the hot house ‘cool’ in the summer. I think I may have to open it up more to vent it out. I also put extra shade from the inside.
The sweet peas have finally flowered. After some gentle nurturing, they have bloomed and smell amazing. I hope they crawl up my fence all summer long!
I actually don’t think I am going to have a big peach harvest this year. The peach tree has had a big prune, and she’s greening up now, but not much fruit I don’t think. There is a couple of nectarines on this one however.
Some of my new roses that I planted in this year, are actually doing better than some of my 2nd year roses! Here’s Golden Bunny. This is a pretty hybrid tea, I got from Foodland.
Do you have the gardening bug like I do? Even when you start to plant the smallest of plants, it does something for the heart and soul, and it makes you want to keep on growing...
I've collected these Persian Roses early in the morning and sat them in water near the back door. I love the smell that wafts around the kitchen!
They're only little buds but they are pungent. Who doesn't smile when they inhale a waft of beautiful smelling roses??!
This is only the 2nd year that Ive planted in a heavy bed of roses, and I hear and see how happy animals and insects are all around me. I wake up to birdsong in the morning, and even go to sleep with it at night. Even the bees are buzzing around excitedly...
This is Evelyn, a beautiful blushy peach rose, she is on the cusp of bursting her beauty!! Plus a few aphids love being around for the occasion as well!!
One of the smelliest David Austin Roses, Boscobel. A beautiful fruity fragrance.
I was going to check on my rose cuttings one morning, and saw this sacred union going on between two cabbage butterflies...they didn't move in over a half an hour--despite the howling wind, or me coming to close to get this picture!
I would love to see pictures of anyone's gardens around the world! If you care to share, please email them to me through my website, not sure if you can respond with pics on the blog, but I would love to see all the same.
I am so in love with Mother Earth right now, I feel my eyes well with tears at the thought of how she's blessed me with so much beauty!
Until next time,
Blessings & Radiance,
Andulairah xx
I haven’t seen or heard anything from you on Facebook , I was wondering where you went after you moved there. So good to see you again and everything is so beautiful. You did such a great job. It was after your book you disappeared but I’m glad I just got this email and signed up so I could keep touch with you❤️
~ Breathtakingly beautiful as always ~
The photographs are beautiful, Andulairah. I have the "Blue Moon" rose too. She is the closest one can get to the mysterious "blue rose".