Pretty Faces and New Lawn.

The sun is out again yesterday and today. All the plants have had a good drink ( and bashing with the wind) and some are flowering for the first time. An area on top of the slope near the house was cleared slowly by me over the last 2 years. I dug agapanthus that were totally out of control out.( they seed and just grow too well in BOP ) It was a hell of a job! ( Sorry Sheila I know you struggle to get yours to grow in Australia. ) I have tried not to spend too much on filling up this new area but bought these 2 new Arctotis plants. Arctotis Burgundy Belle above and Arctotis Flamingo below.

Earlier I had planted Anemone Corms white and purple. Most of them are flowering now. ( wish I had put in 100s. )

 I have scattered packets of seed and planted out a punnet of Nemiesia and more arctotis. I have pushed in some cuttings as well. It is all still looking a little bare but I hope the plants will spread and the seeds will come up in the spaces.

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Elsewhere in the garden my Rata bush ( Metrosideros carminea ) is just out. I like it best  before any of the flowers have had time to fall.( It is a relation of the NZ pohutukawa )

                                                      Close up of flowers.

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New Lawn.

A sloping area beside the main vegetable garden that leads up to the service area ( with compost bins, incinerator and garden shed ) has been a problem for a while. It got kikuya and weeds ( undesirable ). We had had 2 tries at getting it established in proper lawn neither worked very well so this time R put in a new wooden edging  ( cost NZ $150 ) and levelled the soil ( 3 cubic metres needed cost NZ $135 ). We thought we might lay ready lawn but the quote was for NZ $1100 - WHAT?

  So we got some quotes for hydroseeding it  . Lawn Tech turned up very promptly - almost before we were ready ( 1 hour to spare ) - (but before the last load of top soil got time for birds to drop any weed seeds on it )

 This is the process - you may have seen them using it on slopes at new road works to stop the cuttings slipping ).

Paul the owner operator mixing the seed into the tank with the slurry. ( it is made of recycled paper like phone books  and something like wallpaper glue )

R is holding a board so it goes in the right place. The seed mix is then hosed on under slight pressure. It looks like concrete but isn't. It has to be watered every day till it gets established.

 The finished area. Cost NZ $115. ( we had done the preparation well so he could just walk in an spray it straight on which was a big saving. ) Certainly less expensive then ready lawn. I will show a photo when it starts to grow which should be in 10 to 14 days.

 If you are establishing new lawn the Lawn Tech web site has good care and establishment tips.