Planting a Dense Fence

Hubby and I are still recovering from a massive weekend, where muscles that had been lying dormant for too long (and some I'm sure we didn't know we had) were all pushed into service in the planting of Bountiful's new garden hedge.

We were still watering in our new additions in the blaze of a stunning autumn sunset, using the car headlights to finish off the final group as darkness descended. It will probably be the only time ever that I will be grateful for a water tank reaching empty, allowing us to call time on a marathon effort and to head inside to defrost beside the cozy fire. Hands around a hot mug of tea never felt so good.

I am grateful as we look at our overall garden plan that this is the biggest mass planting we will do, this hedge that comprises 164 Vibernum odoratissimum 'VOC1', known popularly by its trade name, Vibernum Dense Fence. It is reported to form a dense screening hedge quickly, with less pruning than required by the more common forms of Vibernum, and was chosen by our garden designer Courtney of 'Gardening Excellence' as a good windbreak planting.

The boundary that the hedge is hugging faces west, the direction from which the predominant winds blow at Bountiful. 

Hubby always does his homework when it comes to expediture, and we were blessed with an extremely good price for our plants via Flower Power at Narellan, in Sydney. The plants we received were super healthy and sturdy, and it's our prayer that they will thrive in their new home.

This was the section of the delivery we couldn't fit into the trailer - our cars were soon full up, too!

We ran out of time and daylight to get the drip watering system set up, so another visit is on the cards very shortly to get that established to ensure our hedge comes on. A good does of Seasol as they were being watered in, hopefully has made their transition from pot to ground a little less stressful.

We prayed over them all, and I talked to them lots, told them what a blessed place they had come to, and directed them to admire the awesome view as they settled in. I can remember Prince Charles being hammered when I was growing up because he supposedly talked to his plants. Seems pretty normal to me ... 😜

As these guys settle in, our next project will be tree planting which is recommended for winter. It's a sizeable list, but will depend on when the tree babies can be supplied as to when we will plant them out. It was wonderful to recently visit Mayfield, a renowned garden at Oberon which to our delight had adult versions of many of the trees we are hoping to plant - check it out here.

Winter will be a busy time for us, with garden adventures running alongside some family milestones - our son coming home after five years overseas, our daughter's 21st birthday and my university graduation in Brisbane. Life is definitely never boring!

Instead of a song reference this post, I am including a quote from the late Dr. Maya Angelou on the power of words - in case anyone be thinking I'm a bit of a loony for talking to my plants. She said:

'Words ... have the power to seep into everything around you. I think they get on the walls, they get in your wallpaper, they get in your rugs and your upholstery and your clothes. And finally, into you".

We need to consider well the words we are putting out into our world around us. In the Amplified translation of The Bible, in the book of Proverbs, chapter 18, verse 21 it says:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

It sounds as though God and Dr Angelou agree. Speak life. Person, pet or plant.

That too, is my prescription for today 👩🐱🌼

Tracey

With thanks to https://www.huffpost.com/entry/maya-angelou-power-of-words_n_5462077  for Dr Angelou's words.