today in the garden - before and after

There's a lot more to add and a lot more growing to do! but here is a peek at a before and after session on the decking outside my kitchen. So lovely to set some new plants growing and refurbish some old.

I also trimmed back my potted camellias and gardenias, and trimmed back some pretty tragic camellias along our side fence, which are just not growing. I'm doing the older Peter Cundall lemon tree trick, and cutting them back to stumps. If they don't recover, they'll need to be hauled out and replaced. It's a gorgeous spot, but not much sun.

The yucca in the top photo - I could not keep... I tried everything and nothing worked. It just wouldn't return to its gorgeous spiky condition. In the second photo you'll see two stunning plants that are new to my garden, top left in blue pot is Blushing Bride (Serruria florida) which has delicate yet hardy foliage and the most breathtaking, multi-faceted flowers that begin cupped like tulips and gradually unfurl to reveal lavender-hued tufts inside.

The plant in the blue pot top right is something I've coveted for a long time - the Chesapeake Snowflake (Ornithogalum) which is just a sight to behold in full flower - even its delicate, closed caps are charm personified, and you just want to run your hands over its sleek green fronds. Am gagging for that one to flower.

The Tahitian lime I've potted in a green container (above), I am HOPING to keep alive in this cool Canberran climate. Coming into the warmer months, it may thrive, so we shall see. I know the pot is too small but I want to baby it a while. On a pot note, I bought these royalish blue self-watering pots from Bunnings only because they were on serious sale... I don't normally go for blue but am kind of loving their punch of colour.

Husband turned over the veggie patch - photos on that soon - and I also trimmed back the dead leaves of the agapanthus along our drive, raked out the rabbit enclosure and raked over the (virtually non-existent) back lawn.

I'm in ravenous gardening mode - check out my review of the best gardening book ever - on Australian Women Online - The Little Veggie Patch Co.

Did you garden today? Isn't it just glorious weather?

{PS: Hi, Nat!}