Italian Inspired Courtyard

Ever since our cabin was first build we thought it would be a great idea to create private courtyard in the spot where our old garage once stood, giving cabin guests a bit of privacy and creating another 'room' in our garden.

Things haven't exactly flourished in the Italian inspired courtyard thus far as Dog A L'Orange seemed more intent on digging up my freshly planted olive trees than letting them grow, you can read about the full episode here.

There were also a few teething issues with the screening Mr L'Orange put up and the fact it kept blowing down in the wind.

Allowing the grass to grow right next to the gravel in the courtyard was a serious error on our part and made cutting the grass and trying to do the edging around lots of rocks and pots particularly tricky.

All in all, the courtyard that we had in mind has not really eventuated....until now that is.

Mr L'Orange and I enjoyed the Queen's birthday long weekend digging out all the grass alongside the courtyard and turning the space into a garden bed instead. 

Dog A L'Orange was thrilled to get his paws and nose dirty in a bid to help us get out all the weeds and grass.

We have continued with our theme and have planted Italian lavender in the bed which we are going to let grown into a hedge.

I've also planted some oregano and lemon thyme which will hopefully grown in some of the narrow gaps around the edge or the courtyard and driveway.

Removing the weeds ready for the oregano and thyme

This time around Mr L'Orange has put down lawn guard and I need to follow up with thick layers of newspaper and then lots of mulch to keep out the incredibly annoying grass and weeds that we appear to be in constant battle with.

The finished courtyard effect - pretty nice eh?

We have purchased a chiminea to warm up the courtyard on chilly afternoons, who doesn't love a good bonfire? The idea is for us to get this into position this weekend and perhaps have an inaugural lighting whilst our friends are visiting from Sydney.

Last thing on the list is to get some furniture into the courtyard and a mini bbq so our cabin guests are fully equipped with everything they could need once summer comes around again (I can tell you that this is a serious distant memory at present).

Dog A L'Orange proud of his handiwork

I'll keep you posted on courtyard progress and if you have any ideas to help me channel the Italian vibe of this garden 'room' please let me know!

Walnut Picking in Orange

Every year I spend many many hours cleaning up around the walnut tree. Usually I am either raking up leaves, hand picking all the fallen walnuts, collecting dropped flowers or gathering sticks for the bonfire. 

Big walnut tree at the end of our garden

I decided it was about time that I started getting something in return from this arrangement in the form of walnuts I could actually eat. After all, it has been over three years and not a single walnut has been consumed as yet.

Cheeky Cocky!

This year, I made sure to get in quick and pick some green walnuts from the tree (before the cockatoos got all of them). I set to work shelling the walnuts and removing the black yucky stuff that coats the nut inside before leaving them to dry.

Green husk on the left, shelled walnut on the right

Then I looked up online how you are supposed to do this task, (probably should have done this first) and read that it is very important to wear gloves as walnut husks contain a toxin that stains your hands really badly and it takes ages for the stain to come off - whoops!

I am now sporting very sexy stained brown hands and I'm yet to even eat a walnut!

Black grime that won't come off is also under my nails

At least it makes an interesting conversation point at dinner parties, I imagine the discussion going something like this:

'Oh my, what is wrong with your hands?' (Random stranger)

'Don't worry, they are just walnut stains. I've just been harvesting walnuts from the tree in my garden.' (Me)

'Wow, what an exciting life you lead in Orange. I wish I could do that!' (Random stranger)

Home grown dried walnuts ready for cracking

Whilst having a mega day in the garden yesterday, I managed to find a heap more walnuts that had already split open - lucky me! I have now managed to add to my stash without getting too many more stains on the hands. 

Dog A L'Orange guards the walnuts

I am  a little nervous to even crack open any of the walnuts in case all this effort has been completely in vain - might need to get Mr L'Orange to do it for me. I have purchased some nut crackers especially for this task.

Dog A L'Orange's share of walnuts

I was thinking of doing a coffee and walnut cake with my home grown beauties, any other suggestions?

Border Edging & Dog Protection

For entertainment this week Dog A L'Orange decided to drag a bag of chicken manure all over the lawn and then pulled the hose to the middle of the garden - do you think he was trying to help me? He has also been digging up all the pebbles and weed mat from the side of the house yet again and putting holes into the garden beds.

So our Saturday morning was spent fixing up all Bailey's mess, Mr L'Orange after filling the holes and fixing the pebbles has coated everything in citronella oil in the hope this will dissuade our naughty puppy from doing this again.

When we first moved into the house we planted some mondo grass edging in one of the beds, this has grown really well over the last couple of years, so I thought I would replicate the effect in our main front bed.

Mondo edging in one of the established beds

I split the more tufty mondo grass that was growing in the wrong spots anyway and transferred the rooted grass to holes I'd dug in the new bed. I watered the new plantings in with plenty of seaweed solution and then surrounded them with mulch.

I'm aiming for this effect around the front beds

I've completed one large section and have two more to go before the entire bed is fully edged with mondo grass, I think it will look great when it becomes established and hopefully stop the lawn and weeds taking over the bed. 

This is the bed that is going to get the mondo grass edging treatment

I know winter is not typically the time to plant new cuttings but we have been getting such good rain and sunshine that I think the mondo grass stands a pretty good chance.

Mondo transplant complete - can you spot the mondo clumps?

Our bulbs are starting to pop up, I planted a bag of daffodils in April and we have some tulips I put in last year, all of which is quite exciting as winter seem less dull and foreboding in the garden when new things are springing up.

Some new bulbs - whoop whoop!

Winter Has Arrived - Wine Events

It is officially cold in Orange.There has been nothing slow or gradual about it, we just woke up one night and it was totally freezing. However, given this is now our third winter in chilly old Orange, we now know exactly what to do to stay warm.

Dog A L'Orange Keeping Cosy

Winter is the typical time of total hibernation in the Central West, so Mr L'Orange & I do our best to buck the trend and get out and about as much as possible.

The hottest event in our calendar is the Cargo Road Wines shindig on July 6th. Combining art, food, wine & entertainment all for the rather amazing price of $20. We are heading along with a big group of friends and hope you might be able to join us.

To book your spot simply contact James Sweetapple  from Cargo Road Wines before it sells out.

We are also planning a Christmas in July dinner party to get everyone in the festive spirit. I always look at the 'Country Style' & 'Home & Garden' Christmas editions with total envy especially as we are never home for Chrissy.

So perhaps this year, I can channel my inner Christmas Goddess. This is what I imagine the house might look like during Christmas in July...

The garden would embody country rustic with a dash of festive at the same time, something along these lines, just image Dog A L'Orange replacing the lamb....

And finally the fabulous Christmas dinner table (setting it is my favourite bit of Christmas) would look a little like this...

Any Christmas in July suggestions for me lovely readers? All hints and tips, gratefully welcomed.

Autumn Garden in Orange

Orange is looking stunning at the moment with the trees changing colour, bright blue skies and lush green gardens.

Our new Bay Tree for the courtyard

Autumn is my most favourite time of year with the warm sunny days accompanied by cooler nights,   glasses of red wine, hearty soups and wood fires.

My geranium cutting in a pot for instant colour

The lemon tree is fully laden - will be a bumper crop this year

I've been trying to get the garden a little bit more tidy in preparation for winter as the sunny days have also produced an abundance of weeds, everywhere - including through all the weed matting I lovingly put down!

I've been busy applying chicken manure all over the place, which Dog A L'Orange then eats and giving all the beds a good water.

Pretty yellow flowers

This weekend the mulching starts in earnest and I've got a whole heap of spring bulbs I want to try and plant in the front garden.

Another dash of instant colour in the front garden

The veggie patch is still producing lots of tomatoes, zucchini, rhubarb and spinach but we've also planted red onions and beetroot for the winter.

A rather fancy looking dog proof fence from Mr L'Orange

I also forgot to tell you we have 3 pumpkins growing with hopefully more on the way as there are plenty of flowers.

Spot the pumpkins and raspberries!

The pretty front boarder beside the driveway all from cuttings

Dog A L'Orange - 9 Weeks

If our puppy was a child he would be hitting the 'terrible twos' at the moment, as he has suddenly become very naughty. He has mastered how to climb up the inside of his puppy pen (in the style of Spiderman) and then escape over the top which has lead to fun and games when we try putting him to bed at night.

In the pen, for now.

He has also started biting and chewing pretty much everything in sight, he has no real interest in any of his doggy toys and much prefers shoes, pegs, clothing, brooms and plants. Bailey's amazing sense of smell coupled with his huge appetite has led him to find a large bag of sealed dog food, rip it open and then eat half the contents. Mr L'Orange and I then got the pleasure of enjoying two hours of totally energised, out of control puppy who had eaten 10 dinner's worth of food in one go!

Last night was a major turning point, as Dog A L'Orange pushed our patience one paw too far. The puppy decided to do a poo in the house, on our carefully stored away rug. This was despite having just been out in the garden and being pretty much house trained.  

Mr L'Orange quickly told the puppy off and placed him outside as punishment, however Bailey seemed to think it was some big game and was still wagging his tail and trying to ram his way back through the door into the house, much to the anger of Mr L'O. So the rolled up newspaper came out a good deal more 'firm chastisement' which resulted in the puppy looking down, tail between legs and then running under the bbq cover to hide.

Cute looks - naughty behaviour

This dog is clearly not use to us being firm as he didn't want to come out from the bbq cover over an hour later! We did both feel sorry for wee Bailey but he did need to learn a lesson and hopefully one telling off will have been enough. 

Puppy classes start on Monday so it will be a good opportunity to get him socialising with other dogs and hopefully sorting out some of his naughty puppy behavioural issues!

Happily biting a stick