It rains, plants grow. It rains again....ain..ain.

Gardening in the rain can be fun. I've no idea how that can be so but I'm forever optimistic.True, it didn't rain all weekend and the sun did shine and I managed some work in the garden, but I have to be mighty pleased I have waterproof boots.

Delphiniums emerging among the tulips

New Zealand weather is notoriously difficult to predict but as I'm observant, watch my rabbits foot closely, talk to the birds, consider local influences and follow two excellent New Zealand weather web sites and I can generally pick it. In fact I'm almost invariably right - almost. Last weekend I was wrong, consistently.

On Saturday I bought a few organically grown vege plugs and herb pots from our local outdoor market - coriander, a few types of beet, rocket etc, came home and left them in the rain to await planting. They did this patiently all day. Of course all this rain makes plants grow. Ok, pay attention. This is spot the difference time. Here is a shot from last week:

And now this week.

On Sunday the rain cleared and I set about tackling a patch of gorse (Ulex europaeus) plants that had set up camp in the valley below the house. They are coming into flower and ruining the view. I should first tell you that gorse is a noxious weed in New Zealand. Brought to this country by well meaning British immigrants in the 19th century who simply had to have their favourite hedging plant in the new country.

Gorse found paradise. Gorse has large, sharp prickles. It grew amazingly quickly and spread like the plague. it still does, infesting our pasture at will.

Left to its own devices it would choke the country before eventually being choked itself by resurgent native bush....but that would take a lifetime and be somewhat annoying in the meantime. Ok, so Sunday was spent with chainsaw and roundup gun..............and an umbrella.

On the odd occasion when the sun shone and the ground was only a little soggy I planted the veges, sowed some climbing beans and took a few photos. The images of the pukeko under the elm - looking west (second and third images on the blog) and ones below are all from the same spot looking in different directions.

To the north and part of the vege garden:

To the East: through the grape vine:

And to the south east:

I'll be taking these same shots from time to time to show the progression of our garden throughout the year.

Gotta go.

Cheers

Terry