Well they have sold the house I have been renting for six or so years and the new owners want to move in, so I will lose my garden. :(
I think I may have already told you guys that, perhaps I’m having a nana moment.
Anyway, I spoke to the guy who owns the two houses next to me – one is rented to some ferals (the one immediately next door – these are the people with the 3 outdoor only cats that ate all my frogs :( when they first moved in) who have let the garden and house go totally and the other the owner works from, and he has agreed to let me rent the nice one (that he currently works from) and he has given the ferals notice and will clean up their place and work from there as it has no kitchen (?!?apparently!) and he doesn’t need a kitchen. He is pleased at the prospect of getting a good tenant in who will look after the place (who am I kidding, improve it, and I’m sure he knows that too!) He has been driving past my place for about 3 years so knows my standard of care.
So I’m moving 2 doors up in 2 months time, one month notice for the ferals and one month to clean their place to an acceptable standard before he can move his office there.
The new place is a little smaller but is nicer than where I am now with a brand new never used kitchen. The rent will be $100 more a week than I am paying now but that is pretty standard across the board as mine was so low because I’d been here so long and they were selling it so it didn’t skyrocket with everyone else’s due to me having to put up with home opens for nearly 6 months. Other places listed are around the same price but places that allow dogs and cats are like hen’s teeth, have heaps of applicants and go in one second flat.
But now for the best bit…it has a mango tree that apparently has gorgeous mangoes (owner wants some each year which is fair enough!), a couple of apple trees, an old chook run that needs a little fixing but should come good, and the framework of vegie plots! Just needs weeding and filling with good soil and compost and I’ll be joining you vegie growers. My compost here is looking sensational after our wet winter but I don’t think I’ll get away with barrowing compost two doors up…or will I?? evil grin
New place doesn’t have compost bays either but I’ll make something happen.
I’m looking forward to pet chookies and fresh eggs and will need to ask you gurus lots of questions.

Oh Horty, it all sounds like good news in the end! The new garden will be great, mangoes !!!! Yummmm. And vegie beds!! Your landlord sounds like a very reasonable man, and they are rare too :) Good luck with it all.

g’day horty.
somehow i think you might have a few clues about vege gardening – chooks? – not so sure.
lovely to have you around again.

good and bad news in there horty.

hortfurball said:

Well they have sold the house I have been renting for six or so years and the new owners want to move in, so I will lose my garden. :(
I think I may have already told you guys that, perhaps I’m having a nana moment.
Anyway, I spoke to the guy who owns the two houses next to me – one is rented to some ferals (the one immediately next door – these are the people with the 3 outdoor only cats that ate all my frogs :( when they first moved in) who have let the garden and house go totally and the other the owner works from, and he has agreed to let me rent the nice one (that he currently works from) and he has given the ferals notice and will clean up their place and work from there as it has no kitchen (?!?apparently!) and he doesn’t need a kitchen. He is pleased at the prospect of getting a good tenant in who will look after the place (who am I kidding, improve it, and I’m sure he knows that too!) He has been driving past my place for about 3 years so knows my standard of care.
So I’m moving 2 doors up in 2 months time, one month notice for the ferals and one month to clean their place to an acceptable standard before he can move his office there.
The new place is a little smaller but is nicer than where I am now with a brand new never used kitchen. The rent will be $100 more a week than I am paying now but that is pretty standard across the board as mine was so low because I’d been here so long and they were selling it so it didn’t skyrocket with everyone else’s due to me having to put up with home opens for nearly 6 months. Other places listed are around the same price but places that allow dogs and cats are like hen’s teeth, have heaps of applicants and go in one second flat.
But now for the best bit…it has a mango tree that apparently has gorgeous mangoes (owner wants some each year which is fair enough!), a couple of apple trees, an old chook run that needs a little fixing but should come good, and the framework of vegie plots! Just needs weeding and filling with good soil and compost and I’ll be joining you vegie growers. My compost here is looking sensational after our wet winter but I don’t think I’ll get away with barrowing compost two doors up…or will I?? evil grin
New place doesn’t have compost bays either but I’ll make something happen.
I’m looking forward to pet chookies and fresh eggs and will need to ask you gurus lots of questions.

Oh some changing times for you then Horty, good o on the new place being so close :)
Of course you will barrow the compost , you built it, nurtured it, can’t leave it behind!
After weeding the vege plots , dump it straight on there for wonderful growth :D

Perhaps after all this time , I may have actually learnt something that I can be helpful with! :D

that sounds like what could have been bad news has turned into good news :D

pepe said:

g’day horty.
somehow i think you might have a few clues about vege gardening – chooks? – not so sure.
lovely to have you around again.

I know zilch about keeping chooks.
Vegies I know in theory and not in practice (except what my compost heap chooses to bless me with! LOL!) Well I did have vegie beds once but the corn failed to produce good cobs and the couch overran it. I grow good pumpkins, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes by pure accident, and am ok with herbs except coriander, which succumbs to either snails, slugs or slaters within two nights!
My new flatmate was all excited when she saw the chook run and asked “Are they easy to keep?” I had little snippets of stuff running through my head like a crazy montage…frozen drink bottles in summer and Lucky and Cackles talking about treating some disease/virus/fungus their chooks got (starts with Q??? or maybe I’m way off!)…and how you can’t eat the eggs for a while after treatment. I will need a bit of a crash course in the basics, LOL!

bluegreen said:

that sounds like what could have been bad news has turned into good news :D

Basically that’s it in a nutshell!
I was despairing at the thought of having to move to an expensive dump with a sandpit out the back in a seedy area just to keep my pets.

orchid40 said:

Oh Horty, it all sounds like good news in the end! The new garden will be great, mangoes !!!! Yummmm. And vegie beds!! Your landlord sounds like a very reasonable man, and they are rare too :) Good luck with it all.

Thanks! : )
Sorry I’m jumping about a bit – should have responded to your well wishes first.

Good luck in the new house….. be brave when throwing things out.

hortfurball said:

growers. My compost here is looking sensational after our wet winter but I don’t think I’ll get away with barrowing compost two doors up…or will I?? evil grin
New place doesn’t have compost bays either but I’ll make something happen.
I’m looking forward to pet chookies and fresh eggs and will need to ask you gurus lots of questions.

Ask the new landlord if you can start bits and pieces in the garden. Then trundle down the street with a wheelbarrow every couple of days. I don’t see why you can’t take it with you ;)

Lucky1 said:

Good luck in the new house….. be brave when throwing things out.

Aaargh! Throw things out?? Me??
I try to cull but I’m not very good at it as I can always see multiple uses for things. Even old clothes could be part of a patchwork quilt or used to clean tools, LOL! Every time I get the strength to throw something away I find a use for it a few months later and wish I’d kept it!
Smaller space means I must get tough though…might be time to call The Cullinator! (My best buddy is not as emotionally invested in things as I am!)

SueBk said:

hortfurball said:

growers. My compost here is looking sensational after our wet winter but I don’t think I’ll get away with barrowing compost two doors up…or will I?? evil grin
New place doesn’t have compost bays either but I’ll make something happen.
I’m looking forward to pet chookies and fresh eggs and will need to ask you gurus lots of questions.

Ask the new landlord if you can start bits and pieces in the garden. Then trundle down the street with a wheelbarrow every couple of days. I don’t see why you can’t take it with you ;)

Hehe, I had thought about getting an early start, but thought I’d better not in case he likes it too much and decides to stay!

There is a plumbago hedge alongside the driveway that used to be pruned to within an inch of its life the first few years I was here. It was such a perfect hedge it had square edges! Since this fellow took over though, it has got rather rambling and my trigger finger is itching to get it back to its former glory…well…somewhat, as I prefer to let them flower when in season. This poor thing was hedged so often and manicured so perfectly that I never saw a flower on it.

I have been contemplating getting to the plumbago before I actually move in but figure I’d wait until I have compost bays set up as I will need all the organic matter I can get my hands on. Maybe the compost bays could be the first step instead.

SueBk said:

Ask the new landlord if you can start bits and pieces in the garden. Then trundle down the street with a wheelbarrow every couple of days. I don’t see why you can’t take it with you ;)

Oh, I also can’t do anything until after the people next door move out as landlord-to-be has not given them a reason and doesn’t want to make things awkward so I’m keeping hush hush for now.

know zilch about keeping chooks. Vegies I know in theory and not in practice (except what my compost heap chooses to bless me with! LOL!) Well I did have vegie beds once but the corn failed to produce good cobs and the couch overran it. I grow good pumpkins, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes by pure accident, and am ok with herbs except coriander
————————————————-
corn is a fairly easy crop for me – but toms – ah – maybe we can can have two way advice sessions when you’re up and running.
if perth can grow mangos maybe i can – bannanas don’t fruit here tho’.

all very exciting for you, you wont need to pay for a removalist either LOL borrow a shopping trolley, I did that many years ago when I moved to the street directly behind me, via the shops car park, even the piano was moved that way LOL

Exciting times, Horty! You told us a bit before but I think that was before the house was actually sold? Lots of planning and anticipation to enjoy! :D. Post some pics and a plan of the existing chookpens and we can help you design some vegie gardens cum chookpens around what is already at your new place. Maybe you will be able to get some fruit trees and fruiting vines – eg choko and passionfruit going for chookfood-shade-shelter etc in what is to be the main run?. Even if you never eat the fruit the foliage is a great source of greens – and here at times the only source as I don’t have grass, and have few vegies in the warm months.

Awesome news Horty!!

I can’t wait to come and see it once you’re settled in – if I may invite myself over :) (might be the only way you get your pruning book back!)

BTW Horty – you’re not into roses, are you??

I’m going to give away 2 standards and 4 bushes on freecycle soon, but if you want them for your new place I can easily hold on to them until you move :)

Hehe…a shopping trolley!! What a novel idea Thee!! My ex has a furniture removal trolley in the shed though that just needs its tires pumped up.
There’s always the trusty wheelbarrow too, LOL!

Speaking of ex, he came around at lunchtime today to empty the sheds of his stuff. He popped inside to say hello to the furkids and meet the new flatmate and I went off to a gardening job that got cut short by a torrential downpour that looked like it had set in for the day. When I got back around 3ish he was still sitting in the lounge talking to my new flatmate. (She’s sweet and easy to talk to) Then he popped out to sit on the back patio with me as I’d shut the gate and let the dogs out. Suffice to say, by 5pm he was going to leave with an empty ute and trailer so I insisted he at least take a handful of his plants so that it wasn’t a wasted journey. This is going to be a long couple of months methinks.

Cackles, will definitely post piccies! I have wormwood cuttings that will find a home next to the chookpen to keep mites at bay. It isn’t a chookhouse, just a pen, with a slab floor, chicken wire and a solid roof, part clear alsonite and part tin I think. It runs off the back of the shed up to the rear fence and over to one side fence so basically is one back corner. The roof is falling in but landlord to be said he’ll fix it before we move in (yes I know how that sounds!:D). (I think he is hoping he may get eggs as well as mangoes!)

Bon, hi!! Of course you are welcome to visit. You’ll be in big trouble if you forget the book though! :D

Are the roses scented? I’m always a sucker for a scented rose. There were two in this garden when I moved in and while they were pretty, I was so disappointed they had no scent so won’t miss them when I leave.

hortfurball said:

Are the roses scented? I’m always a sucker for a scented rose. There were two in this garden when I moved in and while they were pretty, I was so disappointed they had no scent so won’t miss them when I leave.

Oooh, I dunno – I’ll have a squiz out the front sometime. I’ve still got the labels for some of them so I can check that in the absence of flowers. The standards are pink, the some of the bushes are pink, some white.

bon008 said:

hortfurball said:

Are the roses scented? I’m always a sucker for a scented rose. There were two in this garden when I moved in and while they were pretty, I was so disappointed they had no scent so won’t miss them when I leave.

Oooh, I dunno – I’ll have a squiz out the front sometime. I’ve still got the labels for some of them so I can check that in the absence of flowers. The standards are pink, the some of the bushes are pink, some white.

Ta. I’m not really a standard type person so feel free to offer them on Freecycle but would gratefully accept one or two of the rose bushes if they are scented.

hortfurball said:

Ta. I’m not really a standard type person so feel free to offer them on Freecycle but would gratefully accept one or two of the rose bushes if they are scented.

OK, cool :) I’ll check the tags tonight.

I also have two neglected “Dracaena Draco” in the original nursery plastic pots, free to a good home.. grin

bon008 said:

hortfurball said:

Ta. I’m not really a standard type person so feel free to offer them on Freecycle but would gratefully accept one or two of the rose bushes if they are scented.

OK, cool :) I’ll check the tags tonight.

I also have two neglected “Dracaena Draco” in the original nursery plastic pots, free to a good home.. grin

Untwist my arm, Bon!! That’s awfully tempting. Perhaps you ought to come over and help me to ‘dispose’ of a plant or seven here before I move. Need anything? Want anything? Cuttings? Anything that will divide or transplant (unless it is earmarked to go with me or the ex) is up for grabs. Oh, and you might just happen to bring the dracaenas with you…grin

hortfurball said:

Untwist my arm, Bon!! That’s awfully tempting. Perhaps you ought to come over and help me to ‘dispose’ of a plant or seven here before I move. Need anything? Want anything? Cuttings? Anything that will divide or transplant (unless it is earmarked to go with me or the ex) is up for grabs. Oh, and you might just happen to bring the dracaenas with you…grin

haha, no!! I am strictly trying to get rid of plants, not taking on any more :) Must not acquire plants until I have some retic – it’s just murder otherwise!!

These dracaenas really annoy me as they’re constantly blowing over in the wind, then when I go to right them they poke me in the eye – I’d be glad to get rid of them!

Do you want to wait until you’ve moved before rescuing things from my place, or should I bring them over to your current place?

>Anything that will divide or transplant (unless it is earmarked to go with me or the ex) is up for grabs.

If you are chucking out perhaps a drive up from Collie might be in order….

8^)

bon008 said:

haha, no!! I am strictly trying to get rid of plants, not taking on any more :) Must not acquire plants until I have some retic – it’s just murder otherwise!!

These dracaenas really annoy me as they’re constantly blowing over in the wind, then when I go to right them they poke me in the eye – I’d be glad to get rid of them!

Do you want to wait until you’ve moved before rescuing things from my place, or should I bring them over to your current place?

Perhaps best to wait if it’s no trouble for you, ta.

CollieWA34 said:

>Anything that will divide or transplant (unless it is earmarked to go with me or the ex) is up for grabs.

If you are chucking out perhaps a drive up from Collie might be in order….

8^)

Feel free, but I’m not actually chucking anything out as such. We still want to leave the garden looking like a garden, but I’m sure they wouldn’t miss a handful of plants in all this lot. Just have to wait til the ex lets me know what he wants to take, and then by all means come for a visit and see if there’s anything that takes your fancy.

OK, only three of the four rose bushes have labels.

Two are:
Mary Rose “Attractive, loose petalled, rose-pink flowers with a strong and delicious Old Rose fragrance. Extremely tough and reliable”

One is (and I suspect the unlabelled one is also):
Winchester Cathedral, which is apparently just the white version of the Mary Rose.
http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=1011

There’s a link to the Mary Rose on that page as well.

%&(*@%(@!!!! roses got me finger as I was digging out the labels.. can’t wait to see the back of ‘em!!

I will freecycle the standards.. be great to be rid of them too :)

bon008 said:

OK, only three of the four rose bushes have labels.

Two are:
Mary Rose “Attractive, loose petalled, rose-pink flowers with a strong and delicious Old Rose fragrance. Extremely tough and reliable”

One is (and I suspect the unlabelled one is also):
Winchester Cathedral, which is apparently just the white version of the Mary Rose.
http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=1011

There’s a link to the Mary Rose on that page as well.

%&(*@%(@!!!! roses got me finger as I was digging out the labels.. can’t wait to see the back of ‘em!!

I will freecycle the standards.. be great to be rid of them too :)

Trust me, no linky needed. I’m very familiar with many of the David Austin roses. Mary Rose is on my own personal “Best Scented Roses” list. Winchester Cathedral didn’t quite make it on as it had some tough competition in the whites, but I’d love one of each, ta.

hortfurball said:

Trust me, no linky needed. I’m very familiar with many of the David Austin roses. Mary Rose is on my own personal “Best Scented Roses” list. Winchester Cathedral didn’t quite make it on as it had some tough competition in the whites, but I’d love one of each, ta.

Excellent – I can’t talk you into two of each? grin

Now I just need to find out if the lady at work still wants the gardenia, and I’m all ready to hit freecycle.

bon008 said:

hortfurball said:

Trust me, no linky needed. I’m very familiar with many of the David Austin roses. Mary Rose is on my own personal “Best Scented Roses” list. Winchester Cathedral didn’t quite make it on as it had some tough competition in the whites, but I’d love one of each, ta.

Excellent – I can’t talk you into two of each? grin

Thanks but one of each is more than enough, let some other rose lover appreciate them!

hortfurball said:

bon008 said:

hortfurball said:

Trust me, no linky needed. I’m very familiar with many of the David Austin roses. Mary Rose is on my own personal “Best Scented Roses” list. Winchester Cathedral didn’t quite make it on as it had some tough competition in the whites, but I’d love one of each, ta.

Excellent – I can’t talk you into two of each? grin

Thanks but one of each is more than enough, let some other rose lover appreciate them!

Will do :)

I’m in my new place. Have been working non stop between houses since Saturday..
All my daylight hours have been moving stuff and cleaning the old place, and all my evening hours have been unpacking and sorting the new place. Have been living on about 4-5 hours of sleep and toast and cup-a-soup for dinner ‘cos it’s quick and easy. Still heaps to do at the new place.

I had no idea I have 500 potted plants until I had to barrow them all over. I brought heaps of compost over in old potting mix bags but am leaving about a third of the pile because I’m so over it. I still have to go and get a stack of limestone blocks but it will have to wait until next week now as I didn’t get it done today and I have work booked in tomorrow and Friday.

Tonight’s plan is a long soak in a hot bath with epsom salts, an early night to catch up on some of that missed sleep, and hope like anything that my legs and back don’t still feel like this tomorrow.

hortfurball said:

I’m in my new place. Have been working non stop between houses since Saturday..
All my daylight hours have been moving stuff and cleaning the old place, and all my evening hours have been unpacking and sorting the new place. Have been living on about 4-5 hours of sleep and toast and cup-a-soup for dinner ‘cos it’s quick and easy. Still heaps to do at the new place.

I had no idea I have 500 potted plants until I had to barrow them all over. I brought heaps of compost over in old potting mix bags but am leaving about a third of the pile because I’m so over it. I still have to go and get a stack of limestone blocks but it will have to wait until next week now as I didn’t get it done today and I have work booked in tomorrow and Friday.

Tonight’s plan is a long soak in a hot bath with epsom salts, an early night to catch up on some of that missed sleep, and hope like anything that my legs and back don’t still feel like this tomorrow.

Well done, HortFurball!!

:)