Everything you need to know about home and garden storage solutions: Garden Sheds, Workshops, Utility Sheds, Aviaries, Pool filter covers and more
I spoke before about having a greenhouse and then I came across this example which showed how possible it is. A greenhouse that is installed in your backyard which keeps plants protected from the harsh weather. My friend Elizabeth has a greenhouse in her backyard and creates small pot plants which are sold for charity to raise funds. A greenhouse is the best.
I wrote about how we can experience Indian Summer in Spring, and here it is – one minute hot and the next cold. How can plants survive this crazy weather. I guess that’s the benefit of having a small greenhouse in the backyard. At least delicate young plants can be protected from these swings in weather. Too bad we are not plants in greenhouses so we can get through this crazy weather. Mind you I have a friend who goes surfing all year round and thoroughly enjoys it.
I was in the Rose Garden in the Royal Botanic Gardens and noticed that there were very few roses in bloom. Considering that it is first week in October, then Spring is late. I remember when we had a home on sandstone cliffs, we had a small rose garden, a couple of small fruit trees and a small shed for all the tools and equipment as well as being a small workshop for my husband. The sandstone was so beautiful you could carve shapes in it like these Rockmen. At least by September our roses were all in bloom. Looks like the climate in Sydney has changed considerably.
I live in a small unit and at times I remember that I have things including furniture stored at my daughter’s place. A workshop for storage is a handy thing, especially if your mother needs it. Mind you it was supposed to be for a short time because my daughter and her husband are going to renovate their house and have other plans for their workshop. I intend to move to larger premises, so I guess it should be sooner than later.
Today we had warm weather, an Indian Summer, which I remember comes at this time of year and is usually short lived. We have to be careful not to put away our warm clothes because more than likely we will get another cold spell for some time. It also reminded me of the time I was in Auckland years ago when after horse riding on a Saturday we would go to the pools which consisted of an extremely hot water pool and some cold water pools. We would slowly lower ourselves into the hot water pool and sit quietly there until we turned the colour of lobsters after which we would jump into the icy cold pool to cool off and then back to the hot water pool. This took place in the cold winter weather but it was so invigerating. How great it would be to have a pool in the backyard that had a boiling hot spa like that and to use especially in cold weather.
Seeing photos with red flowers and black centers reminds me of when I was five years old and we were visiting Greece. On one side of a hill there were many many poppies and that was a sight that impressed my childish eyes. It was like a fairytale. Once of the few memories of that young age. It makes me realise that poppies are not that common in Australia, at least I have not seen them growing in fields or someone’s garden. I wonder if they grow easily in this climate because we can buy them here? Maybe they’re imported. How great it would be to have a backyard full of these colourful flowers?
Red flower, photo by Dani Simmonds, Everett, United States
I remember when I was in Primary School how at end August we would go to Granville Pool for Spring swimming. It was hot then and that’s how we knew that Spring had arrived. Now it’s the beginning of September and Spring is here but it is cold and I can’t imagine kids going on swimming excursions. This is clearly an indication of how our seasons have changed. I guess the only indicators of Spring are the blooming flowers in our gardens.
Multi-Colored Spring Flowers, photo by Tanya McConnell, USA
Children love to touch pets, just as adults usually do. However, they are not aware of how they can hurt them especially if the pet is a small breed. This especially happens with dogs and their litter of puppies. The difficulty lies in the mother becoming vicious in an effort to protect her litter. So a family pet can become a problem around small children or visitors. I found the solution to that is to have a good kennel which is weatherproof and there the dog and the litter are safe. Protect the puppies with a garden shed kennel and all is fine.
Say you are blessed with a cemented backyard because you live in a rented place that has that? I did and we bought large pots and filled them with bushes like a gardenia, a mini rose bush, a jacaranda, an umbrella tree, a lemon bush, a small tomato bush, and one with spinach. Then my husband assembled his shed near the back fence where he had all his hobby equipment and our gardening tools. We also set up our garden furniture and the BBQ and it was a great entertaining area, small but fun.
My friend has a green thumb and can make the most amazing little plants for selling at school fetes for fundraising. Virginia has a greenhouse in her backyard which her husband assembled and she gets great joy out of turning clippings into plants. It doesn’t matter what the weather is like because her plants are safe as well as out of the way of the rest of the family’s activities. It’s really great having the opportunity to create or produce something useful that is fun to make, especially when you have a talent for it. I wish I had a green thumb, although I do manage to keep African violets alive and growing. Maybe because they are so self sufficient.
