![\"not](\"http:\/\/www.charmedlife.co.nz\/cowboybootsandbrokenfingers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/untitled-2015-12-29-109.jpg\")
<\/a>BEFORE: By this\u00a0time I’d already pulled up some weed mat. You get the idea though.<\/p><\/div>\n
In fairness I can see why they found this corner a shoo-in\u00a0for the desert look. Those rocks face north and on a sunny day heat up to frying temperature. The soil is sandy and doesn’t hold water. It’s a location\u00a0worthy of a Bear Grylls survival episode<\/a>.<\/p>\n Eventually I think it\u00a0could\u00a0be a nice\u00a0spot for\u00a0capsicums and eggplants. In my previous garden they never quite got enough heat for the fruit to\u00a0ripen before the end of summer. Here I’m hoping those\u00a0heat storing\u00a0rocks might\u00a0steady the night-time temperatures and boost development. First though I need to rebuild the soil with the worms, microbes and organic material that perished during the years of Suffocation by Weed Mat.<\/p>\n In the meantime I wanted some useful, attractive plants able to tolerate the existing\u00a0conditions. This is what I came up with.<\/p>\n AFTER: They will grow, honest.<\/p><\/div>\n Yes, it is quite\u00a0underwhelming just now with those titchy little seedling plants. This is a real life, low budget blog not The Block<\/a>. Use your imagination. I have\u00a0rosemary and lavender in there, with thyme as a ground-cover. What do you think?<\/p>\n The lavender is ‘Hidcote’ (which I think\u00a0has the nicest\u00a0flowers and scent) and the rosemary is an\u00a0upright variety called ‘Tuscany’. The\u00a0thyme plants are all\u00a0cuttings\u00a0from the various\u00a0thymes (common, lemon scented, and silver) that are planted in the mini herb and veggie garden which is just out of shot around the corner. Promise to blog about that soon.<\/p>\n They are all plants that\u00a0like a thin dry soil, but the recent deluge has been nice to give\u00a0them a chance to get roots established before the anticipated dry summer. I am wondering now though whether\u00a0I could\u00a0single-handedly avert this predicted\u00a0drought<\/a>\u00a0by planting\u00a0more lavender? Farmers willing to contribute to extensive experimental garden centre\u00a0purchases please\u00a0sign up in the comments*.<\/p>\n *Look, you’ve got to admit it was worth a try.<\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sorry New Zealand, it seems I jinxed the weather this summer by planting a little Mediterranean garden corner. Who knew I had such contrary meteorological\u00a0power? For the month before the rain came,\u00a0this sad little north facing corner behind the pool… Continue Reading <\/a>