Friday, July 9, 2010

Photos of features and new growth

 This small grevillea will grow to about 1 metre and bring in the birds in Winter
  
One lonely surviving banana in its protective nest

                

Raindrops on oranges and mud on my gummies

The parterre garden has been planted with a geometric pattern of flowers, herbs and vegetables in rings of colour - red, purple, orange - which will show up as the plants mature. 
"Parterre" simply means "on the ground". 
So Duh! aren't all gardens like that, on the ground? 
Originally they were show-off gardens of gravel and carefully clipped hedges which allowed you to demonstrate your wealth because you could command the services of many serfs/slaves/servants - parterres of this type were and are high maintenance. Ideally you would stand at a height and view the pattern created in the garden, usually from the raised platform in front of a glorious chateau. 
We will have to make do with the steps behind the Old Hall and we are a bit short on serfs.