​Glen weaving his magic with the lawn, Jake doing last minute planting and Anna artistically arranging  - how lucky am I with all my amazing helpers? The sun is shining so let’s hope it’s the shape of things to come.

We are definitely on the countdown now with only two days left till the Open Garden. We are all trembling with exhaustion except for Jake the gardener and Bonnie. Oh to be young and fit again!

​I am very excited as I had my drive way graded, I haven’t had it done for more than 8 years and there were crevasses at the lane end that practically went to China so I was expecting it to be astronomically expensive! Instead of that, Glen and Anna’s friend has done mine and theirs for a special price along with new toppings - so good! Then Glen hired a whacker and whacked it for me, How lucky am I and now with open garden in 6 weeks' time, my drive will have settled down. It’s just splendid now.

Of course Harold had to be involved too,

There are a lot of very hungry birds in my garden at Downderry, being winter. There seems to be more than usual and we have had such a wonderful amount of rain so no dry food.
I bought a huge bag of wild bird seed and they are loving it, although the magpies still prefer their steak.
Today, there has been lots of cockies - just so gorgeous but naughty! I'm not a very good wild life photographer, but couldn’t resist trying, They are such fun and it’s very funny with the pecking order being violated by the maggie’s, wattlebird and butcher birds - all waiting in line or dive bombing to get their share. Just splendid!!

I have been away for a week and as I am home again it is truly amazing how quickly things change. This cymbidium orchid outside my bedroom never usually flowers till my birthday in July but it’s started already - just stunning.

Glen working like a mad man. Thankyou darling. The birds have been amazing today, I bought a new bag of wild bird seed and they have all been playing in the garden. The king parrots have been amazing and the rosellas too, They all seem to be nesting - in particular the butcher bird - and the magpies fly in and out calling for more food, They are just wonderful. Yes I know I shouldn’t encourage the cockies but they are so funny and such fun. Mac always had a theory that if you feed them they won’t eat your house! They make me laugh out loud so this is winter at Downderry - soooo beautiful

I have had this huge rusty old pot for an absolute age and it’s full of cymbidium orchids , oxaylis and watsonia. It’s never done anything and I have only ever had one spike of orchids on it, but late last year we chopped down a huge cotoneaster limb from next door and now it gets full late afternoon sun. I can’t believe it, there aren eight spikes and it’s gone totally nuts. I am thrilled to bits - it’s changed the whole look of the garden on that side, I must add that the huge old pot was supposedly for boiling down whale blubber. I have my doubts

Even though poor Downderry's garden struggled through such a ghastly summertime, the last of the nerrines and the sugar maple are in full gold for Anna’s birthday. The mighty scarlet oak is not scarlet this year but all is well.