Visit 28/29 June

I didn't play golf this visit which gave me more time to do other things. 60 mills had fallen in the past fortnight. Had been a frosty morning but it turned out a perfect winter Tuesday afternoon.
The garden was looking pretty subdued but was lifted by the several patches of the blue flowering winter irises which were at their best. Also the first daffodil for the season was on the verge of raising its yellow head, a Magnifique, remarkably early, the earliest I can remember. As  there w[are plenty more in the garden, should be a good daffodil show now until the end of September. There are daffodils popping up everywhere,
I planted several nerines, gifts from Pat Murphy, which should give a good display next autumn, plus a yellow wallflower.
Much of my time was spent cutting back perennials, especially the penstemons, gaura and michaelmas daisies which have become a bit of a weed. I divided some maroon asters, more of the light blue campanulas and a lovely brown and gold daylily which does particularly well there. I should be able to make plenty of new plants from that lot.
I continued to sow plenty more poppy seeds, a row of Danish Flag (red and white), in front of the big tank, and a 'giant' variety (Pavot d'orient), the last of the seeds from Europe, in various spots. More Flanders poppies and corn flour seeds were also scattered around. If everything flowers, should be a riot of colour.
The paddock is looking pretty clear at the moment. The horses have cleaned it up very well and most of the broom and blackberries are looking very sick after the spraying.
I called over to see how the new house is progressing. Tim and Dan O'Halloran were working there. It was hoped to have been finished 3 weeks ago but there have been holdups with weather etc. Tim invited me in to check it out. It will be a very comfortable home for Dan and Liam. All mod cons, ensuite etc for main bedroom.  Carpet has come from the Casino in Melbourne which was excess to their requirements, via a tradesman the boys know. Dan is a star with Hepburn, an onballer. He had 38 possessions last weekend, 35 kicks, 3 handballs and is one of the favourites for Hepburn's Best and Fairest this year. He says that unfortunately flooding is also part of the game in the Central Highlands League. Tim enquired whether the 2 acre block is still for sale. He reckons that land in the area is in short supply and he knows several people who could be interested. I'm only interested in selling to locals, preferably with a family, who want to build there.

Visit 14/15 June

First golf. Poor round, wind was freezing, no excuse, couldn't putt to save myself. The only consolation was that the others weren't much better.
14 mills had fallen in the past fortnight.
The garden is at its lowest ebb at this time of the year. Still there were several things in flower, arctotis, yellow chrysanthemums, light blue felicias, yellow and blue (Winter Joy) wallflowers, Knifophias, some orange and one red and yellow, winter iris,(Unguilaris), white nerines, the wonderful tall blue and reddish scabiosa, plenty of gazanias of all colours, plus the penstemons which are just hanging on.
Plenty of bulb activity. The jonquils and the Magnifique daffodils are starting to form blooms and should be flowering in a month. Bulbs are poking through everywhere. It is hard not to stand on them when weeding. The marguerite daisies are showing distinct signs of distress, following the recent heavy frosts.
I planted a blue perennial lupin which I divided up from one at Hawthorn, plus another yellow chrysanthemum. More Flanders poppy seeds were scattered around and also a variety of corn flower seeds.
Cuttings were taken of a red and white penstemon, smallish blue wallflower and orange arctotis.
The Easter and Michaelmas daisies which were prolific this year, I chopped back to the ground. I may need to dig some out as they keep marching through the garden. Also cut back were all the Japanese Windflowers.
Lorraine and Bill mentioned they had seen rabbits in my backyard. I could see where they had dug up some ground but don't seem to have done much damage so far.
The hedge looks most untidy. Normally it needs to be cut only once a year, in November, but it could certainly do with a trim now.
The Easter spray has been very effective in killing off a lot of the blackberries and broom in the paddock. The spray is supposed to take effect on the gorse in spring. Here's hoping.

Visit 31st May/1st June

First golf at Hepburn. Beautiful crisp weather which became quite warm during the round. Reasonably happy with 46 and 47, 2 pars.
It was 3 weeks since the last visit so I was looking forward to checking on the state of the garden. Frosts had arrived in earnest so the marguerite daisies were showing signs of distress. Only the yellow daisies seem to be unaffected by heavy frosts. Everything continued to look pretty good as we go into winter. When I arrived I was pleased to note 3 yellow flowering kniphofias coming into bloom. I can't remember planting them! but they were standing up over 1 metre tall. Unfortunately by next morning, when the temp. was -3 (the coldest June morning in Ballarat for 9 years), the flower heads were drooping forwards quite prominently. The blue bog sages had stopped flowering but the penstemons (red and red and white) were still going well. The pink salvia, my favourite, is coming towards the end of its flowering for this season. I took more cuttings in the hope that they will strike. The red flowering gladioli had snapped off after giving a great show, so late. I will lift the bulb shortly and mark it. One last gladioli for this season was in flower, an orange one, pretty remarkable for June. Last year, some Japanese windflowers were still in bloom in late May. Not this year so I cut many of them back. The blue winter iris (unguilaris) is starting to flower on the south side. White nerines are having a good year, the pink ones not so good. I planted 2 different ones I bought at the Rare Plants Fair at Silvan a while ago. Should be good next year. A packet of Flanders poppy seeds were scattered about, to ensure plenty of colour in late Spring.
I also planted 6 small wallflowers, 4 Winter Joys and 2 reds, plus the 'Hawthorn' gazania, Joan's birthday gift. The hellebores are starting to flower. They should be in flower through the winter. Daffodils are starting to really push through. No doubt these would be the Magnifiques which start flowering in July.
One of the trees on the dam had dropped a couple of branches which will provide firewood next year.
A gentleman from Ballarat Blinds came to replace the curtains in the kitchen. I was a little disappointed in the colour which was more sombre than I thought I'd ordered. He told me that blow ins from Toorak buy a place in Daylesford, tart it up as a B & B and express great surprise, in a toffy voice, at the expense of things, as though they expected everything in the country to be cheap.