This week is a bit of a lull week... and with the cooler weather, that means that I've got a chance to do quite a bit in the garden... a little burst, before I go away for work again. I had my wife lay out some of the new plants in the places that she wanted them... she's busy this week, but she also has the final say on where things go... so, better that she puts them where she wants them... and then I can just do the grunt work of putting them in the ground.

So, these two Kangaroo Paws will be near the front door. Forming a second layer behind this other plant that she had put in just behind the rock border. Actually, it was lucky that she was pointing that one out... because it looks a lot like some of the unwanted plants that I had been pulling out... ones that have the same bladed leaves, and had infested this area... and whose root system is still down under the leaves and wood mulch... occasionally popping up to the surface!

This is the one that I mean... so, I got a few of these out... and was very thankful that I hadn't pulled out the larger one that looked similar but would have gotten me dumped in the doghouse!

I have been meaning to go through this area and get unwanted things uprooted again. This area was quite overgrown when we moved in, and after the initial clearing, we would have to do a second sweep several months later. Since then, there have been things popping up, but much much less... and due to the lesser frequency, it has led to a bit of complacency from me. This one, a zombie plant... I've let grow a bit too much! So, while in here digging holes and whacking the earth with a mattock... I may as well just spare a few whacks to get this thing out!

... and these little ones that end in a weird network of star shaped root/seeds. They pop up everywhere, and I'm wondering if it is one of the trees that is dropping the seeds... or if there is an existing network underground?

Plus, more than a few small bush trunks that had dried out and came out of the ground with either a good kick, or a solid connect with the mattock.

Yep, that larger zombie... well, it appears that even just a few leftover roots would have it growing again. I guess it is some consolation that it spend a good deal of energy reserves growing... which I could negate with a simple mattock lever!

And so, on to the main project for the day... bringing up more of the river gravel so that the garden beds would have a slightly high base underneath them. My wife wanted the level to be a few centimetres higher... to be closer to the top of the wall... so, a few centimetres multiplied by more than a few square metres... makes for quite a few trips up and down with the loaded wheelbarrow!

... but as it turns out, that project for the day was interrupted by the arrival of some topsoil for the new grass area... two cubic metres, a first test patch to see if the grass that we had ordered would take. So, the weeding happened earlier in the days before... but now, a layer of topsoil to help the new grass take hold on something a bit better than the hard rocky clay!

One barrow... a few more to go!

It took a few trips... but at last, the test area was completed... and I was ready to order the grass rolls. About 16 square metres, and we are doing this in manageable stages... hopefully the slow but steady approach will get the area done in a few weeks! Sure, it costs a bit more due to the extra topsoil deliveries... but it will get done this way!

So, not bad for a days work... partial river gravel filling done! And the topsoil is now ready and out in place for the grass rolls! And I'm a bit sore... little rocks and soil are heavy!

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