I need a break from building so decided that I wouldn't start another row of tyres. Instead I stuffed a bit more dirt into most of the tyres and then planted the eastern end with
Libertia, a native iris species, and toetoe,
Cortaderia richardii. The
Libertia was given to me in a pot and had sent up lots of new baby offshoots so I'm hoping that they'll do the same in the tyres. The toetoe was given to me a few years back in small PB bags; I wasn't ready to plant them and after two summers of neglect they got planted out into a holding bed where they have flourished.
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| Lunchtime - all tyres filled at this end |
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| Libertia on the top row, toetoe down below |
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| View looking the other way |
It's a shame that I've only learned the most efficient way of filling tyres after laying 50 of the dratted things. By propping the tyre walls open with two suitably-sized chunks of firewood, I can then ram the soil in a lot more effectively. This does have its own problem though as the tyres I've done this with are higher than their neighbours! I'm not sure how you work out how much a tyre will stretch as they all have different qualities.
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| These last few tyres are the only ones that are really well stuffed |
The tyres are more noticeable now that they are filled and it was with a sinking sensation that I pondered whether I really want to be looking out at man-made items in a bush setting. It's a bit late to turn the clock back but I'll be thinking a lot harder about spoiling the view on future projects.
It was gloriously sunny today until mid-afternoon when the cloud came over and the wind picked up. I sat out in the sunshine with my morning coffee and gazed across the valley. A glimpse of yellow/orange glinted in the sunshine and I knew that it was Darwin's barberry without needing the binoculars. I'll have to take my Silky saw and a tube of Vigilant to deal to this flowering pest before it fruits.
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| Flowering barberry shown by red circle |
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| Zoom of above - flowering barberry bush to the right of picture |
I've been scanning the bush for barberry when I check my traps; I know the area well enough now to take a different path each day so should have the whole area clear of barberry by the time the flowers disappear. I still have the swamp to do though which isn't quite so easy - a pair of waders would be helpful!
