Wednesday 11 January 2012

If I'd known it was that simple ........

.................. I would have blogged about our 'drought' a lot sooner!  Thanks for all your kind wishes,  because late this afternoon it started into a nice steady rain, we've had about 12mm by this evening and it's still going - Thank goodness! 

During our trip north last weekend, we visited Riverstone Kitchen restaurant/garden/gift shop near Oamaru.  The gift shop is incredible, but I was most taken with the amazing vegetable gardens and chook domain.





Now that is a real palace for chooks ......................








If anyone can help I'd love to know what the cane type of support growing in the last three pics might be.  It is growing in the ground, and doesn't seem to be trimmed in the stem part, but is all leafy at the top.  The screen type ones have been woven into a super strong support/shelter.  I don't think it is bamboo, it has more of a woody stem than that and has a different habit, could it be some kind of willow maybe?  In the bottom pic it is all trained into the cone shape for beans etc to grow up......... I should have asked, but there were no staff around the gardens that I could find.......

Well thanks again for all the good wishes regarding some rain, now the grass and crops can begin to recover ................... so until next time...........take care ........... Nicky


26 comments:

Siobhán said...

I'm glad the rain dancing worked!! Now, if you could do a sun dance for us here in Ireland, the world would be set to rights. ;)

Anonymous said...

whow Nicky that is what i call a vegie garden,unreal,and i hope it is still raining for you.xx

Carol said...

That's wonderful that you finally got that much-needed rain, Nicky--hope it keeps up!! I loved the photos or your sheep grazing by the trampoline in your last post :)

Beautiful garden you visited! We could never have ours out in the open like that because our friendly, neighborhood deer would be mowing down everything in sight!

Raewyn said...

Hope the rain is still falling and there is plenty more where it came from. Amazing vege 'patch;, what an inspiring place to visit.

Leanne said...

yea for the rain!!!!!

What an amazing garden. Have added it to my bucket list to visit!

Love Leanne

Nancy J said...

Our family are at Waitahuna, absolute drought there. I think lambs are being sold all over Otago, and near Winton a son of Hugh's cousin says so dry there on the dairy farm.So glad some rain came. Every little drop helps.Amazing garden ,no idea what the top knot growing stakes are. Cheers from jean

Marlene said...

That is an amazing vege garden. Can't help with the bamboo type plant. Just had overnight drizzle here in town-not what you would call rain.

Unknown said...

Pleased you have rain Nicky, I know how worrying that is for farmers. Ours are doing well this year, rain has been steady, once a week at least. Saw it on the news the other nigh how bad t is. Nice that youhad a wee reak too. Wow, those gardens are pretty ipressive.

Anonymous said...

Yay for rain!! In future blog straight away and then you'll get rain! I'm sure that is how it works!!!! What an amazing garden!! And the chook house.... unlike any other I've ever seen before!

Cardygirl said...

Great garden...glad to hear it is raining!

Fiona said...

ok... now you can send some rain to me.... lovely garden... no idea about the topknot stakes but I LOVE them...
Hugz

RobynLouise said...

Yay for the rain! Lol, did you wash the car too because it rains when I wash my car?
Those are well laid out gardens and what a castle the chooks live in!
The bamboo is probably a clumping type but as there are about a thousand varieties I have no idea what it would be. This site has some interesting info
http://www.bamboo-oz.com.au/FAQ.html#ONE
Cheers,
Robyn

Michelle said...

Glad it is raining for you! Hope you get all that you need!! Wow that is some vegie garden-puts mine to shame! Enjoy those rain drops, Michelle.

Lyn said...

Riverstone is an unbelievable place to stop at...great food and the out buildings crammed with all manner of things to buy as well..we had rain here last night too...saw it coming up from down south and was hoping you were lucky enough to get the rain down there too...

Michelle said...

It's so wonderful it's finally raining!!! Hope you get it more regularly from now on...
I have serious garden envy now... cant help with the trellis plant, if you find out what it is let me know! Thanks

Pine Valley Quilts said...

WOW I would love a garden like that, but it might take all my quilting time to maintain it. I wonder if I could convince my husband to take care of it. (haha) My chooks have a lovely home but this is a palace.

Ali Honey said...

So glad you have rain. We have fine.
Just love those raised beds! Great garden.

Wendy said...

Glad to hear your drought is ended, the weather seems crazy at the moment, we are still waiting for our summer. The garden and chook house look amazing.

country life said...

Just ran across your blog, love it! and the chicken house its beautiful! I have never seen one like that and your garden makes me want to start mine! We are in the middle of winter here :( The pictures though of your garden did brighten my day :)
Kim

Maria said...

What an inspiring place to visit Nicky - the gardens are fantastic. So glad that the rain came too.

Sue said...

Thanks for visiting my blog, I'm so glad that you did as now I have another blog to follow with such beautiful embroidery to look at. Love the pictures of the gardens and what a fantastic chicken house xx

Grethe said...

Lovely garden .... glad you have time for some quilting in between!!
All the snow that comes here,will be sent to you as rain:-) Lovely post for us all to see.

Maria said...

I was thinking about those wonderful stands in the vege patch that are growing (can't for the life of me remember what they are called!) and I wonder if they are bamboo? Poked in the ground and began sprouting??

Maddy said...

"WOW" What an unbelievable Veggie garden. So organized puts my little plot to shame. What about that chook yard.

Kiwifruit-Shiree said...

I Just love this place huh!!

Wolfie said...

Wow...the chicken house is stunning! And what a place you've got! I am so jealous...I really want to live in the country side and have a few animals and be able to grow vegetables the way you do. Waiting another 2 years until my husband is able to qualify as a GP, when he can get a permanent post and we can settle somewhere...Enjoy what you have:) And may you have enough rain and sun for everything to grow and be healthy:)

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