1,2,3,4,5......6,7,8......

So for a sojourn in the back garden. 2 seating areas, as promised, out the back of the house. But wait, there's more...today at no extra cost, I'll include the cage. Why the generous offer you ask? Because I'm sick of writing about bloody benches and the weather is so glorious, it's more fun to work in the garden rather than just sit.

A little touch of Europe

I am actually sitting on our oldest bench, soaking up some beautiful sun on our patio out the back of the house. This bench has been with me for 3 gardens, one pre Ruprecht. It has needed a lot of TLC but is growing old gracefully. Since it has lived here it has been in the fernery, the cottage garden and Pialligo. It is now living out its retirement on our cobblestoned patio. (Hand made cobblestones from a concrete press. The most gruelling task we have undertaken and never to be repeated!)

It sits in front of our espaliered apple and pear trees. We had a very successful crop last year - 3 apples. It looks out over the back lawn, terracotta pots and a beautiful camelia. You can get a lovely view of the washing drying on the line on a good day too. From here you can see my Rainbow whimsy......

Rainbow Whimsy

Not so much a bench as 2 white chairs sitting rustically below my rainbow wall art. Ruprecht likes rustic - he calls it "in need of a coat of paint" but is quite glad I don't see it that way. The rainbow art brightens an otherwise boring wall and recognises my Rainbow ancestry, Isaac Newton, Euclid and Fibonacci - such a deep and meaningful piece. It too has a lovely view of the clothes line and the back lawn, but looks out over the bush garden that is getting thicker every year.

Saxon says Hi!

From here you can see a little touch of Europe and ....The Cage!

The Cage

When we first moved here, randomly there was 2 x 3 metre metal cage, possibly for a dog, but you would hope not. It was in the middle of nowhere where the garden was running wild. It has a concrete base. We re-utilised all the sides of the cage and built a wire fence that runs just behind it. We used the gate as the gate to the Outback. It was a very strange structure, so we decided to ....wait for it....make it into a space to sit. But not just a place to sit, a place to eat too. It has an outdoor table and 4 chairs. We've never eaten there, but that's another story.

It looks out over the Outback, Uluru and the bush garden. Sitting there is like sitting in the bush and in the height of summer it is the coolest spot to sit, if you can be bothered sweeping away all the fallen leaves first.

So 9 and 10 to go. 10 will be Maru, the sitting spot to end all sitting spots. But there is one more bench before that.

I have spent the morning getting the veggie patch ready for the growing season. Spring is making its presence felt early this year. The weather today is magic! A beautiful fairy wren just landed on the espalier behind me and treated me to a song - magic².