Stanley Avenue

Hi everybody! So today I had a lovely conversation with a lady who has lived in Stanley Avenue for over 25 years! Her house is a beautiful one, of the typical mid-Victorian and Edwardian styles, though it really does stand out amongst the rest.

The owner of this house was named Launa and when she and her husband originally moved in to number 15 Stanley Avenue the front garden was a messy English cottage style garden, but one that was mostly overgrown and just too crowded. “We decided to do some bold and we changed it up completely” Launa told me, as she explained the bulldozing and the laying of the bricks that now define their front garden. 

Launa went on to explain the planting and original intention behind the Diosmas which were planted to create a bushy undergrowth for the standard David Austin Roses. It was clear that they did not like the resulting look, as a frown covered her face as she showed me the gaps in the hedge that they were trying to form. I thought out loud, saying that the Roses probably required too much root space and she agreed confirming that of her gardeners opinion. For those that don't know, Diosmas love their space and love to spread! I personally dislike them, and was glad that she was in the process of removing them. I noticed the recently planted Buxus (English box hedge) and agreed with the choice, as they are well-known for being an easy hedge that doesn't require too much space. 

Finally, I had to ask about the Roses. They were such a great colour had a brilliant smell – but she didn't know what variety they were! To Launa, gardening is not a particularly enjoyable hobby, but a duty to her house and to her street. Whilst I was a bit surprised by that honest explanation, I feel this is probably the case for many gardeners and I can respect that. Anyway, Launa said her gardener of 20 years comes each July to prune the Roses and twice a year she feeds them with some organic fertiliser. When I asked her where she bought the fertiliser, she simply said the nursery down the road. I knew of the nursery (which I will attempt to blog about later on) and asked her what she felt about the prices. A lot of small nurseries are very expensive compared to the bigger ones, so I was interested. Launa told me that whilst she would never buy her plants there (as Bunnings is just much cheaper), she always buys her food and fertilisers. I figured it was due to the customer service and 'support your local businesses' ideal that many locals hold dear. 

Here are some of the photos of Launa and her husbands Roses: