Monday 28 August 2017

Late Winter Walk Around the Garden

We've had some bursts of unseasonal heat here and then some strong, Westerly winds blew in so things are feeling quite dry. Glad that I mulched heavily early in Winter as the soil is moist still underneath. I've been thinking ahead to Springtime; to what I need to do in the garden and what I would like to grow for our table.  

Cherry tomatoes from a volunteer tomato plant...destined for our salad bowl!

Yesterday, I felt well enough (I'm getting over the flu) to prune back the passionfruit vine, pull out some spent basil plants and lay some compost and manure down around the drip line of our avocado tree. I need to cut the last of the Winter lettuce I've grown, pick a few bunches of sweet peas, collect Calendula seeds and unearth the baby potatoes that are ready in the grow bags I've used for spuds this year. 

Seeds to save from the sunshine yellow Calendulas.

Bright green lettuces are ready to eat.

Very pretty pink Sweet peas make for lovely posies!

Baby potatoes are waiting under the soil in this Grow Bag.

Soon I'll prepare the main veggie patch for Spring planting. I want to grow more lettuce (always lettuce!), different varieties of cucumbers, spring onions, cherry tomatoes in pots, try my luck with some capsicums and grow many bee-friendly flowers! Soon, the blueberries will be ripe too and I can't wait to eat those!

It won't be long and these will be ripe, delicious and blue!

I loved being out in the warm sunshine yesterday, feeling quite content to wander the garden and dream about the form it will take this coming Spring. There's much to enjoy in the garden and always so much to look forward to!

 A vibrant Zinnia has sprung up through the mulch.

The native iris is in flower along the side fence.

A gorgeous deep red geranium is in bloom.


What are you planning for your garden in the coming season?

Meg

p.s. Thank you to everyone who sent well wishes after my last post. I am feeling much better, still a little croaky and tired, but thankful to be up and around again!


10 comments:

  1. Meg, pace yourself after the flu as I am still not 100% after all this time. It is lovely being outside in the sun as it is still cold in our house especially in the morning so no spring cleaning has been done as yet. I need to plant more carrots, cucumbers and lettuce for later on after the current seedlings have grown and been picked. Just have to find the energy to do everything :-)

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    1. Thanks, Chel, I will take it easy though I am keen to get the garden ready for Spring. Cucumbers grow really well here, I like Lebanese cucumbers and one called, "Burpless". Hope your energy returns soon too. Meg:)

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  2. Oh Meg your sickness has really clung on. Happy to hear you are on the mend. My husband started yesterday and just keeps sleeping. Hoping it doesn't cling to him as long and we all stay healthy.
    Your garden is lovely and I really enjoyed the tour. Nothing like fresh produce straight from your very own garden,
    I started composting and mulching yesterday and will finish in over the week.
    I love the surprises from the garden too. So much happens, love it.
    Take care,
    Kylie

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    1. I'm feeling pretty good today, Kylie. I know quite a few people are struggling to find wellness again, a few still sick after a month! There is nothing better than fresh food from the garden...I can't wait to plant out veg for the Spring ahead. Meg:)

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  3. lovely garden you have there! i need to redo mine over, it's just not growing. Native Iris? Australia doesn't have a 'native Iris' i tried to look up the proper name to the one i have, which most call Aussie native iris, mine is native to Africa (there's a purple/blue one & an orange one), i discovered that Australia doesn't have a native iris, lots of native orchids though.
    i recently acquired a lot of mulch (from the tree culling here) so am hoping to put that out on the garden soon.
    your flowers all look stunning.
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Hmmm ... I've always called this plant a native iris so I will have to look it up and see what it is, don't think it's an orchid. It has very strappy leaves and is very tough and hardy. Great that you have lots of mulch to put on your garden, Selina, hopefully that will help with the Summer heat to come. Meg:)

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  4. It's late summer here in UK, and our garden is full of bright blooms. we are starting to think of warmer foods, soups and home made bread. But for this week we are expecting warm sunshine.

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    1. Enjoy that lovely sunshine forecast for this week, Marlene. As your mind turns to those warming foods for your Autumn to come, we are thinking light Spring salads and grilled fish. Wonderful how eating with the seasons gives the body just what it needs. Meg:)

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  5. Beautiful photos Meg and I love red geraniums. There is something about that striking red. I think I will have to get some of those for our garden this Spring!

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    1. Thanks, Belinda. The red geranium is just so "red", such a gorgeous deep colour. I love it when it comes into flower. Meg:)

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