Garden

TO SEE A CARROT FLOWER

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Carrot flower in the garden

Carrot flower up close

Chook tractor where beetroot garden bed used to be in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Transplanting the lily pilly in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Beetroot harvested in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Sylan putting up a tarp in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Tying the tarp to the old clothesline in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

 

I’m stealing a few hours this morning while the rain dampens our efforts to start putting up some photos of the preparation for our Permablitz. We have been working solidly for several weeks and I have neglected my blog terribly, as we have slowly been swallowed up by a growing mound of clay and so many earth walls to build before Sunday!

Although we are excited by the new design,  nostalgia made us solemn as we ripped up some of our old chook rotation garden beds. A carrot gone wild had started to bloom and I felt sad to deprive our bees of its pillowy blossom.

Since we started our little veggie path in July of last year I have never stopped delighting in the wonders of flowers, roots and leaves that I had never before associated with the produce from the green grocer.

 

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Travel

SUN THROUGH STAINED GLASS

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Wild native pea flower near Taradale, Victoria

Walking amongst the wildflowers in the bush near Taradale, Victoria

Heart shaped gum leaf

Curling tinder for bush buddy stove

Bush buddy stove burning tinder

Light shining through gum leaf like stained glass

Indigenous orchid near Taradale, Victoria

Wild flower carpet near Taradale, Victoria

Dad taking photos of orchids near Taradale, Victoria

Yellow native flower near Taradale, Victoria

Shadow on a gum leaf near Taradale, Victoria

Green and grey flower near Taradale, Victoria

Sheep running along the hillside at dusk near Taradale, Victoria

Cockatoo in a gum tree near Taradale, Victoria

The introduction between our housemates and their first Australian snake was an anti-climax, an eagle had removed its head, leaving it as aggressive as a piece of hose pipe. The cockatoos put on a better show, their harsh voices flying through the air and piercing our ear drums, but the kangaroos, suddenly alert as one, bolt upright and staring us down as our car idled past made each passenger question their worth and right to be there. Strong emotions at first encounters are always much more amusing.

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Family, Travel

MATCHING A FLOWER

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Nadinoo Fleur's Penna Dress amongst the wildflowers, Taradale, Victoria, Australia

Wattle flowers, Taradale, Victoria, Australia

 

Mum takiing photos in the bush, Taradale, Victoria, Australia

White riceflowers with orange spots of pollen, Taradale, Victoria, Australia

Wearing nadinoo's fleur penna dress amongst the wildflowers, Taradale, Victoria, Australia

Mossy bricks in the bush, Taradale, Victoria, Australia

Spider camoflaging on a grey everlasting flower head

Nadinoo Fleur's Penna Dress in the bush, Taradale, Victoria, Australia

Still sick and haven’t been up to much so here are just a couple more photos from our trip to the country.

I wonder if the Grey Everlasting is that little spider’s flower of choice or if it was just happenstance that his outfit matched its buds?

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Family, Garden, Guides, Recipes

BRIGHT SPOTS IN A GREY DAY

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Newspaper pot seedlings in a row with an ornamental duck

Seedlings in newspaper pots

Giant mustard seedling in a newspaper pot

Flowers on an ornamental duck and newspaper pots

Close up of circles on community garden plot planting plan

Mustard, asparagus and cabbage seedlings in front of books

Cabbage seedlings in newspaper pots

Carrots and beetroot in planting plan for community garden plot, Flemington, Australia

Cauliflower in the nature strip guerrilla garden

Cauliflower in the nature strip at night

Seeds and planting design for community garden plot, Flemington, Australia

5 colour silverbeet seedling

Flowers picked from the garden and the watercolour planting plan for a community garden plot, Flemington, Australia

 

I woke up Saturday morning at 6am sneezing. Dylan had been sick as a dog all week and had passed on the batton just in time for the weekend. But it didn’t hit me too badly, at first I was a bit sad to miss the Elwood Permablitz, but when I heard there would be an RMIT film crew there I was secretly relieved. I find being interviewed quite traumatic.

I spent my weekend just generally lazing around in the sun when he crept out from the clouds and doing a planting plan for my mum’s community garden plot at the Farnham Street Park. I’m excited to have a place to experiment with chickpeas, soya beans and peanuts! I spent Sunday afternoon in our sharehouse “loft” that I took over this winter as my greenhouse. Can you tell I was bored? I planted out a whole stack of dried beans into newspaper pots for my mum’s garden and some super hot chilli seeds. I have experimented with putting seedlings in milk cartons and toilet rolls in the past, but the newspaper pots are by far the best thing I’ve used to minimise transplant stress. They break down really well and are just so cute.

Now I’m off to make dinner, our nature strip cauliflower has gotten enormous and Dylan thinks someone will take it if we leave it too long. Chickpea and cauliflower curry I think, with coconut rice! Mmmm…

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