Eco building, Garden

THE SOUTH MELBOURNE PERMABLITZ – COMMUNITY & CURVES

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Digging out soil from earth bag garden bed, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Digging a hole for a Medlar fruit tree, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Measuring hole for the Medlar fruit tree, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Digging out the old soil from the earth bag garden bed, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Curving earth bag wall, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Little boy climbing sand pile, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Pile of gloves, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Compost pile, at the South Melbourne Permablitz

Unkinking irrigation hose for erth bag garden beds, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Little girl playing, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

Little boy sitting on the pile of sand, at the South Melbourne Commons Permablitz

My shoulder and arm muscles had finally forgiven me after my first Blitz and I decided to try another, at which thankfully, I was neither designer nor facilitator. Not in a backyard this time, but at the South Melbourne Commons in the capable hands of designers Seila and Charlie.

It was lovely to see all those veggie beds in a shared public space, all nestled around that lovely old brick building. The earth bag beds had already been constructed at a past Blitz which I wish I’d been to as this is something we would like to do for our Blitz. They were lovely and curving, and our main job for the day was to fill them up with compost for the cafe garden. Warm windy days are not ideal for shifting compost, but after a few eye watering encounters we managed to move the huge pile before lunch.

After some serious matocking the soil gave way just enough to let us plant some Medlar fruit trees, I’ll be curious to see how they go as I don’t think i’ve ever seen, let alone tasted their fruit. Whenever someone turned their head the kids at the Blitz cheekily tried to fill in the holes again, nothing like a little bit of mischief to keep us on our toes.

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Family, Garden, Guides

APPLES & JAM

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Soft toy birds at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Tree with birds hanging from its branches at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Soft toy birds at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Permablitz team taking a guided tour of the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Timber crate shelves at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Close up of timber crate shelves at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Shelves and tree branches at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Birdcage hung from the ceiling at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Swan and paper decorations at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Succulent indoor plants in painted tin cans at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Felt party hats at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Blackboard messages at the Apples & Jam Playhouse, South Melbourne Commons

Theatre stage at the South Melbourne Commons

Shadows on the floor at the South Melbourne Commons

The Little Vegie Path Crate Veggie gardens at the South Melbourne Commons

 

When we got home we collapsed in a weary heap, that is I collapsed, Dylan decided he had to finish making a plywood box for our straw bales to live in. He is mad you know. Today I ticked off my second Permablitz and Dylan his third. It was at the South Melbourne Commons, a complete overhaul of the gardens there that has been chugging along for a couple of years. More about the Blitz later, after lunch we went for a tour of the Commons building. Inside the lovely old red brick building was hiding a treasure. The Apples & Jam Playhouse, where children’s parties and playgroups are held. Little patchwork birds hung from the lichen covered branches of a tree, swans dived between paper baubles hanging from the ceiling and toadstools sprouted from the floor towering over our heads. It was all very gorgeous and magical so I couldn’t resist putting some photos up. Creating a little world for children to play in must just be such a lovely job, you can just be so free and creative.

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