Friday, October 06, 2006

Early October in the garden

With the camera home (!) here are some updated photos of the garden. Early in the week we had a 33C day and it’s still not officially summer; makes me wonder what our garden will look like come December!

Firstly here is the bean-sunflower house with lots of bean seedlings and some sunflower ones! Next is the potager. Please comment on how well Hannah arranged the bricks. I think she did a great job!! Things are slowly growing here.

Then here are the tubs against the new rooms. Note the ones Toby painted in the middle. They are in full sun for most of the day.

I couldn’t resist posting the cinerarias before they reach the end of their flowering. I remember in New Zealand how these grew as perennials and practically as weeds too! Lastly a peek through dappled shade at the washing on our hottish day.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Oct. 5, 2006 - how plants photosynthesise and what kind of spider is that?!

I think you might appreciate this: We were at a park/playground after a violin concert. Lachlan (5) was on top of the spiderweb equipment "You betta watch out below there’s an enormous red-back down there!" "oooo" go all the other little kids"no wait a minute its not a red back its shelob" "whats a shelob" say all the other kids." (lol!!) My 9yo has asked me how non-green leaf plants like beetroot and some of our basil seedlings photosynthesize? Any ideas?

Monday, October 02, 2006

Oct. 2, 2006 - More on gardening

Oct. 2, 2006 - More on gardening


Clive and I went on a gardening expedition yesterday and we found borage!! I am so excited with all the herbs in our potager. We have chocolate mint, apple mint and mint julep growing in the shade.we have several kinds of basil(including a liquorice variety), oreganum and marjoram. Parsley, tarragon, tansy and lemon balm are dotted around. And I still have the lemon verbena to plant. The garden now boasts two rows of baby carrots, a number of bush tomatoes, silverbeet, lettuce and capcicum. French marigolds edge the sunniest end and there are blue salvia in the shade. I hope its not too overcrowded but to begin with this intensive planting should help to keep down the weeds.mind you I like weeds sometimes...we got several mysterious bracica seedlings in our sweetpeas a while back. I just left them to bloom and their delicate grey-green leaf and yellow flowers seem to blend in well with all else that is growing around them.

When Caleb gets back from Tasmania I will add photos of the garden. I asked him :"is it as cold as New Zealand"

"no"

"does it look a bit like New Zealand bush where you are"

"a bit... if you can imagine New Zealand bush but australian trees"

"is it green and beautiful"

"oh yes, definately!!" I've cautioned him to take lots and lots of photos!