This month in the garden.......

Things are going haywire, as they do in Spring, although the fast approaching heat will slow that down somewhat soon enough.

The waterchestnuts are sprouting all over again, and although I detest them my mother adores them:)

In the pots either side of them are pitcher plants which I thought I had lost, it turns out they are annuals and are now sending through new shoots.

Remember what was inherited on the left when bought 2 years ago? On the right shows you where I am at now, still more shrubs etc to put in but slowly getting there, not bad given the whole thing was rebuilt into 3 areas.

I have closed the back run off now and have planted out with all manner of seeds, the girls now run in the front pen, and there they will stay for another year or two, this will hopefully turn what is currently absolutely shocking sandy clay soil into gorgeous garden bed soil for vegies.

I am madly collecting my seeds as plants are ready to give them up.

This way I get to keep seed that has performed the best in my home soil. This silverbeet is as tall as I am, amazing what plants will do to ensure they reproduce in following years!

All of the berries have gone haywire! I have about 6 varieties and they are all doing well. The only thing I do struggle with is how prickly most of them are, working with them requires gloves at all times.  The other thing I have noticed is that they are more than happy to spread all through the garden beds with new plants coming up, have cut out about about 4 that would otherwise have taken over everything!



The pineapple guava is producing fruit, something it didn't do last year. I cannot wait to taste this one having discovered I love all the others!         Did you know you can eat the white part of the petals too? They have a delightful "floral" taste.

The chilli bush is from last year too. The past winter was so mild that these and the tomatoes just kept on producing......unheard of to have year round plants in this area usually......sign of the changing climates we will face.  The yellow cherry guava you can see just to the bottom of the picture has flowered profusely and is covered ready to start fruiting. If you haven't tried these do..they are heavenly!

The chinese gooseberry has been absolutely loaded this year, I love nothing better than getting out there, picking a huge handful and sitting on the patio eating them for breakfast.......brilliant source of Vit C by the way:)

I left the last of the radishes to seed too, prickly bloody things those! This was my first time growing them and some of them were woody in texture, flavour was still ok.....anyone have any ideas as to why? I was thinking I may have left them in too long, or not enough water?

The ginger plant is coming along nicely. I have no idea why I am growing this...do you do the same thing? I think years ago my idea was to grow as many of my own herbs and spices as I could.......except I only have one recipe that uses it.......Ginger Bread Men LOL!!

If nothing else the flower is pretty on them, and who knows, further down the track I may use more....

The elders are looking beautiful. Not only are they a pretty shrub but I want to make both elderberry tincture and elderberry champagne from them once they are older.

Well, that's about it for me this month. Now the heat is coming in I tend to slow down a little, getting out early mornings or late evenings only.......thats the part of summer I dislike, my garden hours get reduced by the unbearable heat!

Hope you have a super week ahead:)