Saturday sowing.....(click on pics to enlarge)

Todays weather was gorgeous in the morning, sunny but with a delightful cool breeze so out came the garden gear and in went: more amaranth, beetroot, carrots and chives.

I also took the time to trim back the shrubbery that lines the drive, fertilise the garden beds with our home grown manure (thank you wee chookies) and clean up ready for the new water tank going in later this year.

The pond really has set its' own little system on the go, the water is clearing beautifully and the edges of the pond are slowly naturalising and blending into the rest of the garden.

The marron in there are breeding madly, we found more babies in there during the week. The kingfisher is still stealing my minnows but they breed like crazy so we ignore that one:)

The Ice Cream Beans survived last winter, this year after losing four to the cold I covered them in shadecloth and left it on until the frosts had passed.



Having tasted these, I can tell you that they really do taste just like vanilla ice cream!



I only have two of these in, however I am thinking that once I pass a few around I will need to keep up with demand, so am going to try growing them from cuttings in a year or two.

Down either side of the round about in the back yard I have planted out Asiatic and Oriental Lilliums. They look so magnificent and the wide range of colours really brightens up what could be drab otherwise.

My idea is that later on as a pensioner I am going to have lots of fruits and flowers to make a little cash so I have about another 100 to plant LOL!

The pomegranate has put out dozens of flowers, I really love eating these both as a fruit, in sauces with meats and in salads. The taste is very refreshing and it really is a great health food whose nutrition includes:
* Poly-phenol Antioxidants – assist and take care of the body against “free radicals” – compounds which damage the body as time passes. Free-radical injury is often a main factor in growing old and persistent illnesses like cardiovascular disease and most cancers. Find out more about poly-phenol antioxidants.

* Ascorbic acid – facilitates and sustains muscle tissue and blood vessels, aids in the development of collagen helping your body take in iron. Ascorbic acid might also decrease the duration and intensity of the common cold.

* Vitamin K – performs an integral role in blood coagulation.

* Potassium – assists and manages high blood pressure and sustains building powerful bones.

* Iron – required by the body for the manufacturing of hemoglobin, the actual oxygen-carrying parts of the blood.

* Fiber – assists with keeping digestive regularity and could decrease Low density lipids cholesterol levels, which might aid and reduce the danger of cardiovascular disease.

Not bad for a little bundle of juicy seeds is it?

The white adriatic fig has really put some growth on over the last few months. It seems everything in the garden has finally found its spot and growth is going haywire all over.



I have 3 of the figs, the brown, white and black, all 3 have their own tastes but all 3 are equally as delicious in my book.



I am going to try drying these next year when I have more fruits, the other 2 trees are only about 1/4 of the size of this one.

This is last years chilli bush. Because our winter gone was so mild it just kept on growing instead of being the perennial it should be in this area.

I actually cannot stand them, but staff at work and the neighbours love them so I pick and share, it's a good feeling and it does make for some pretty reds in the garden:)

Well, thats me for the day, tomorrow it is more planting out and tying up of tomato bushes that are wanting to climb everywhere but up the stakes!

Enjoy your weekend:)