At long last, I am thrilled to bring you another community garden update!
As you will see, quite a lot of work has gone on. Mostly, in the form of collecting pavers.
Week 8
I was out with a virus, so the boys continued digging a garden path without me.
Week 9
Hubby had been scouring Gumtree for free pavers, and after much searching, we headed off to Mudgeeraba with our trailer for what we thought would be just the one load...
This is the pile we had to collect from. The home owner assumed it would be about 1 cubic metre.
So, it was onto hands and knees, under the giant plant, to clear out paver after paver after paver...only to discover more and more.
I'm glad I'm not easily spooked. So many spiders! I even watched, at eyeball level, a large huntsman spider remove her equally large egg nest out of harms way.
We had a narrow, tree lined side drive to park in, making collection a little difficult.
Three exhausting loads and a full day later, a Tuesday was well spent! Here is our impressive collection.
The next day, we went to check out another lot of free pavers for collection. A man had purchased a house to renovate, and wanted the pavers gone. We ripped up a few and discovered it wasn't too hard.
This section easily filled our trailer. But this was only a tiny amount of what needed to be removed.
So, the next day, we hired a truck, and rounded up as many helpers as we could. It was hot, hard work, but everyone did a phenomenal effort, clearing practically all of a huge, double driveway.
From around 9am to 5 pm, our tag team of helpers, and my absolutely amazing hubby, collected tons of pavers. And I overcame my nerves and drove the truck!
This pile was the result of the day! Amazing effort, and more than enough to get the garden paths under way.
Week 10
More paver collection today. This time, the side driveway. I admit, I wasn't much help. Annoying fatigue and dizzy spells hit hard, so I could only do minimal work. My awesome hubby and Ben did a stellar effort though.
I was able to help Ben stack some pavers as he used the matic to pull them up.
Ben did a great job! Hubby too- lifting load after load of pavers into the trailer. He is a machine! Thankfully, we stopped after 2 trailer loads.
My eldest daughter came to the community garden site and helped unload when we got back. Grateful for the help!
Week 11
Though we still have a number of pavers to collect, we decided the best thing to do for now was to lay some and reduce the clutter around the garden. We have stored a lot of pavers! But this was also time for me to do some more relaxing aspects of gardening by sprucing up the front of church.
Hubby attached a hardwood cross to the front of church after removing some shrubs a few weeks back. Another amazing guy, Dale, re-painted the front. And I wanted to freshen up the space by planting some flowers.
I added few snapdragons, lavender, alyssum and verbenas for a splash of colour. It delights me that some adorable kids have taken an interest and like to help me water too :)
Hubby and our 2 awesome work-for-the-dole guys are starting on the path; one laying side pavers, hubby laying the main pattern, and one leveling ahead. I'm the photographer/ paver carrier :)
After the guys left, hubby and I continued. Quite the work-out I must say!
Even collecting and adding the sand by sweeping it over the pavers is not easy.
Satisfying to see a solid pathway in though.
This week, we also got a tree-lopper in to quote us on the use of a chipper. It's expensive, but means we can make good use of all the trees we have been allowed to remove, and any dead ones we can collect. Ten cubic metres of mulch coming up! That is, after we move ALL of the trees we have cut down back into the clearing for ease of access. Next week promises to be a brilliant workout yet again.
As does the week after. Tony, the guy from whom we have collected the bulk of pavers, is happy to let us collect the remainder as he is still doing renovations and we won't hamper his work. Grateful for the pavers, but aware I need to purchase knee pads like hubby if I'm to survive another epic day!
We have run into a few issues with the gardens. One is the removal of what I now know is Singapore Daisy. This has got to be the most invasive weed I have ever come across. After doing some research, I now know that the reason the weed spray didn't kill it is it doesn't respond to a glyphosate based weed killer. Lesson learned.
We have also been a little frustrated by locals, literally using bolt cutters to break through re-wired fences. Traffic still persists, even after my terrible attempt to re-wire the fence last week. Now, they are back to jumping over the gates. Not sure how we will fix the 7 metre gap in the freeway fence though.
And today, hubby informed me that his several acres of marked out walking track ties have been removed and dumped in a hidden pile. I wonder who has time and energy for such activities?! And why would they bother?
As frustrating as setbacks are, we will forge ahead. It does seem apparent that many people aren't aware it's not public land. Soon enough, the place will start to take on new life, people will realise we aren't restricting their old pathways, but creating an amazing new space for everyone to enjoy.
Setbacks won't stop us, we just need to get creative, and be as persistent and hard to stop as a Singapore Daisy!
I look forward to bringing more updates soon :)
