Monday 28 May 2018

Community Gardens; prepare to be amazed! Sunday, 4 March 2018

I'm back again with so much more! A bit slow, I know.
Trust me- when you see what we've been up to, you'll appreciate that the wait has been worthwhile.


Let me start by showing of my mini beauties. I've never grown tiny sunflowers before, but I'm sure you'll agree, they are just gorgeous.


These cheery blooms are guaranteed to brighten the day.


A few weeks ago, I inspected, and sorted the veggie garden.
These supremely hot little guys are doing well.


The labyrinth is taking shape!


And so is the pond.


Donations of large river rocks greatly appreciated.


The little bridge is undergoing a complete makeover, starting with new railings.


Bricks in place where a wishing well will appear...soon.


The creek looks lovely with a deeper, dug out section. It even has plenty of fish- a great sign.


Love finding mystery surprises in my garden beds.


Here, Michael is doing an amazing job weeding the veggie path- by pulling up each brick to remove the roots. What dedication!


The bottlebrush are still flowering away periodically.


My Mr Muscles, carrying the frame he just made to use for the end of the labyrinth path.


Back to the veggie garden...tomato plants out and tarp down to hopefully let discarded fruit germinate and die off before replanting. As the tomatoes were basically disease free, I won't bother with crop rotation.


The flowering chives got a much needed haircut.


Andrew inspecting the newly brick packed frame.


Chris turning the drab into fab.


Hubby and Andrew preparing to concrete a base in.


Andrew and Michael mixing the concrete under hubby's watchful eye :)


The base is done!


The frame for the water view seat is well under way.


Perfect positioning for a calming sit down.


What a difference a coat of paint makes.


And here, we have the frame for a new swing seat.


Beautiful rain lilies blooming away.


Look- we have plants!


Garden beds have been filled and are ready for planting out.
Thanks to all who have donated plants. Keep them coming!


We have a bench seat with water views :)


Now that the creek has been dug out, it provides a deeper pool for rain water which reduces the bog considerably.


Starting to take shape very nicely.


My bougainvillea are leaping out of the ground. The yellow one in the foreground seems to grow bolt upright before drooping over with flowers. It will make a stunning slope cover when it matures.


My day was sorted last Friday- get into the veggie garden for a new season of planting.


After a mow, how stunning does this area look. Also gives you an appreciation for how much space we actually do have.


Now, looking the other way. Always good to see things from a different perspective :)


Cannot wait to see the swing in here. I dibs first go!


The chess board will soon have a new access path, linking the top garden to the bottom.


I love butterflies, and seems, they love my plants :)


Look- the completed labyrinth end. Well, almost. Soon it will be a perfect spot to sit and contemplate.


Plant donations! Thank you Michael!


Andrew hard at it, digging in new plant donations.


With the bigger plants in, I'm quite looking forward to planting out a softer understory.


Andrew again, working hard at planting out.
All of the workers we get do fantastic jobs, honestly.
It's hot, humid, the plants are spiky and ouchy, the days long.
We value everyone for their hard work and commitment.
You are helping make this place look AMAZING!


Hubby for perspective- the garden is BIG.
Andrew and Chris can just be seen planting out on the other side.


Thankfully, I was able to transplant a heap of Moses plants. Their purple foliage contrasts beautifully with the bright green of the other plants, and they grow so well with little effort. 


And last of all, a marked out pathway that will soon be a proper path linking the gardens.
It just gets more amazing, honestly.
To my amazing man, love your work :)

That's your lot for now. Be back with more soon :)

Long awaited Community Gardens update Monday, 29 January 2018


The labyrinth is taking shape.


The path has been edged with concrete.


The view from the top looks amazing already.
  

Next, garden beds need to be bricked up...


And here, Michael is doing a brilliant job.


Woo- first garden bed done!


Jayden patiently sorting and cleaning the bricks.


The bolster broke! Expensive doesn't always mean long lasting :(


The creek is being transformed...


Not sure what this is...except a great way to show you what we have to work with. Sand. Lot's and lot's of sand.


Bricks piled high next ready to make a new bed.


How good does this look!


The messy business of creating a new space.


Another bed in progress.


So many bricks- grateful for donations and Gumtree giveaways.
  

Two more beds under construction.


At last, the liriope has flowered.


The weekly battle- leaves covering the chess board and seating.


Cucumbers and tomatoes rambling everywhere.


Fruit!


Pretty happy with this harvest.


Sad carrots. Oh well, they'll make great compost.


Pre-Christmas veggie garden clean up. 


Time to prepare for sunflower seeds...


And some potted flowers.


Adorable little eggplant.


The little box contains strawberry seedlings. Sad to say, the heat, and a stray animal's toileting habits has destroyed them.


The herb filled bathtubs look much neater, and now, the hot & spicy oregano and rosemary have room to grow.


In this heat, I find soaked coconut fibre makes seed planting so much easier as it retains a lot of moisture. 


The sunflower patch is ready to grow :)


The front of church keeps popping up random little flowers from last year.


A welcome bit of rain helped revive these flowers.


The veggie patch looking neat and tidy once again.


More donations...river rocks and a potential climbing frame.
  

A sand filled garden bed. Soil and mulch will be added on planting out. Plants/ trees that grow well in this climate and sandy soils will be the wise choice to use.
DONATIONS APPRECIATED!


Some discarded nasturtium seeds taking over.  


The bougainvillea vines are taking off, and the agapanthus flowered reasonably well this season.


The jasmine vine is spreading well and has sent out several metre long tendrils.


Soon, this slop will be completely covered in flowering vines. And hopefully, the frangipani will flower too.


The variegated bougainvillea is already much bigger than this, and producing pink and white bracts. 


Lemon scented geranium growing well under the shade of the trees.


A successful geranium cutting.


This baby is growing very well.


The fern is thickening nicely.


The side garden is growing very well and has become quite lush.


All the transplants are growing brilliantly.


This has new foliage!


Home grown cucumber ready for the table.


Garden bed progress.


Safety tape to keep people, and the construction site, safe.
Progress is messy, and exciting!


There is a garden bed here somewhere...


Wet summer weather...great for growth, and weeds.


Shane neatening up the kids creche lawn.


Look! I found the garden and seating!


Yet more garden beds!


Getting closer to completion.


Marvelous chaos :)


Lastly, some wee baby sunflowers, poking up to say hello.

Phew...part one of the epic catch up, done!

I promise I won't let things get so behind. Hubby and his work for the dole team are doing the most amazing job. I'm in awe of their hard work, in this heat especially.

Much, much more coming soon.

Until then, thanks for reading :)