HI folks,

This blog is all about creating an urban garden in a previously grass and concrete lot in suburban Australia. Again appologies for the last post, i try and make sure the posts are of a high quality and... blerg.. lol.. what a mess.

A MEGA tour of the garden as we come into the end of our summer here in sub tropical Queensland.
Its been a funny old season all in all, but we are getting there. There HAS been progress, not what we expected, but progress none the less.

OVERALL SHOT: - big gardens are down the back

GARDEN TOUR

So here we can see the backyard. It is a BIG backyard by many standards considering we are in the middle of the suburbs and not on property somewhere, but it is mostly house and concrete... well it used to be. For those that remember, we can't dig the lawn as the drive through to the garage would be compromised, we also need the pool... lol... the rest was concrete and stones.

We started with all the pots down by the pool side, These have been here on and off for about 3 years, but fewer in numbers.

We shall start with the tropical area where we have Ginger, Turmeric and a curry leaf tree. We should be self sufficient in ginger this year, as long as we use the frozen ginger... which we have been. Turmeric is NEW this season and the curry leaf tree has been with us for years. A cutting from and Indian nurse friend. Its small but MORE than sufficient for us to be sustainable with leaves.

THE POTS DOWN THE SIDE

to be fair, we have been very slack in arranging any order with the pots. We had planned on having order and method.. mostly its whatever grows. lol. A number of the pots only have things in because wind blew seeds.

We have Mint, oregano, thyme, chives, thai basil, sorrel, parsley coriander, sage, more chili, cucamelon a random cucumber, Kaffir Lime tree, onions, flowers, more more sage, nearly dead strawberries, celery, random seeds and right in the front of the shot you can see a marigold and more chives and spring onion.

These pots are supposed to be different to what are in the main beds down the back... but we have suffered from a lack or order and method this year. My hand injury has put us back as i am the main gardener other than the labour stuff that mr man muscles does.

Say hi to the Chickens on your way past this section of the garden... Flora, Cookie then Raven

THE CITRUS GROVE - lol

Well those that follow will know we have suffered a lot with citrus leaf miner. I think i have stopped the main blitzing attack... and hopefully it will settle down over winter. I can then prue as normal in late winter early spring... and then keep on top of the problem. I might look into traps too.

as you can see all the trees are very small at the moment. Hopefully they grow fast... lol... we spend too much money on lemon and lime

HEre you can see damage from the miners

DOWN THE BACK GARDENS

So earlier last year, we put these big garden beds down the back that my husband made. they have not worked as expected, not because if design, but because of planning. we have not used them as best as we could. In winter it all started well with the snow peas. But as summer came around we planted and the rewards have not been great. I need to rip out the not su useful plants and start again.

as expected, the beds have sunk considerably and we need to top them up. I have neglected the compost bin, as i can't use the big spade with my hand to turn over the soil. I rely on my very very busy husband to do this job.. and wel.. the compost is less than expected. i was hoping to fill up the beds with the left over compost. We still have a couple of months of warm weather so if we get back in that we may be ok.

Down here we have zucchini which was VERY prolific when first it went in and has bostly been a water hog since then. I DID however FREEZE all the excess and use it often in omlets that i make with the chicken eggs and all the herbs from the garden.

basil and tomatoes the cherry tomatoes have been a bit pathetic this season to be honest. i planted the wrong varieties perhaps. they were lovely, yellows cherry tomatoes, but less practical than other options. though the yellow pear ones were SUPER tasty if the bugs did not get them.

the front right garden ended up being things that we kinda had in the pots, mostly. which means we ARE 100% self sufficient in a couple of things, but wastes a big bed really. It will need some more planning.

the cucumbers that are there are either in feast or famine. as i can't get the balance really right.

THE BACK WASTLELAND

is still wasteland... we need to clear it out. But it is sooooo hot in summer doing this. I need to be inside in air con by about 10am so there is not full days work out here.

what a space you say??? it IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. However it is full of yukka roots the size of shopping carts, and covered in black plastic and a layer of very pretty white stones to boost... it needs lots of work.

we did try plant some things down in the back corner of it, however something ATE IT ALL, all the pumpkina d watermelon was gone gone gone.

CONCLUDING MESSAGES

Just another very busy week all in all. I will now sign off and start the next post .. lol... as its already late as well

talk later

happy gardening

Sarah

So for those of you that don't know this... .

We have been in this house for 6 years now and it is a concrete wastleland of concrete and grass with a pool. we decided that this needs to change and are creating a little urban farm in.

We had a very GREEN back garden but it was just yukka plants. AND they planted this big rooted trees right on top of retaining walls. They are huge and are pushing on the walls. They needed to come out. Roots and all down into the earth we had to go...

You can see here the view when we moved in.,... green... but not "pretty and productive.."
Certainly no biodiversity. Not good for bees. Just green yick.

WHAT ARE WE CREATING?

We are trying to create a little mini urban farm.

• Fruit and vegetables
• Chickens Worms and Mealworms
• flowers
• Bee haven and maybe bees
• biodiversity
• pesticide free where possible
• native plants as well. So not JUST food but also food for the insects that will live in the garden.

So i would love it if you would follow along

Anyway thanks so much for stopping along and reading my posts I am just loving my HIVE experience so far. Such a fun platform for sure.

For those that don't know my i'm currently focusing on Daily painting and somewhat amusing my self and my family with Acrylic pouring.. lol.. i wish i had a separate studio for that as it is so messy.

My other HIVE interests are:

• cooking
  sunset photography (i take photos of the sky every night)
  Art
  Graphic Design
  Gardening (just a smidgion)
  Ballet
  Sewing - I make Tutus and ballet costumes too...

Here are a couple of snaps of some of the stuff i do outside what you see up in the posts above.

LOVE AND LIGHT

BLINGIT