For all those that enjoy my blog – whoops! I missed another week, sorry .. But you will be pleased to know, I’m back with news and a couple of pics 🙂
We have finally had some much needed rain – yay! The place greens up instantly (ok slight exaggeration).
Do you have days where you don’t stop? Yesterday I started my day at the gym, which given I had a break for 10 years is hysterical. I’m enjoying punishing myself again though, or at least endeavouring to be fit. And then I attacked my ‘to do’ list with a vengeance!
I hauled out the majority of plants from my salad bed. The cucumber got yanked out still swathed in white cucs the majority of which are unbelievably bitter (the worms will love ‘em). Out came the parsley which was going to seed, tired looking calendulas and I gave the oregano a life threatening prune! I stood back incredibly proud of myself wiping my hands on my pants as I do – gloves on? I don’t think so! You can’t beat dirt under those nails and a foot on the broad fork. Even though I prefer the ‘no dig method’ of gardening, the soil in this bed was compacted and needed loosening and aeration. So I jumped on the broad fork and gave that bed a helping hand.
Into this space went some compost, coffee grounds and rok solid – I’m devoid of wood ash, but it won’t be long before I have a good supply of that! My salad bed is now home to fennel and celery, both of which I have planted in rows, something I prefer not to do. As most plants don’t much enjoy the company of fennel … I opted to plant it in a corner of the bed.
Next door I poked some Utah celery, I hope the fennel won’t stunt it’s growth! More lettuces the ‘little gem’ variety got poked in near their good buddies ‘beetroot’ which are already growing nicely. I also planted a variety of herbs think, parsley, thyme, coriander (the latter bolts madly in summer) and garlic chives.
Do you like surprises? I decided that a bed in the backyard which doesn’t get a lot of sunlight but always provides us with spuds, would get a much needed break. So after locating a bag of blue lupins, I then grabbed the rake and starting clearing the garden. Much to my surprise I unearthed spuds that we had missed including pink fur which is a wonderful tasty potato. Brilliant, I’m still patting myself on the back and loving the fish and chips we enjoyed last night.
Another brag shot!
I have sowed more carrot seed into a prepared space again. I know I’m nuts it’s probably too late to do this – but gardening is all about experimenting isn’t it?
Peas – called Peasy (?) have finally been stuffed into the base of the trellis amongst mounds of home made compost. I laid netting over this area as I know that the black birds will be very interested in the new supply of worms!
And speaking of those, my worm farm is now operational! Wonderful. Do you have one? I’m so enjoying feeding these slimeys each and every day with a variety of food scraps and interesting things like, cat fur, egg shells, lint from the clothes dryer … don’t worms have interesting appetites?
To finish, you may be wondering about my hot compost that I started a few weeks back – not a complete disaster, but I shan’t be winning any awards on this one! Time for another turn perhaps …
Who loves lavender?
I have no idea what the moth is but it was enjoying itself in the afternoon sun
A wool carder bee – alive and well in our garden!
Happy gardening!
We love lavender and Laurie makes delicious lavender cookies. Fantastic photos, and amazing harvest. I spent a good part of the day digging out the irrigation ditches after the gophers filled them with dirt. Between our high altitude, arid climate, cold nights and the gophers, we have a heck of a time growing food crops.
Hey Tim .. I love lavender too. Wow, those lavender cookies sound amazing! I have a friend who grows lavender commercially and makes the most amazing oil and soaps. Lucky me .. Gophers! Oh my, I can’t imagine what they would do! Nature always chucks things at as doesn’t it .. or should I say – fills in ditches! 😀
What a wonderful garden post Julie. Your place is a lot greener than ours, but then you live in a greener part of the world! I might move over there. Fancy missing those spuds- but a very welcome surprise. The bee and lavender shots are stunning Miss J. Like you, I like dirt under my nails, I need to feel the soil and ease the baby seedlings in- impossible with gloves on. And I also wipe my hands on my clothes. Great minds think alike. No seaside shot this week? Sob.
Hello Francesca .. love it when you pop in! And so glad you like the garden post. Good 🙂 Come on, move over here .. I would love it! Yep we both missed those spuds, you should have seen me sitting in the dirt hauling them out. And wiping my hands on my pants! LOL .. As it happens, I have dirt under my nails right now too. Oh dear! I can’t do much with gloves on, so I don’t bother – hence my hands look like a blokes! Great minds always think alike. Seaside shot for you next week lovely!
I shouldn’t think you would need the gym with the workout your garden must give. I like to see what you are doing as a prompt for what I should be doing too in my garden.
LOL .. you are probably right about the gym. But I love the discipline of going. Oh my, do you really follow me in my garden endeavours? That’s brilliant! Thank you .. careful though, I do drop the ball often 😀
Wow! You didn’t need to go the gym! Wonderful garden and photos. I love the detail in the bee’s wings in that last photo…beautiful!
Hey Miss .. the gym is punishment! LOL Trying to keep myself on my toes. ha ha .. Glad you like the pics and the garden. I rather like it myself. And yes, that bumble bees wings are rather special aren’t they? Thank you !
I do, I do. Lavender is my favorite fragrance. I don’t garden but I really like your descriptions of it. 🙂 Great post Julie. Take care. -Max-
Good Max! Lavender is just divine. The bees and insects love it .. and it seems to need little if any TLC. Oh you don’t garden Max? Really .. go on I dare you! 😀
Oh I love lavender – its one of my favourites!
Everything is looking wonderful and you have been busy Jules..
Should I put my coffee ground and ash from the fire in the garden bed? At the moment they get hoicked out into the paddock.
Love those bees and the butterfly in flight. Well, love it all really 😃😃
Hey Miss Robyn .. me too, one of my favs. I use it to clean out chook towers, hence the place smells divine! LOL .. Yes, you can use those coffee grounds in your garden. Wonderful slow release nitrogen fert – even if slightly acidic, the slugs don’t much like the stuff either, but the worms love it. Go for it! And wood ash – also super stuff. Years ago, they used to use it to change the pH of the soil prior to the use of lime (am I boring you?). Ha ha .. stop hoicking both out in the paddock! LOL I loved reading that. Oh I’m so pleased you like those pics … I just wish I could spend a wee bit longer processing them. Everything I do is in a hurry!!! Hugs
Lol… Ok, so coffee grounds are nitrogen fert!
I have to put exactly that on my citrus – would coffee grounds work on citrus? 😜
I’m sure they would 😜 .. Easy on though 😜
Ok thanks heaps Mrs Garden Guru 🐝😃
Ten years break from the gym…. love it! Time to blitz the lounge and haul out the wii fit….
I know, 10 year break -done and dusted! I’m still giggling about it.
Awesome photography….
And, I am very sad that the Kiwis did not win The World Cup…
Thanks Rajiv … I’m disappointed about the cricket too! Nice to be in the final though 😊
beautiful and so much variety 🙂
Joshi .. thank you so much for your wonderful comment. It means a great deal indeed!
Amazing pictures Julie! I love lavender, great captures with the moth and the bee on it! Have a nice week ahead! 🙂
Hey Josephine .. oh I’m so pleased you like the pics. Yay! I love lavender too .. as do all the insect visitors we have in the garden – the bees especially. All the best for your week ahead .. 😀
More great photos that make me think I should get out in my garden. Glad I don’t have to subsist on a worm’s diet!
I’m stealing chicken food now to feed the worms and more! Plus they adore coffee grounds and I have plenty of those. Imagine living on a worm’s diet. No thanks! I’m pleased you enjoyed the pics Anne – and yes, time to get out in that garden!
What a beautiful big bee! I’d love to find a bee that big out on our lavender and get my macro lens out…
So much happening in your garden as usual…aren’t those productive days where everything flows well great? I wonder why I can’t have them more often.
I put more seeds into pots today…my winter veg nursery is up and running! It’s all composting, mulching, watering and planting here!
Happy week,
Sarah x
Your pictures are worth the price of admission Julie. Just fantastic! And your worms are thriving! Aren’t they the best? All that great produce. Nice job!
I have to tell you Dan … it is because of you that I now have a worm farm! True story. I have ummed and ahhed for years and never done a thing about it. But reading your blog inspired me. So thank you! And my worms thank you too. I’m so pleased you like the pics, I’m loving your coup pics too! LOL Take care and thanks for stopping by!
That makes me feel like a vermapostle Julie! I’m really glad you took the plunge!
Oh, that’s a lovely post! I keep forgetting you’re going into fall as I’m going into spring. It’s so lush and beautiful in your garden. I love that shot of looking down the small bank, past the flowers and into the green trees. Brilliant. Nice worms too. The other day I lifted the lid of one of the compost bins and there were dozens of new worms twisting around each other just under the lid and around the edges. Guess they must be having a nice time. Oh, aren’t they fabulous for the garden? The house next door will be torn down for a new 2 million $ duplex, (Vancouver is such a rapidly growing city it’s scary), but in the meantime, I’ve lifted practically everything I can from the garden and, including a pile of grass clippings for the compost, so am looking forward to spreading the compost into the veggie and flowers beds. You know what I did? I gathered a bunch of seeds last fall and put them into a little envelope and promptly forgot about them. I found them just now and have no idea what they are…lol. So I potted them up and we’ll all just have to find out eventually…lol. Oh, also, I got a small envelope of indigo seeds, (you’ve probably seen), so my Vancouver garden is going to be a bit strange this year, with tons of garlic, indigo, and who knows what those seeds are plants. Should be fun. And lavender! Love it to pieces. Have you ever made lavender wands? (tutorial on my blog) I lost three rosemary plants over winter. No idea why, there really wasn’t much winter to speak of, but there you are, three key structural elements in the herb border right up against the sunny wall of my garage. The thing is that these plants were shading the roots of three clematis and some roses. So I’ve decided to replace them with lavender plants. Maybe a whole row of big, lush lavender plants. Stuff the rest of the herbs. Can never have enough lavender. 😀
Hello – you’ve funny! So pleased you enjoyed the post. I do that all the time with seeds – save them and then for some daft reason I don’t label the envelope. Do you think I can remember what they are? LOL No I have never made lavender wands – but I shall check this out on your blog. I love lavender too .. so fragrant and pretty, perfect to put in my chicken nests – the mites don’t like it at all! 😀 Keep up the good work in your garden V.
Another great post , your garden looks beautiful . I have a tiny garden with some herbs and my treasured Meyer Lemon tree. My worm hotel produces some great worm juice that makes my plants thrive . About every six weeks I have a tray of worm castings that I put in my garden.
Thank you! I love my lemon tree too. But I think leaf rollers have been attacking the new growth. Don’t plants just love worm juice? I can’t wait to get my production line happening. Ah, every 6 weeks for the castings? Do you encourage them away so you can get those castings? I think I have much to learn. Thanks for stopping by!
I feed them weekly and keep them moist. When I feed them I add a couple of handfuls of compost and a little sprinkle of ashes on top. I cover the top box with a wet paper towel. I keep my boxes in a shady cool part of my garden,
Ah I have been feeding mine daily. They are situated in a bath tub out of the sun behind a shed. Ideal spot. It will be interesting when I want to get the castings. 😀
Love the spuds shots and the worms! And lavender- one of my very very favorites! I love visiting your spot of earth- so much going on no matter where you look!😃
Hey Miss .. I love the spuds and the worms too! How good is lavender? Bees favourite .. I’m so pleased you like visiting. So nice to know 😀
Such a beautiful world. Love lavender and the wonderful bees. My son has had a worm bin for years now and I am always so appreciative of the worm casings he passes along. That stuff is like ambrosia for the garden.
Thanks Debra .. how nice of your son to share those worm castings. It will be awhile before I get my hands on some, but it’s fun lifting the lid and checking on them daily. They are doing a splendid job in their new home! And yes, the garden loves their castings and juice! 😀
As usual you’re full of life and fun, Julie! Impossible to resist :). Love those lavender pics. I grow a white variety too which is ever so beautiful, called ‘Edelweiss’, flowers much longer than the purple ones. We’re into our spring rains but I hope it’ll dry up soon as there’s plenty to do outside. Happy Easter!
Hey Annette … hello! I couldn’t help myself the other day. There was so much activity in the lavender (including me LOL). I have had the white lavender before – it is just so very delicate. I don’t know what happened to it though. Enjoy your beautiful garden and a very Happy Easter to you too!
In case you missed it – I had a look for noisy balloons and found this clip!! https://timenexus.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/and-now-for-something-completely-different-roaring-hot-air-balloons-in-nz/
Wow, how noisy are they? I had no idea .. thanks for sending through the link!
Beautiful Pictures, I really like the insects you have got them really sharp. Also it looks like you had a nice harvest after the rains came down,
Thank you Ben! That means a great deal to me. 😃
It all looks so healthy and robust – even the earth worms.!
Great blog. Great photos. And, living the dream. I am in total admiration of your energy.
Oh .. Thank you! What a lovely thing to say! Yes, it is like living a dream 😀
another beautiful – and busy! – post. you’ve been so very busy in your garden, it’s wonderful to read what you’re up to as things quieten down in mine. and I love lavender, especially the really ‘bitter’ kind that’s sharp and really wakes you up.
I love the bee in the last photo. Almost cuddly! And of course they are all lovely photos and stories!!! 🙂 xxx
Thanks Gill 🙂
Love. love, love lavender! However, my wife has an allergic reaction to it — so it never comes in the house. This also means no soaps or fragrances of any kind that contain lavender as a note or ingredient. 🙁
Oh that’s a shame. A friend of mine grows it commercially so I get spoilt with her beautiful soap and essential oils. I love the stuff too -as do all the insect visitors to our garden. So good to know you dropped in!
I know. The majority of men’s fragrances contain a note of lavender in them and she picks it out every time; so it’s generally just bay rum or a citrus aftershave for me.
What a great update on your gardening exploits and enjoyed the accompanying photos – that is the cutest, rolly poly be I’ve ever seen. Must be a type not known here. I love lavender – can’t understand why people need manufactured perfume when this natural fragrance is heavenly!
Oh what is a rolly poly? So pleased you enjoyed the update and pics. I’m with you, lavender is just heavenly stuff. I have rather a large bush growing very happily in one of my raised beds! 😀
That’s what I get for spelling BEE wrong! Rolly poly was meant to be a description of its cute round shape. I envy you your lavender since it’s not really winter hardy where I live.
Somehow I missed this post. Haven’t seen anything from you popping in my Reader lately. I guess I’m just hit or miss sometimes so I decided to come looking for you. 🙂
Great photos. I especially enjoyed the one titled Another Brag Shot. Most deserving! Hope all is well with you. Later!
I have missed your visits! Glad you came looking. Blogs drop off my radar all the time. Damn! Glad you like the brag shot 😀
I’m always amazed and envious whenever I see your garden. I lived in Canberra once during water restrictions and my soil practically turned to concrete. 🙁
Oh dear …