Aussie here I come! I’m off tomorrow to visit friends and family in Melbourne and I’m excited. And it just so happens that I’m having a one on one session with a fantastic photographer – Leanne Cole while I’m there too! How good is that!
I was particularly bad last week and didn’t do a post. Shameful of me – go stand in the naughty corner Julie! Truth was, it was rotten weather and I couldn’t get outdoors to take any pics.
The good news is, that the weather this weekend has been gorgeous, so we were outside pruning those olive trees. Time to open up the middle to let in the light, remove any crossed branches and generally give them a much needed haircut. We have done about 9 trees, which means we have about another 40 to go ..
It was time finally to say ‘goodbye’ to those fiery chilli plants, so habanero, cayenne and a Thai fire all were removed along with their summer neighbours. This bed was quickly replenished with composted horse poo and coffee grounds before more wonderful home-grown garlic was stuffed into the dirt. Bring it on!
As I’m tapping away on the laptop, I have a seriously wicked chilli concoction boiling away on the stove which I’m going to bottle very shortly .. one of those sauces that is not for the faint hearted!
It may have been a tad damp last weekend, but we still managed to wheel out our Briggs and Stratton chipper to mulch a rather large pile of fruit tree trimmings, corn & sunflower stalks. As I had dug out a massive old lavender bush from a raised bed (sorry bees), this needed chipping too. This is always a big job and often leads to the workers (hubby and I) having a few words on ‘how best to do things’ – know what I mean? Worth it though, and at last I have finally tucked in the garlic with some rather sweet smelling mulch!
Our new rooster Colin and his pals have settled in nicely although they are still looking over their shoulder at meal times waiting for the imminent attack from one of the old girls. And mentioning those chickens, as it is wintertime they are having their annual spell from egg laying.
The garden is looking fab, it may be winter but we are still enjoying lots of fresh produce – you just can’t beat growing and eating your own vege and better still when it is organic!
Thought I’d post a couple of pics taken over Queen’s birthday weekend at Karioitahi beach. Nice!
Happy gardening ..
Gorgeous photos as always Julie! What will they be like after a photography course!!! I have to tuck my garlic into bed soon…..got till next week haven’t I?? Talk about cutting it fine 🙂
Thanks Miss! Lol ..
Looks just beautiful. And that’s a whole lot of chillis!
Thank you .. They made a fierce sauce 🙂
Garlic in horse poo!!
Works a treat! Cow is better though. 🙂
Thanks Julie. Lovely pics and it sounds like you’ve been busy. You may come out of the naughty corner now. 🙂
Thanks Jim 🙂
beautiful photos. it’s great you are still harvesting now it is winter. i have silverbeet and that is it! i a not very good at gettign organised for winter gardening – but then, it is so cold and dark, there is little appeal.
and i love that your new rooster’s name is “colin”. fabulous.
Hey .. I like the name Colin too. He reminds me of a gangly kid. Glad you like the photos. Big thanks 🙂
That sounds absolutely great, Julie, and I wish you a good time. I’m also a lover of chilli, my favourite recipe being Marmellata di Pepperoncini which goes well with cheese…just remember to wear gloves and even then…I’m looking forward to more pics, don’t forget to include Colin 🙂
Hey Annette … so nice to hear from you. Yes I will take some pics of Colin. He is like a kid .. makes me laugh with his nutty antics. That recipe sounds yum, might Google it I think, The sauce I made is very very hot. Take care Miss 🙂
You have such gorgeous chillies, and is that top photograph of a tomato bush? Beautiful photographs, the beach and skydiver and stunning as well as your plant pics 😀
Hi .. yes those chilies are divine. The pic with the house in the background is a cleome (I can’t believe it is flowering) and the shot under the headline is a nasturtium. Thanks so much for dropping by. Pleased that you like the pics 🙂
Very lovely images – the colours and light are so beautiful, I love it! 🙂
Thanks so much Josephine, that means a lot you saying that 🙂
Stunning photos in your gentle light Julie, enjoy Australia 🙂
Oh thank you so much Jane .. and yes I’m enjoying Australia and my very special friends. 🙂
Fabulous!
Thank you 🙂
Julie, great roundup post and great photos to match. Have a wonderful trip, and I can’t wait to find out how things go with Leanne.
Alao, I found a nice new compost thingy at my new house, so I’d love to get your advice on how to use it. Since it’s late in the season here to start a garden, I’ve reduced my crop to some simple herbs, green beans, and a cherry tomato plant. Lots of roses though, but I don’t knkw how to care for them either.
Very happy to help if I can. Your vege garden sounds just fine, I’m sure you could pop in some salad vege too. I feed my roses seaweed fertiliser which I use as a foliar spray. But it is so humid in Auckland they cop all the nasty fungal diseases. Make sure they are well watered, give them some compost and mulching is always great. 🙂
Whoops Shane, forgot to mention my catch up with Leanne. It was fabulous. She is a great girl .. Loved the lesson. I bet she was pleased when it was over – I’m a real novice! 🙂
That chilli looks spicy! Awesome photos, Julie. That sunset looked particularly gorgeous 🙂
Thank you .. sauce is hot hot! Glad you like the pics 🙂
I always enjoy your gorgeous garden photos Julie… and well all that you share.
I hope you’ve had the very best time in Melbourne 🙂
Thanks Robyn .. I have had the best time. And a one on one with Leanne Cole. What a great experience that was! Heading home tomorrow 🙂
Oh I love that sunset post! I’d love to grow my own garlic, but have never planted any. At the moment we’re growing lots of salad greens, Asian greens, spinach, tomatoes, & carrots. We’ve fresh seeds coming in the mail so I can’t wait to get them into the ground – among them is popcorn!
Hope you have a good trip to Melbourne!
Sarah x
Thanks Sarah, I had a great time. You have lots growing .. And popcorn wow! Grow some garlic .. Home grown is the best! 🙂
Love the 2nd to last photo! That’s cool you had a session with Leanne…I follow her blog also. Another coincidence…I’ve been trying to find a warm place this summer to house sit for a couple of weeks and there’s one in Melbourne over Christmas. I looked at the typical December weather and it said 35 c. I’ll need to run it by my husband.
Hey Sherry .. thank you! The session with Leanne was amazing. So nice to meet her in person, great girl. Melbourne in summer would be perfect. It can get really hot though. I lived there for years … highly recommend it! 🙂
Thanks!