My Photo Blog

Bossom

2008-10-06T10:58:00.004+10:30

...Apple...Pear...Nashi...

Blooming Gazanias

2008-09-23T14:15:00.006+09:30

Gazania linearis

These cheery plants have just about weed status here but they brighten up the garden and grow easily without extra water. They are welcome volunteers in the garden.

The New Rooster

2008-06-22T18:11:00.004+09:30

A silent one...the best kind!

The latest Swap on Aussies Living Simply was for a home made item.
My collection of homemade cookies in calico bags went of to My Swap Buddy in South East Queensland and my package arrived soon after from Far North Queensland (up where our DD, PKT lives)

When I opened the huge box that it came in I found a beautiful handmade rooster weather vane made from recycled copper from an old hot water system. WOW
In the package was also some great homemade glycerin soap made from the by-product of biodiesel (vegi oil and lard) and lots of seeds for growing some unusual plants.

Doc put the rooster up on one of the new high posts on the main veg garden's new chook run...he'll be able to keep an eye on the girls there.

Thank you 'Swap Mate' for the gift.

Early Winter

2008-06-08T15:25:00.006+09:30

Roi de Carouby Snow Peas flowering in the rain.

Wicking Box Broccoli sprouting after picking 10 days ago!

Wicking Box Cauliflower budding up.

Wicking Tub Senposai and Parsley

Wicking Box Kale.

Brassicas and Silverbeet in Dog Pen Wicking Bed

Bed 10 Wicking Beds

Spiney Cheeked Honeyeater

2008-04-10T11:48:00.004+09:30

The latest visitor in the garden
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis

Fact Sheet here.

Worm Farm Ninja

2008-04-08T12:20:00.004+09:30

Guess who has decided the Worm Farm
is at a comfortable temperature!

Miner Dive

2008-04-05T18:10:00.005+10:30

The Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
feeds on nectar, fruits and insects
often caught in a mid air dive like this!

Potted Ninja

2008-03-25T13:18:00.003+10:30

I've been wondering what to plant in this pot!
I think it's best left empty...
...Ninja has claimed it!

Kale

2008-03-23T17:22:00.004+10:30

Kale - Brassica oleracea Acephala Group
From a collection called Morton's Mix
From Phoenix Seed in Tasmania
Growing strong through the recent record heatwave
in the Wicking Box Gardens
Go Here to see how they were made!

Red Back Spider

2008-03-22T11:41:00.006+10:30

This Red Back Spider is living on some pond weed.
I'll leave her there
But I'll have to remember her when I tidy the pond.

Fact Sheet Here

For Madame Benaut

2008-03-22T11:29:00.006+10:30

This is my Bay tree Lauris nobilis
Described as slow growing,
This one sure is but has never been shaped.
They can grow to 5-17 metres tall.
Just watch that you don't confuse it with
Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
which is toxic.

Some closer shots of the leaves for you!

Bay Leaves

2008-02-28T11:37:00.004+10:30

Bay Leaves
I'm being plagued with pantry moths at the moment.
So I've picked some leaves to put on the shelves.
They're supposed to keep the pesky moths away.
I'm hoping they will!

The Rhubarb Lives

2008-02-25T18:52:00.002+10:30

This is one of the Rhubarb plants
that was saved earlier this year.
They have both grown well
since having the shadecloth cover over them.

Sunrise

2008-02-24T09:05:00.003+10:30

Yesterday's sunrise.
Taken on an early morning trip
to 'The Big Smoke'

Harvest Basket 08

2008-02-22T12:41:00.003+10:30

After 9 long, hot, dry weeks it's finally raining up here!

After the long, dry summer
I didn't think I'd have much of an entry
in the "Harvest Basket" competition
at Garden Club this year
but when I went out to scrounge in the garden I managed the entry in above...
This was last years.

A lot of room was taken up with a pumpkin
grown on the wicking bed
but I found Silverbeet, NZ Spinach, Basil, Bronze Fennel,
Chives, Parsely, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber, Zucchini,
Capsicum and Chillis, Eggplants, Red Onions,
Grapes, 2 kinds of Plums, 2 kinds of Apples,
2 kinds of Almonds
and of course some eggs from the girls.

...I won first place again.

Almonds by the Bucket

2008-02-20T10:45:00.005+10:30

Bucket loads of Almonds off the ground!
The birds knock them down.

We have to be quick though.

Lucky Dog loves to crunch them up!

Other photos of my Almond trees include:
The Blossoms
Bees in the Blossom
Galahs in the Almond Tree

What's all this for??

2008-02-19T19:35:00.002+10:30

Clay pots, sealer, and coins???
Go here to find out

Elderberry Flowers

2008-02-18T11:29:00.002+10:30

Despite the heat the Elderberry is still flowering!

Tiny Moth

2008-02-09T15:19:00.000+10:30

Since replacing the dark 70% shadecloth
with the lighter 50%,
there has been an increase in insect activity in the garden
This tiny moth was a visitor today!

Meet Bindi

2008-02-08T12:07:00.001+10:30

Our Daughter's new 'Baby'
Soooo Cute!

Some more photos here

Beetle

2008-02-07T18:26:00.000+10:30

Another visitor
this time a beetle!

Spider On Guard

2008-02-06T13:14:00.000+10:30

Remember this Bird Dropping Spider?
Back here in Dec
She's still in the pear tree guarding her egg sacks.
There are three for her to watch now!

Goldfish Family

2008-02-03T12:26:00.000+10:30

Our little Goldfish Family is growing quickly

No wonder they're always looking for food!

I'm Back!!
See catch-up photos on my Garden Blog here

Potter Wasp

2008-01-29T18:48:00.001+10:30

Australian Hornet
Abispa ephippium
Another Garden Good Guy
but I don't find these very friendly!
But they prey only on caterpillars.
From this site:
Potter Wasp, common name
for a group of caterpillar-hunting wasps
known for the pot-shaped mud nests built by some species.
Potter wasps are also known as mason wasps.
The potter wasp larva consumes from 1 to 12 caterpillars as it grows.

Blackberries

2008-01-28T12:28:00.001+10:30

Thornless Blackberries
Just starting to ripen!