Liliums

I have been growing lilies for the past couple of years now, and have developed a real love for them.

This year I have planted a few more varieties, to try to extend the flowering season.

I have Oriental, Asiatic, Trumpet, La Hybrid varieties.

I have some that have multiplied in the ground from last year and some new bulbs. I purchased a lot of bulbs from Garden Express, for a bargain price this year.

These are some bulbs just poking through, getting ready for a magical display over summer.

Rococo Tulip

This is my first year growing Rococo Tulip, I am so in love with its unusual beauty.

The outer leaves are ruffled and embellished with shades of blue, green and yellow.

Apple Trees Waking Up From Winter

Today I discovered the first true blooms from my apple trees.

These trees are about 3 years old now, so I am hoping for some apples this year. I have been saving apple recipes for a couple of years now, in the anticipation of an abundant apple crop.

I Have Pink Lady and Granny Smith Varieties.

From Little Things Big Things Grow

It has been about a month since I planted seeds all day

The tomatoes are starting to grow

Parsley is looking good (I have flat and curly leaf varieties)

The Chives are doing the best

It will be interesting finding somewhere to plant them all!!!

I am not having much success with chilli, basil and peppermint, I think it maybe getting too hot in the 

green house.

My cabbages are almost ready for harvest now. One has bolted (the chooks enjoyed it) and a few have been chomped by caterpillars, but overall they have exceeded expectations.

The carrot and onions are really growing rapidly now that temperatures during the day have averaged above 15 degrees and we have had a little rain.

Garlic i planted last weekend is already shooting through the soil surface.

The snow peas are doing well, although not many make it to the kitchen because i have been snacking on them in the backyard.

I have 4 days off now, so i am planning my Spring/Summer garden.

Marvellous Miracles

It's always amazed me how such small insignificant and really large significant things can really change your perspective.

A tiny seed can produce dozens of delicious plump tomatoes, or a shrivelled ugly bulb can produce such a beautiful bloom.

There is so much stress, and negativity in the world today. The pressure is rising and many don't really know how to cope.

I believe there is something out there for all of us!!!
We should all focus on what makes us happy!!!

I always wonder what it was like when times were more simple. Did people take the time to really appreciate what they had? now it feels like a rat race, running from here to there, never taking the time to smell the roses as they say.

We all have ups and downs. Truly stepping back at taking a look my life I have an amazing husband, beautiful children, a fantastic job that challenges me every day, and I have found my true passion in the garden.

Please try to do something positive for yourself and someone else today. I challenge you.

let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners who
make our souls blossom

Marcel Proust (1871-1922)
French writer and essayist

Flynn Floriade

Over the last few weekends I have really been enjoying the warmer weather. Its 18 degrees here today! All of the bulbs I have lovingly planted are rewarding me with their spectacular displays.

I have been practicing my garden photography, and playing with photo apps ...

This is my favourite shot ...

A few more ...

Next weekend I am planning to visit Tulip Top Gardens near Canberra.

I am looking for some inspiration for next years garden.

Fruit Forest

I really wanted to achieve an abundant variety of fruit in my backyard. I have established a fruit forest in the area of my yard where the chooks live. The idea of doing this is to produce shade for my girls over summer, to get free fertiliser from the chooks and to make the most of available space.

So far in my fruit forest I have:

Granny Smith Apple
Pink Lady Apple ( these varieties cross pollinate)
Myer Lemons (2 growing in pots)

Mandarin (imperial)

Lime
Fejoa ( I have 3 of theses growing in the sub canopy layer)

Fig ( black genoa)
Nectarine
Peaches ( black boy and a freestone variety, also a peacharine cross variety)
Plums ( blood and orange fleshed varieties that cross pollinate)
Finger lime ( this was a lucky dip unnamed variety I purchased cheaply from (magnet mart)
Goji berries ( 2 of these)
Raspberries
Thornless Blackberries
Kiwi berries ( something new to try from the holt nursery)

Most of these varieties are dwarf stock, the only full sized trees are the apples, peach and fig. I plan to keep these pruned to a very manageable size. I heard a saying somewhere " you never see a ladder in a peach orchard".

I have planted all of the above over the last 12 months, I would expect to have an abundant supply of fruit throughout most of the year in about 2-4 years. I am not really a very patient person, however I am really looking forward to it !!!

New Friends

Anyone that knows me, knows I love to have a chat!!!

On Saturday I was shopping at my local supermarket when I meet Helen and Fred, an elderly couple who have been gardening their entire lives. Fred's nick name for Helen is "green fingers" Helen told me about the tomatoes and garlic varieties that their families had been growing for 100's of years.

I heard story's of how Huge and tasty these varieties were. My eyes grew wide with enthusiasm and asked if they would be interested in a trade, some fresh eggs for some tomato seeds and garlic bulbs.

Helen and Fred were delighted and invited me to their home. I had a wonderful afternoon, exploring their amazing garden and learning so much about their gardening and life experiences.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Helen and Fred for inviting me into their home and sharing with me. I plan to stay in regular contact with them and share our gardens bountys.

The Classy Way To Compost

I recently bought a worm café from Tumbleweed  to add another way I can reduce, reuse and recycle in my backyard.

 

 

 

I found the set up tutorial on YouTube to be very helpful, as I am not really good with instructions.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mL7hbNjZw8

 

 

I really liked the package advertising (The Classy Way to Compost). I'm not sure what's classy about slimy worms eating scraps?

 

 

I am hoping that I can also save money on liquid fertiliser by using my homemade worm tea.

  

Spring has Sprung

I had the most glorious time in the backyard over the weekend, taking pictures to share with you.

These are some of my Tulips

Camellias

Peach Blossoms

Daffodils

Plum Flowers

The Girls

Pretty Flowers

Hebe, Wattle and Grevillia

Snow Peas

Heirloom Tomato Crazy

Last Friday I spent the day planting heirloom tomato seeds I purchased at the Holt Nursery.

I have Planted all Roma varieties, as I want to make relish and sauce. I have imagined opening the pantry filled with home made preserves every time I go shopping. This is the first step.

I suppose I probably planted 30-40 pots (I'm probably crazy) I have loads of friends with veggie gardens, I'm sure will appreciate a gifted tomato plant.

The Plan is to have tomatoes growing the full length of the back fence. I'm hoping that the tomatoes will do well from the heat off the colour bond.

I also planted pots of chill, Basil, Parsley and Mint. I would like to use some of these to give as gifts to the kids teachers and some of my friends for Christmas.

 

I purchased this little green house form Bunning for about $45. I really did fit a lot in.

 

I plan to experiment, if I do well I would like to invest in a walk in one.

Roast lamb and crust less quiches

This week my husband is working nights, being the good wife I am, I came home from work early and started cooking his favourite meal for when he gets home.
A Lamb roast, potato bake (as roast potato is never really that nice reheated), roast pumpkin, with a side of peas, beans and carrots.

Growing up on a farm, raising fat lambs, eating roast lamb was often a Sunday ritual in our house. Now as I am older and raising my own family, we often enjoy a roast on a Monday (partly because it's a dish my husband cooks well, I don't often get home from work till late). Left over roast lamb is great on sandwiches and amazing on pizzas (especially with roast pumpkin and rocket).

I still carry on the tradition of pancakes Sunday morning. My mother makes the most amazing pancakes, I could never manage to get her recipe right (I am sure she is keeping the exact recipe a secret) but I have found another great recipe that our family enjoys way too much!

I am also making some yummy individual crust less quiches for lunches this week. These quiches are a great way of using up all of the odds and ends in the fridge. I am always finding myself drawn to the vegetable patch to pick fresh produce to add. The star of the dish has to be the fresh eggs from my girls.

Today's version  

leg ham cut fresh from the bone
Spinach leaves fresh from the garden
spring onions fresh from the garden
roasted capsicum
roasted pumpkin
mushrooms (my husband often comes home with lovely mushrooms from the markets
6 eggs
1/2 cup thick cream
1/2 cup grated cheese
freshly grated pepper

I just mix all of the ingredients together and bake on 180 until set (usually about 20 minutes)

This time of year is what is often referred to as the "Hungry Patch" (a time when not much is growing in the garden) I can usually muster up at least a couple of goodies from the garden).  Next years plan is to have an abundant supply of preserved produce to see us through the winter season.

last summer I remember giving baskets full of  fresh produce to everyone and anyone. I am currently looking into classes to learn about preserving my harvest and ways to freeze and store, to see me through next years hungry patch. I so detest buying produce form big corporate chains, when I can grow the freshest seasonal produce in my own backyard.

Rain in Flynn

The thunder rumbled,
The lightning lit up the sky.

The chickens are safe in their coop tonight,
I bet their glad they are warm and dry.

The heavens have opened,
watering the food forest in Flynn.

Giving the gift of liquid nutrients,
to the spring bulbs about to begin.

Too busy enjoying the rain I forgot,
the washing is on the line.

too late now curled up on the couch,
reading a gardening book and enjoying an amazing bottle of wine.

RIP My Girls

We had a bad night, 2 of my chickens were attacked by something last night. I woke to find only 4 of my girls greeting me at the gate. After further investigation I found 2 had been killed. I can only assume it was a fox or maybe a cat.

Our yard is very secure, however I don't lock the girls in at night. I like to let them free range as much as possible by leaving the door of their coop open for them to come and go as they please. I have had chickens for about 3 years now and never had a problem.

I will have to make some adjustments to make sure they are much safer.

A gift for my best friend

These are the first of my bulb flowers for the year. I took them over to my friend last night, because I was thinking of her xoxo.

Nosy Neighbour

Do you have a nosy neighbour?

I have one of those, that thinks my business is her business. It's often difficult to have any sort of privacy in the backyard.

Now that our garden is evolving we like to socialise out the back (having the neighbour adding to our conversation is really not part of the plan).

You can purchase fence extenders etc but I think they are quite unsightly.  At the end of last summer I purchased these pittosporum to form a hedge. Hopefully by the end of next summer we will have a little more privacy.

From what I know about pittosporum, they like full sun and to be well watered. I have been tip pruning regularly to keep them bushy and giving them an occasional treat of liquid fertiliser.

At the base of the hedge I have planted mass, white carpet roses. I had a magical display last year.

I purchased the pittosporum from Willow Park Nursery at Pialligo. I do quite a bit of shopping around. I wanted to get the biggest plants for the lowest price.

I will post some more pictures later on.....

Secrets to the success of snow peas

Growing snow peas is a joy everyone should experience as they are one of the easiest crops to grow, particularly in Canberra, even in a partially shaded position.

A week before sowing my seeds I prepare the soil with well rotted manure and a sprinkle of lime.

This year I have massed planted my snow peas, mostly because not many of them end up in the kitchen as they are enjoyed by family and visitors straight from the garden ( I can tell you there isn't much better in life).

I have tried something a little different this year mixing my snow pea seed with sweet pea seeds for a spectacular visual effect.

Snow peas need support while growing, my husband found some heavy duty plastic netting in the skip bin at work, so we use this as a trellis. It's all part of my plan to recycle in the garden.

Here are some that I planted a few months ago.

I will post again once they are more mature and we can see if my plan of growing sweet peas and snow peas produce the visual effect I was hoping to achieve.

Growing carrots all year round

Many of people I speak to have issues growing carrots.

My secrets is preparing the bed 3/4 compost and 1/4 sand. Mixing the seed with prepared soil in your hand for a more even distribution . Liquid fertiliser once a fortnight, I like to use seasol. Recently I purchased a powdered form of seasol from Bunnings ( it has proven it self to be very cost effective). Once the seedling have established, I thin them out to allow room for growth.

I plant a new row of carrots every 3-4 weeks, we use carrots regularly. For the past year I have produced carrots all year round.

These are some of the carrots I planted a few months ago. I tried to maximise space by planting spinach around the perimeter of the planter box.
I will post some pictures of these carrots at harvest time.

Baking Bread

2 weeks ago I purchased my new bread maker from The Good Guys in Belconnen.

I had previously experimented with an old second hand machine, however I did not have great success. I found packing lunches everyday, we were consuming a loaf a day.  Now I am baking everyday, programming my machine every evening to bake at 3am. Oh my gosh words cannot describe the Devine smell of waking up to fresh bread!!

I am using bread flower I purchased from the health food shop at Belconnen Markets.

I am so proud to say it is Australian made and owned !!!

I have been experimenting with different recipes from the instruction. Manual and have produced the best results with the crusty bread.