New Year

Like many of you out there I had my mind blown recently by Avatar. I was so smitten with the lush jungle, strange plants and creatures, and I vowed to do more in my garden in 2010.
Obviously we haven't got the tropical climate of Avatar down here in Melbourne, nor do I have bio-luminescence, but my resolution for this year is to live more sustainably, grow more food, generate less waste and make the things that I have last a really long time.

The excesses of Xmas are starting to get to me more and more, the overflowing recycle bin, the endless plates of food, the consumer push right up to Xmas Eve. I can't do leftovers while I'm pregnant, so imagine my horror when Mum drove over from Adelaide with the contents of her fridge. EEEWWWW! I had avoided a jam-packed fridge by not hosting festivities for this year, but still I found myself throwing food away thanks to Mum's haul.

I do have a compost bin which is benefiting from this period, and I have been lucky enough to spread some around the garden in the last few days. All that New Years' rain and steamy weather has been great for new seedlings and cropping plants, here's a view of my Roma tomatoes, going gangbusters, although a few got burnt in the crazy heat.


My recalcitrant and much maligned kangaroo paw has surprised me by flowering. I love the velvety texture and the bright green inside once they open up. Keep on keeping on Mr Roo Paw!


I used to think that potted annuals were a waste of money; you buy them for a few bucks, throw away the pot, and they only last for a season. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they are so darn cheerful, and there is a great seasonal variety. Plus I can recycle the pots at hard rubbish time, or take them to Ilma Lever garden down the road from me.


I always let some of my carrots go to seed, I love the umbels of tiny flowers. I've also been told that this shape of flower attracts beneficial insects to your garden.

This week also saw my first lawnmower purchase, an electric one thanks very much. I have been using a borrowed push-mower, which is rather arduous and impractical when you mow as infrequently as I do. My belly is getting in the way and it's just too hard, hence the electric. So now I am looking like a model homeowner, with lawn and vegie garden, this week I also planted beans, cucumbers (hope it's not too late), chamomile, a bay tree, lettuce, oregano, dietes and potted a few things on.

I'm giving up on strawbs and am hoping to get a few more blueberries in, we have had the tastiest crop this Xmas, my blueberry bush even has a resident praying mantis. Have spied some magnificent wolf spiders, slugs that are a bit too large, and a gorgeous gecko in my compost bin.

I do let my garden go a bit feral, and then it all seems a bit hard, but this year I hope to stay with it. We'll see what time I can muster once the Little Miss is here, hopefully she'll be a nature boy like her big brother. He has a new worm farm, more on his antics tomorrow.

Listening to: Curtis Mayfield - So in Love

PS: I have really missed you bloggers over this period, I'm still checking on you in my Google reader, but something felt absent, then I realised that it was me who was quiet!