yesterday my married daughter and her hubby came over and showed me their holiday pics of Vietnam. They gave me a present of a genuine Vietnamese lady’s gardening hat…

(photo taken in the mirror)

with my new hat to protect me from the sun, I added sheep poo to the tank bed and planted out my garlic. It already had perennial basil (basil mint?), tree onions, volunteer warrigal spinach and a volunteer leek. Added a sage cutting and a chilli.

that done I checked over the main vege bed. The silverbeet and broccoli look a bit worse for wear due to the chooks getting in a couple of times, but the silverbeet will grow new leaves and the broccoli is heading up nicely anyway.

also in that bed are parsley, fennel, Malabar Spinach, leeks…

… kale seedlings in their protective baskets (from the cabbage butterfly) and without, mini turnips emerging. Not yet emerged are broad beans and parsnips.

some Autumn flowers out the front – salvias

dwarf dahlias

an aster, I think it is called ‘Little Prince’. This is the best I have ever seen it :)

zygo cactus starting to flower, ornamental variegated chilli, one of them (you know what I mean but my brian fails me right now) – fuschia! that’s it!

my pepino seems to like its spot out the front, where it is safe from chook beaks and duck bills…

and finally, my last gardening job for today (I decided it was getting too warm and I was running out of puff), before and after photos of pruning the overgrown wormwood, and the resulting pile of prunings…

bluegreen said:

also in that bed are parsley, fennel, Malabar Spinach, leeks…

so those two climbing plants are malabar spinach? its new to me – taste good?

Beautiful Bluegreen!

The veges look great too :) You have been busy eh ?

nice journey thru the garden thanks BG.

plenty produce there and good timing. i’m a fan of salvias and both the pepino and wormwood have grown very large. looking good – you deserve a drink and a nap LOL.

pepe said:

so those two climbing plants are malabar spinach? its new to me – taste good?

Yes. Similar to spinach I suppose, although I tend to use it mixed with other veg than on its own as I haven’t been getting a lot of leaf. It is probably more suited to tropical/sub-tropical climates and dies back in winter here. My original plant died off but this came up as a volunteer seedling when I made the new bed and transferred the soil over from the one it was originally in. I am going to try and save some seed from this one and see if I can get more than one plant going next season.

Happy Potter said:

Beautiful Bluegreen!

The veges look great too :) You have been busy eh ?

thanks HP. I am pleased with how the veges have been going. Makes a lot of difference not having to rely on having energy after a day’s work, which I rarely had.

pepe said:

nice journey thru the garden thanks BG.

plenty produce there and good timing. i’m a fan of salvias and both the pepino and wormwood have grown very large. looking good – you deserve a drink and a nap LOL.

thanks pepe. Have had my cup of tea, but will try and hold off on the nap today as I tend to have trouble sleeping at night if I sleep in the afternoon.

Wow BG!! It’s all happening at your place ! Lovely lots of vegies and your dwarf dahlias are very pretty as are the rest of your flowers. I didn’t know Wormwood could grow that Big!!!

What a good idea using wire baskets for your seedlings too :)

orchid40 said:

Wow BG!! It’s all happening at your place ! Lovely lots of vegies and your dwarf dahlias are very pretty as are the rest of your flowers. I didn’t know Wormwood could grow that Big!!!

thanks o40 :)

the good think about wormwood is that you can cut it back quite hard as it will reshoot back in the old wood. Usually I find that there are new shoots coming up already from the centre. I will use the leaves and soft prunings as bedding in the chook pen as it is good for discouraging mites etc.

orchid40 said:

What a good idea using wire baskets for your seedlings too :)

I got them many years ago for $2 a piece and they have more than paid for themselves in protecting seedlings from the butterflies laying eggs and birds scratching them up. By the time the plants are getting too big for the baskets they are big enough to cope without. They go rusty eventually as I tend to leave them outside but do the job for many years, even if they are not the prettiest of things.

thanks for sharing the pics BG, good looking vegetables there. We have a climbing spinach here but it don’t look like yours.

Well done BlueGreen, and thanks for sharing…

Dinetta said:

Well done BlueGreen, and thanks for sharing…

thanks Dinetta :)

Just revisiting the photos: how’s the hat holding up? The photo you took looks charming… :)

Dinetta said:

Just revisiting the photos: how’s the hat holding up? The photo you took looks charming… :)

good :)

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Just revisiting the photos: how’s the hat holding up? The photo you took looks charming… :)

good :)

Do you have airconditioning at the top, or is it the material used that keeps the head cool under the hat?

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Just revisiting the photos: how’s the hat holding up? The photo you took looks charming… :)

good :)

Do you have airconditioning at the top, or is it the material used that keeps the head cool under the hat?

no airconditioning, but the cone shape leaves a space at the top of your head and it provides good shade. Apparently the locals when they get hot use it to scoop up water and pour it over their heads. And it is very light.

my big black tubs now situated against the north side of the house, where they can be easily watered and get full winter sun. The first one now has 2 polystyrene boxes broken up into it for drainage, covered with shade-cloth, then 4 bags of potting mix. I have sowed some dwarf sugar snap peas in it. Need to get some more potting mix for the rest! One tub at a time I think or I’ll go broke!

Nice big pots, BG. They do run away with the potting mix though. If I knew 4 years ago how much I’d need I would have bought a truckload.
You have been working hard haven’t you?

orchid40 said:

Nice big pots, BG. They do run away with the potting mix though. If I knew 4 years ago how much I’d need I would have bought a truckload.
You have been working hard haven’t you?

thanks o40. Gotta get the work done while I have the energy and while the weather if favourable. And it is satisfying :)

bluegreen said:

orchid40 said:

Nice big pots, BG. They do run away with the potting mix though. If I knew 4 years ago how much I’d need I would have bought a truckload.
You have been working hard haven’t you?

thanks o40. Gotta get the work done while I have the energy and while the weather if favourable. And it is satisfying :)

Yes it is satisfying, I agree. I have had a bludge today and ignored the weeds. They will be there when I get out next. I picked up my paint brushes and Woosh! Sunday’s nearly gone.

sleepers I have installed over the last few days. This will help define the garden vs backyard access.

bluegreen said:

sleepers I have installed over the last few days. This will help define the garden vs backyard access.

heavy weights those sleepers – well done.

pepe said:

bluegreen said:

sleepers I have installed over the last few days. This will help define the garden vs backyard access.

heavy weights those sleepers – well done.

thanks pepe. Having half buried them they should stay put, I hope :)

look what I made from plants in my backyard – bamboo, grave vine and Hardenbergia…

bluegreen said:

look what I made from plants in my backyard – bamboo, grave vine and Hardenbergia…

grave vine = grape vine. DOH!

bluegreen said:

bluegreen said:

look what I made from plants in my backyard – bamboo, grave vine and Hardenbergia…

grave vine = grape vine. DOH!

It doesn’t laugh? Takes life too seriously???

bluegreen said:

bluegreen said:

look what I made from plants in my backyard – bamboo, grave vine and Hardenbergia…

grave vine = grape vine. DOH!

It’s terrific BG, however spelt.
Well done :)

How ingenious of you BG, you are now the queen of recyclers! What are you going to grow up it?

orchid40 said:

How ingenious of you BG, you are now the queen of recyclers! What are you going to grow up it?

probably climbing peas :)

bluegreen said:

look what I made from plants in my backyard – bamboo, grave vine and Hardenbergia…

the vertical elements in a garden do give a lot of character, shelter and interest. keep it going BG.

got all the horse manure moved from the trailer into the compost, layered with prunings, soiled duck bedding, litter from the galah aviary and half done compost. Chockers to the top :)

front bed is coming along and looks much neater with the new borders in place. The rain has boosted the plant growth and come Spring the teepee will hopefully have sweetpeas growing up it.

in two of the big tubs, dwarf sugar snap peas, celery. Giving a Bay Tree another go. Bay Trees to me are as rhubarb is to Lucky1!

All looks great Bluegreen:D

Lucky1 said:

All looks great Bluegreen:D

thanks Lucky :)

Apart from all the yucky stuff going on, I am enjoying not working. The garden is showing the benefits of me being able to do a bit on a more regular basis.

bluegreen said:

Lucky1 said:

All looks great Bluegreen:D

thanks Lucky :)

Apart from all the yucky stuff going on, I am enjoying not working. The garden is showing the benefits of me being able to do a bit on a more regular basis.

This is a great outlet…… I have lost my mojo for gardening:(

I seem to spend my spare time quilting now.

nice work BG – pushed yourself until it was done.
that front patch looks very neat.
you’ve earned your bath.

Lucky1 said:

This is a great outlet…… I have lost my mojo for gardening:(

I seem to spend my spare time quilting now.

Same here, except my mojo has moved to organising the house. I try not to let it bother me – at least I’m doing something productive. I figure I’ll get back into gardening sooner or later. Sooner if Mr Bon decides he wants to actually help with the vegie growing :D

Wonderful work BG! You certainly have done a lot in your garden.

bon008 said:

Lucky1 said:

This is a great outlet…… I have lost my mojo for gardening:(

I seem to spend my spare time quilting now.

Same here, except my mojo has moved to organising the house. I try not to let it bother me – at least I’m doing something productive. I figure I’ll get back into gardening sooner or later. Sooner if Mr Bon decides he wants to actually help with the vegie growing :D

I’ve nicked all your mojo’s.
hehe

Happy Potter said:

bon008 said:

Lucky1 said:

This is a great outlet…… I have lost my mojo for gardening:(

I seem to spend my spare time quilting now.

Same here, except my mojo has moved to organising the house. I try not to let it bother me – at least I’m doing something productive. I figure I’ll get back into gardening sooner or later. Sooner if Mr Bon decides he wants to actually help with the vegie growing :D

I’ve nicked all your mojo’s.
hehe

Oh is that where it went…LOL

Happy Potter said:

bon008 said:

Lucky1 said:

This is a great outlet…… I have lost my mojo for gardening:(

I seem to spend my spare time quilting now.

Same here, except my mojo has moved to organising the house. I try not to let it bother me – at least I’m doing something productive. I figure I’ll get back into gardening sooner or later. Sooner if Mr Bon decides he wants to actually help with the vegie growing :D

I’ve nicked all your mojo’s.
hehe

Haha, you do certainly seem to have extra mojo :)

bon008 said:

Lucky1 said:

This is a great outlet…… I have lost my mojo for gardening:(

I seem to spend my spare time quilting now.

Same here, except my mojo has moved to organising the house. I try not to let it bother me – at least I’m doing something productive. I figure I’ll get back into gardening sooner or later. Sooner if Mr Bon decides he wants to actually help with the vegie growing :D

you just gotta go with the flow :)