When you have a garden as large as mine, ensuring it is all properly irrigated can be a little overwhelming. To be fair, over the years I did my best with what I could to set up systems and deliver water to my garden. I came up with many systems that were dodgy, bodgy and completely jerry-rigged, and my garden was watered. It probably wasn’t … Continue reading Irrigating the Garden
My smile is about to become inconvenienced. I could blame Global pollution for my troubles. But I have to take some responsibility. I am a child of the 70s. My childhood was spent outside playing from dawn to dusk in the sun in little more than a T-shirt and shorts. Or endless days in togs in and out of swimming pools or beside the sea … Continue reading An invisible gardening hazard
I have been dragged kicking and screaming into this new season. According to the calendar our autumn is officially three weeks old. But at precisely 11:28pm last night, the autumn equinox occurred. I wasn’t really aware of it as I’m not so keenly cognisant of an event that brings about the demise of my growing season as I am something that brings about the arrival … Continue reading Embracing Autumn
It is with great reluctance that I have to announce the season is officially over. You see a summer garden without tomatoes isn’t a summer garden at all. I thought long and hard about it, but kept coming to the same conclusion – it is better to put the plants out of their misery than drag the sorry looking plants through a few more weeks, … Continue reading Going, Going, Gone
In honour of today being St Patrick’s Day and acknowledging the heritage of my family line… to be honest most kiwis will find Irish DNA bound up into the essence of who they are, and Scottish, and English and Swedish and Dutch – well something of everyone to be fair. But with a last name like ours you can not help but notice the Irish… … Continue reading Green is Good
I was trying to think of something funny and witty for my title. But soggy is not good, but is the present state of my garden. I’m not really all that happy about it. I got so used to finally having lovely hot summer like days – even though it was technically autumn. I revelled in the fact it was too hot to sleep and … Continue reading Soggy is the new ….
A good burger NEEDS a slice of beetroot between its buns and above the meat patty. That is the kiwi way. I was making homemade burgers for tea the other day and reached into the fridge for the jar of beetroot, but even lurking at the back with the nasturtium seed ‘poor man’s capers’ that are ok but we rarely use them, the pickled green … Continue reading For the want of a slice of beetroot
The overlap into autumn, the next season has officially begun. It is kind of weird because, aside from the onions and garlic, the transition from winter to spring is effectively a blank canvas. The beds are empty, cold and often wet. In the best case scenario they are free from weeds but often they are a wild jungle that needs taming – with a machete. … Continue reading The overlap days
My poor garden is suffering from a bit of neglect that goes a little deeper than the usual seasonal overload and fatigue. There have been secret projects, general unwellness and a storm. The garden is a little … messy. Looking at it fills me with a touch of shame and despair. How could I have let it get so bad. But in the busyness … Continue reading After the Storm
I have a vague recollection from when I was a kid. There were these school books we had to read to help us in our journey towards literacy. There were a few books in the series, filled with short stories that would be easy for young minds learning the finer points of reading. Two of the books really stick in my memory – ‘Sweet Porridge’ … Continue reading The Donkeys Egg
