Winter is such an interesting time in the garden- as much as I hate the cold, I love the brightness that come from seeing the deciduous trees back to their bare bones and the extra sunlight that finds its way through. Not to mention the free mulch you get if you collect up all the old leaves! They are absolute gold and should never be wasted by throwing them in the bin or the burn pile!
This month has been a big one for me, as I have done some shedding of my own and resigned from my job of 4 years working in a display garden nearby. As sad as it has been, I know it's just another season in my life that needed to make way for what is to come next. I'll be doing work that is closer to my heart, at a nursery that sells nearly all native plants to home gardeners, farmers and some bigger revegetation sites of old coalmines and farmland. I'm really excited to get to know better all the plants that grow naturally around the area, what their needs are and how they can be best used. I am happiest when I'm learning something new, especially when it's contributing to the bigger picture of conservation and rehabilitation. And driving to work past the mines and power stations makes me glad to be helping the environment in my small way.
So be prepared to be introduced to the lucky plants I bring home to our little patch of earth, I always struggle to control myself around interesting plants and now I am surrounded by them every day! oh dear!
As if I needed any encouragement- a few weeks ago I picked up a couple of dwarf apple trees to plant- a Granny Smith and a Pink Lady, which should pollinate each other. They are lovely bare skeletons at the moment and I can't wait to see them burst out in spring. Maybe the anticipation of spring is the best part of winter!
This month was also my birthday, and I was lucky enough to be given a beautiful weeping Grevillea bipinnatafida. I haven't decided where to plant it yet as I'm not sure if it can be next to the pool fence or not, but I will take a nice picture when it finds a permanent home.
The veggies are pumping and the first snow peas will be ready within a week, we have been eating carrots, kale and silverbeet regularly and the broad beans, broccoli, fennel and sugarsnap peas are making good progress. I can't wait to sink my teeth into them! The first asparagus spear also came up this week- a sure sign that spring is not far away!
P.S. I upgraded to a better camera this month, so if anybody actually noticed the better quality photos, I'd love to know!
