Sunday 8th March 2009

Not only am I back but I am full of enthusiasm. My formal vegie beds are now all tilled and manured, and the largest of them is planted out with all the cabbages, kale, kohl rabi, beets and rocket. I have broccoli, spinach, leeks and cauliflower growing on as seedlings in the greenhouse and they can go out into a second bed in a few weeks once they are big and strong. The third bed is being reserved for my winter onion crop. There are peas and carrots planted in the greenhouse, as well a variety of herbs. Last week I had some perennial herbs delivered and they will go out into a new herb garden I will be planting up this spring - the three I got were a perennial basil bush (2), horseradish (2) and traditional sage (2).

But wait - there's more! Who can work with just three formal vegie beds and a whole heap of spaces in the flower garden? No self-respecting girl gardener should have to put up with that. So I have ordered SEVEN more raised beds! I am so excited! They are made of that perennial Australian favourite - colorbond - so they will be nice and easy to assemble and put into their spots. best of all, they are going into areas that have previously been unproductive because of poor soil that I haven't been able to build up - so I am really, really pleased and looking forward immensely to their arrival.

In the meantime I have been busily planning out the spring and summer garden - no time is too early. I drew up a pretty chart of the Kitchen Gardens ... in real life it doesn't look as neat as this, but once I get fully into my winter clearance it will be perfect.