Life, the Universe and My Garden

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I am living for the first time in an urban area and have found it a huge challenge with regard to the lack of garden space. Despite this I have planted a forest and the mini eco system is well on its way after three years.

It was an AWFUL ‘garden’ when we first moved in. Lawn and a few stunted struggling plants. Black plastic had been place over the concrete edged garden beds to stop weeds growing. Holes had been poked in this plastic and the poor plants stuck in. The whole lot had then been covered up with glaring white chips of some sharp rock. Someone’s idea of neat and low maintenance no doubt. That plastic came off almost before we’d moved in, and all the concrete has gone

Many of the poor things were beyond help as well as being classified weed plants in this area so they had to go. The ones that stayed have rocketed into life, especially a pony tail palm that has shot up above the height of the house and just kept going.

We have planted the garden in sections that flow one to the other and kept to local natives as much as possible

One of the first things to go in was a grove of grevilleas along one side fence, followed by and area of calistamons. Native myrtles and lillipillies are at the front with some rare and endangered local rain forest trees. Along the other side fence there are palms of all sorts, gingers and a little area of delicate sun-shy things like maidenhair ferns, caladiums, hoyas and orchids. There are two smaller ponds in amongst all this; lillies in one and a ‘Wooly Frog Plant in the other – that is it’s name I kid you not …

The big ponds are at the back; one surrounded by all sorts of native strappy leafed plants and grasses and the other by ferns of all descriptions, some big leafed things like the taros, cycads and two very happy Wollamie Pines! There is an open space in the middle of the back which has really tall trees like out native cedar on one side and a grove of different species of casurinas on the other. Now that the trees have gained a bit of height and giving shade we are planting understory things which is a total delight. I’ll try and borrow someones camera and put some pics in.

All this is considered way to much for a suburban garden but everything is thriving and taking care of it’s self. We don’t use herbicides or insecticides of any sort. Nor do we prune to make things bushy so we have a totally different view of these plants to the ‘norm’, all growing as they are meant to be. There is a profusion of frogs (5 species so far), masses of different birds that visit daily, insects that include a range of fascinating native bee species. In a natural undisturbed environment every little space is used by something. I love it this way and only wish there was more space =))

Needless to say there is very little room left for any lawn and what there is has been allowed to develop into a ‘meadow’ which is what lawns originally were. The variety of plants that have really tiny delicate flowers is amazing!

Other than the garden … I have a partner who loves the garden but, never having had one he has been on a sharp learning curve and is rather bemused by the speed things happen. I have a dear elderly dog called Lucy who is definitely my surrogate child (see picture). She loves to go for a potter (her top speed) a couple of times a day. Long brisk walks for us are out of the question at the moment as she would be devastated if we went without her. We have accidentally acquired four cats who are happy to stay inside most of the time and sit at widows and do hilarious whisker wobbling squeaks at the flying dinners feeding in the bushes outside. They come out and help us with the gardening which is not incredibly helpful but they enjoy it. Four is far too many and I don’t recommend it!! I work as an administrator, read as much as possible, and we are renovating our home slowly from a brick box into something more aesthetic. Suburbia is definitely a challenge!

I’m sure this is far too long but never mind … cheers – Cate =))

And PS – yes I know my spelling is appalling – sorry ’bout that LOL

• 11 May, 2010
• 10 likes

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