Cate's Profile

Hiya

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.

Have to hang out the laundry so will finish this later

Now where was I ...

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 rainforest trees. Along the other side fence there are palms of all sorts, gingers and a little area of delicate sunshy things like maidenhair ferns, caladiums and hoyas. 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 and big leafed things like the taros. 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.

Considered way to much for a suburban garden but as everything is thriving and 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 =))

Other than the garden ... I have a partner who loves the garden but, never having had one he has had to start from scratch, is rather bemused by the speed things happen in it.I have a dear elderly dog called Lucy who is definitely my surrogate child (see picture). She loves to go for a potter a couple of times a day so our long brisk walks are on hold 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 garden with us 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 ... cheers - Cate =))