My garden in December, Hive Gardeners? I have two, right up to Dec 19th, when I leave my old garden behind. Every few days, I go out and deadhead irises, pull weeds from the path, collect greens for the compost at the new house, feed the chooks, trim the grapevine that's growing like a triffid in this humid weather we're having.
Nostaglia? Pangs of regret? None. I've had enough of rabbits and foxes and blackbirds - for the first ten years it was fine, but lately they've been asserting their territory and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. I can build a rabbit proof fence, but foxes jump, and blackbirds fly.
So heading toward January, my garden will not look all a'tangle, like the photo below. I don't know what the new owner will do. I hope she's got a few skills, and some stamina and determination. It's not a garden you can leave or ignore or it's tapping at your windows threatening to strangle you.
In the new garden, I'm a dreamin'. You know I'll create a tangle there too, even though the whole block is only 663 metres squared. It's enough for a tangle of fruit trees, of an explosion of irises, of kale gone to seed. Already I've had two zucchini - Jamie said 'don't worry about it, we'll get around to it' in July but that wouldn't do me now would it? My little veggie patch is providing us lettuce and zuccs, and soon kale and cucumber, and my herb garden is bursting already.
The worst though is the concrete slab we've been trying to remove. $1500 AUD to remove - okay fine, if it'll save Jamie's back. Yet there was a slab under that too - and it's 300 mm thick, and concrete is expensive to remove - some $3500. Forgive me for not buying Hive. But without the removal of the slab, I can't have my big dream of the veggie patch.
Meanwhile, back at the old place, two chooks are broody, one died, and the other two stare at me blackly. Jamie's yet to find time to make a coop so I'm going to do something makeshift and get them down here so I can talk to them and reassure them the sky isn't falling.
The two fruit trees in the garden are apple, and the rest are unsalveagble root stock from dead trees. I have a nashi and a cherry to plant - once the slab is gone, we'll attempt espalier of sorts on the fence line. I have to protect them from cockatoos who come drink water from the bird baths at the front (as does the kangaroos). A gang of kookaburras laugh at me from over the fence. The birds are big down here. Big and loud and Australian.
I see a rabbit on dawn surf checks sometimes. I snarl and feel grateful for the urban fences. They don't stop possums, though. Fuckers.
The compost bins are doing their thing. I have a bokashi bin on the back step. All systems are go. I'm bringing a lot of experience to this tiny paradise.
More to come.
With Love,
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