Chicken Coop Demolishion Birthday present

Still in need of some rubbish removal, but I am looking forward to the weekend when I can start some landscaping. The old coop stood on a cement slab about 1.5mx1.5m and around 25cm thick, so we won't have a hope of moving it or breaking it up with our domestic tools. One suggestion is to place a raised fire pit on it for warm evening gatherings in the garden and to burn off excess logs from the bush at the back that are too large t mulch and not suitable for the indoor fireplace.

Happy days!

Kathryn's garden update May 2012

With the addition of two coffin Bay Correa's, native grasses and some Canna Lillies, this section beside the forest is starting to thrive. A new banana shoot has emerged next to the Spotted Gum. Most of the Grevillias and Lilli Pillies have happily developed whilst some of the finer plants for example a few leptospermum were uprooted by the chickens. I also lost two Lemon Daze Grevilleas also possibly due to the free ranging habits of the chickens. So far they haven't touched to Correa's, fingers crossed!

Succulent rescue

Unfortunately no photos were captured of the finer details of the work that took place today but believe me, many neglected succulents got a new lease on life during the course of the morning. The succulents were removed from their pots and soaked in water before being rearranged in new configurations with other succulent varieties, until all were happily repotted with lovely new potting mix and placed around the garden. Other jobs were also performed that I was not engaged in by the mass of workers who turned up. The morning tea catch up is an integral part of the session with the exchange of gardening tips and recipes.

Desert Garden Addition

Desert Garden  I have just added a new section to my garden. Now with in my garden I have tropical, rainforest, cottage and coastal garden areas. And now a desert      garden.

Well, it is still establishing, but I have high hopes. This garden patch has been built on a mound of dirt extracted to build our garage. The mound receives more sunlight than the rest of the garden thus the desert garden was inspired.To begin with, the mound needed levelling and terracing to retain the soil. I thought I'd go with a rocky "Australian" look instead of formal rock terracing. I have used logs from the property to retain soil and relocated some lovely rocks to hold the soil and to balance the design of the garden.

The plants have been transplanted from other areas in the garden. Five grasses, two coastal rosemary and two blue iris grasses.  I purchased two tube stock Callistemons, a "pink champagne" and "candy pink"  placed diagonally on either side of the existing Gordonia. The Callistemons were chosen as there are a number of other red and pink Callistemons in the area.To finish the job, I have gathered bags of leaves from the garden and scattered then over the exposed dirt.I will continue to build on this with more rocks, ground covers and I might even try adding some kangaroo paw, which until now thought I didn't have an appropriately sunny spot. 
We will see.

Kathryn's regenerated bush garden update November 2011

This was the site prior to planting, looking down the hillside.

Kathryn's bushland Garden September 2011

This gardening adventure enlisted to help of Nicola, Chris and Theresa, (and Chris's 2 boys). The project was to build steps and a retaining area in the cleared bush on the hillside at the rear of the property. We recycled timber from the demolition of our carport to retain the soil and pickets to hold them in place. Once the steps were in place and bucket loads of soil emptied into them, we planted a selection of Native ground covers and shrubs in the area to the right of the steps.

Once completed, we relaxed whilst devouring a number of cake varieties, cheeses, half a watermelon and coffee, Katrin joined us for a site appraisal and morning tea/lunch.

The following day my girls and I did a large amount of mulching and spread the mulch over the new garden area. Job Done!

The garden is growing nicely and the steps are well used by myself and all the visitors I drag through the bush to see the regeneration work we have done.

Thanks Ladies!!