Monday 28 March 2016

Garden Share Collective March - Colour

After missing last months Garden Share Collective (I don't preserve anything, and wasn't feeling very inventive about how I could tie the theme in with my little patch which doesn't seem to ever produce a "glut" of anything!) I'm back with a post for Colour, the theme for this month.

If anyone wants to join in head on over to the link up either on the Rosehips and Rhubarb page or A Fresh Legacy and show us your garden.  Don't be afraid - even a straggly collection of pots and a forest of sage like my current situation is warmly welcomed as a "garden"!

I do however have to make a confession - the pictures for this post will not be current ones.  This is because as I type I have two builders in my front yard and upstairs bedroom, and we are getting out balcony (which turned out to be very rotten and not at all to the standards of correct height or no gaps for small heads to get through) replaced.  I'm very much looking forward to the completed project - but for now it means I can't see most of my garden due to the materials piled up and there seems to be a layer of sawdust over a lot of it. Hopefully it won't lead to any long term damage, although since I've been fairly lazy on the planting front lately there isn't all that much to destroy anyway!

So right now in my garden the only colour you can see are the orange pom pom marigolds which have been very hardy and have kept on flowering for quite a while.


However the colour of the garden is one of the great things about having a go.  Who doesn't love seeing some red tomatoes, green cucumbers, purple and white eggplants, and yellow lemons popping up in the garden? 



My beetroot attempt wasn't very successful either - I had mini beets!




And of course it's not just the actual fruit and veg that are colourful - the flowers can also be beautiful and perhaps not what you think of  - for example my basil plants went to seed but still looked colourful!

This month (once I get my garden back) I will be weeding and digging and preparing for some autumn/winter crops. 

I'm hoping to put in some late lettuce crops, and will be trying some carrots this year I think.

Last season the brassicas were reasonably successful, but this year I want to really grow some good cabbages, so they are on my list.


The other thing I'm hoping to do this month is to visit my local community garden.  I have contacted them about how to join in and have to attend three working days, so will be trying to get stuck into that - I'm hoping to meet some new people, learn some more about gardening and maybe get access to some different produce that I don't/can't grow here in my garden.  But I'll keep you posted!

Happy gardening and see you next month!


7 comments:

  1. I will be keen to hear about your community garden experience with some interest. I left a three quarter acre garden to downsize when we moved interstate to be closer to family. We now live on a very small suburban block with basically no area for a garden so I joined our local community garden about 2 months ago to share some new experiences and enjoy the company of like minded garden friends... I do enjoy reading about the Garden Share Collective for that reason too. Really enjoying my involvement so far...best wishes to you on your new adventure!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It will be interesting! I have to organise to meet and visit a few times to learn how it all works. This one seems to be a closed garden so not sure if that is different to others which are more a matter of the more the merrier. Anyway will definitely keep everyone posted on what happens! Glad to hear that you are enjoying your community garden too.

      Delete
  2. I hope your building work is completed soon and you can get your winter plants in. I look forward to hearing about the community garden. It is always great to meet like minded people and to benefit from veggie swaps is even better. Great to see you back again this month and feel free to modify your post to the "planting, harvesting and doing this month" regardless of the theme.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have to admit I was a bit slack on the posting regardless of the theme last month! I still haven't actually coordinated to meet with the members of the community garden so I have to get on to that. Will keep you posted!

      Delete
    2. I have to admit I was a bit slack on the posting regardless of the theme last month! I still haven't actually coordinated to meet with the members of the community garden so I have to get on to that. Will keep you posted!

      Delete
  3. I'll be interested to hear more about your community garden experiences too. Will you have your own dedicated bed or is everything shared?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. From what I have found out so far the organisers said there is a wait list for your own plot, but that 2/3 of the garden is communal. I figure I have my own little garden at home so I'm happy with the communal part! But will have to find out more when I actually get myself organised and arrange a time to meet and be shown around!

      Delete