In all my years doing the Hive Garden on Hive - upvoting, reblogging, running challenges - I've never seen in so quiet. This time of year is usually so busy - everyone's battling the seasons, enjoying flowers, harvesting vegetables - but this year, you can almost hear the tumbleweed drifting through the Hive landscape.

I thought I'd better, in that case, do my part and post about my garden, though I've really not worked much in it during winter as things are so slow growing.

We've been gradually filling in the side fence so you can't see the bins and compost bins from the street. It's a small aesthetic thing that means more to us than it does to other people I'm sure. We stopped as we ran out of wood, and money. The grevillea in the foreground is doing fine, but something ate a few of my grasses which was disappointing, and if her name isn't Kylie the Kangaroo I'll eat compost.

Grevillea and banksia are flowering everywhere in the area, as are the protea - that's Australia for you, giving you bright colours when you least expect.

In the back yard other animals are being a pain, like the possum eating my lettuce and the neighbour's chicken who comes to visit, though I don't mind either as much as I minded the rabbits at the last place. The neighbour agreed we should just let them jump back and forth as it gives them something to do, and unless they take up occupancy to lay eggs on the other side it's not an issue.

I'm growing nasturium as a climber up the cage to mute it's harshness a little, but it'll also protect them from the summer sun.

The strawflowers should burst into flower soon.

I've had lots of the black spanish radish, watermelon radish (which I've been pickling for ramen), tons of silverbeet and perpetual spinach which makes it's way into almost every meal, the fennel is doing great, as is the purple sprouting broccoli and even the dwarf broccoli, though most got eaten before they could take off. I'm sure Jamie encouraged the caterpillars as he is not a broccoli fan.

The veggie mix I got from the garden centre has certainly been great. I've been feeding the soil every week with compost tea and worm tea as well.

I got a grape delivered this week that'll happily take over the deck and provide some shade in the hotter months.

The garlic and other alliums are doing great, as are the peas, though I never get as many as I'd like. Still, they provide a pretty winter green.

Dill and borage are doing well, and marigolds everywhere, bless their winter sunshiney colour. The citrus aren't looking great and I'm sure it's the soil but I can't figure out what I need to do. I did add lime and compost but I think there's something else going on. Could it be the sand and concrete dust from the slab being removed? How would I rectify it?

I've planted some potatoes against the fence - I've put a round of chook wire there and I'll build up the soil rather than digging in. Jamie was meant to buy me bags of compsot on the way home the other night but got me shitty potting mix instead. I can't complain - he is too helpful otherwise, haha!

I've decided against planting an apple or nectarine for now, mainly as I won't be able to nurture them over the summer if we go away. I'll leave them til we get back. In fact the whole garden thing worries me - I need a tennant that's also a gardener and who would care. It's a bit frustrating, wanting to stay home to tend a garden and wanting to travel at the same time, but it is what it is.

With Love,

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