Winter garden

Whenever the rain is not too persistent, I get out in the garden and do a bit of work. It is winter, and there has been some pruning to do, and mulching, and of course weeding. I am a bit behind with sowing seeds though. 

This week I spread some compost over the rose bed near the patio, where the compost bin was located, and moved the bin to a spot under the Meyer lemon, to begin fertilising it after its awesome crop this year. I celebrated the end of the Meyer lemon harvest by making a whole lemon cake and drizzling it with lemon syrup. My freezers are full of lemon juice and lemon pieces! We continue to give away lemons and grapefruit to any who will take them. 

My garden  is a working, productive back garden, but I think it has it's own beauty. Passionfruit on the wooden trellis, fig in the brown container, lemons and limes in the background, celtuce and asparagus in the foreground. Snow peas and kale in the cream bed to the left. 

I love things that self-seed! My borage is in danger of taking over, but I do love the blue flowers! I have a lot of irises that I have spread myself in clumps around the garden, and they do look lovely at the moment. 

This week I had three wine barrel halves delivered. I had trialled two grafted fruit trees on the paving in between our freestanding carport and the house, by putting them in cheap plastic bins. I wasn't sure they would like the spot, but a year on and I was ready to make this a permanent installation. Two of the barrels are now properly potted on, and one is waiting for our COVID lockdown to end so I can get some more potting mix from the store. In gardening in a small space I really value raised garden beds and containers, because they turn brick paving into shady, green and growing spaces. 

When not in the garden, I am at my sewing machine. This free motion quilting will add texture and strength to my quilt. I put some music on, and sew away! 

Our COVID outbreak numbers are looking good so far -hopefully we can have visitors next week!