After an incredibly busy year, I am getting so much pleasure from the garden. I have just picked my first raspberries and they taste great especially because they represent a victory against blackbirds. The victory is sweeter because I have lost all my cherries to these birds as well as all my apricots to brush possums. Too slow with the nets!
First pick of the season the blackbirds did not get. Victory!
The netting that saved the Rasberries from the birds
But the reality is that gardening is all about the challenges that come with growing food and creating beautiful spaces. There is nothing like harvesting what you have grown. My father loved it and used to spend hours hoeing and watering his vegetables, not just a garden plot but half an acre or so. We never had any hope of eating all that he had grown but he loved to give it away and visitors would leave with a boot full of veggies or a bottle of mum’s sauce or chutney.He instinctively knew about building community through growing food.
But it is also about beauty and awe. I was so excited when I got home last week and found a water lily in Chascade.
My first pink water lily
I already have a native one but I wanted an exotic and there it was, my first pink water lily. Now I am waiting for my Japanese water iris to flower. They are a brilliant blue/ purple and you cannot look at them without thinking how amazing nature is. All the effort and thinking that went into building “Chascade” has been worth it and when I actually see a frog, as opposed to hearing them, I will be beside myself.
The other thing that is incredible at this time of year is how fast things grow.
Silverbeet still racing ahead despite a few hot blustery days
The rhubarb, not long till it will be ready for a good apple and rhubarb pie.
Climbing beans, pumpkins, cape gooseberries,oregano, spinach, basil and tomatoes are racing ahead with so much promise but nothing that a hot, windy summer couldn’t destroy…challenges continue but so too does the joy.
those raspberries look absolutely wonderful! such a tasty sweet looking victory indeed! we are looking forward to a harvest of that size with our thornless blackberries, we had better get our nets up! Take care & Merry christmas
Yum look how many you harvested. I have netted up my raspberries (in Sydney) as well. I had hoped the birds might not notice, but they are too clever. I am lucky if I get more than 5 ripe at a time. Thankfully we have the rule (that I made) that whoever waters the garden gets to help themselves. In fact I don’t think a single berry has made it inside yet.