After letting my back recover for a week I couldn't wait any longer to get out there and do some more heavy work in the 'garden'. Just in time the SUN CAME OUT yesterday at last.
I've been watching some of my favourite gardeners on YT for inspiration - https://www.youtube.com/c/suburbanhomestead
and for practical tips from a closer to home source-
Clearing some of the south field is quite urgent now as the wild bushes are creeping inwards to take over where I had planned to grow fruiting bushes. This pathway through the jungle has cleared round another apple tree I planted which is also the final resting place of my old dog Tassie. I'm also working towards a pear tree I planted over 6 years ago which has disappeared amongst wild cherry which needs to be cut back.
Almost there. This is hard graft but has to be done. Mostly my short undergrowth scythe takes care of it but some of the bushes are now too established so am gonna have to get in there with a saw or a fork or both.
While I was scything away at the high grass I must have uncovered a bumble bee nest. Suddenly a small swarm of what looked like baby bumble bees came flying up. They didn't bother me at all but I got the feeling they were upset and looking for something. I hope I didn't kill mummy bumble or something. I said sorry and left that area alone. Bloody bumbling human....
My friend Con rang me the other day to ask if I wanted some big boxes which was weirdly synchronistic as I was writing that very thing on my schindlers list of things to do. They were lovely big and sturdy boxes and only two needed for one new heugel which I got to make with them and the cuttings from clearing. So here is Heugel TWO.
Wow it's quite camouflaged in this pic, like a huge chameleon but it's the big mound behind the potato heugel. I will plant that one up with winter crops - cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli etc. When the sun gets lower in winter this will be the sunniest spot.
I never managed to find the culprit eating my lettuce but have a sneaky suspicion it could be mice (saw the cats chasing one the other day) so I resorted to the ugly bottle method and they are recovering nicely. I'm also re-sowing lots more to replace -
I also got back to rock and soil humping to get the herb/kitchen garden finished. The new bottom wall bed is finished and ready for planting and the middle extension is almost there. As you can see I have laid cardboard underneath this time to give my plants a head start over the couch grass.
Lastly since being here (nearly 7 years now) I have never seen this rose bloom. It looks gorgeous up the side of the old shed now.
Don't you love surprises like this.
Another surprise was the discovery of an elderberry tree hiding behind the 'rock mountain'. I tried to take a pic but this bloody camera died again. I need a better one. Onwards and upwards the story continues..........
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Lot's of work well done 👍
Your forest of doom looks like a paradise to me. With treasures such as elderberry! Lovely.
LOL yes, I don't know why she named it that. Probably because she is in no way a gardener. The Elderberry isn't in the forest of doom bit it's in the back field where virtually no-one has been for 15 years cept me.