Some flowers for fun

When I started on this gardening caper I had no idea that I would be giving people present ideas. With another gardening-related present received for my Birthday it seems that people are paying attention to my new hobby. Thanks!

My lovely desk-neighbour at work and fellow Green Thumb surprised me with a vertical planter that attaches to a wall - a perfect solution to the lack of ground space on the balcony. It also has the snazzy name of 'polanter' which I quite like.  

I decided to plant some flowers to add colour to the balcony and attract bees to help pollinate plants. Besides, what girl doesn't like flowers? I chose Violas simply because I thought they looked pretty. 

The next task was to assemble the integrated watering system and install it in the polanter. I am grateful for the many flatpack furniture items that I have had to assemble in my time, as the experience gained in deciphering vague instructions was invaluable to putting the damn thing together. 


Then it came time to actually plant my flowers. I was told to begin with a bit of gravel in the bottom to help with drainage. It may surprise you to know that I don't have any gravel lying around. I considered skipping this step, then spied the gravel in the laneway behind my place that had spilled over from a building site. I think this is the first time that I have been grateful for all the building and renovation happening in my neighbourhood. I went down and nonchalantly collected some gravel while the neighbours peered at me through their curtains. 

With the gravel nestled in the bottom of the polanter I proceeded to fill it up with soil and plants. Then I attached it to my railing and now get to look at this pretty sight on my balcony! 

'Tis the season of gardening

To those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for the next exciting instalment in my garden adventures I apologise - it has been quite awhile since my last post. This is partly due to the fact that plants grow pretty slowly, and partly due to my laziness in both writing and tending to my plants. Since my last post I have discovered that summer is not as kind to the garden as spring. Warmer days and less rain combined with lack of attention have resulted in a few lettuces dying, but in the circle of life my flatmate has sprinkled some lettuce seeds around and new shoots have sprung up. Nice to know that when it comes to gardening there are always second chances (and third, fourth, fifth...). 

Another ingenious thing that my flatmate has done is put up some netting so our plants don't get sizzled in the afternoon sun. I'm glad that one of us is taking care of things on the balcony. 

It is Christmas Eve so I would like to switch my focus from my dying plants to the lovely garden gifts I have received over the past couple of month. A friend from work gave me some terracotta garden stakes for lettuce, carrots and tomatoes. These babies have nice large writing and pictures so there's no mistake about what is growing and as a bonus they don't blow away in the wind like the piddly little plastic labels have. 

I had my brother and sister-in-law over for dinner about a month ago and they came bearing a gift of a Mexican Cucumber plant. It produces sweet & sour flavoured cucumbers, no need for pickling! At first it was a pot of dirt with a trellis stuck in it, but after a few days some little leaves burst through the surface to say hello. 

Now it seems to be pretty happy with its new home on top of the old TV (plant doesn't like the cold so won't do well outside in Melbourne's temperamental climate; TV is way too heavy to carry down the stairs so lives in the corner of the lounge room). I can't wait for when it starts producing tasty little cucumbers!

On the giving side, a friend recently moved house and I gave her a lettuce that I had lovingly reared from seeds as a housewarming gift. I hope it is happy in its new home and provides her with lots of leaves for yummy salads. 

And that's where I shall end this (Santa is about to sing a song with Hi-5 on Carols in the Domain - a performance that only happens once a year and cannot be missed). Have a Happy Christmas, eat well and be good to one another. I'll be back in the New Year with more tales from my vegie patch xxx.