The absent gardener

A couple of months ago I planted small eight native bushes in my front garden. The soil is sandy and in shadeless places the lawn dies off in summer, so I thought I might as well go native instead.

But then I was away for five weeks. I know from experience that if I plant vegetable seeds then leave the garden to the elements I can't expect to find anything much growing when I come back. Every time I have been to the Maribor Music Festival in September I have come back to bare ground where I had hoped for vegetables.

Kale, silver beet and nasturtiums
(growing up the fence)

This year has been different. There must have been rain at all the right times because masses of kale and silver beet are thriving in the vegetable garden and all the little native trees I planted in the front garden are flowering and looking very happy.

Native Australian Plants

My long term project is to transform my front garden into a more useful space and today at the Woytopia Festival I joined the initiative to bring small birds back into the garden. In return I was given two native plants, a native Geranium and a Lomandra, a long leafed plant that has big spiky flowers the birds love.  Then I bought a rosemary plant to add some scent.

From left: ceramics made in Dunedin, then Geranium, Lomandra, and Rosemary 

What the tags say:
Pelargonium australe, Wild Geranium soft hairy sprawling perennial, tolerant of coastal conditions and sandy soils. Mauve flower heads appear Nov - May.
Lomandra longifolia, perennial to 1m. Glossy mid green foliage. Tolerant of sandy spoils. Full sun to part shade, well drained soils, benefits from extra water and fertiliser.
Rosemary: doesn't have a tag but my mother recommends that plants with sweet smelling leaves be planted near paths so you can touch the leaves as you pass and take the scent with you.