Signs of Spring

When you walk into the gardens at the moment, stop for a moment at the entrance, and take a good sniff and you are sure to get the sweet smell of the violets growing under the trees.

There are other sign of spring's arrival. The garden plots are starting to take off and shape up as gardeners prepare for hopefully a good growing season ahead.  Here are some plots in the gardens that caught my eye...

Poppies and Beet

Tulip and coriander

Calendula and Calvolo Nero

Alyssum - a wonderful host plant for good predator insects

Garlic in the plots and community beds really going for it and well
insulated with the Unitec grounds leaf litter

A healthy section of lettuces in one of the community patches

The community patch of broad beans.

Broad beans are now flowering and the bumble bees and bees busy..soon we will see the pods form

Purple Broccoli - the broccoli patch is just about finished but I did find this
late runner but beautiful head - isn't it magic?

The chocolate red foliage of the beetroots look so glossy in the community patch

Last working day we weeded the onions and leek beds planted the previous work day  and planted the last of the onions.  Three rows of Maori potatoes were planted.  We are not planting early potatoes this year.

 

Portraits of our gardeners

A few weeks ago my daughter Tansy came to the gardens on a Sunday afternoon with her digital camera and film camera in the hope of capturing some of our gardeners for her One Shot - 100 Days Project.  The 100 Days Project is a challenge for anyone to create 100 images over 100 days following a theme or completion of a project. The photos here are black and white digital images to match the one shot she has taken on a film camera in black and white.  She will compare the two images once she gets the film processed.

I will start with my portrait with the question she asked "Whats the best advice you have been given... or want to give? " 

Jeannie Hayden

Occupation: Blogger / Gardener
Advice: "Always look for a diamond in the rough"

Shamus Mohally

Occupation: Primary School Student / Explorer

Advice: (to be added)

Sinead Mohally

Occupation: Midwife
Advice: "Don't go to sleep on a fight"

Markus Hofko

Occupation: Dad / Designer
Advice: "Get up with the sun, just do it"

Add caption

Karin Hofko

Occupation: Mum / Lecturer
Advice: "Don't think if... Think when... And be ready"
 

Liz Aitken

Occupation: Kitchen Category Manager - Mitre 10
Advice: "Listen"

Trevor Crosby

Occupation: Retired Entomologist
Advice: "Watch Wildtrack"

Bev Crosby

Occupation: Tutor of Dyslexics
Advice: "Just do it"

Peter Hayden

Occupation: Actor / Writer
Advice: "(Try to) live in the moment like dogs, trees and children"

For me it was really interesting to hear what people did and what advice they would give.  When we are at the gardens we normally just talk that... gardens.  I felt this small sample shows the diversity of people our garden has attracted. I would like to encourage Tansy to come again on a community work day so that we can all be introduced in a new way to our fellow gardeners. 

Tansy mentions that I am also taking up the challenge in posting images that could become a post on Jeannieskitchen.me blog.  You can take a look on this link:  Food Triggers - 100 Days Project

Anyone wanting a higher resolution copy of these photos just let me know by email on Jeanniehayden5@gmail.com and I will ask Tansy to send the image.