Flaming arrows

In the middle of winter we have a bonfire that we light with flaming arrows.

Wax eyes

Wax eyes are a valuable pest controller in your garden and an important pollinator for plants like Fejoa.

It is amazing to watch them moving through the garden eating aphids and other small insects.

These ones are right outside my friends window eating porridge out of a lemon rind.

Fires

The cousins are here for the holidays again.

So a fire is lit for toasty pie lunch.

Micellium

Fungi are one of the oldest known plants and probably one of the most important.

Their roots or micellium are usually hidden underground and microscopic. They break down minerals and nutrients and make them readily available to other plants. These symbiotic relationships with other plants can extend root systems for kilometers.

Scientists are only just starting to learn about this sensitive and fragile web beneath our feet.

I think we will never full understand everything but can take a tread lightly approach and learn how to read nature and the existing systems.

Wild bee's nest

The Bees have gone but the honey comb is still here. What a strong structure. Built to slow prevailing wind and to hold goodness knows how much honey.

There is usually at least one old bees nest under this bridge.

Kawakawa

This shrub grows all around our house.
We use it as a poultice to bring out infection, in our balms, as a tea.

Garlic plaits

It is always a celebration to hang up the dried garlic plaits.

Peanuts

Peanuts. Originally from a beautiful old lady at the Otara markets.

Scallopini

This is  a seed line I have had for a while. When you live with the same plant over a series of years it changes.

I have been selecting this plant for disease resistance and vegetable shape. I start out with over ten plants and then once they have all fruited rogue out the traits I do not want.

Over the years the vegetable has become the way I like Scallopini's.

Butternut

These Butternut will always be in my garden. They are great producing, tasting and keep a long time.

I start craving them around March when we sneak a few.

Fejoa

It is always fun anticipating the next fruit to ripen.

In the past we would raid neighbor Fejoa hedges. We are going to be able to raid our own this year.

Most of our fruit is planted along our driveway so we pass it everyday.

Rocket tea

Our rocket stove travels everywhere with us.

There is fuel to be found anywhere so a cup of tea or mug of soup is never far away.

We keep it in an old wooden box in the back of the van with a dry fire lighting kit.

Artichoke flowers

Bumble bees love artichoke flowers almost as much as me.

I always let mine flower after I have had my fill.

Some mornings they are still there burrowed right down.

Queen Anne's Lace

A beautiful beneficial flower to feed many smaller pollinators and parasitic wasps.

Quince

I think Quince flowers are one of my favourite. The way they unfurl is beautiful.

Then tiny fuzzy Quinces.

Herbal ley

Its a mixed salad bar around here. For the stock, chickens, birds and bugs. Who knows what is happening underground.

Multiplying Spring Onions

The great unfolding of an Allum flower.

These multiplying spring onions are a staple for us. We usually have two patches. One we are picking from and a new one establishing. After they flower I divide them start a new patch for me give loads of plants away and start harvesting from the second patch.

Baby Bumble Bees

First you only see the over wintered Queens then about a month later the garden is alive with baby Bumble Bees. The first hatch is always special and so noticeable as they are all small.

These workers will then set to work helping the queen with the next batch and so on and so on....

Every year is different depending on the temperature. But these guys need food. Vetch, Broad Beans, Lupine, Mustard and Peas are a few garden flowers that are good for early spring.

Kumara tipu

Kumara tipu are always such a fresh green when they first come up.

I wait until they are around 20cm long and then carefully pull each one up.

They should have roots and be ready to plant.

Kumara hotbox

A range of seed kumara in our hot box.

First we made an underground compost heap with lots of greens and animal manure. We then put down a layer of sand and our kumara.

Next up will be around 10cm of sand and the glass lid.

Fire wood

It is always satisfying to spend a weekend or two getting next winters woos cut and drying.

Garlic roots

After soakinng in worm wee and cow manure tea overnight garlic bulbs begin to grow.

Fungi

Beautiful yellow fungi.

Red Clover

Clover helps provide abundant nitrogen to farms and orchards all over the world.

Before Bumblebees were brought into New Zealand clover seed had to be brought in every year.  Only the long tongues of Bumble Bees could fertilize Clover.

It also makes a colorful and tasty addition to salads.

Gourd tendril

Tendrils are amazingly touch sensitive. as soon as they come into contact with something they start contracting and spiral.

Any plants with tendrils can be trained up into trellises, huts, archways walls................even better if they are edible.

Red Admiral

These beautiful native butterflies lay their eggs in stinging nettle bushes. The catterpillars use webs to roll up webs to keep safe.

Various introduced wasp species have had a big impact on these beauties.

Tree House

Lining, windows, door, cladding, built in bunk, 12 volt power system....all with a view of the tree tops. We all want to move in.

What a project. A big thank you to family that helped out.

Fig Tree

What a tree.
We camped right next to it on the Kaipara harbour.

This fig tree is around 29.7meters high and 14.4 meters in girth. Its buttress roots are beautiful.

We had a great 'north' trip exploring Kauri forests, lakes, harbours, jumping bridges, caves, streams and atching up with great friends.

Succession in the vegie garden

Lettuce is ready to harvest. Tomatoes are growing.

Succession is a great type of companion planting. The lettuces are a living mulch and then the tomatoes provide some shade and stop the lettuces from bolting to seed in the hot summer sun.

Many Hands

Thanks everyone.

The tree house deck is now done.