Paths

Our paths are flexible. These ones are edged with old roofing tiles.

A thick layer of newspaper is put down, then bark from the woodshed. In a couple of years time they will be a valuable addition to the garden and we will have more bark for the next path.

Together

Willow grafts really easy. It is amazing how strong our house is after one year. A great climbing frame.

Chicken dome

I have just finished fixing up the chicken dome. Now they are doing all of my garden work (weeding, digging, manuring, composting) and making me eggs.

A perfect little bundle

I love finding cape gooseberries in the garden.

They are a great fast growing fruit, that fill spaces while the bigger trees are growing.

Winter wood

Stacking the woodshed warms you up and then keeps the wood range going all winter.

The sawdust is sieved for the composting toilet, bark used to mulch the garden paths, small pieces stacked by the fire bath, pizza oven or BBQ and brush put asside for fire lighting.

Pop-corn

Our harvest is safely inside hanging from the ceiling. A month of extra drying and we will have popcorn on friday movie nights.

Pizza for lunch

There is nothing better than designing your own pizza for lunch. A couple of minutes to cook and then YUM!!!

Inhabitants

I have a solitary bee and a potters wasp in my bug house. Check out their cool mud doors. The bee uses the lighter mud.
I have been adding to my bug bank to encourage these little pollinators into my garden.

Taro

The Taro leaves are humungous!

They fill in all of the spaces under the bananas and passionfruit.

Mama Spider

This beautiful female Orbweb spider is spinning a web for her babies on a citrus leaf.

Kumara

We have been sneaking kumara for a while now. Today is harvest time. This is an old Gold cultivar we have had for four years now.

Willow hedgehog

Our willow house has sprouted. We will have lots of wood for arrows, charcoal, our rocket stove, new houses.........

Mushrooms

Fungi. Usually hidden workers are showing themselves in the warm moist autumn.

Flags

Simple.

Marking a space, something to look at, dancing with the wind, to be personalised, something to do, a boundary.......

Banana

Our bananas are loving this warm, wet autumn. I hope it lasts a little longer as we have flowers!!!

Queensland blue

A great big long keeping pumpkin that tastes oh so good.

Plant it in a well composted tyre, or box and it will grow happily all summer long.

Sunset Cosmos

Sunset cosmos stands sentenial over our Kumara.Providing a little shade, insect food and they are beautiful dancing in the wind.

Deer Roar

A tramp and fly camp to hear the deer roar.

Luffa

Luffa have the most beautiful flowers -even when the petals have gone. They like a long hot growing season and share their stakes happily with beans.

This year the luffa forms the warm, western side of a tunnel. It is sheltered on its eastern side by another row of beans and our pickling cucumbers.

Jobs Tears

We are growing our beads this year.

The bead/ovary is formed around the flower parts so that when it dries the bead is hollow. Amazing!!!

Lashing

A few basic knots, some rope, some bamboo and some tall trees............

Most of the fun is in the making.

Outside my window

Inside it is cool shade.

Bees

My girl is a beekeeper!!!

Ari really enjoys helping her Dad with the bees -and eating the honey.

Gourd harvest

Gourd harvest time!!!

Toby grew this Gourd plant into a shady summer hut in the garden. The gourds will now dry overwinter and be turned into lampshades, scoops, shakers, funnels.......

Crab fishing

What a day!!!

An incoming tide, sand, water, a few simple tools and a whole lot of children = fun.

We made sand castles, crab traps, handlines, tide pools, clay sculptures, water fountains........................ another successful toddler hikoi.

Banana Melon

These are an amazing productive plant.

Sweet and jucy for sharing all summer long.

Artichokes

Sheep eat them during summer, bees feed on them during autumn and we race the pigs to them overwinter.

These ones are a windbreak along the edge of my garden.

Tree Fodder

Lilly loves Tagasaste. So do the bees, worms and fruit trees.

Hammocks

Go anywhere, swing, sleep, hang upside down, share with a friend, snuggle up with a book.......

Stink bugs

I caught this little sucker today. Sucking my beans!!!

Thought the garden may have been getting a little dry. Will water tomorrow.