We found a whole bunch of old narrow, concrete blocks in under the trees. So I got Boyo to haul some out for me, and I used them to edge the little vege garden left by the previous tenants. I combined them with some wooden edging I found round the back of the house. The grass likes to make major inroads into the garden every time my back is turned, so I figured edging was the way to go. Of course, being a rental property I didn't want to spend money on something in case I have to 'love it and leave it.' This was a good solution. The materials were already on site, and we just moved them to suit us. There are several other benefits though. I have just this week put some bird netting over our little strawberry patch. The blackbirds were going to town on the strawbs and we were not getting very many. The netting tucks in under the top row of blocks quite nicely, and is still up high enough for the fruit to grow underneath largely undisturbed. I also thought that with the garden edging in, I could build up the soil in this garden. Once again, I've been putting off doing anything because it isn't "mine" and I don't want to expend too much time or money on something that I might not get to keep. Plus there was the issue of overflow onto the lawn...you can only mound things up so far before gravity (and digging birds and/or cats) takes over and it all heads downwards. So I figured that I can now build up the soil with compost and such, and if we do ever have to leave the unit, I can always barrow or bag my lovely compost/topsoil out with me. If I can be bothered at the time. Who knows, I might or might not, but I do like knowing it is an option. So there you have it, garden edging that didn't cost me more than a few hours work, and is helping to make our little garden more productive. Just as an aside, I do find it fascinating seeing what is lurking in the undergrowth in the places we live. In a previous house, in which I thought there was no garden to speak of, I discovered several lots of spring bulbs popping up. I was delighted, as they promptly got used for the floral art course I was taking (doing a floral art course without a flower garden requires some level of creativity, believe me!). In this house, I have found some nice little rose bushes...they are doing much better now I've cleared most of the grass away from them and given them a prune. And I found a little viola growing in the path by the front door. it now adorns a pot instead and seems to be much happier there, if size and flower production are anything to go by. Didn't really find anything interesting in our last place in North QLD. Except for the Northern Green Jumping Tree Spider. There might be words missing or muddled in that title. I always did get it a bit muddled. But it was a very odd looking green spider that apparently was best to avoid. Oh, and the Burrowing Frogs that appeared our last summer there when we had a really decent wet season and they all decided to come out of hibernation. Gorgeous looking. But very noisy. Glick, glick, glick they went. Glick, glick, glick. Then, just as you were sort of used to the noise and were finally drifting off to sleep something would spook them and they would all go silent. You'd be almost asleep that time, before they all found a new spot and started glicking again! Ah, life in the tropics. But no interesting plants. No one had gardened there before, I gather.
What interesting things have you discovered in the garden when you've moved into a new place?
Amy
Wednesday, 15th December, 2010
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