Garden Thymes

Garlic 2011

2011-08-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

had enough to plant out in June 2011 about 40 extra bulbs.. and have checked on them.. all coming up!

happiness!

My kitchen views.. giving thanks to what we have here... home and hearth, just gets more beautiful

Our homemade BBQ

2011-01-13T00:23:00.000-08:00

Claude and Gunner build BBQ out of recycled steel and welds a perfect size outdoor cookout!! We have had fabulous evening meals... grilling veggies from the garden...

The first firings of our new/old BBQ seasoning the steel for the first of many cookouts, using Manuka felled trees from the bush

HOME 2011

2011-01-13T00:12:00.000-08:00

January sunset.. sitting in the fields glimpsing the light casting colours over home.

one side of our bush

A simple walk along the mowed pathway offers such a welcome pause in my day... often done during my studio hours... with coffee or wine in hand I welcome the shift to the outdoors.

By letting our paddock go wild with grasses and weeds; adds such variety in texture and beauty... and how marvelous in capturing the sunlight!!

2011 Lazy Days

2011-01-12T23:06:00.000-08:00

SO much to do.. have spend only one, entire, day working to clear garden beds, according the moon garden cycle.. yet days have passed since i have been in to resume work.. too lazy. Just last night.. went out to dinner with new group of friends.... one commented on visiting my garden... and how it reminded them of Findhorn!! That was a compliment!! and enough to get me off my lazy seat and do more work!

decided to let these lily out crops to remain in the garden pathways.. they add a lovely colour!! and pause as i walk by

Elemental Light at Dusk

2010-12-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

Been trying to get to the garden all day...with the rains returning on and off all day, I decided to set aside the several attempts and just get to work in the studio.. prepping smaller works for holidays coming to the island. It wasn't until 5:30 evening time.. I grabbed my camera.. and took photos..

The light quality in the garden, amazing. The tints and tones so alive... the moisture help bring out more colour as the sun behind thick clouds.. and angling downward, finishing a beautiful day!!

My first shoot was this color, soon to be a painting. looking at shades of light violet, against deep burned browns, surrounded by silvery greens.. what a combo!

A few remaining artichokes, left for the bees to feast on!

Here is a shallot in bloom.. and found it's skin peeled and barely attached to it's bloom...

Cycles and Presence

The Shallot bed in among the comfrey and lettuces

Have spent the week.. clearing and redressing the pathways with wood chips.. and dressing the beds with peastraw.. cast carrots, mesclun salad mix.. and beetroot seedlings. Planted pale nicotina in pot, harvested two huge heads of Cauliflower.. Red onions, Cavalo Nero, Silverbeet.

home and home

ROSES ROSES

2010-11-25T18:54:00.000-08:00

Cast a handful of carrot seeds last week. In another bed.... a handful of Mesclun Salad Mix already in three days the seedlings are appearing. I guess they were very ready and in alignment with the moon cycle.

Deciding to plant more in schedule with moon cycles.

Here the two Dublin Bay Roses gracing the outer courtyard, blooming since early October!

Sheep pellets and early watering... makes them very happy

Here are Claude's Birthday roses... the whole area is a-lift with the wafting fragrances of this wild climbing white rose, we planted in the back of the garage, never paid much attention to them. With so little soil, we thought they would never survive.. but look at these now!

Well.. my to do list... resolved to be staying home.... choosing to really focus on the joys of my garden.. tending to this sanctuary ... as it nourishes me on so many levels.. many of my ideas for future paintings are seeded here.. my studio practice deeply anchored in the garden. We have created such a special place here.. I often forget or get side tracked in not acknowledging: that HERE is enough... !! There is joy and grace to be felt within this land and sea!!

Great Blog to share ON HARVESTS

2010-11-25T18:29:00.000-08:00

http://growharvestcook.com.au/

Here are my first harvests since my return, from Honey to artichokes & broad beans! November 2010

So many tasks to catch up on having been gone for most of our winter months.. taken me three weeks just to get the garden back from overgrown pathways and weeding of the veggie beds.. So little rain in our Spring time..I was reluctant to plant out any more late Spring early summer veggies... but to look at these images ,... it's time to get right back in to gardening and planning out the next quarter of seasonal foods.

Late July views of Garden

2010-07-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

Stroll to the garden beds.. storm ahead..casting beautiful shadow works on the landscape

Views from the Bench..

cleared all straggly lavenders behind bench ( which i neglected to cut back regularly) and planted six Hydrangeas gifted by a friend.. best present of the day!!

can't get enough of my lavenders!! really pays to cut them back a 1/3 twice a year.. keeps them very happy and purple!

enjoying these Asian Greens.. need to plant another handful.. the density of it's green colour alone tells me this is highly nutritious.. have been using these in fruit smoothies, fresh in salads and veggie stir fries!!

Garden Photos July '10

2010-07-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Fava Beans

Garlic

Sweet Peas tepee in place

Potatoes

Peas

Mint

Shallots

Snap/Snow Peas

Potted Pink Geranium

wanted to try out the mini white & purple cauliflowers.. but prefer the bigger..calendula and poppy companions..

Helping Hands on the Way

2010-06-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Decided I need extra hands on with autumn garden weeding and tasks ... lots of weeding in order due to sudden rains after the island's coming out of 6 month drought!! Thousands of these seeded mauve geraniums now everywhere.. though these are beautiful, and give great green cover until these fantastic petal flowers come into bloom, albeit for only a month!!

Also need to re-mulch the pathways between gardens beds again-soon.

May - June veggie plantings

bronze fennel
brussel sprout
leek
shallots
asian greens
collards
kohl rapi
broad beans
peas
sweat pea

Seven gifted hydrangeas starts. I will plant them around the centre olive trees- makes a great dressing for this!

Sea of Inspiration V

2009-09-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

The daily visits to the sea inspire further with the garden creations.

It's living by the sea, I realise, has shaped this special garden haven.

This photo was taken by a friend, JH, who passed us on our walk and sent it to me

Purple Surrounds

2009-09-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is what greeted me this morning. The surrounding Lavender in full bloom brings a true joy in each moment while working - a sanctum of place has been created here. To see purple shades in all directions East, South, West, North

Cotton Lavender . Mint

2009-09-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

Spent all day in the garden...until 5:30. Very focused with the tasks at hand. It will be helpful to carry a thin, light notebook in my gardening belt in the future. Found myself wanting to jot down ideas, making lists in my head as i worked away.

Thought about the 8 new works in the studio.. drying between layers of paint. Time!! Timing, I'm still working this out between gardening and studio practice. Will be returning to the studio tomorrow, since today felt complete for the time being.

planted berry fruits in berry beds
weeded stone pathway to house
planted Greek Basil seeds in the old cement barrel
composted the Dublin Bay Roses areas
harvested armful of cavalo nero, lettuces, carrot, fennel
artichokes already to harvest!

New Moon - September

2009-09-15T02:44:00.000-07:00

Amazing misty morning, went out to take photos of the garden, capturing a lovely quality of light on the vegetable beds. We are expecting another day of Mist tomorrow.... it's quite peaceful to work in the garden among the mist. I notice the contrast and details more, senses are somehow stronger, and the stillness beautiful. There is magic in the Garden.

My cavalo nero all now seeding. The plants over 8 ft. high. I will need a saw. They are too beautiful to cut down just yet. The bees seem to favour the little yellow blossoms over my lavender surrounds! So good to see the bees returning.. it's been quite. ( I will be getting bees at some stage, in March)
Contacted a Beekeeper on the island, and he is keen for his bees here, next to the canopy of Manuka and other Natives.