Making Rainbows and Playing with Helicopters

 

The children burst with excitement when the maples produce seeds, "look mum look"cries the Middle Bowerbird.  It is such a delight to throw these winged seeds into the air and watch them giddily tumble, spinning and catching the wind, casting themselves to new homes. I haven't met a child yet who didn't like playing with these natural helicopters, to be truthful I'm still fond of launching them into space too.

We are very rainbow inspired of late. The little Bowerbird has been creating Autumn leaf Rainbows and the Middle Bowerbird chose rainbows as a topic for his weather assignment.

We have been back to visit our DIY rainbow at Macedon Station and the picture on the wall is just as it was in April. Amazing how long chalk can last, I love it that no one has been offended or wanted to remove it.

The Garden of St Erth, Seeds and Brazen Hussies

Two friends plotting at Vegie group.

Would you like to come to Garden of St Erth with us? ooh yes please. 

A Monday plan was born.

I've been pining to go ever since I got the latest Diggers Club catalogue. I had been pawing it, studying it, and making little stars next to exciting sounding vegetables.

Good friends, a garden walk, and seed shopping, the perfect trifecta. 

The lovely Christine from Slow Living Essentials very kindly chauffeured me, Beth, and the Little Bowerbird to the Garden of St Erth in Blackwood. I had been there before, but somehow had never taken in the immaculately groomed vegetable patches.

It took us a great deal of time to choose from the extensive seed collection.  I was fortunate enough to get some seeds of those Tromboncino Zuchinnis (centre far left in the image above)  that were being held behind the counter - a very exclusive Members only affair. Each year I like to try a different type of zuchinni, there are so many wonderful varieties, it's great seeing what a new one will look like, and their subtle differences in flavour.

The little Bowerbird was very patient with us taking forever to choose our garden delights, and then a stroll in the garden was in order.  A rainbow umbrealla made the grim day feel a little brighter.

The winter roses were out in full bloom, an unusual yellow one particularly took our fancy.

The old fruit trees were perfectly espalliered and covered in a veneer of moss and lichen.  the promise of fruit could be seen by swelling buds.

The asparagus patch, heavily mulched - I might try that technique at home. We were discussing the finer points of asparagus care at Friday's vegie group gathering.  I'm pretty sure mine are planted a little too close to a fruit tree. They don't like competition. A bit sad to put them in the wrong place then wait years for a good crop of spears.

Beautiful wine coloured brussell sprouts were looking tasty and ready for harvest, another crop I'm yet to master.  Apparently it's all in the timing - I wonder when these sprouts went in?

My lovely companions for the day, we chatted vegies and gardens.  I take special delight in sharing my Peter Cundall words of wisdom, and they take special delight in laughing at me.

I almost bought a potato scoop and left behind the hazelnut tree when I found out I needed two for a successful crop. Serious restraint. Anyone ever used a potato scoop to harvest their spuds?

To top off a beautiful day we dined on a slice of "Brazen Hussy" from here. She was indeed bold and quite delicious, with flaky pastry and lots of creamy fetta, very sexy. The little Bowerbird is currently expressing her delight in the Carmen Miranda fruit toast that we brought home with us, and nagging for another slice.

We almost had a forage at the Trentham tip but alas it was closed. So good to have friends that understand the joy of tip fossicking.
  
Now to get planting some seeds... actually a bit early for most of these
My summer selection. 
White sweet corn, cucumber Sweet and Striped, Pumpkin Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck, Lettuce Italian Lollo Mix, Blue Himalayan Poppies, Sunflower Prado Red and the excitingly tightled - Beans Sex without Strings.

Anyone planting their summer seeds yet?

Seeds, Broccoli & Play

I have been sorting the broccoli seeds that were blocking the back door. Amazing how those huge branches of siliques can take up so much space, I harvested the dried out seeds before some storms came through and they have been awaiting my attention. 

At first I sat down with the little one and tried splitting them one by one.  A good exercise in developing fine motor skills.  Unfortunately the wind came, blew the sheet of paper I was collecting the seeds on in the air,  sending seeds everywhere.  Note to self - whilst sorting seed seems like a pleasant outdoor activity, it is not practical, seeds are light and easily lost. On my second attempt I grabbed a bucket and a potato masher and crushed the papery siliques in the bucket so they released their seeds. Then it was just a quick seive to remove the chaff.

If I get really fussy I might winnow the seeds.

These are primarily for sprouting however I may grow some in the garden.
The original plants were from a nursery punnet so i'm not sure what they are and if they're hybrids.  A close friend grew some this way and the broccolli never produced heads.  I threw the seed chaff around my cucumbers and noticed today that some of the unsorted seeds are coming up.


We currently have plenty of broccoli to eat

I used the peg technique for the first time. I have used this with great success on cauliflower.

 This helped keep the heads lovely and fresh and slightly blanched - some have grown so large they were popping their pegs off. They grow so quickly this time of year.

the carrot seeds are also ripening.

 The little Bowerbird and I had a wonderful time playing with artichoke seed, I am just smitten with those purple flowers. Too pretty to eat.

  

Artichokes are worth growing just for the joy of playing with their wonderful fairy seeds.  you can make wishes on them, see how long you can keep them in the air, and just enjoying their silky and spiky feel.