Permablitz 22 – Heathmont

‘Permablitz’ – it sounds like one of my frightening hairdressing experiences of the 1970’s – but no, thankfully it was a thoroughly enjoyable and productive day implementing some of the permaculture design at our suburban garden in Heathmont.

It was a perfect day to be in the garden after several days of ‘nectar from the Gods’ (rain!).  Approximately 12 lovely people turned up with energy and a humbling desire to help.

With a modest input of  food .. the output was amazing –

• Clearing an area of agapanthus and stubborn pittosporum stumps for a Zone 5 Native Garden area.  The first grevilleas and brachycomes were planted into a luscious bed of earthworm castings.
• The building-up of a raised intensive veggie bed (behind a rock wall) in Zone One, with layers of autumn leaves, horse poo, straw and topped with compost.  I’ll be sowing lettuces, spinach, alyssum, radishes, rocket and peas this week!
• Evening-out 3 swales (which were dug earlier) in the soon-to-be-Orchard Area.  Water has been collecting there in the last few weeks, turning the moonscape into an adventure playground for frogs and lizards.  I LOVE swales.
• Planting of comfrey cuttings at the base of the swale mounds to provide anchorage, mine the minerals from deep in the soil and provide active material for the compost.
• Clearing some near-dead azaleas and a rampant jasmine from an area around the washing line in preparation for the planting of herbs, dwarf citrus and flowers.  For now, barley and lupins are conditioning the soil (without fanfare and with very little water).

I could go on .. but you get the picture, I’m sure.

THANK YOU, especially to Dan and Carey.  Also Paul, Nathan, Paul, Clarice, Jess, Jason and ?

Can I adopt you all?

If not, how about we get together again soon to continue changing the world, one garden at a time.
Kim.