Garden Visit to Robyn's Garden near Dorrigo

Setting up the seed table with seeds and plants to share always arouses our expectations of a plant that will fit into our gardens.












 It was perfect weather, as we gathered on the lawn in the shade, but for those of us who didn't bring a warm top it was soon to be a cool experience because a breeze from the South soon appeared to lower temperatures.







Our visit to Robyn's garden was a real climate change for our members in the Bellinger Valley. It is always interesting to see another garden and Robyn's garden, situated on the Dorrigo Plateau, above the Bellinger Valley, had expansive views of the rolling green paddocks of the plateau.

Trandescantia

The plateau climate allows Robyn to grow many plants that fail to thrive in the warm temperate/subtropical climate of the Bellinger Valley.

Alstroemeria (Princess Lily)

These Alstroemerias formed a large clump. Personally I prefer these bold coloured varieties without the muddy markings that some have.

Rhubarb much prefers the cool weather of the plateau.

Robyn finds this Plectranthus groundcover very useful to grow under her windbreak because it suppresses the germination of Privet seeds.

It is Iris time, ....

 and Hippeastrum time.

Deutzia

Robyn's Asparagus bed is fairly new. She will wait at least another year before picking.  Meanwhile, she will load on the manure and mulch. The plateau's soil is volcanic in origin. It drains very well and nutrients are easily leached away.

Berries of all kinds thrive in the plateau climate.

Robyn's Broccoli requires protection from the birds.

Prawn Plant or Shrimp Plant growing with Brundfelsia.
















Comfrey, another plant that thrives on the plateau, is a wonderful mulch and soil conditioner.











A Savoury Loaf featured on the afternoon tea table.

Elaine's cordial has a secret mix of herbs and no syrup. She has promised to share the recipe with us.

Come along to our next Seedsavers' event. A reliable source tells us it will be in December at at Spickets Creek, at the end of the navigable section of the Bellingen to Bowraville Rd. Watch for details on our events page.

The 'My T Fine String Band' entertained us during afternoon tea. What a treat!

Garden visit to a developing food forest at Gleniffer

Click on a photo to enlarge.

Afternoon Tea in the garden

 We always have a sumptuous afternoon tea after our garden tour.

Afternoon Tea in Gleniffer

date & walnut cake

Pumpkin muffins; a great way to use pumpkin

Candlenut Tree

 We will post recipes in a later post.

Candlenut on the tree

Carambola Tree with fruit

Compost heap

Ginger patch

Every plant pictured grows well in our warm temperate/sub-tropical climate. Ginger (above) is very useful and loves our heat and water. You can start with a chunk from the greengrocer or market. Make sure each piece planted has an eye.

Hawaiian Guava

Lab Lab Bean and Elder flower

Mandarin

As we wended our path through the food forest we came across a huge flowering mandarin laden with fruit.

The Lab Lab bean grows along fencelines and trellises.

Mushrooms

These mushrooms sprang out of the horse manure David had collected.

Newly constructed path

Pineapple guava

Plant table

Pomello

Mushrooms growing from horse manure mulch

 Saba Nuts shoot underneath the tree

David's garden has grown so much since our last visit. He hopes to host a permaculture course with Rosemary Morrow later in the year.

Banana

Rhubarb is useful in desserts or in savoury stews.

ABC Garden Patch at Tasmanian Botanic Gardens

It was fascinating to visit this vegetable garden and to see how well some plants that struggle to grow in our subtropical/warm temperate climate thrive in the different climate of Hobart, and vice versa.

Rhubarb obviously loves the climate.

Runner beans

Woven twigs contain the these herbs.

Tree Onions

Bulbine bulbosa (Native Leek) has edible corms grows and well in Bellingen. The leaves and flowers are not edible.

(Lactuca sativa) Celtuce is a non-hearting lettuce relative from southern China grown for its large tender and crisp stalks that are eaten raw in salads or cooked ...

Pepino

This post is bolted to a cement pad

Gooseberry bushes love the Hobart climate

Oca (New Zealand Yam) dislikes our subtropical summers so store in your crisper and plant in March.

Globe artichokes

Incredible roses love the lack of humidity.