We’re in for another hot day today. A top of 44c here, up to 49c or 50c inland.
I don’t deal with hot well, so I will be staying inside with the air cooler on, I’m just hoping the power stays on.
To fill in time I’m going to start planning my ‘future proof’ garden space.
Exciting! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
TIL next time!
Summer was a bit late starting but it’s here with a vengeance now.
The grass dried off very quickly so was an easy starter for several large fires across Victoria. We were extremely lucky here, the fires that started were put out very quickly.
The grass is brown, the sky is usually blue, unless it’s got a hint of smoke haze. This is still a beautiful place to live ❤️
It will be very hot over this weekend, preparing my fire plan and waiting it out.
TIL next time!
Bird nests are fascinating things. The little feathered creatures that build their own homes have an internal blueprint for how they need to build them.
This nest is a Blackbird nest. Notice the blue piece of nylon entwined into the structure, this is off the twine that holds bales of hay together.
This nest has been sitting empty since last spring, I didn’t know this one was there until the tree was pruned.
I have a few species of birds living in my garden. Blackbirds (introduced), Superb Fairy Wrens, New Holland Honeyeaters, Grey Fantails, Silvereyes, and the ubiquitous Common Sparrow (introduced).
The smaller birds have tiny, tiny little nests which I hardly ever find. Finding a bird nest is a delightful peek at the complexity of bird life, a reminder of their industriousness and the importance of protecting our native species.
Til next time!
How do you work out how high your work benches need to be? That depends on a few things.
The first consideration is what you want to do at the bench, are you able to stand? Or do you need to sit down? Are you a wheelchair user?
When you are standing at a workbench you will need to work at a level where your elbows allow your arms to be at 90deg and parallel with the bench surface.
If you are sitting down, or a wheelchair user, your work benches needs to allow your feet to be flat on the floor with your knees at, or below, waist height.
I guess the ideal workspace would have a combination of different height work benches, but that may be out of reach for many.
When designing your workspace list the different types of jobs you will need to do then decide if you need more than one work bench. The best workspaces will make it easy for you to get your jobs done without straining yourself in any way. Gardening is fun!
TIL next time!
*images are AI generated
Australia has many plants which delight us with late winter flowers.
We’ve turned the corner and now we’re heading towards Springtime, the soil will start to warm up and the length of day will become longer.
Both of these things are catalysts for the awakening of the plant world, seeds will have their own requirements for germination and plants will have their own requirements for the production of flowers to begin their reproductive cycle.
Here in SW VIC we’ve had a bit of rain, but we do need more. With any luck Spring will bring with it the Spring rains. Fingers crossed.
Til next time!
Everywhere around us there are trees. Big, impressive trees and not so big, not so impressive trees that sit there quietly doing their thing.
Trees are homes, trees help our world breathe, trees are sometimes good to sit under quietly or, for some of the smaller humans, to climb up noisily shrieking with delight to get so high.
I stopped at a small town called Inverleigh on a drive home, this magnificent tree catches my eye every time. I’m not entirely sure what it is as I haven’t got close to it, but from its domed shape I think it could be a Stone Pine. I’m happy to be corrected.
This tree has been there a long time, I wonder what has happened around it in that time, lots of humans living their relatively short lives I guess.
This beautiful specimen of a Date Palm also catches my eye when I pass by it sitting in its home in a private garden.
The birds love it and there are a variety of them popping in and out of the fronds to their nests almost constantly.
Trees are all around us, take the time to pick out a few that catch your eye, try to find a bit out about them.
TIL next time!
It’s been a while! Life goes on, the seasons turn. It’s winter now after a very dry summer.
A bit of rain has freshened things up, but there’s still a way to go. Here are some pics from yesterday , as is so often the case here in SW VIC, the skies were beautiful.
Til next time 🙂
When you think of accessible gardens, often the first thing you think of is raised beds.
Raised beds are not all created equal, there are lots of things to take into account.
A raised bed must suit the purposes and needs of the person using it, a wheelchair user has different needs to a person not using a wheelchair, but may have the need to use a walker for mobility, for instance.
Some other things to take into account are the materials you will use, the height you will need, whether you need the bed to be moveable or fixed in position. The material you use will have a lot to do with these factors.
Some standard measurements for height and width are as follows, but remember every user will be a different height, so a bed for a specific person can be made specifically for them.
Height for a person standing: 750mm -900mm
Height for a person sitting: 600mm
Width for access from one side: 500mm- 600mm
Width for access from both sides:1000mm- 1200mm
Raised beds don’t have to be rectangular, they can be designed to fit any space or need, once again, the materials chosen will determine what you can do. The curved shape above, for instance, could be made with sheets of corrugated iron.
It’s important to make sure any beds constructed are safe and made by a reputable builder.
Depending on the type of raised bed you decide on, filling it brings its own decisions, but I will cover this matter another time!
Til next time!
Setting up an accessible garden space is the basis for setting up the ability to stay out in a garden space in your old age, or if you have differing abilities.
Setting up a safe space for gardening activities needn’t be an expensive exercise, but there are a few things to take into account.
The elements that are most important are: a safe, non slip, flat surface: a space large enough to allow easy movement for you, your support person if required, and any mobility devices: strong, solid workbenches at a good height for your needs.
Generally speaking, a workbench for a wheelchair user would comfortably allow for the seat of the chair to go underneath, or be positioned close to the bench top, and it would allow the user to still comfortably use the armrests. This means the final measurements would need to be tailored to an individual’s needs.
A person using a walker would need to have a workbench that will allow them to get close to the workbench without having to stretch or lean too far.
The next thing to consider is what type of growing you are going to do, raised garden beds can be made in a variety of ways, but to do this on a tighter budget all you need to do is to use large containers that will not become too heavy and will drain freely without damaging the workbench or making the ground too wet. Polystyrene containers from your local green grocer are a good option.
More about container planting next time!
Each accessible garden space needs to be designed to suit the needs of the individuals using that space, so a great way to do this is to record your activities for a while to get an idea of what your main needs are.
Til next time
It’s been a while but I’m back to do this quick post today.
Things have been hotting up here, developing a ‘learning garden’ site, updating social media on the interwebs… it’s been go, go, go. On top of that, Xmas 🤶 is only a couple of weeks away (then it’s my birthday :))
The wetlands project is coming along too, some minor seepage has turned into a reconstruction of a wall, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed.
As with everything, changes come, changes go as we work to sculpt our lives and our environment.
Hopefully I’ll get to pass on Christmas wishes here before the day, but if not, I’ll catch you on the flip side 👍🏻
Til next time!
The Flowerpot Pen