It’s winter here in Sydney, and the cold weather has just begun.
Small Girl (aged two and a half) has been here – she likes to leave carefully arranged pebbles on the steps. It’s always a treat to go outside and find her latest artwork…
Our poor garden has struggled a little from neglect – life has been frantic, and we’ve been too busy to maintain it to schedule. As a result, we haven’t raised many seedlings, and some beds have just been sown with seed and covered in mulch.
Many of the plants are self-sown, although we did deliberately plant the peas below. This variety (Willow) is supposedly mildew-resistant, and they’re growing from seed this time rather than seedlings. Their variegated leaves are very pretty!
All our broccoli (we have about six plants at the moment) are self-sown. We’ve harvested one large head already…
The perennial leeks are getting fat from the rain…
Our potatoes are growing in a box, which lets us hill them up as they grow…
The sprouting onion that I planted is yielding lots of greenery, which I cut off every time I need spring onions for a recipe…
The basil is still refusing to die, even with the recent cold snap…
Some optimistic self-seeded tomatoes – we seem to have an assortment of cherry and roma hybrids, all slightly different. They’re falling off before they ripen, although this branch looks promising…
Our parsley has survived a rotation of the chook dome and is slowly turning into shrubbery. We harvest some every day for salad…
Lastly, we’ve started our garlic in seedling pots, after first giving them a month in the fridge. Hopefully we’ll find time to get them into the ground soon!
What’s growing in your garden at the moment?
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
My garden is bleak and barren at the moment. There are some brave stems of garlic, and some celery that refuses to die, but the frozen tundra of Canberra is very discouraging to a green thumb.
I don’t bother to garden over winter. If I plant most things out ,like peas and such, in late September, they seem to grow just as fast as soon as the air warms up a bit, as the veggies that I plant in March and just end up sitting there sulking and struggling and sniffling in the sleet.
I don’t blame them.
Lucky you with some green growth still. Good luck with the tomatoes, maybe if you cover them they’ll keep growing?
Becca, I think the toms have had it, really. We’ve had two ripe ones, and that’s it, the rest are going from bright green to dark green to falling off the branch. Canberra really does get cold, doesn’t it? It’s a good thing nothing grows, because it’s too cold to go out into the garden! :)
The idea of a winter garden is so novel for me!
Your winter garden looks better than my early summer one!
I have neglected and ignored it and now it is doing the same to me.
Struggling tomatoes, cucumbers refusing to climb and peppers that look like soldiers without any flowers in their helmets. The herbs look pretty good- but I’m leaving again next week and don’t think anything will do well without some real care.
I’m not a good gardener. :(
Heidi, I’m sure you are a good gardener, but like us, you’ve been busy! :)
It all looks wonderfully green for a winter garden! What is the lowest your temperature goes to in Sydney? Temperature, daylight hours and rainfall are the things. Here it is coming up to mid summer’s day and we are wearing socks and cardigans (and that’s just the dogs). Cool, wet, murky – we need the rain of course, but even so a bit more summer heat would be welcome. I was going to do a garden update this weekend anyway, so this is a good prompt! I quite like neglected gardens, they show the survival of the fittest in action and the weeds are always interesting…. ;)
Jo, it’s rare for Sydney to go below about 6C, although last year we had a couple of 0C nights. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in your spring garden! As I’m typing, the sun is shining, so I can’t really complain about our winters! :)
I have no garden just a basil and mint plant growing on my window sill. You are so blessed…..
Very blessed, Norma, and very grateful! :)
That all looks wonderful Celia. From those pictures I would never have thought it was a garden of neglect!
My winter garden pots are gasping for help…all I can do is look on and say sorry fella’s hopefully spring will be more kind.
Pots are a real struggle in winter, aren’t they? Come the warm weather and your magic touch will bring them all back to life, Brydie! :)
Hi Celia
Your garden is doing really well compared to ours. I had some basil and Vietnamese mint in a pot but the latest cold snap (didn’t get over 7 degrees the other day) has left everything looking a little worse for wear. Down here today (Gippsland) the wind is howling and the roof sounds like it’s going to come off, the temp is 5 degrees and it’s going to be a good day to sit in front of the fire. Even the chickens refuse to budge! Hope you’re having a great one up your way. Cheers!
Meaghan, thank you – sun is shining today, so all good! I think it’s going to get colder soon though…
Your garlic looks great – did the bulbs come from Diana’s place? I have mine in the freezer and I love having a constant supply of Aussie garlic. In my garden I have potatoes, kale, tatsoi, some carrots growing from seed, little broccoli and cauli plants and the strawberries are showing their first flowers. After 5 years and all of the summer rain, there are also lots of lemons and oranges. I’ve only just found out that what I though was a lime tree is actually a lemon!
Jo, yes! I kept a few bulbs of Ian and Di’s garlic, and froze the rest – isn’t it fabulous having it on hand in the freezer? We have some fledgling kale plants in the garden as well, but our lemon tree is still looking very sad – think it will be a few years off yet. I’ve just bought a finger lime tree as well – not sure where it’s going to go…
Amazing that you still have basil – and it looks so happy. Clever things!
I have just lost my third sage plant – I keep putting them in and they keep vanishing and the parsley is struggling against hidden predators. The rosemary,thyme and oregano thrive, fortunately …
Amanda, it’s just been bizarre – I have no idea why the basil is still alive. But like you, we’re not having much luck with sage – also, our rosemary, thyme and oregano are going well! :)
I feel very lucky. Here in northern NSW my garden is in one of its most productive parts of the year. No real frost here, though it has been quite cold the last few nights. I have a bounty of leafy greens at the moment, the first of the broccoli just coming on, plenty of carrots and spring onions, still some basil hanging in there (though looking very picked now!). Even a handful of yellow cherry tomatoes a day. And snow peas not far off. And lots and lots of lemons and citrus. I hate the cold weather and short days, but I love the produce this time of year.
You have treasure in your garden, Linda! :)
Your basil looks a little healthier than mine, although mine is still going. The oregano is still going strong (after several years), parsley is looking healthy and carrots are getting big enough to eat. We’ve also got rhubarb, pea, spinach and spring onion seedlings starting to emerge thanks to some recent rain in Perth. The grape vines have undergone a prune so looking pretty stark at the moment although the passionfruit leaves are still in abundance. Pumpkin plants are providing some ground cover although not fruiting anymore.
Like you Celia, I’m constantly dealing with rogue tomato seedlings, but our 3 chickens appreciate them. I have to add how much I like stalking your blog, it’s often the first place I look for recipe ideas.
Pam, I’ve just bought some spring onion seed to plant, and I’m still negotiating with Pete about planting some baby pumpkins – he thinks they’ll over-run the garden, but the little Yates variety I’ve bought is supposed to be very compact. Thanks for checking in on the blog – it’s always encouraging to know people are reading! :)
I love little piles of stones and small girl’s arrangement is a work of art. My garden is very sodden at the moment having had over 300 mm rain in the past week. I’m hoping that my leeks and coriander survive after spending two days submerged. I have some nice lettuce and rocket coming on and basil and a lone zucchini that are just begging to be finished off by the first frost. The crows and I are having fights over the mandarins but the Meyer lemons are bountiful. Happy weeds!
Liz, she’s such a gorgeous thing, and she leaves me a little arrangement every time she’s over. We have to be careful not to trip on them – sometimes they’re in the middle of the steps… :)
Our weeds are happy too, but between us and the chooks, we seem to be eating them all! :D
I have my solitary pineapple. I wonder how you can tell if they are ripe. My parsley is doing OK, the basil is surviving and that’s about it really. I love winter in Brisbane, the weather is lovely. It has been a bit windy lately, making it a bit cooler than usual, but I like it.
It’s nice that you’re back home, Deb. I hope you take lots of photos when you finally cut that pineapple open! :)
Ahh, I see you have the correct climate for a true winter garden – you are lucky. How low does your winter temp get? Our greatest detriment is not the cold, but rather an over-abundance of rain, which simply rots and drowns whatever is trying to grow – but we are now entering our summer, and everything is doing very well.
Doc, I think on average we only get down to about 6 or 7C overnight, and that’s uncommon, usually winter nights are around the 10 – 12C mark. We’ve had lots of rain too – after years and years of drought – and everything is just sodden…
We are rolling into summer here. I counted two dozen tomatoes on the vines. We have some interesting heirloom varieties. “Black Zebra” is cool looking.
Herbs doing well, artichokes almost done, the first few squash and cucumbers are in. Tons of citrus. Oh and handfuls of boysenberries and blueberries. No peaches though.
Maybe a pumpkin or two on the way.
It’s all good.
Maz
Oooh, I wish I lived nearby Maz, I’d come and raid your berry bushes! :)
PS. Folks, have a look at the amazing things growing in Marilyn’s garden!!
http://thetoymakersjournal.blogspot.com/2011/06/whats-in-your-garden.html
If the t’maters fall off green but are not rotten, you could pickle them green or make fried green tomatoes. Fried greens topped with goat cheese is a personal favorite! It’s a very popular southern American dish.
Preppy, thank you – I’ll remember that! :)
For a neglected garden, yours is going very well, Celia. Love, love, love small girl’s pebble arrangement! Sprouting onion – fabulous for pickings, nice work ;)
Ours is in a state of neglect too although we do have the garlic popping up, enough silverbeet and parsley and some rhubarb stems coming along. Oh, and let’s not forget the two lonesome lemons on the tree (a 100% increase in last year’s harvest, so cannot complain!).
Chris, the pebble art makes me smile every time I go outside. :)
Last couple of weeks have been a bit out of control, and we haven’t been to the markets, so we’ve been surviving on greens – sorrel, chickweed, parsley, basil and rocket. Our rhubarb is a bit rambly, but we’ve had a couple of desserts out of it so far..
Anything edible in my pots has now died – but for the opposite reason – it’s over 40 C and high humidity. Lovely to have a stroll round your garden.
Sally, that’s interesting isn’t it – I thought plants would like hot and humid? But I guess there’s a limit to how much heat they’ll take – hope you’re getting to stay cool!
As much as I love everything in your garden, Small Girls pebble placement is beyond beautiful and remarkable!
:-) Mandy
Mandy thank you – isn’t she clever? :)
This young lady is a sculptor for sure! In my gardent Taro is growing well at this time of year even in the mountains and you can eat the leaves. Had a chat with vegetarian chef friend of mine whose partner is wheat intolerant. Like most people he did not realize the inhabitants of the mediteranean used Taro for their starch prior to the introduction of wheat and potatoes. Taro is not Pacific island food, although it managed to find its way there. Wheat pasta is not indigenous Italian food. Plant some Taro Celia, its like potatoe
with its own butter inside!
Frances, I had taro at dinner recently – chicken and taro hotpot to be specific. It’s a common Chinese restaurant dish. Won’t be growing it though – Pete thinks we don’t have space for too many root veg, but agree that it is absolutely delicious!
I always love reading about your garden. I sadly had to pull out all my squash plants yesterday. I don’t think they like the cold. My basil refuses to die as well though. It’s probably the only thing I always have in abundance.
Claire, hasn’t it been an amazing year for basil! It seems to have been growing really well for everyone!
Yummy, you could make some tasty green tomato chutney with those optimistic tomatoes. Your garden is thriving Celia, it looks one happy garden :)
Anna, I could, but there really isn’t that many of them! :)
Ooooo that onion sounds great! I eat lots of spring onions, will have to grow this one.
Your friend’s daughter has artistic talent for sure, I’m seeing lots of sculptures over here and those stones are so aesthetically placed :)
Mrs Bok, you’d love the onion tops – I’m never throwing a sprouting onion away again! Hope you’re having fun in Paris! :)
Ha ha, neglected indeed! And so strange to hear about a winter garden with all that produce in it. Volunteers are one of my favourite things in the garden, you never know what may come up, although I’m not really hard hearted enough at getting rid of the ones that will really be in the way! I just harvested our first beetroot which is very exciting. Love small girl’s pebble art – what a lovely present for her to leave you :)
Choc, life has been crazy busy – we haven’t even had a chance to get to the markets, so the salad bowl is often chickweed, sorrel and rocket! It’s nice that the garden is looking after us, even if we’re not really looking after it very well at the moment. I adore beetroot, and they seem to grow quite well in our garden! And yes, loved Small Girl’s pebble art.. :)
I don’t have a garden now that we have moved into our new place, so I will have to live vicariously through yours!
Susan, hopefully we’ll have more to show you come Spring – it’s a little sad at the moment, especially now we’re in the middle of this cold snap…