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Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Living well in the urban village

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« A Bowl of Soup
In My Kitchen, March 2014 »

Early Morning Garden

February 27, 2014 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

A few photos from this morning…

A sea of basil occupies the front bed…

Bishops Crown chillies are notoriously difficult to germinate, so we were chuffed to find a small volunteer plant growing next to the kaffir lime tree. All the chillies have started to ripen…

The weather has been cool and wet this past week, and the brassicas have suddenly taken off…

Our self-sown Lebanese eggplant continues to fruit…

A couple of years ago, Julie at Eveleigh Markets gave me a basket of French marigolds. They’ve now spread throughout the garden, adding glorious colour (they deter pests as well, apparently)…

Our lemon tree is growing a new crop…

Lemongrass seems to really like our backyard – the small plant Nic gave us for Christmas a couple of years ago is growing well…

And finally – rainbow chard self-sows itself into all the beds – there’s always some in the garden to pick…

How are things going in your garden?

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Posted in Garden, My Photos | 82 Comments

82 Responses

  1. on February 27, 2014 at 12:11 am sallybr

    Stunning! When I grow up I want to be like you, but if that doesn’t work, I have that request to be your neighbor still pending…. I know the competition is fierce, but maybe Small Man can put a good word for me? I love metal chemistry…


    • on March 1, 2014 at 11:56 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Sally, I WOULD happily trade veg for chemistry coaching! :)


  2. on February 27, 2014 at 12:14 am Padaek

    Wow – your garden is so beautiful – so luscious and thriving! I envy your green thumb. :) The Bishops Crown chilies look lovely – how do they taste? My mum adores her marigold. My finger lime is growing new leaves/branches but it won’t be another 2 odd years before they fruit. :)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:09 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      The bishops crowns are sweet with medium heat – they’re a great chilli to cook with! I wish our finger lime would hurry up and do something too – it’s been in the ground for ages! :)


  3. on February 27, 2014 at 12:15 am jaz

    frozen here. solid as a rock. and it’s snowing!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:09 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Hang in there! Spring is only around the corner! :)


  4. on February 27, 2014 at 12:19 am Pat Machin

    I am so jealous of your basil. It only grows here for a short period in the summer so never gets as big as that!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:10 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Pat, basil loves our backyard for some reason, and grows prolifically, self-seeded and unattended. We can’t use it up fast enough! (which of course, means it goes to seed, and then..well, it all starts again..) :)


  5. on February 27, 2014 at 12:24 am lindaswildlifegarden

    lovely my garden is just starting to come to live will do an update soon


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:10 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      That’s good news! :)


  6. on February 27, 2014 at 12:30 am Promenade Claire

    Good to see how well everything is growing. Loving the self seeded plants too. My plot is looking like its had a winter bashing!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:11 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      We’ve had a tough year timewise, so what you’re really seeing is photos of our self-perpetuating garden. The chooks have been doing most of the work! :) I saw your greenhouse – I’m sorry your allotment had such a rough trot!


  7. on February 27, 2014 at 12:32 am heidiannie

    My garden is filled with snow- not lovely snowdrops- just about 7 inches of snow- and it is still coming down. I love all the beautiful basil, Celia- and totally love that your garden is all volunteer! Thanks for sharing with those of us who are not so richly endowed with green at this time of the year!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:12 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Heidi, it’s not neat, but it is lush! :)


  8. on February 27, 2014 at 12:35 am Selma's Table

    Gorgeous – I love that you let the self seeded ones grow…your garden pleasantly reminds me of what we have to look forward to in the northern hemisphere!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:12 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you! We let all the plants we like go to seed and self-sow – we’re not ones for neat plantings in rows. Oh ok, I admit it, we’re just lazy. But I prefer to call it rustic.. :)


  9. on February 27, 2014 at 1:59 am niasunset

    I wanted to be there :) Beautiful, Blessing your garden. Thanks and Love, nia


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:13 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks lovely Nia! xx


  10. on February 27, 2014 at 2:27 am marilynscottwaters

    Oh wow! Your basil is glory. We just put a few herbs in. Our broccoli is done. It’s the end of winter here and although we have tons of citrus everything else is a bust. Looking forward to Spring. :-) Maz


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:14 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Maz, you do so well with citrus. We just have our lemon tree, but it IS doing quite well at the moment!


  11. on February 27, 2014 at 2:54 am I'm Gonna Cook That

    I cannot wait to have a garden again! I don’t know when that will be, but I’m determined to have one, even if it’s just a little balcony garden. Yours is gorgeous!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:14 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you! It’s not very tidy at the moment, but it is lush!


  12. on February 27, 2014 at 2:55 am lapetitecasserole

    I wish I could have my own garden… yours is great!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:14 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you! I hope one day you get your wish! :)


  13. on February 27, 2014 at 3:11 am Manuela

    Beautiful plants! My basil never gets as tall as yours. Marigolds really work for pest control. I let mine self sow, so I have lots of volunteer plants. My garden is still covered in snow and frozen. I have started some plants indoors for transplanting later.


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:18 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Manuela, we’re a lot warmer here than you are! :) I’m glad you’ve got plants ready to go – spring can’t be far away!


  14. on February 27, 2014 at 3:22 am Danielle

    What glorious colours and rich pickings! I garden vicariously, thank you for sharing ;-) Spring is definitely showing out in these parts, with wonderful blossoms and crocus and daffodil bulbs just peeking through.


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:19 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Danielle, that sounds fabulous! I love it when the bulbs start to appear! :)


  15. on February 27, 2014 at 4:22 am narf77

    Our summer has been extremely dry and we haven’t had any rain since early December here in Northern Tasmania and I am really jealous of your damp conditions :). Got to say your garden is wonderful. I love that you are getting volunteers. My veggie garden is in transition at the moment so that we can hopefully prevent mamalian pests invading Poland. Lost most of my growing pumpkins to bush rats this year which is a HUGE pity as I adore pumpkins. Kudos on the bishops hat chilli. We have trouble growing regular chillies so I bow to your prowess :). Cheers for the lovely photos and the reminder that sooner or later (in our case probably later…) autumn is going to descend and we will hopefully get some rain to make everything green again :)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:21 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      I hope you get the pests under control! And I think it’s not us that good with chillies, it’s the Sydney climate! :)


      • on March 2, 2014 at 11:20 am narf77

        Where are you? I thought you were in NSW? My daughter who lives in the city just grew some fiery hot habanero chillies and we used a teeny tiny one in our nachos on the weekend and it almost killed us ;).


  16. on February 27, 2014 at 4:59 am Peter Bryenton (@peterbryenton)

    Luscious.


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:21 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you :)


  17. on February 27, 2014 at 5:11 am EllaDee

    Upon seeing all that basil my brain responded – pesto! Although it may be a funny thing to aspire to, it’s this; a verdant, productive garden I’m working towards. That it’s still all in my imagination doesn’t daunt me, as I see it in your practice the possibilities.


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:22 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      You know, there’s really only so much pesto one can eat in a season. :) I’m pretty much pesto’d out. But Thai stir fries and curries – the basil is gorgeous for those! :)


  18. on February 27, 2014 at 6:42 am Liz Posmyk of Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things

    Oh Celia, your garden is flourishing, love. Ours fried in the big heat, so we lost all the basil, the six cucumbers and various other things… the cool change has seen the strawberries, aubergine and other things come back to life! Love your garden updates, so very inspiring xo


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:22 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Lizzy, we’ve never been able to grow strawberries. Everything seems to eat them! I suspect the cooler climate in Canberra is more conducive to them! :)


  19. on February 27, 2014 at 6:49 am lambsearsandhoney

    Beautiful basil there, my friend. Whenever I’ve tried to grow it up here in the Adelaide Hills it just bolts straight to seed. :-(


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:23 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Amanda, we’re having a similar problem this year with coriander. Hopefully we’ll be able to get it going once the weather cools down!


  20. on February 27, 2014 at 7:15 am Jane @ Shady Baker

    Your garden looks gorgeous Celia, look at that beautiful basil! Those chillies look great too. I have a lot of cucumbers in my garden…not sure how thrilled my family are about that! x


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:23 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Jane, our cucumbers didn’t really work this year, so we’ve been eating masses of purslane instead. Wish we could trade! :)


  21. on February 27, 2014 at 7:35 am Francesca

    Ah I love that sea of basil. We have only small plants of Basil Genovese this year due to the awful weather conditions at the start of the season. Meanwhile the Thai basil is going nuts. I also grow Marigold to deter pests but mine are a boring yellow. I LOVE these red ones. I am looking forward to some skinny eggplant recipes from your garden too.


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:24 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Francesca, the ones we have are called French marigolds, and they’ve mixed up and jumbled and now we get some that are very orange and some that are quite mottled. Skinny eggplants always end up as curries! :)


  22. on February 27, 2014 at 7:47 am theintolerantchef

    I love your little piece of peace in the suburbs Celia! My silverbeet has self sown as well and is cropping up everywhere. I’m about to follow your lead and grill eggplant slices for the freezer as they’re going gangbusters just now- yummo xox


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:25 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Becca, I love having rainbow chard on hand – it goes into everything here! :)


  23. on February 27, 2014 at 9:42 am Sandy

    I am IN LOVE with your eggplant! We have planted some seeds but got none yet, I hear they take a while to grow – I hope ours takes off like yours has! :-)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:25 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Sandy, eggplant seems to grow every other year for us – one year we have heaps, and then the next none at all. I’m not sure why that is!


  24. on February 27, 2014 at 11:41 am Jan

    Lovely basil and aubergine – it all looks so rewarding and the marigolds are like little beacons – I believe they are beneficial in the garden too. We are still fighting possum wars and also our next door neighbour’s cats like our veggie patch for a little quiet contemplation. Peter’s latest addition to our armoury (or will be, this weekend) is an electrified fence round the veggie patch……stay tuned:):) our chickens could well be laying fried eggs!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:26 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      An electrified fence! I guess that’s the only alternative though, as you’re not really allowed to do anything about the possums. Not sure how happy your neighbours will be when you fry their cat though.. ;-)


  25. on February 27, 2014 at 12:04 pm Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

    I read the words self-sown and I start dreaming of a garden again. Everything looks so good!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:26 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank Maureen! One day, love! xx


  26. on February 27, 2014 at 1:21 pm Joanne T Ferguson (@mickeydownunder)

    G’day! What a GORGEOUS garden indeed Celia, true!
    I am curious as have HEAPS of basil this year and was wondering how best I can store it and freeze it too! Thank you!
    Cheers! Joanne


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:27 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Joanne, I’ve never had any luck storing basil – it always goes brown on me when I freeze it, and I’ve never tried drying it. Good luck with yours!


  27. on February 27, 2014 at 1:24 pm hotlyspiced

    That’s so much basil! You could make a lot of pesto with that. I grew lemongrass once and it grew and grew and grew so quickly that I couldn’t use it us as quickly as it produced. Would love to grow it again though as you pay so much for one stick of lemongrass. Everything in your garden looks wonderful xx


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:27 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      I’m so over pesto, but the basil is a great addition to curries and Thai stirfries! Come over and get lemongrass anytime!


  28. on February 27, 2014 at 2:03 pm Marilyn Ryman

    I so enjoy your blog Celia. I am a lover of all things green and am looking forward to starting my garden again after my move south. Thanks for your efforts. Mirri


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:28 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Ooh, that’s exciting! Good luck with your new garden!


  29. on February 27, 2014 at 4:45 pm Lorelle

    There are so many types of basil, and I don’t seem to be good at any – can you tell me what sort you have planted?


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:29 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Lorelle, it’s Genovese basil (Italian basil) and we bought the seeds from the Italian Gardener.


  30. on February 27, 2014 at 5:01 pm Rose

    Celia you know you can eat the marigolds? Pick the freshest petals to pop in salads.


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:29 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      I didn’t know that! Thanks Rose!


  31. on February 27, 2014 at 10:44 pm Stefanie

    Oh my goodness that basil is incredible!!


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:30 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Stefanie! There’s more than we know what to do with! :)


  32. on February 27, 2014 at 11:18 pm My Kitchen Stories

    My garden?. Not so good. But I can live vicariously through yours. Celia that basil is magnificent


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:30 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Come and get as much as you like, love xx


  33. on February 28, 2014 at 12:33 am Judy @Savoring Today

    The basil is a little slice of heaven and has me dreaming of fresh pesto and Caprese salads … vibrant and fragrant. My garden is brown right now, but it will be vibrant soon as winter gives way to spring tending and planting. Until then, I will visit your garden here, and dream. :)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:31 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Judy, love, love, love caprese salad! When we can make it from homegrown tomatoes and basil, and fresh mozzarella from down the road, life is just perfect! :)


  34. on February 28, 2014 at 9:00 am dianeskitchentable

    I didn’t know you had a lemon tree – how wonderful. That basil is really quite impressive. I only have about 6 puny plants inside right now but hopefully I can start to plant outside – well maybe in about 4 months or so :)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:31 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Di, it’s only a few years old, and for the first year it made just one lonely lemon. It’s doing well now! :)


  35. on February 28, 2014 at 9:06 am Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    Everything is looking beautiful Celia! And is the lemon tree new? I don’t remember you having one before? :)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:32 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      It’s been here for years, but it’s off to the side, behind the lemongrass! :)


  36. on February 28, 2014 at 1:54 pm Tandy | Lavender and Lime

    My marigolds are also doing well and I have an abundance of basil and chillies and the lone baby marrow every now and then :)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:32 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Tandy, it hasn’t been a great year for our cucurbits either, apart from our mutant trombie butternut squash. All the other trombies have grown, but not produced fruit. I can never predict what’s going to grow and what isn’t! :)


  37. on February 28, 2014 at 4:43 pm Jody

    Your garden looks beautiful Celia. You certainly have green thumbs:)


    • on March 1, 2014 at 4:33 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Jody! It’s really not us, I think following Linda Woodrow’s plan has really paid off, and the soil is finally starting to improve. Plus when we let things go to seed, the plants that grow seem much hardier than the ones we try to plant!


      • on March 1, 2014 at 6:23 pm Jody

        I’ll look her up because my planting is not working and looking at your lovely green garden made me think how brown and burnt my garden is. Thanks for the name. Enjoy your weekend:)


        • on March 1, 2014 at 7:34 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

          Jody, here’s how our 7yo neighbour described our garden! :)

          https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2012/05/25/school-project/


        • on March 2, 2014 at 8:51 am Jody

          What a good project for your neighbour. Your garden looks very lush and productive so it is obviously working. I think this is the way to go. Thanks for the information Celia:)


  38. on March 1, 2014 at 6:05 pm tableofcolors

    Your garden looks wonderful! I have not had much luck with basil…perhaps we live in a climate zone that is too cold. We also live in the middle of a field and get lots of wind! I think I will give basil a try again when we get our greenhouse built. :)


  39. on March 2, 2014 at 4:52 am Sally

    Can you believe I’m buying basil and chard like that from our local farmers market right now? Weird how the seasons are crossing


  40. on March 2, 2014 at 1:54 pm ChgoJohn

    Fantastic, Celia! The number and variety of self-sown plants — that don’t just sprout but thrive — in your garden is remarkable. The chard and eggplant alone would make me very happy. Add the basil and I’d be one very happy gardener. :)


  41. on March 2, 2014 at 8:32 pm Sophie33

    Your garden is producing well, I see! In my garden, it is nearly spring! I have pruned my fig tree & my winter flowers are doing well! x



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