It was a cool start to Spring. I guess most of the time that’s the way it is. Spring creeps up at you. A gardener in tune with the land notices it stirring. One day finds you acknowledging the tips of the daffodils emerging from the grass. Then the next its the Freesia's and Sparaxis that you can smell faintly in the air, crouching down,  I find them hiding under the daffodils.  

Changes become more rapid, Spring comes about in waves. Attention wanes from daffodils and poppies to the early apple blossoms. When you look up at them you know there’s no turning back. It’s here. We, the gardeners begin to wake up to Spring and its possibilities.

The Borage is blooming readily by now, the sweet peas start to climb up them and reach for the trellis in the middle. I’m calling this my “sweet pea circus” as it accidentally has been shaped like a tent. It will invite the bees to a new spot in my garden, hopefully they will pay attention to the two new raised beds sitting beside it. The bees are loving it for sure right now as they buzz and circle right around the green growing sculpture.

Gilly, our friendly cockatoo comes back and perched himself outside the kitchen window, then gives me the squawk so I know he’s back in town and that he wants his bird seed breakfasts once again. He’s brought friends. Up to ten if them having breakfast in the morning with us. I’m thinking about the nets I will have to put  back on the fruit trees. 

I've emptied 6 months worth of our compost into the second Hugelkultur bed, on top of apple wood pruning and other green organic waste. I’m impressed with the garlic crop growing in the first one and it spurs me on to get this one ready for summer. 

The new patch in the front garden is still under black plastic and I’ve been on a go slow because the back yard is getting all my attention. Early December I will buy in extra compost and plant and mulch it. Little shovels and helpers needed.

High spring now has the grass raging with growth and the weeds are beyond control. Mowing monopolises time, sometimes it’s twice a week as rain dumps down and then in turn the sun heats up the land. 

The flashes of cold the heat seem more intense this year, we have had a 30 degree day in October that was followed by a 15 degree day, followed by a 1 degree night low. The hydrangea was frazzled. The edges of the leaves seemed singed. Mother Nature seemed angry, and the plants suffered. But they bounced back. Plants are so wonderful like that, there is such power inside of them.

I’m collecting lots of Chamomile, my new favourite plant for herbal teas and I gleefully obtained Feverfew from a local community garden open day.

Spring finally has me inspired and looking forward to the summer months. This is when I get planning the summer beds and figure out the jigsaw of what is going where, written down on a white piece of paper one morning over breakfast. Mr Seven puts in his expert opinion and we figure it out together. 

Finally, I am steeped in luck to get out to local and open gardens to interview gardeners for next years Gippsland Country Life magazine. Many inspirational conversations were had between myself and other locals who love nature and their garden  as much as I love mine and it satisfies me immensely to know I'm not the only one grappling with garden dilemmas. 

Bring on Summer. May you have many successes. 

The three sisters Summer garden.