Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Kereru
I made this cushion cover using an old blanket that came from my Mum's family. I used felt pieces to make the shape of the kereru. I figured that because I don't have any Kereru in my garden yet I might as well have one in my lounge!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
The native garden
My wonderful friend Jay came down from Auckland to help us begin landscaping our garden. Not many people I know would pack a skill saw in their backpack for a weekend away!
The first project was to create a native garden. The idea behind this was I wanted to create a garden for native birds to visit. When we lived in Wilton we had Tui, Piwakawaka and Kereru visit all the time.
To start we finished putting edging in to create a garden (Mary and I had started this a few weeks earlier) and dug up the grass to expose the soil and began digging holes for the new plants.
I was fortunate enough to have been told to help myself to any native seedlings I needed from the small patch of bush outside our previous neighbours house. Jay and I took the spade and came back with a boot full of green harakeke (flax), mapou, horoeka (lancewood), and puahou (five finger). I had already collected some rengarenga lilies from my workplace (they divide so easily)!
I was fortunate to have been given a garden voucher from the families at my last workplace so I spent it putting the finishing touchs to the garden. I'm also awaiting for the kowhai tree I have ordered to be ready. All it needs now is some extra soil and some leaf mulch to give it that organic look.
Let the transformation begin....
The first project was to create a native garden. The idea behind this was I wanted to create a garden for native birds to visit. When we lived in Wilton we had Tui, Piwakawaka and Kereru visit all the time.
To start we finished putting edging in to create a garden (Mary and I had started this a few weeks earlier) and dug up the grass to expose the soil and began digging holes for the new plants.
I was fortunate enough to have been told to help myself to any native seedlings I needed from the small patch of bush outside our previous neighbours house. Jay and I took the spade and came back with a boot full of green harakeke (flax), mapou, horoeka (lancewood), and puahou (five finger). I had already collected some rengarenga lilies from my workplace (they divide so easily)!
I was fortunate to have been given a garden voucher from the families at my last workplace so I spent it putting the finishing touchs to the garden. I'm also awaiting for the kowhai tree I have ordered to be ready. All it needs now is some extra soil and some leaf mulch to give it that organic look.
Let the transformation begin....
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Oh Daphne!
Different smells evoke different memories for me. One of my favourite childhood smells is that of Daphne, hence why I wanted my own Daphne in my garden.
This particular Daphne is Daphne Odora Leucanthe "Alba" but I am going to call it Jessica for short.
This particular Daphne is Daphne Odora Leucanthe "Alba" but I am going to call it Jessica for short.
 |
| I patiently wait for it's little white flowers to come out. |
Friday, June 17, 2011
Actually MY house!
We have moved! It has been a busy couple of weeks transitioning into our new house but I'm already on to making it our own.
 | |
| Existing vege garden complete with shade cloth! |
There are a couple of raised garden beds already so I have used these to get some stuff planted for eating. I divided the rhubarb and strawberries in one (got to love plant duplication!!) and in the other I planted Awapuni seedlings - brassicas and spinach. There were already some carrots in there which have been a favourite edible treat for my 3 year old nephew to pick fresh.
I have never had to start from scratch before so it has been an interesting process to put my ideas into actual landscape designs for the property. I actually found out I'm not too bad with a pencil!! We start our first landscaping project this weekend..... watch this space!!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Hot Chilli Sauce!
When I was growing up I was fortunate to live across the road from a chinese lady who used to make me prawn toasts and fried rice for my birthday every year. She also made this amazing chilli sauce which was so hot you could only put a few drops on your food.
I made contact with her son last year to get the recipe and found out that she had passed away about 6 years ago. While I was deeply saddened by this I was pleased to find out that her youngest son had collected all her recipes from her while she was ill. This was good thinking on his part as she kept her recipes in her head.
So I made her chilli sauce this week as my own personal tribute to her. It isn't as hot as hers', most likely because I used a combination of asian fire and jalapeno chilli's (homegrown of course!!). My favourite way to have it was mixed in cooked cabbage - so guess what's for dinner!!
Here is the recipe, I made a smaller batch which made a very large jars worth - very easy to make and tastes delicious!
Chilli Sauce
Ice cream container of chillis.
6-7 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed.
Cut top of chillis and mince in food processor. Add Garlic and the juice of 8 lemons.
In a large pot, add 4 cans of tomato sauce, bring to the boil.
Once boiled, add the chilli mix.
Add 1 cup of sugar and 3-4 teaspoons of salt.
Bring to the boil and let it boil for 5-7 minutes and then remove from heat and cool.
I made contact with her son last year to get the recipe and found out that she had passed away about 6 years ago. While I was deeply saddened by this I was pleased to find out that her youngest son had collected all her recipes from her while she was ill. This was good thinking on his part as she kept her recipes in her head.
So I made her chilli sauce this week as my own personal tribute to her. It isn't as hot as hers', most likely because I used a combination of asian fire and jalapeno chilli's (homegrown of course!!). My favourite way to have it was mixed in cooked cabbage - so guess what's for dinner!!
Here is the recipe, I made a smaller batch which made a very large jars worth - very easy to make and tastes delicious!
Chilli SauceIce cream container of chillis.
6-7 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed.
Cut top of chillis and mince in food processor. Add Garlic and the juice of 8 lemons.
In a large pot, add 4 cans of tomato sauce, bring to the boil.
Once boiled, add the chilli mix.
Add 1 cup of sugar and 3-4 teaspoons of salt.
Bring to the boil and let it boil for 5-7 minutes and then remove from heat and cool.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
My house, my garden
So we did it. We bought a house and now we must live off the land in order to live because paying a mortgage is going to be hard!!
We were unsuccessful in our tender for the pumpkin growing house in Northland. Somebody with far too much money and not enough sense paid an enormous amount for it. However we did find a cute house in Paparangi that has an expansive area of flat land and neatly manicured lawns ready to fully landscape.
We move in a months time and I have already planned what I would like to plant. First we will start with the fruit trees. My workmates gave me a feijoa tree and I would also like a lemon and a grapefruit and perhaps a peach or pear tree. Actually I can grow as many kinds of fruit trees as I want because I have the space!
I am thinking for the vegetable garden I would like to go potager style, keep it raised and perhaps do that rotating crops thing. Again I have plenty of space to do it!
As for Paparangi, I found out that the name is actually a colonised version of "Papaparangi" which means folding hills. It was once farmland and all the street's are named after the children who once lived in the area. Nearby is Seton Nossiter Park which is a large nature reserve so I will still get visiting native birds. I am also planning to plant a small native bush on our property with a kowhai and cabbage tree as the centrepieces.
We were unsuccessful in our tender for the pumpkin growing house in Northland. Somebody with far too much money and not enough sense paid an enormous amount for it. However we did find a cute house in Paparangi that has an expansive area of flat land and neatly manicured lawns ready to fully landscape.
 | |
| Perhap's something like this? |
I am thinking for the vegetable garden I would like to go potager style, keep it raised and perhaps do that rotating crops thing. Again I have plenty of space to do it!
As for Paparangi, I found out that the name is actually a colonised version of "Papaparangi" which means folding hills. It was once farmland and all the street's are named after the children who once lived in the area. Nearby is Seton Nossiter Park which is a large nature reserve so I will still get visiting native birds. I am also planning to plant a small native bush on our property with a kowhai and cabbage tree as the centrepieces.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
