I love laundry!

Yes I really do! But recently I have been a little disappointed in my laundry powder as it doesn't seem to dissolve and leaves white marks on the clothes.

But it's OK because I've found an extremely affordable, good for the environment laundry liquid to make! And it works even better than the powder.

I found it via Frugal Kiwi's website and have halved the recipe so that you can make it in a small bucket.

Laundry Liquid

1/2 Cup Borax
1/4 Cup of Washing Soda Crystals
1/2 bar of Sunlight soap or any other castile based soap
Essential oil

1. Grate the soap and melt it in 2 cups of water in a pot on a low heat. Avoid boiling it, it is ready when it has just melted.
2. Pour the melted soap mixture into a bucket and add 22 cups of warm water.
3. Add washing soda crystals and stir until dissolved.
4. Add borax and stir until dissolved.
5. Add essential oil to suit (I used about 20 drops of rose oil)
6. Cover the bucket with a towel or lid and let sit overnight.
7. In the morning the concoction should resemble a shiny globby gel. If there is water sitting on top simply mix it back in.
8. Pour the mixture via a funnel into clean milk bottles.
9. Use 1/2 cup per load.

This recipe made two 1.5L bottles full and one 2 litre bottle fill with a bit left over!!! Cost wise I think it works out to about 5c per load!!

Borax sounds like a horrible chemical but it is actually a mineral salt. You can read more about it here. As for buying it I sourced mine from Clorogene in Petone, Wellington for $13 for 2 litres. You can also buy it off Trademe and from Bin Inn but it is more expensive.

My clothes are clean and smell great!

I love laundry!

Spring seedlings

The weather has definately taken an upward "spring" and things are beginning to grow in the garden. Last week I spent hours pouring over the Kings Seeds catalogue planning what vegetables and flowers I'd like to grow.

This week my wonderful partner has spent time making our own newspaper pots and putting those seeds to bed. I can't wait to see these tiny seeds turn into beautiful plants...

We have planted from seed:
Kingfisher Daisy, Sunrise Lupin, Nemophila (penny black and snowstorm), Oriental Poppies, Cherry Baby Rudbeckia, Edible Violas and Gazania Daybreak.
This weekend we will plant:
Red bunching onions, Heirloom Rainbow Tomatoes, Lettuce (little gem), Zucchini (gold rush), Jalapeno Chillis, Gourmet Basil mix, Eggplant, Artichoke and Corn.

Spring seedlings

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!

Kereru

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 native garden

How the garden began

How the garden began, a set on Flickr.

A wonderful blank canvas to start with.

How the garden began

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.

I patiently wait for it's little white flowers to come out.

Oh Daphne!

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!

First task was to plant the feijoa tree that I got given from my workmates a month ago. The soil had a clay base so I mixed some compost in and then mulched the tree with pea straw. I did the same with the citrus trees - a Meyer Lemon and a Grapefruit tree. All are looking healthy as they get established.

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!!

Actually MY house!