I dug a big hole, lined the bottom and sides with ceramic tile pieces (left over from the rebuild of the back of the house) and added compost and leaf mould. Then I planted Fred the fig, back filled with soil and watered. He is growing happily so far and we’ll see how big he gets.
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I’m a fair weather surfer, but the forecast was for a sunny, 28 degree day yesterday, so I headed out with my bodyboard to South Brighton. As soon as I got through the tunnel, the gorgeous weather was replaced by a chilly sea mist, but I was kitted up and continued on. No one else was in the water (surprise!), so I steeled myself, but it wasn’t bad. And I caught some nice little waves. And I felt better for it, as I always do when I throw myself into the sea and muck around.
Eleven weeks is a long time to be away and I have a lot to do in the garden.
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Planting team with Anna from Living Springs (photo by Morgan Coleman of Conservation Volunteers), who was the only one who dared not to wear a hi-vis vest. Surprisingly, she survived the morning.
On Saturday morning I headed down the road to the bottom of Lyttelton Harbour, where Living Springs farm is. I was the only volunteer who wasn't associated with the English school, so I did my best to teach the other volunteers English English and not what passes for English in New Zealand...;_)
We planted natives, including flax that grows as big as the mature specimen seen at right
Each plant was protected from wind and wildlife using canes, a plastic sleeve and coconut fibre matting that also acts as a mulch.