Spring is here, even if the calendar insists it is not. Most of the trees are budding, the peonies are sending deep red phallic spears into the air, the bulbs are up, if not yet all out (although the hyacinth have been blooming for weeks now). The peach trees have been sprayed against leaf curl and are about a week out from flowering.
Most of the garden is set. It has been weeded, composted, and mulched heavily with pea straw – which the Indian Doves love. I have a pair that nest near here and every year they await with anticipation my pea straw mulch so they can dive in under the straw after the loose peas.
On the minus side a family of rats made themselves a cost home under the mulch, too, until I noticed one of them as they left for a day’s work in the garden.
I have decided to grow more flowers this year and have set seed for double phlox, hollyhocks, cosmos, poppies, stock, a half dozen others. One of my major vegetable beds was last year, during my period of incapacity, taken over by the children of a single but very fertile foxglove and so I have succumbed and allowed the bed to revert to flowers.
But I will have a few vegetables. 
Not a vast many, but a few. Just my favourites. I have cleaned out the hothouse and set seed for leeks, button squash, zucchini, pumpkin, cucumbers (every year I seem to have a disaster with them so this year am hoping to get at least one!), beetroot, silverbeet (chard). I will also put in salad leafy things once I uncover the veggie beds from their layer of mulch and it warms up a bit.
I will also grow tomatoes and capsicums but will cheat and buy ready growing plants from my local nursery (they sell the old heirloom varieties which I like) this year rather than raise from seed. I’ll give it another 3-4 weeks before I get them.
I also have seed for … walking stick cabbage which peculiar plant originates from the island of Jersey. I had no idea about this until recently when someone mentioned it to me. And then, a couple of weeks ago, I was in a hardware store when I walked past their seed counter and lo! They were selling seed for walking stick cabbage! I will have to try a few of them. 
This page shows the finished product.
So – I have a garden of mulched beds and lots of little pots waiting for seed to sprout!
I am going with flowers next year too. I just do not have enough sun and I am only trying to grow container tomatoes. Yesterday I found deer trying to feed off the few plant leaves that were near the fence that separated them. The mother looked thin but the two babies looked healthier. Looks like I will start the winter corn feeder earlier this year. Thanks for introducing me to the walking stick cabbage. I have never heard of it and will have to see if it can be grown in my section of the US.
You did not mention how you were feeling. I hope this finds you healthier and doing better.
You know the Gardens plant sale is on the 18th of September right? Starts at 10am. They always have piles of heirloom tomatoes if you can get to them before the Italian pappas buy boxes of them.
Wow, those cabbages look brilliant! Look forward to seeing how they go for you.
pleased all is doing well and you sound great.cottage gardens always look peacefull to me.
Nice work Sara! You never cease to amaze! I was only thinking today that I should email you about what to start in the greenhouse and when (we’re probably a bit later up here – it’s been snowing every few days!).
Today, I completed the possum proofing of my Garden. I was away for a couple of weeks work in June and in that time the possums finally found my veggie patch!!! I returned home to leveled cabbages, broccolis and caulies; leafless carrots, turnips, beetroots and parsnips; spinach stubbs and felled herbs. It was a great gig, but devestating homecoming.
So, post-grief, I decided to defend and prepare for spring.
Thanks for the post – great to read you. Regards,
Damien
Great to hear from you Damien! My God, the destruction …. I would have sat down and cried.
Mid-August is the very earliest I can start tough things, September for more fragile or heat loving plants. I can’t even think of things like tomatoes or capsicums yet.
Walking stick cabbages? Too funny! TK was researching walking sticks for his TV and Film class, he’d be thrilled to grow one! Are the stalks dried out and lacquered?
Ross, TK and I were in Hobart a couple of weeks back and had a great time, although we had some unpredictable weather. We talked about contacting you to see if you needed help with anything, but found it hard to get past the not wanting to impose barrier.
As old as I am (72) I have never heard of a walking stick cabbage. Facinating. While in Melbourne in middle July I bought some Russell Lupin seeds and am going to have a go at growing them. Don’t know how they will go here in Brisbane but can only try.
Hollyhocks are one of my fave flowers, cant wait for the pics ..wonder if they’ll grow up here.Ooh and poppies ..but not in with the cats …my birdies are actually in the cat enclosure so no delicates in there ..lol
I am slower getting my beds up and running ..better get to it…
Tomatoes i think are a must for any vegetable garden, however the simplet tomato is actually a Fruit and not a vegetable..
But i love them anyway, i can find so many reasons to cook with tomatoes. They typically are the base ingredient for all of my sauces.
Vance.
Have fun with the walking stick cabbage. I sowed seeds last year and have 2 walking sticks in the vegie patch. Both are 1mtr in length and have an interesting curve near the roots which will eventually become the handles. Staking is recommended but I allowed mine to drop and grow horizontal along the surface of the bed. I am leaving them to see how much longer they will grow. I have seen on the worldwideweb several methods of drying.
Great to see you’ve done well with the garden. Walking stick cabbage is good choice, too!