Christmas morning roll call

I've been away and with one arm immobilised after shoulder operation.This disability will extend for another month or three, this will reinforce the development of the garden in a rampant direction, under its own steam, with some pulling of grass etc for chickens and some addition of water, though as canopy develops, the need for watering diminishes a bit.

Coming back to my garden, very recent rain has not hidden the impact of dry hot weeks, evident especially with raised beds.

So here is  run through the garden 25 December 2013, early morning 20c, high humidity.

Compare photos at commencement of this blog, eight months ago. Click on any photo to see enlarged gallery of all.

Still guardians at door. The mess is the work of the blackbird,always rootling for insects.

The blue flowers on crazy long stalks are from a saw toothed long leafed red chicory

The house hides behind this forest of azalea and more. The tamarillo is very much at home.

This little Indian guava tolerated mild winter and clearly thrives on the mix of wet and dry. Fruit formed and new buds visible.

The rhubard thrived in raised beds of compost but have been knocked down by dry weather, clearly not happy that I've been away for a month. This part of garden needs rebuilding when possible. Dutch eschallots, planted out supermarket items, doing very well, proliferating vigorously. I replaced banana with a sucker from Helen's very successful ladyfinger.

salad items in raised beds did well in winter but not so since, partly normal, partly failure of raised beds to hold moisture. This system has been defeated by the wild windy dry months of August–October. I plan to remove the raised bed structures, build beds on ground.

the espalliered lemon, at entry to back yard, is beginning to thrive and be productive... after years of struggle

ponds with water cress and water chestnuts; gingers and arrowroot

Finally making a start, after months: turmeric coming up in summer warmth, amidst parsley anf golden marjoram

asparagus: picking ended a month ago, now let go for leaves to gather energy for next year's spears

The bananas were not quite ripe a month ago. In the opinion of birds or bats, they ripened and tssted good!

Recent additions: custard apple (just fed with pond soil) and gordo muscatel grape vine

Waterfall and pond opens veranda to garden.  Azolla floating in pond would be menace if could run to waterway but will go to my compost or direct mulch here.

Tamarillo with fruit, this tree four years old, hard pruned, well watered.

Nesrby, tamarillo same age... less care, not much pruning, dead

The fig is laden with an exciting hundred or so fruit. ... and none more excited than the frugivorous bowerbird. If I should want some fruit, I'll have to sit out there every day, shouting it away. Or get a replacement and watchful dog! A sophisticated and assertive dog, not given to yelling, but with authority to make strong bowerbirds run home hungry

tamarillo: seedling from last summer, grown in place, fed with shovels of pond soil.

pond with lotus which may need more feed to do well ... but soil from pond life valuable (as above)

tamarillo, indigofera, sunflower, unproductive brussels sprouts (planted too late?)

this patch behind the house is showing much life having benefited from a load of mixed aged compost from the local zoo

the rainforest corner behind the house is thriving, including with rufous whistler which seems worked up to only be able to see other birds (in mirrors) when in flight. Up off the tree, shout in circular flight, sit back down bewildered.

another view from same spot, herbs etc, and young quince tree

and again from that spot, back to chooks (3)