Article & Images submitted by Irene Montefiore for Saturday 19th September 2015.
When Victoria and Robert moved into their Middleton Beach home, they were faced with a steeply sloping block, with old lawn and beach sand as their starting point and only one fruit tree - the ubiquitous backyard lemon. They had to dig out mounds of Kikuyu and the top 30cm of lifeless sand before any improvement could begin. Less than five years on, they welcomed a group of Permaculture Albany members to a thriving garden, which they have developed on permaculture principles, with more than forty fruit trees and a wide array of edibles and flowering plants.
Initially they developed the front garden, focusing on ornamentals, then they started work on the back garden around two - three years ago. As they began to run out of space for edibles in the back garden, they revised the plan for the front, putting in some semi dwarf fruit trees and small vegetable garden plots amongst the roses and incorporating attractive edibles such as Shiraz peas and Asparagus peas. More recently they have used recycled timber to link the pumpkin bed to the roof of the garage, with the intention of claiming that space, too, as a sunny spot for the vines to spread and the pumpkins to ripen.
They have found space for so many fruit trees by planting a lot of dwarf, semi-dwarf and extra-dwarf varieties, some of them in pots. Black buckets of chook manure and water are tucked around the garden, keeping a ready source of natural fertiliser handy, and Victoria has been experimenting with Moon planting, though at this stage she admits to being unsure whether the thriving garden is a direct result of moon phases or just the motivation the calendar provides to simply get the planting done!
At the side of the property, there is a small Polycarbonate glasshouse recently installed for overwintering ginger, turmeric, curry leaf etc and in front of that a bed of leafy greens is shared with the neighbour. Behind it, a worm farm and one of the compost bins is tucked away in a shaded area close to the original old lemon tree which is still going strong, these days joined in its corner by a dwarf Navel and a Goji berry.
Nearby a tamarillo is going very well from a cutting put in just last year. A raised deck/patio against the side fence provides a pleasant sitting area and incorporates a trellis, with passionfruit and choko growing over it, while a banana - and its pups - are thriving in a sheltered, sunny back corner.
Lots of recycled timber from house renovations, plus pallets and saw timber has been used to construct decking, walkways, steps, and tiers of raised beds. With the block facing northward, the slope is well positioned for maximum sunlight and the whole garden is set up with good use of edges, so all areas are readily accessible and beds require minimal digging. The exception being the area where, Victoria says, she learned the hard way not to plant raspberries in a shared bed - she is constantly digging out the runners!
In addition to the impressive layout and construction, it is striking how closely planted Robert and Victoria's garden is, with plants looking extremely happy and productive and all soil covered by vegetation or mulch. Their mulcher is very much appreciated with its ability to chop and crush a good range of materials, so they pick up branches from the nearby park and throw in palm fronds and garden waste such as brassica stalks.
Along one level of decking, a Feijoa, Williams and Beurre Bosce pears, 3 apples and a pomegranate are growing, along with leafy greens, galangal etc. Unlike ginger, Victoria says, the galangal doesn't die back in the winter and she pokes galangal stems back into the garden when the root is used, so it just keeps growing.
Wooden planter boxes are incorporated as part of the terracing - heavy work to construct and fill but maximum use of space. Initially the beds/boxes were filled with premium garden mix purchased from soil suppliers, but it was not very productive until lots of mulch and compost was added. It is now very lush, with a wide range of vegetables and herbs. Adding to the growing space, the raised beds along the top terrace have trellis/arches over them, for beans, etc. Empty pots sunk into the soil assist in watering.
The garden does not lend itself to reticulation but the mulching and soil preparation mean that watering is kept manageable and efficient. In summer, hand -watering is required every 2 or 3 days and can take around 2 hours, but it is treated as a time to check on and enjoy the garden. Scheme water is predominantly used for the garden, while rainwater is harvested for house use. Robert explained the system: a bank of tanks down the narrow space on the western side of the house can hold 10,000 litres of rainwater and carefully planned roof/guttering ensures effective collection. There is an additional 3000 litre tank at the other side. The water is treated through a UV filter and a RainBank System is installed so that if power goes out, the house reverts seamlessly to scheme water.
The garden is an absolute delight - beautifully designed and constructed, thriving, productive, and a joy to be in. After sharing their experiences, challenges and successes, Victoria and Robert provided a delicious home-produced afternoon tea on their front veranda and Victoria shared yet another gem - her filing system for packets of seeds, incorporating planting notes. An excellent afternoon all round, thank you both!
