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Hello gardeners! My name is Georgia and I am here to learn a) how to grow green things and b) how not to kill them. Up until now, these seemingly simple goals have proved extremely difficult and my 25 year past is littered with dead herb gardens, murdered bonsais and most recently, massacred flower bulbs (apparently you can’t leave them in a laundry for three years and then try to plant them).
If you are a black thumb, a lazy gardener or a garden novice…this is the place for you. Come along with me as I try (key word: try) to convert my tiled inner-west Sydney courtyard into a garden that is:
Cheap – I’m always broke. I would rather spend money on travelling than plants. Plus I’m renting and don’t want to spend exorbitant amounts of money on a garden I may have to leave.
Edible – I like food. I like food that I don’t have to pay for or go to the shops to get. As a vegetarian who is into the planet, I also like food that is seasonal, fresh and local.
Low maintenance – I am busy. I am likely to be hungover at least one day of the weekend. I am not going to spend my whole life looking after my garden. Plus, if I go away for the weekend I want to be relatively certain that my plants will still be alive when I get home, especially since my housemates have already proven their inability to water plants.
Practical – Our courtyard is a shared space. As the biggest communal space in our Darlington terrace, it is often full of portable washing lines, people drinking beer and friends having dinner.
Pretty – I’m not going to lie. I read Frankie magazine. I have a vintage ladder in my bedroom and like to use Instagram a lot. I want my garden to be a place I love.
As my father would say “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”.
So awesome!!! Can’t wait to see what you do with the space! I need some inspiration for our sad little deck!
Sarah – it is very exciting. I have been thinking about it for so long and I think the key to getting started is just to do something – however small. Does your deck get much sun?
Go George! Carry the flag for Gen Why ’cause I see from the pic that your friends are unlikely to be much help. And as there isn’t as much nutrition in tiles I have a Tumbleweed composter for you courtesy of the more famous Mr Stewart
Dear Mr B,
My friends are very helpful…if you call help sitting around drinking tea and offering ‘advice’ helpful. I am VERY excited about my compost bin – is it in the carport where the wardrobe used to be?
Hello and welcome Georgia,
Gardening in your 20s is mainly mistakes and losses, alas. I had more misses than hits in those days. I thought there was a genetic condition known as green thumb and I sadly didn’t have one. But I sought out people who did. This is how you learn. Beg, borrow and steal as many cuttings for pots as you can, talk to as many gardeners and people who grow things for advice and walk around your area and sticky beak on what is growing well there and if you spy the property owner, chat to them about it. People usually looove talking about their gardens. There is nothing like the thrill ( well almost) of your first tomato crop, basil and mint in the salad and flowering bulb. There is no shortage of wisdom on this gardendrum site to tap into. So stay tuned, good luck and happy planting and harvesting.
Hi Julie,
Thank you for your warm welcome! I am thrilled and a little awed to be part of the Garden Drum family. I have started becoming as bad at perving on people’s gardens as I am at patting other people’s dogs – and you’re right, people love talking about it!
I will definitely be picking your brains as I embark on my journey of trial and error!
Ps. My mum bought those gumboots for me and I love them! Mother knows best 🙂
Hi Georgia,
a quick post ….. as I was pottering about in mine yesty, eye fell on a couple of old faithfuls that grow despite me and yet always look great. You might like to poke a few in pots as they are good looking, low care and nice contrast in colour and texture for a small space:
1, rhoeo -partic the variegated pinky stripe variety
2. vinca ( white one)
3. stripey liriope
Cheers and good luck.
PS And I do love your spotted gumboots.
Go for it Georgia. If you don’t have good intentions then you don’t get anywhere! Parsley is easy, and very forgiving of lack of water. Even when it looks dead in its pot, it usually comes back again after you have given it a drink. And it’s so good for you ….
Hi Anne,
Thank you for your encouragement. While my dear father remains unconvinced, I hope one day to show him that good intentions count for something!
My parsley is thriving in share house neglect – and I discovered a Donna Hay magazine with a whole section on parsley recipes. Parsley pesto was my favourite – yum!
I visited your fair city last weekend and was pleasantly surprised with the plants in every hipster cafe! I’m going to blog about all my discoveries soon 🙂
Georgia