April's autumnal working bee

Ayumi, Anita, Tony, Alison, Sam, Ruby, Ian

After a week which saw welcome rain followed by days of drizzle and cloudy skies, a slightly smaller than usual group of dedicated willing workers gathered in crisp autumnal sunshine for the April bee. We had planned to mulch all the beds, but, acting on a needs-to-be-done basis, the paths were mowed, edges trimmed, lots of green tomatoes that would not now ripen were harvested, and various spent plants pulled up and added to the compost. Potatoes were dug, beans collected, cucumbers gathered, broccoli picked, worms admired. The more advanced compost was turned, while the newer pile of trimmings and spent plants grew. Amidst these activities a central bed was cleared, sifted, and planted out with various seeds including coriander, varieties of silverbeet, lettuce, beetroot and parsley. An energetic morning passed quickly with brisk labours alongside much catching up, planning, talk & laughter. At the end of the morning there was produce to share round, and plans were made for mulch-spreading here, and at Rae Lands, over the next couple of weeks.

Sam, Ian, Anthony, Luna, Fiona

Tony & Anita

Sam, Alison & Ruby

Ruby, Ayumi

Tony, Anita, Maureen, Ayumi

Ruby & Alison

Ruby, Alison, Anita / Sam's legs & produce

Tom in the foreground

Sam & Anita

Anita, Alison, Anthony, Ruby, Sam

Ayumi, Sam, Tom, Anita, Alison

Hannah & Ayumi

Agnes over on the right there! (Pics: Maureen & Ian)

Gardeners and visitors included Alison, Ruby, Tony, Sam, Fiona Anthony & Luna, Ayumi, Anita, Ian, Vivienne, Miriam, Sumar, Maureen, Tom, Hannah, Laurel... and Agnes, this month's canine observer (reminding us that there are beings other than human...)

Next Albert Street working bee: Saturday 10 May

Update: Rae Lands Park in autumn

Earlier in the year Paul, and more recently Luke, Anita and Rob in particular, have been busy at Rae Lands Park – mulching, pruning, planting and generally tending this wonderful community resource. Anita especially has been making new beds and watering virtually every day through this extended dry period. (2014 has seen less that 1/3 of the average rainfall to this stage of the year – and less than half the amount we received in the same period last year.) The park is looking established, the fruit trees are growing... there is a developing sense of a place with a presence that reflects the care and attention being put into its tending. Betty Rae would be delighted to see this appreciation of, and responsibility to her gift to this community, now becoming ever more evident...

New sign at the Hepburn Health Service garden

We have just installed a beautiful new sign for the Health Service garden (cnr Jamieson & and Hospital Streets, Daylesford).
The Daylesford Men’s Shed made the sign and the wonderful Jeff Stewart designed and painted it. Everyone's contributions were donated... what a wonderful community we live in! The planned activity group had a working bee on the same day, to plant some veggies for winter… but we still have lots of tomatoes available for people to harvest. (Thanks Fiona for the update & pictures!)

New Year catch-up news #2: Hepburn Health Service Daylesford veggie beds

The raised veggie garden beds in front of the Hepburn Health Service Daylesford campus (cnr Jamieson & and Hospital Streets) are flourishing! Created in September last year, they've been maintained by the Thursday gardening group run by the Shire, as well as by the staff and clients of the Health Service.

With plenty of flowers to attract the bees, and as we finally see some real summer weather starting...

... offerings include lots of celery ready to sample, and a massive tomato patch that promises pomodori galore! (Thanks to Fiona for the pics!)

Bridport Street Daylesford Bus Stop Precinct Upgrade

Mid 2013 a small group of gardeners initiated the Daylesford Bus Stop Precinct Upgrade. The long-term plan is to make the stop and it's immediate surrounds more reflective of Daylesford; welcoming to those visitors who arrive here, as well as being a more comfortable space for the locals who regularly wait for transport at the shelter.

We think that the swimming pool retaining wall could host some hardy, drought resistant plants such as succulents, geraniums, herbs etc. Time will tell how these would survive a hot summer... but we are hoping they would help soften the aspect of the shelter and the immediate surrounds, and in some way reflect the artistic life that is such a wonderful facet of living in Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. In time in it would be good to initiate some ‘verge’ gardening with a variety of plants on the nature strips either side of the shelter, and perhaps a tree or two in the pavement area.

To be involved or contribute thoughts & suggestions, please come and see us. We are on site every second Tuesday around 2pm. During the warm months of summer someone will often be there every couple of days early in the morning or in the evening.

You can also come along to our Daylesford Community Food Garden working bees on the 2nd Saturday of the month, next to the library.

The pricelessness of community-made social spaces

Albert Street garden...