Interview With A Gardener - Marcia

I met Marcia through my local gardening Facebook page and she was kind enough to volunteer and share the wonders of her garden with like minded fellows.

Marcia is a mum, who's recently relocated to the Harvey region of South West Australia, and my gosh, she is giving it everything she has! I truly look forward to seeing the difference in 5 and 10 years.

Interview with a gardener - Marcia.

What is your favourite thing to grow?

My favourite thing to grow is anything that does. I get excited every time we are able to pick a harvest. 

What do you find the most rewarding thing to grow?

The most rewarding thing is being able to pick our homegrown produce and make preserves like jam or sauces, especially at Christmas. I like to do these as gifts rather than buy items. 

Personally speaking, I think this is a lovely, and very thoughtful idea, it also gives other gardeners ideas of what they can do with their own produce!

What first inspired you to get into gardening?

I was inspired possibly 10 to 12 years ago when I first started having children, being able to share with them and get them involved. It was a slow start, but once I truly put my mind to wanting to produce harvests, then it sky-rocketed. 

What is one tip you'd like to give a fellow green thumb?

One tip for a fellow Green thumb is to never give up, try new methods, and seek out advice from community members. 

Within Western Australia, we have quite a number of groups and resources for the green thumb, especially within the southwest. Such as:
. BUG - Bunbury Urban Growers
. Thommos Community Garden
.  Gardening Perth
. WA Gardeners
And so many more, including pest identification!

What is the most useful tool or accessory you have?

The most useful tool I have are my hands, I will always use them where I can, touching what I need to and being able to gauge it carefully, rather than forcefully or too much and damage other plants. 

How do you decide what to grow?

I don't necessarily decide to grow things, sometimes I'm given some plants from others, I have a seed subscription through Grow it Local, I also like to buy clearance plants from major retailers, it's always a surprise what grows. 

Can you tell us a bit about your garden?

We started developing more plant growth aimed at produce when we lived in Bunbury, but we wanted a better location for the kids to grow up. We ended up buying a much larger property in harvey which has allowed this journey to develop tenfold. It's gone from just being plants to now owning chickens, quails and producing food for our dogs. 

Tell us a bit about you?

I am a mum and work in education, I have truly developed an interest in sustainability and wanting to live a more sustainable life. 

What do you find is your most useful resource?

The most useful resource I've ever come across has been that of my local communities and getting in touch with members like Bunbury Urban Growers. There's a world of information out there we're yet to learn. 

How do you control weeds?

I don't control the weeds, my husband mows and I pull where I need but it's other methods like putting down cardboard and carpet before a raised bed. 

How do you start your seeds?

I try starting seeds inside the house under a grow lamp and it's never truly successful. I tend to scatter throughout my gardens and see what pops up. 

What is your all time favourite plant?

I don't think I have an all time favourite but one that I'm desperately waiting to add is a Tamarillo tree. It's a unique fruit and gorgeous tree. I have also worked hard at keeping a black cherry tree alive and thriving. Looking forward to getting a true harvest from it.

Marcia has found many bricks and rubble scattered in her garden whilst green thumbing, but these have not gone to waste, bricks have been re-used in areas around the house, and especially used in the back section of her garden. Here they were used to raise and  make the back section level, previously it dipped a whopping 40cm! This area has now sprung back to life, rewilding itself and full is of nasturtiums.

I look forward to seeing what it looks like in the future!