Interview With A Gardener- Marcia 2.0

I'm sure all of you will remember the lovely Marcia and the interview about her garden. Well we have a wonderful update, and wow, it really feels like things have changed!

So here we are; Interview with Marcia 2.0!

So Marcia, do you have a favourite garden scent?

I don't think I have a favourite scent to be honest. I find myself enjoying going through the garden spontaneously and finding a scent in the air as I have brushed past something, the strong scent of the bush basil, rosemary and the mandarin tree in bloom are particularly magical. The sweetness that citrus flowers radiates can make you truly appreciate what nature can produce.

I very much agree with the basil, everytime I walk past my perennial basil in a morning, and I catch a whiff of that slightly spicy aroma, I just feel tramsported to somewhere exotic!

Since we last spoke, have there been any changes you've made?

There have been some small and big changes with our family, home and garden. There is constant reassessment of what we use, need or want to add. We have a baby in the house and she consumes alot of my time, but being at home more, I have been doing alot of reassessment of what I want out of the garden. We have plans for renovations but thats a long game of saving. 

The back garden now has free range chickens and guinea pigs living harmoneously. Lawn mowers and manure producers. Great for developing my raised beds for veggie and fruit growing. 

The front yard is currently going through the most dramatic changes with putting in a herb garden which has been a slow removal of grass. A community member is removing the roses and another palm so we can focus on edibles and plants that we get more enjoyment out of.

Helpful hint: Your kids fuzzy piggies can be very useful as well as insanely cute! They are incredible lawn mowers, and anything green mowers, so just make sure you've got boundaries between them and your veggies!

What inspires you in and for your garden?

I would say inspiration for the garden is still the same. What can I grow well that is unique, usable and provide enough so that we can preserve. I have always desired to learn more about preserving and that is a focus I am looking forward to developing further.

What would you say you're favourite thing to harvest is?

A favourite harvest is anything and everything. It is always so exciting for me to have a plant or more reaching harvest or further to seed saving. I want to get better at growing from seed. The dogs and chickens are still a slight hinderance as they love helping in the garden too.

I couldn't agree more Marcia, originally my plan was for a veggie garden in the back yard, but due to our delightfully unhelpful muppets, it is now in the front garden. This has actually worked out much better though.

Do you have a favourite seed to grow?

Favourite seed to grow is all of them. Lol. I struggle with seed growing due to lack of time and consistency with bug traps and stopping the chickens from getting to them first. 

Tip: You can use old milk bottles or coke bottles as a mini greenhouse over seedlings if you only a few, just take the lids off, and pop them over. I find a stake or stick through the hole into the soil helps keep them in place.

Do you have a favourite something you prefer to grow from seed?

I have planted a tonne of chick peas, shelling peas and sugarsnap as these are family faves. I look forward to trying Cow and pigeon peas in spring so we can have a living mulch/wind barrier/ animal fodder in place.

Are you more of a morning or afternoon gardener, do you have a favourite season?

I adore being in the garden most in spring and autumn. Seeing life getting bigger and flowers starting to bloom and then following along into autumn to harvests. Watching big and small changes over this time is so humbling to me.

Where would you like to see your garden heading? Is there something in particular you want from it, or want or to be?

I am wanting a food forrest inspired garden and more self sustainable garden. 

The plants that are multipurpose, mulch and food are big necessities for me. Building a healthier soil biome from this work will in turn produce better produce which then gives my family healthier systems. It is all part of the life cycle. 

I am trying a new raised bed location per my husbands request to utilise some dead space next to our shed and fence. Leafy greens, asian greens, carrots and horseradish are in for a trial. I have also included oyster mushroom grain spawn to help with a microclimate and diverse growing system in a warm but shaded area. 

So many experiments can be done with gardening.

So much is happening at the moment for Marcia, and the garden is coming along beautifully, with so many big projects ahead.

Incorporating mushroom spawn is a fabulous idea, a great way to introduce and kick start some great micro-organisms! I have actually done something similar with my most recent garden beds. I found a lovely local mushroom grower that sells his used blocks, and actually continued to harvest lions mane for a while off them but thats a different story.

These blocks I placed in the beds after breaking them up and the crops are fabulous! Mushrooms are popping up all around which tells me its all still nice and active, and the worms in those beds are double those in the other beds!

I agree with Marcia, so many experiments can be done with gardening hahaha.

Happy gardening everyone.