I garden at the foothills of the Macedon Ranges, Victoria, Australia
I qualified at Burnley Horticultural College in the early 1980's. Horticulture has been in the family for over a century so it was obviously predestined! I have gardened here for over 19 years. Initially it was really wet, then we had over a decade of drought and now the drought has broken. I've had some terrific highs and just as many lows, but the journey has always been challenging - you never know just what is around the next corner.
We are on two-thirds of an acre with the former farm dam occupying about one third of the area. It ranges from 46ÂșC in summer down to below zero in winter. All rain from the roof of the house goes into the dam as well as overland flow (not that there is a lot of that these days) and we pump from this to water the thirstiest parts of the garden during summer. The land is flat and the soil is a silty sand (about 20cm) overlying a silty clay - basically yuk! The garden is one third exotic plants, one third Australian natives surrounding the kids play area and the remaining third around the dam consists of compost bins, pot growing area, chook run, a vegetable garden and an orchard. The garden was set up to cope with an annual rainfall of 750mm but then I found out it was more likely 630mm and for the last 14 years it has averaged at 380mm. In 2010 nearly 1000mm fell breaking the drought, so who knows what 2011 will bring.
I am the main designer, planter, ripper-outer, pruner, mulcher etc.. The BATH (bloke around the house) puts up structures (I got a very nice lychgate for one birthday!) occasionally mows the lawns and digs very big holes. The kids run through the garden, step on things and pick flowers. Attempts to involve them in the garden occur intermittently and meet with limited success. The cats stare at me through the window (they're indoor cats) while I'm working.
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