Well, we currently have another set of guests staying with us for just a couple of days at the moment but prior to their arrival I managed to get the vegetable garden sorted out. I had problems with germinating seeds because birds kept stealing them. So I invested in some long garden stakes, a pack of tennis balls and some long bird netting. This is the result:

vegegardennetting
Quite professional looking, even if I do say so myself.  I have now been able to germinate quite a few seeds now with this net on as it really does keep out the birds. Actually, the radish seeds that I planted are coming on really well.

raddishseedlings

A few weeks ago I also planted some seeds in trays and they are pretty much almost ready to be transplanted into the beds. In these trays are seedlings of lettuce, cabbage and pak choi.

seedlingtray

In this little blueberry punnet there are two tiny little seedlings of globe artichoke.

artichokeseedling

I really hope these go well because they make quite attractive looking shrubs. This is how they *should* turn out (hopefully)!

artichokeflower

While I had a two week break before this latest set of guests, I planted 2 small trees in the garden. I have been really looking after these trees, watering them each night, so that they will be able to get through the winter. I really want them to get nice and big so that they can provide some privacy throughout future winters, when the leaves on the huge deciduous trees in our backyard drop.

Red flowering gum:

redfloweringgum

Banksia semi-nuda:

banksiseminuda

Olive:

olivetree

As this little guy, a Cootamundra Wattle, was doing so well in one of the wine barrels that sits in the middle of our backyard, I thought I would transplant him into the ground so that he too can help provide some extra privacy for when the decidious trees lose their leaves.

cootamundrawattkle