Vine awakening

WITH blossom on the fruit trees, pansy, jumping jack and lobelia flowering like mad in the hanging baskets outside the kitchen windows and various bulbs showing their faces all over the garden, it's good to see spring has also woken up the grape vine.

 

The vine is growing up the north-west facing side the deck divide and until a few days ago looked like dead wood. But now it's putting out leaves at a rate of knots to shame to the two passion fruit vines at the other end of the garden.

 

I have no idea what type of grapes this plant will bear or if they are ornamental or edible as the previous owner left no tags on or near any of their plants when they moved out. This is a shame as I always leave tags on my trees.

 

So I hope the new owners of my old home will look at the fruit trees and be excited about the four varieties of apples and realise the enormous New Dawn rose climbing up the deck will soon explode in a mass a scented blooms.

 

What I thought looked like hyacinth bulbs have turned out to be bluebells, which is a nice surprise.

 

But for now, I'm happy to wait and watch and see what the vine produces - gardening is always such an adventure. 

Heritage Apples

AUTUMN is the perfect time to enjoy an apple, especially a delicious heritage apple.

So heritage fruit lovers will be thrilled that on Sunday March 21 between 5-7pm tastings of heritage apples will be conducted at Pettys Orchard in Templestowe.

Chat to fruit growing experts and learn about growing your own apples and other fruit.
For more information: www.heritagefruitssociety.org.au
Petty's Orchard has over 100 varieties grown in the Heritage Apple Collection.

Breakfast of champions

Growing your food is immensely satisfying, but even with 100 sqm of garden producing vegetables, herbs and fruit trees, I need to buy oats to make my daily porridge fix.

Breakfast is a definite must before I cycle the 25 km or so to work. And it must stick to my ribs, so as I have found to my peddling cost, simple toast and jam / Vegemite won't get me to work on time.

Nor just black coffee, damn it.

So I rely on something that will last the distance.

Kenny's damn fine home-made muesli

Kenny, a cool eatery expert and all-round gourmet dude has just posted on his excellent food blog, Consider the Sauce, a brilliant guide to making his own muesli. Affordable, tasty and healthy, it looks like ticking all the boxes.

While I make my own porridge (fill a bowl ¾ full, add enough milk to wet it without leaving a puddle, about 2 tblsp then add two chopped up apples from my trees or cherries or peaches when they were in season, sprinkle on some nutmeg or cinnamon, microwave for 3 minutes and voila! )

If you make too much just give it to your chooks.
What?
You don’t have hens?
Tsk.
There’s always the compost heap…