What a great cake!

Just nice to look at. I don't know any of the people involved.

http://ow.ly/i/46HR

Spring is really kicking

 The buds have shot away...

An overcast Saturday after a sunny week, with a little rain due to follow. A great time for anyone who cares about their garden.

This weekend I'll cut the lawns, oilspray the roses, confidor (or pyrethrum) a suffering peach for its black aphids, fertilise the fruit trees, replant a marsh grapefruit that's well ready and tidy up a worn out bed, ready for planting pumpkin next week.

I think the flag has dropped for spring, at least in Adelaide. So I'll be getting to it without trepidation.

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Spring Compost

Yay. All those clippings and leaves from autumn and winter, now the temps are up, are coming down to a reasonable volume and consistency.

This heap was previously three times the size. A quick turn, yesterday and today, a few more weeks and I'll have the equivalent of a half pallet of compost - about 50 bags, normally valued as $6 per bag.

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Government assisted garden care

I love the way I came back from this trip and found that the tree - of mine - that was invading the street powerlines had been pruned. See the harsh cut towards the right of the frame? Great - huge job and one I couldn't work out how to do. It was worrying me because the branches were fouling the powerlines.

My brain had worked that one out ages ago - it's their problem - but my emotions were still stewing on it.

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Drought tolerant parsley

Ever wonder why Italian parsley survives so well? Probably those foot long roots.

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Exploding into spring

Lots of early signs. The ground is wet, the sun's out a little more, soils are warming. If gardening is about assisting nature to do what it needs, this is the season where nature gives me a hand.

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Surprise Citrus

Against advice I bought a Tahitian lime about 15 years ago. I get about six fruit a year, where if I'd bought West Indian I'd be getting hundreds. But a tough prune in winter has brought strong spring growth and - surprise - two great fruit.

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Reservoirs very full

SA has a heap of water. That's good. Overflowing reservoirs give these great things calle "environmental flows" - ie flush all the crap out to sea.

I hardly expect any relief - my water bill will still be thumping - but it's good for the state.

HEAPS of rain in Adelaide

I'm here in Singapore but the word is that Adelaide is a full sponge. The end of August has always been a miserable time for me in Adelaide. Winter just refuses to come to an end. So it's probably good I'm here.
I am a little nervous about what I'll return home to, however. The lawn will be crap, leaks in the roof might have collapsed the drywall. We got 113mm in Aug, compared to 55mm last year. And today has unloaded 21mm so far.