blockhill - forest garden experience & education

North Canterbury

Spring in the 'forest'

Spring in the 'forest'

Spring is here again and this almond is putting on a show. Planted just 3 years ago, this is the second year it has produced a crop. Looking forward to it. Also in the photo is Dmitry the muscovy.
August 27, 2013

9 years anniversary

Details   Our yearly ritual of dressing in aged wedding attire and making a photo shoot to mark the passing of time. This year we had the assistance of intern, Zach, behind the camera to make things more creative.
Date   November 01, 2017
Tags     anniversary  wedding  spring  2017 
Blossoms before the storm

Blossoms before the storm

Spring blossoms on the plum tree before an approaching storm.
August 20, 2010
  Spring  Blossoms 
little chickens

little chickens

The little bantams have arrived. There are 15 in total: 7 from one mother and 8 from the other. We have put both groups in the same chookhouse. So they have gotten all mixed together and it seems there is a favourite mother. She has 11 at the moment, and the other only has 4. I suppose they will keep swapping and sharing babies.
October 13, 2010
  Chickens  Video  Spring 
Tomatoes in September

Tomatoes in September

Details   Ok, so it's only one tomato right now but there are more coming. One of the many end of season tomatoes that was composted into the glasshouse beds during construction is off to a fine start.
Date   September 02, 2013
Tags     tomato  spring  glasshouse 
CCSP Kaikoura 6 monthly tour of blockhill

CCSP Kaikoura 6 monthly tour of blockhill

Details   Once again the students from Kaikoura CCSP visited for a tour and explanation for the method.
Date   October 17, 2019
Tags     2019  October  Spring  Tour  CCSP 

Spring plant propagation

By Cutting
  • Feijoa
  • Kakabeak soft semi
  • Fig
  • Fuchsia
  • Gaultheria
  • Oregano
  • Rosemary
  • Soapwart
  • Artemisia absinthium / wormwood
  • Myrtus ugni
By Division
  • Red hot poker
  • Horse radish
  November   September   October  
Elaeagnus x ebbingei

Elaeagnus x ebbingei

Botanical name   Elaeagnus x ebbingei
Details   Fast-growing, wind, cold & salt tolerant. Dense evergreen dark-green shrub with glossy leaves.
Highly-scented white flowers in autumn followed by orange-red edible fruit mid spring (Early October at blockhill).
Fruiting after 4 years
Nitrogen fixer.
Family   Elaeagnaceae
Flowers   White
Diameter   5.00
Height (m)   5
Drought tolerance  
Edible  
Evergreen  
Fruit / berries  
Nitrogen fixer  
Perennial  
Shade / Sun   Full shade to full sun
Soil type   Most
Wind tolerance   Maritime exposure
Tags     berries  spring 
Chooks are laying again!

Chooks are laying again!

We were beginning to question the commitment of our chooks (and the manhood of our rooster) as the winter egg famine failed to break.

I spent numerous evenings digging the ground to expose worms, collecting sea shells for grit and finally they are away.
August 29, 2010
  Laying  eggs  spring  chooks 
Colours of spring

Colours of spring

Details   A lush time of year, when a lot of good growing gets done and the shape of summer is still around the corner.
Date   October 08, 2017
Tags     2017  October  Spring  Blossom 
Snow in October

Snow in October

After a week of damp and cloudy, the weather reached a wintry climax with flurries of snow and a good dumping up on the hills. The ground was wet and boggy for a few days and the streams gushed noisily.
October 09, 2009
  snow  spring