Blockhill

  Member Access
  • Account login
  • Create account
  • Visit
    • Day trip activities
    • Visitor book & feedback
    • How to get here
    • Nearby attractions
  • Experience
    • Photo gallery
    • Shop
      • Children's books
      • Seeds
      • Scion wood for grafting
      • Foodscaping Service
      • Consultancy & advice
    • News
    • Topics
      • Food forest gardens
        • Species list
        • Gallery & journal
      • Animals & biodiversity
        • Pigs
        • Insects
        • Chickens & ducks
      • Food & sustenance
        • Hunt & gather
        • Preserving produce
      • Energy & efficiency
      • Water wise landscaping
      • Climate & mapping
      • Technology
      • Finance & economics
      • Art & craft
      • Land improvement
    • About
      • Weather & seasons
    • Contact
    Alert me when page changes

    Create a profile to receive page updates by email

    Name
    Email
    Must be a valid email address (eg. name@domain.com)   
    Delivery Address
     
    Address Line 2
    Suburb
    City
    Region
     
    Postcode
     
    Rural Delivery
     
    Country
    Phone
    How did you find us
    Friends of blockhill
    Forest garden broadcast
    326C

    Progress and developments in the food forest and gardens

    The unfolding story of nurturing an emerging forest garden


    Tree medick

    Tree medick

    Common name  moon trefoil, shrub medick, alfalfa arborea, and tree medick
    Botanical name  Medicago arborea
    Family  Fabaceae
    Details  Scrub and rocky hillsides in Europe - Mediterranean. Suited to Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
    Root nodules observed on young seedlings when planting out
    Forest layer  shrub
    Diameter  2.00
    Height (m)  2
    Flowers  Yellow
    Evergreen  
    Frost sensitive  
    Nitrogen fixer  
    Perennial  
    Shade / Sun  Full sun
    Soil type  Most
    Wind tolerance  Maritime
    Propagation method  Sow pot / tray
    Read More
    Hugelkultur gardens in summer

    Hugelkultur gardens in summer

    Details  Every year, since their construction, our hugelkultur raised woody garden beds have been improving in performance. While waiting for the perennial plantings to establish we have been gardening with seasonal crops including maize, pumpkins, tomatoes, salad, cucumbers and of course lots of beans. Modest additions of straw mulch, trenched in pig manure, compost tea and all plant residues are contributing to the overall fertility of the beds and on occasion where I have exposed the wooden core while digging it is clearly breaking down into a crumbly organic 'compost'.
    Date  February 18, 2018
    Tags    garden  hugelkultur  2018  summer 
    Some specifics
    Summer gardening

    Summer gardening

    Details  It's been another exceptionally dry summer but things are holding on. Our land shaping captures and retains moisture and the mixed planting reduces competition while maximizing shade and surface area.
    Date  January 04, 2018
    Tags    2018  January 
    View 3 photos
    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 
    View 5 photos
    7 years of permaculture progress

    7 years of permaculture progress

    Details  A serious amount of improvements resulting from considerable effort. Learnt a lot along the way.
    Date  November 05, 2016
    Tags    progress 
    Related info
    6 year old silver wattle

    6 year old silver wattle

    Details  This tree has put on exceptional growth. It will be coppiced for firewood,
    Date  November 04, 2016
    Tags    progress 
    Cacti

    Cacti

    Details  It's spring, we've had some rain followed by sun and the gardens have burst forth in bud, leaf, flower and young fruit.
    Date  October 19, 2016
    Tags    october  2016 
    Read More
    Winter suggestables

    Winter suggestables

    Details  A bounty of unique produce from the forest garden.
    Date  August 07, 2016
    Tags     
    Read More
    3 years of progress

    3 years of progress

    This is an area we refer to as the top swale. It receives most of the rain water of the roof of the house.
    June 13, 2016
    Read More
    6 years of progress

    6 years of progress

    Work on this area didn't really begin until quite recently due to wind exposure and the need for shelter trees...
    June 13, 2016
    Read More
    Food forest video tour

    Food forest video tour

    Details  A short video exploring the emerging food forst in summer
    Date  January 15, 2015
    Tags    food forest  summer  2015 
    Video
    Batch tree planting 2013

    Batch tree planting 2013

    Details  It's tree planting time again and as in previous years, we have once again received an order of 130 trees and shrubs. Carefully selected to fill specific niches, these plants will, as they mature, flesh out the natural forest we are attempting to coax into existence.
    3 types of flowering native broom handle strong winds and dry soils while fixing nitorgen in the soil and providing a valuable nectar source for bees and other insects and birds.
    Hazels, butter nuts, and several berry shrubs will feed us and the wildlife as well as adding an asthetic and natural mixing of scale in the forest.
    Date  September 06, 2013
    Tags     
    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 
    Read More
    Fresh from the glasshouse

    Fresh from the glasshouse

    Details  Our best cauliflower yet! Proof that our glasshouse is awesome.
    Date  August 25, 2013
    Tags     
    Read More
    Glastic fantastic

    Glastic fantastic

    This project has been on my wish list for quite some time. With winter fast approaching and aided by our willing workers the new glasshouse is finally complete.
    April 28, 2013
      glasshouse  plastic house  garden  winter  growing 
    olmec
    The process
    Now, that's an onion

    Now, that's an onion

    Details  Yep, that's right. We grow onions too! And finally one to be proud of.
    Date  January 26, 2013
    Tags    onion 
    Read More
    Winter vege

    Winter vege

    Details  At this time of year the garden looks unfortunately grim, with little growing. It was an exciting surprise to discover this beauty.
    Date  August 09, 2012
    Tags    winter  vege  purple  broccoli 
    Read More
    Rocktastic

    Rocktastic

    We took a giant leap toward the long discussed upgrade of garden beds and paths today with the collection of 3 tonnes of river boulders.
    The idea is to edge the garden beds to raise them up. This should make weed control a little easier, add some aesthetic and charm and the thermal mass may lengthen the growing season.
    July 20, 2012
       
    olmec
    Read More
    A hint of garlic

    A hint of garlic

    Details  It's high summer, we've passed the longest day and our garlic had been in the ground for 7 months.

    This represents about 40-50% of the crop and is the first time we have grown garlic at our place.
    Date  December 27, 2011
    Tags    garlic  summer  harvest 
    Read More
    Last of the apples

    Last of the apples

    Details  The last 2 apple trees are now ready for picking. For some reason, these are some of the cleanest apples we have had this year.

    Both of these trees have been improved with supporting / companion plants such as bulbs, foxgloves, lupins and strawberries.
    Date  May 18, 2011
    Tags    Apples  harvest 
    Read More
    Next page
        Blockhill  Topics  Food forest gardens  Gallery & journal
      Go to top