Regeneration of Area 51
Since beginning our occupancy in mid August, Melisa and I have worked tirelessly to convert our temporary surroundings from an overgrown junk pile into a bountiful garden and relaxing environment.
Before
Looking back at the few images of the early stages of reclamation, I wish I had thought to take more pictures and better document the transition from jungle and junk to useful space. The images below give a general idea as to the original state of the hillside.
External Influence
As part of the project it seemed essential to create an environment that in future would better weather future neglect. The introduction of trees helped contribute a feeling of permanence and durability while helping to stabilise the landscape with deeper roots. Several trees and shrubs were established from cuttings taken from around the neighbourhood as well as the Kapiti coast region. The remainder of the trees (predominantly cabbage trees) were extracted from newly formed soil accumulated on top of the nearby city reservoir. A couple of these transplantations failed but on the most part these trees have put down their roots and accepted their new role in the garden, as a boundary and as stabilisers.
Filling the Black Hole
Whilst removing a decaying armchair and other assorted household rubbish we uncovered a large pit filled with rusting metal and broken bottles. A charred wooden surround indicated that a fire had once raged in this very location. After extracting the rubbish and removing the buried wood I contemplated filling the hole but the lack of surplus soil forced me to consider an alternative approach. After sculpting the edges I lined the hollow with several layers of thick black plastic and then landscaped the edges with the intent of establishing some greenery around my new pond. Several weeks and some pond weed later and the new plants were on their way.
Reclaim the Space – Feed the Face
Sagging and forgotten, lost in tangled weeds, we uncovered the remains of a garden. After considerable digging, levelling and construction several terraces, a sheltered enclosure and some paving slabs were settled into place to form the foundation for a new garden, ready for planting. By composting kitchen waste along with the extracted weeds we fed the soil and created a bed of soil ready to support new life.
The Green Flat Lawn
Converting an expanse of mangled trash, dead weeds and broken brick into a lush and fertile green lawn required hours of back breaking work. After removing the biggest items and sifting the soil to extract smaller objects I level the area and mixed the earth to produce a consistent, flat surface. A tick application and sturdy rye and clover seeds and LOTS of water later and the new grass is tick and ready for cutting. Mowing the lawn with pruning shears is a time consuming task but certainly helps with the appreciation of the new patch of grass.
