Ballarat Community Garden - Spring

I've been spending more time at the Ballarat Community Garden, not as much as I'd like to (to have my patch really booming), buy more time away from the actual nuts and bolts of the 'gardening' side of things - more time spent doing 'social' things like Produce Swapping and hanging out with the other gardeners - like the recent AGM where I got to make up for my lax attendance at working bees by cooking lunch for everyone.

The new shed is perfect for these kinds of things, the new wood heater a welcome addition. So much hard work has gone into building the 'liveability' of the garden by so many members - and it's great to see people enjoying a space that hard work has created.

Around 50 people crammed into the shed for our October Ballarat Local Produce Swap - but I'll blog that next time.

For now here's a quick walk round the garden on an overcast spring afternoon, but still with plenty of spring's flourish to be had. You can become an associate of the Ballarat Community Garden if you don't have a plot yourself. . .help out at working bees and learn some tips from experienced gardeners. The garden's looking great, so helping out at a working bee is always quite rewarding because as little bit of work by a lot of people - goes a long way.

Chive flowers 

Broad bean flowers

The brilliant broad bean structure.

Bees on borage

This one actually is my plot - lovely leeks doing well

Another great broad bean structure - an old clothes drier

Kids especially marvel at this striking garden art

Douglas - making mulch

Rhubarb flowers

(NOTE: I thought these were beautiful, but David who helps me maintain my plot - says they are a bad sign. Can I collect Rhubarb seed? Does that kill the plant?

Still way too frosty for out door tomatoes in Ballarat yet. These ones in the hot house are doing pretty well - they'll be set free after Melbourne Cup Day when they say the frosts retreat.

Ranunculus and rusty gate