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Unknown userMember
A SOS to any green thumbs out there
I have always found gardening to be therapeutic and it has given me great joy. However, after a major crisis with Mr Darcy's health I have not had been able to get back into it. Have other gardeners suffered from a similar hiatus and how have you recovered and got going again?
Darcy
PS have a spot that needs filling any recommendations for a 1m high cool climate white flower plant?
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
Hi Peoples.
Received our two new chooks today. One black, one lavender, pullets at the age when you can be reasonably confident of telling the girls and boys apart. If either turns out to be a boy, we can return for a swap...
I've put them in the pen with our chook, and am hearing some very nervous peeping from them. I watched them for a bit, and our big girl checked them out but seems quite unconcerned about them. Meanwhile the two newbies are panicing every time she glances at them! They're young enough though that I suspect she may play "mother hen" when they settle for the night.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
@Smc, hope the new girls settle in soon with not too many dramas as the pecking order is established.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
@Former-Member, it looks like it will be fine. I think the main issue is the pullets realising that they're not in danger. They're settled enough to be scratching but still very nervous of the big girl.
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
Hi @Former-Member and thanks for tagging me onto this thread. I actually dont do a lot of gardening, though I do love getting out in the garden. And I love to see results from my efforts. Its too hot today to be doing much out there. But Sunday and Monday were both cooler days and I was out doing a few things in the garden. One of which was to clean out our fish pond, which we have one lone fish ... a fairly large goldfish. We used to have more, but a pesky heron ate the rest last year. I've since put some netting across to protect whats left. We also get kookaburras coming around, so I suspect we have fed a few of them over the years as well.
Anyway back to my fish pond. With the dreadfully hot sunny days we have been getting, the fish pond has developed a lot of algae and was looking very unkempt. So I decided on Sunday to take advantage of the cooler weather and clear it out a bit. Make it a better place to live for my poor lonely fish. And if thats successful then I will buy a few more fish to keep him company.
Our fish pond is an above ground one out in our large garden alongside our back deck. Its a nice area, north facing. The pond is an old fibreglass rowboat, so its kinda cute, if a little rustic these days.
So I flooded the pond and got rid of all the obvious sludge which floated to the top, then I cleared out and got the little fountain working again. Its not worked in ages, so I was happy to have been able to revive it. I used some anti-algae solution in the topped up pond and left it. We have a nice mauve water lilly in the pond which is flowering nicely at present.
The algae solution has cleared the water nicely, though still working. Apparently it takes a week to be fully effective. But so far so good.
I have attached a photo for you to see. You can just see the fish there amongst the water lily and fountain splash.
I will also attach another photo of a rainbow lorikeet which had a nice feast of our grapes. We have a grape vine which runs right along our eastern deck. A pair of lorikeets had a lovely time with what I left for them. Unfortunately I only managed to get one in the photo, the other one left as I walked up to them.
Also another photo of a lovely purple (my fav colour) daisy in our garden bed. A new plant I added last year. Hope you enjoy. @Smc @Shaz51 @RainbowUnicorn @eudemonism @Maggie @Zoe7 @Faith-and-Hope
Sherry 💕
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
The boat makes a lovely pond @Former-Member. 🙂 Sounds like the cleanout was a lot of work, but worthwhile!
There's a pond in our garden that was here when we moved in, but it's cracked so only holds water to halfway up. A bit too shallow for fish.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
'Aint nothing wrong with the rustic look @Former-Member, the main thing is that you enjoy your garden. We will never have the manicured look.
Having a boat as a pond = brilliant idea
Cleaned out pond = looking heaps better
Having the fountain going again = yay.
I am sure the fish is grateful for your labour too. 😁
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Shaz51Senior Contributor
how lovely @Former-Member 
, very nice
Hello @Former-Member, @Smc, @RainbowUnicorn, @eudemonism
the pigeons have taken over mum`s birdbah and feed and have chased the little birds away , how can you change this xx
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
Siting the bird bath could help @Shaz51. Is it near plants or out in the open? If it is not near prickly shrubs, moving it close to one might be helpful.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Shaz51Senior Contributor
out in the open @Former-Member, I will move it tomorrow and see if that helps , since mum has no cats now - my cat which I left at mum`s has passed away from very old age 
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
MaggieSenior Contributor
@Former-Member Thanks for the tag. What a lovely thread, I didn't know it was here. I will come back later and have a look. Happy gardening everyone. Love gardening when I can.
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Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
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