Since moving in 4 weeks ago there's been some changes to the house...
1. 2 blocks down is building!
When we first saw the views from this house, there was no avoiding the tall trees thriving on the empty block.
As a tree lover, I didn't mind all that much, but as a home owner whose epic view was affected by said trees, I didn't mind them going.
I knew once they began building on the empty blocks next to us those tree would have to go and they did.
This is a picture I took during the building inspection in December 2017.
This is a picture I took just now. I tried to get the same angle so you can see the difference..
If you compare the two photos you'll notice 2 main trees are now gone.
I was unpacking one afternoon when I heard commotion outside, I walked out of the office to see this.
Can you see him?
How about now?
It's a serious job. No wonder these guys are worth the big bucks.
I was scared and I was just watching from inside the house.
This guy came back 2 more times to cut down the dead tree and to cut down a couple of trees at the front of the block, both huge towering trees, cut down in stages like true professionals.
It was amazing to watch. Glad it was him and not me!
2. We finally cleared our veggie patch spot.
Having a veggie patch and being self sustainable was always one of our goals, even when we were renting we still gave growing crops a go. Wasn't very successful at it, but we still tried.
Over the last week we have been spending time in the garden trying to clear up the growth on the fence.
Here's some shots I took back in December 2017 of the garden.
As you can see, there's a plant growing wild all long the retaining wall fence. You can also see the view we could possibly have if we cleared that fence.
We began The Hack Job 2 weeks ago. This is how far we got.
Despite the hours we put in, the growth was just too thick to get all in one day.
We have been slowly clearing it since then and finally, yesterday, after carefully cutting the tangled vines from the fence...
Once all the vines were cut off the fence we saw how bad the lean was.
During inspection, the guy did say the retaining wall will need replacing, but it will hold for a few more years.
I'm sitting here wondering if we need to call the professionals or can I DIY this. lol
Despite the retaining wall situation I'm still quite happy about our achievement. It was a total nightmare untangling the vines, but it's worth it.
Check it out.
Next step is to do research on Companion Planting and design the veggie patch layout.
Coming tomorrow!!
Do you have retaining wall experience? Is this too big a job for DIY? Or maybe you're a companion planting expert? Please drop me a comment. I'd love to pick your brain.
❤ Arly
Nice updates on the new home @bearone :D
Hehe thanks @sndbox :D <3
Hell yea! <3 Love it
its a beautiful spot by the way.
Thank you!
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STOPReally nice view lalo na kung nasa loob ka ng bahay..
I'll go for DIY..😁
hehe sa loob nga yung iba 😊
I like the DIY route... It'll be cheaper hehe
Awesome job!!!! Looks amazing.
I'm of no help - but I'm awesome at leading the cheer squad 😘
Thanks hun!! I hear that cheer squad all the way over here ;)
I recommend raised beds for the veg. You won’t need to bend so much, plus you can build up good quality top soul with composting, worms, etc - not sure where exactly you are, but Aussie soils are generally a bit rough for veg.
See if you can get hold of some ‘good bug garden’ seeds, which you plant everywhere - these plants attract the bugs you want hanging around your garden so they take care of the pests!
@peterloupelis Very handy tips! Thank you so much! I was going for a lower garden but I totally get and love the idea of a raised bed. More soil but I didnt consider the composting idea. And I will look for those seed!
So one easy way to make a raised bed is simply to buy some straw bales. The walls of the bed only need to be bale height, and maybe a layer of top soil over the top.
Eventually what happens is the that bale breaks down. and you keep adding layers of mulch and compost. Its also a great idea to put your compost bin in the middle of the bed, so as it breaks down, its feeding the soil directly in the bed (because why do you want to make extra work for yourself, shovelling compost onto beds?!?). You can do the same with worm farm - in fact you buy some worm farm kits from Bunnings that you bury directly into the ground, and then you feed your green and brown waste directly into it - the worms feed off it, and the nutrient from their castings is directly in the soil, ready for your veggies' roots to take up.
There's plenty of stuff on the net for this sort of thing - the idea is to make gardening as effortless as possible.
shoot @peterloupelis just saw this!!
I'm gonna have to check out these bales.
We've dug out about up to 2 slats high (or 1 and a half slats). If we fill in the L higher than 2 slats it's gonna hang over the over side cos of the gap.
I love the idea of the compost and worm farm being directly in the garden 👌 I am all for minimal work. I'm actually considering buying chickens.
Seems every video I watch of Permaculture there's a chicken running around in the background.
Ill add gardening tips in my YouTube search parameters. Thanks so much Peter 👍
Looks like a wonderful spot. Looking forward to see more of it and its development 💯🐒
Its amazing. Thank you Vibe :)
Great progress you have made at recovering your view and the retailing wall. Very nice place. Wish I could offer you some tips. Your place has incredible views. 🐓🐓
Hi @mother2chicks 😊 Thank you. It is lovely up here.