A PERMABLITZ IN COBURG PART 1 – BRICK SOLDIERS & PALM ROOTS

Front garden gate at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

The Greyhound enjoying the sun at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Path setout before the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Rubble left over from the old path being dug upat the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia
Testing level of topsoil at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Adam working out a schedule for the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

The dog still relaxing in the sun at the Permablitx in Coburg, Australia

 

Cindy looking at the garden plan for the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Adam Grubb from Very Edible Gardens welcoming everyone to the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

The team listen to intros and do warm-up exercises at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Paras laying bluestones for the mini retaining wall at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Adam and Dylan inspecting the piles of compost and mulch at the back gate at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Finished mini retaining wall at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Walking up Dylan's wheelbarrow ramp at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Gigi's father cutting nails with an angle grinder at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia
Martin working hard on the brick border for the paths

The curving path edge at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Digging holes for the espalier posts at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

Dylan and I arrived at Gigi’s at 8:30am, welcomed by concrete rubble and pavers erupting from the earth. The compost and mulch piles loomed ominously at the back gate, the stairs presenting a cheerful bottleneck for the wheelbarrows. The delivery men had meant to deliver half of the mountain to the front. But Dylan and I were naively unperturbed, despite or perhaps because of never attending a Permablitz before and finding ourselves in the driving seat. So I attribute the smoothness of the event to delicious beginner’s luck and the dedication of Adam Grubb of Very Edible Gardens and the lovely group of people who turned up to sweat it out digging holes and untangling the terrible mat of roots where the palm tree once stood.

Amongst the rubble we discovered a treasury of worn bluestones that my amazing team of retaining wall builders jigsawed together. In the background four grim faced mattock wielders had the unenviable job of trying to cut through the unmoving mass of palm roots to cut the path. Leaving me with the cringing feeling of being a prison guard driving a chain gang  they broke through the mass with what seemed like sheer strength of will and sweat rolling down their brows. Like soldiers on parade the brick edging quickly fanned around the edge of the path waiting for its mulch filling.

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SUMMER FRUIT – DECEMBER IN THE GARDEN

Sunflowers germinated in toilet rolls, Dylan made a hot compost, our first tomatoes have shown their shiny sheres and the beans are twining and flowering. The Chookheads as usual are up to no good and gobbling everything in sight. They have set a new record for demolishing an entire bed of Bok Choy in under an hour. They pay their way in delicious eggs though, never been late on a payment.

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