Lynne and Mark live in the lower Blue Mountains on what is a very interesting, and challenging block. It is not only a steep block at a 9⁰ incline (rough equivalent to a 16% slope) but the aspect is due south. A southern aspect in the northern hemisphere is great, but here in Aus it severely limits access to the sun, which can make growing difficult.
The block is approximately 750m2 and the house takes up close to 186m2 and the carport takes up another 40 metres of that. Being in the lower Blue Mountains means they do not have the best soil in the world, quite a bit of it being sandy loam over solid clay and sandstone rocks. There was not much organic matter in the soil, probably due to being washed downhill over the years by the rain. On the bright side, drainage is not a problem! Some organic matter is provided by the chooks and is applied as a top dressing two to three times a year.
It is interesting to see what they have been able to achieve in the years since they moved in!
Front Yard and carport area
Keeping the birds off the seedlings
Home made cold frame
Side of the house growing area
Espaliered fruit trees
Umbellifers seeding
The multi-year tomato
Water Storage
5000 litre water tank
220 litre olive barrels on chook shed
Bank of water tanks under the carport 2210 litres
There is also a 1000 litre IBC (not shown)
Chook Shed
Material from the chook shed is placed in this rasied bed
Bananas
Pond to support Biodiversity
Various beds and plantings
SuperCool Potting Bench
Time to take a rest!
The view out into the bush
Irrigation fittings
Lynne Says: "The mains water irrigation system on the veg garden is made up of four lines of drippers at 1.6 litres per hour. The bed is roughly 5 metres by 1.2 metres. The two ornamental gardens are also irrigated by a drip system which is used much less frequently (meaning: hardly ever during La Niña)."
Along the verandah
Container growing on the verandah
Multipurpose grape growing up under the verandah, providing shade and fruit
Solar panels on the roof
