Hello again.

Our second blitz (on March 23rd) saw us helping out with Tending, an experimental student garden at the Sydney College of the Arts in Rozelle.

 

Tending asks the question: "Can art and permaculture work together at producing an abundance of food, fun, and creativity?" (description from the Tending blog at http://www.tending.net.au/ - check it out for more)

 

Most of what we did on the day revolved around three challenges.
Challenge number 1 was to remove a lot of what appeared to be buffalo grass and other self-seeded species, which would not have a comfortable co-existance with the kind of domesticated plants we tend to grow and eat from.

Challenge number 2 was to relocate a lot of heavy rocks that were on site, so they're no longer a hidden hazard to anyone who wants to work on or walk through the garden.

All in a good day's work!



Challenge number 3 was to set up some raised garden beds.
Because we used prefabricated frames, we had to draw and then a dig a perimeter for each bed to fit in.



After placing wet cardboard inside each dug perimeter, the frames went in place.



Downtime and good food are part of the permablitz experience.
While we can't claim to have had lunch fresh from the garden, this was nice.



Our last task at the end of a long day was to mulch in and around the new garden beds, which is the foundation for what Tending can become. Like all permaculture, Tending remains a work in progress.

Also, one of the hosts from our earlier Merrylands blitz sent photos of how the garden was faring 6 weeks after: