Autumn seedlings at winter’s end

For too many years we’ve had too little produce in the garden during the lean months of Spring.

But this year, thanks to mass plantings in autumn, the garden is full. With Spring only a few weeks away, all that’s needed is to free these earlier plantings from the mass of nettles and soursobs that have taken advantage of the winter rains and flooded those hard-won seedlings.

Despite our affection for this garden, these are tiresome weeks as we hack away this winter growth. Back and knees and hands remind us constantly of the personal costs of home-grown produce.

But there is a real sense of achievement once known vegetables reappear, reminding us of choices made in front of the seed-table: beetroot, feldsalat (Lambs Lettuce), parsnips, onions, all sorts of lettuces, garlic, parsley and coriander, cabbages, broad beans, silverbeet and so on and so forth.

Only physical labour can bring order out of chaos in a garden. But when that’s done,the garden offers its own rewards – down in the production garden, the almond tree is blossoming, harbinger of the coming Spring.