Visit Jill and Ian Sandy Bay 16Feb20

On Sunday 16 February the Food Garden Group visited Ian and Jill's garden at Sandy Bay.

When we arrived on Jill and Ian's deck overlooking the river there was a Southern wind blowing, and it made us think that we could be in for a cool day, but then we descended into Jill and Ian's main garden, and immediately we were in a delightful warm sunny sheltered green garden, an ideal environment for some very interesting plants.

The garden is dominated by a wonderful maple tree, but around it are many sunny sheltered areas where Jill and Ian grow all sorts of things.

Here Ian and Jill (middle of photo below) explain how they over a period of 44 years transformed their garden into a really wonderful place to be.

In the garden is a large cage (photo below) that is used for growing vegetables, berries and fruit. Many of us exclaimed 'I wish I had that in my garden', because of its size and the fact that it provides total protection against birds and other wildlife that would be so interested in all the things they grow.

Jill wanted to know more about pruning berries, so our pruning expert Max K gave a demonstration of pruning a Black Currant that had not been pruned for many years.

The end result of Max's considered snipping (his wife Josie described it differently) can be seen in the photo below. Max removed all the old wood, and left enough young branches on the bush so Jill and Ian won't be without Black Currants next Spring.  If you would like to know more about pruning all kinds of berries, have a look at Pruning Berries on the Food Garden Group blog.

Then we had a great big discussion about Citrus.  Ian and Jill have the biggest variety of Citrus fruit that I have ever seen in any Tasmanian garden, and we discussed why Citrus of all kinds (Lisbon and Eureka and Meyer Lemon, Tahitian and Australian and Finger and Kaffir Lime, Valencia oranges, Cumquat and Tangerines) do so well in this garden. In the right conditions there is a lot more potential for Citrus in Tasmania than the long-suffering unhealthy lemon trees we see in most gardens would make us believe.  Ian and Jill have agreed to contribute towards a Food Garden Group blog post on the subject of Citrus that might be on the blog in a few weeks time.

The photo above shows fruit on Ian and Jill's Meyer Lemon.

This photo shows the small fruits on an Australian Finger Lime.

And in a third example of the great variety of Citrus in their garden, here is a photo of a Tangerine.

There were also many vegetables (corn, potatoes, and all the usuals, all looking healthy), but fruits of all kinds made this garden really special.

Many of us tend to dismiss 'the humble Zucchini', but its flowers and fruit can be really stunning looking.

I liked the way this poly pipe frame was attached to star pickets that were positioned at 60 degrees to the ground. It provides ample side space for the plants in the raised bed.

But wherever you looked there was fruit, unusual fruit at times, and always looking very healthy.

The photo above shows a Pepino Melon (native to the Southern Amazon) on a permanent bush one metre wide by 2 metres high.

And in a sheltered spot bordered by two light-coloured brick walls a Habanero Chilli ('very hot' Ian told me).

And a great example of a Black Genoa fig (photo above). That looks delicious!

The Peacherines were really big!

In the mean time there was 'lively trading' at the trading table in the shade of the Maple tree, with all kinds of surplus produces changing hands.

I was told that the morning tea table was also very much worth a visit, but I never got there in time to confirm this for myself.

People were chatting happily in all corners of this delightful garden.  Everyone went home impressed and inspired with new ideas for their own garden.  It is what makes these food garden visits so worthwhile.  It is, I reckon, the most important aspect of these visits.

Many thanks to everyone for your contributions, and a special thanks to Max K. for his pruning demonstration and Jill and Ian for hosting a visit to a very special garden!