Visit South Launceston George and Kathleen 2025

Despite the cold and windy weather, the northern visit to George and Kathleen's garden in South Launceston was well attended and much enjoyed.  A very steep block has been terraced with every space well utilised and showing promise for a very productive summer season.  Vegetable beds, fruit and nut trees, berries, chooks and bees generated lots of discussion. 

When they purchased the block ten years ago most of the backyard was inaccessible from the house due to a 10m vertical drop. When George and Kathleen decided to convert their garage to an Airbnb and a digger was on site, the digger was also used to move the dirt into terraces. George built the retaining walls and steps and the food garden began.

Seedlings of Tomatoes, Capsicum, Pumpkins and Marigolds all enjoy the glassed patio area

8 Vegetable beds allow for crop rotation

Seeds will be saved from the flowering plants in the vegetable garden for next year. A mandarin tree looked very happy nestled amongst the mixed planting in one bed. We were surprised that the potatoes had been unaffected by the frost last Monday morning.  Others in the group had suffered some damage to their potatoes.

George has mulched the potatoes 5 times using various materials including oak leaves collected from the huge tree at the bottom of the block and some of his very rich looking compost. There is now a 25cm thick layer covering the potatoes. Raspberries grow along the paling fence, and the patio area has a lemon tree and various herbs in a bed bordered with box hedge and succulents.

Regularly pruned espaliered apple trees were covered in blossom

The chooks and multiple compost bins are situated close to the vegetable beds

Hazelnut trees in their final growing place after Kathleen decided they weren't right in their first position. George's hard work moving them has been rewarded with healthy and productive trees.

Looking up the very steep block to the house from the bottom of the second series of steps

The orchard area of the garden consists of several long narrow beds stepping down the hill. More vegetables are grown amongst the fruit trees and some herbs and ornamental plants.

6 step over apples have been planted this winter

Fruit trees include 2 apricots, 3 plums, 2 pears, 2 mulberries, 2 figs, lemons, mandarins, orange and persimmon. The peaches and nectarines have been removed due to the difficulty in controlling curly leaf.

The garlic crop is now starting to look promising after a slow start. The Tassie purple garlic was purchased from a local fruit and vegetable shop and planted. It was looking stunted for 6 weeks and has now put on some good growth. It is believed that the garlic had been treated with a growth retardant.

The Black English Mulberry

George and Kathleen have enjoyed a good harvest of asparagus this season

Agapanthus have been planted on a steep bank below the orchard area to help stabilise the ground. Raspberries have planted themselves amongst the agapanthus. George will plant pumpkins here also to trail down over the agapanthus. At the very bottom of the block George sometimes has up to 10 beehives. Honey tasting was available at the garden visit with some attendees purchasing honey. 

Beehives at the bottom of the steep block

The produce table was very well supported again with blood oranges, lemons, herbs, leafy greens, seed potatoes, an assortment of seed packets and plants.  Thank you to everyone who contributed this lovely selection.

Morning tea was enjoyed over much conversation before departing to get out of the wind. Thank you to George and Kathleen for offering to host this visit.  Your garden had something to interest everyone and I'm sure we took away a few ideas for our own gardens.