Garden Botanica

Not this past weekend but the one before there was a small Garden Expo going on at the local Botanical Gardens.



I'll take ANY excuse to go and visit the Coffs Harbour Botanical Gardens, which I honestly think is one of the nicest ones I've been in; it's a surprisingly large space with just a massive variety of plants and flowers and wetlands. Really beautifully laid out and well taken care of.

The Expo itself was really nice; very small, maybe 150-200 people showed up to it I think; there were discussions and lectures scattered around. I listened in to most of them including an AMAZING talk on no-dig garden system which seemed so incredibly fool-proof I desperately wish I could have come right home and given it a go; alas I don't have the space, time or ways to protect a decent, sunny garden from the marauding kangaroos and rabbits which are a constant menace!
It's definitely been stored into the back of my head though for when I (finally, eventually) get a place of my own with PLENTY of space to grow a fruitful veggie patch. (Well I can dream, can't I?)


(forgive me for not reducing the size down, it seemed like a bit of a crime to me)

I spent my day wandering from talk to talk, browsing the sparse stalls that interested me (as I am not a home owner myself, eco-friendly flooring just doesn't do anything for me...) There was a handful of folks selling seedlings though including one lady who had some of the most beautiful veggies and herbs I've ever seen. I caved and bought a couple replacement herbs that had died out from my Mum's pots over the winter (Thyme, Basil, Parsley) aaaand I bought myself a pair of heirloom tomato seedlings called "Black Beauty". I was sorely tempted to buy some of her lettuces (there were over twenty varieties!!!) But budget was more then limited.
So instead of tempting myself further I took a good long walk through the gardens.



I then rushed home and planted my new seedlings and happily everything is REALLY taking off (especially the tomatos and basil!)
Expect to see lots of beautiful photos from the gardens over the next week, I'll share a little bit at a time.