Finally Getting to It!

After a delay of a few days, I was finally able to get down and dirty in the garden last Saturday 25 August. Perhaps calling it a garden is stretching the truth a bit. There is no symmetry, nor organised beauty in my haphazard planting, raising new beds nor placing of various differently-shaped styrofoam boxes. Suits the name Homely Chaos, indeed. Letting go of my inner Miss Perfectionist means more fun experimenting, learning and exploring.

My parcel from Kebun Bahagia Bersama arrived on Wednesday after Eid, sadly I was not home during attempted delivery by PosLaju. On Thursday morning I managed to pick it up from the post office. It contained seeds, bulbs and some cuttings of tree dahlia. The bulbs especially, really should be planted ASAP. Various errands and engagements made me plan to garden that Thursday night, when I have replaced the light bulbs so that I can work in the dark. Disappointingly the lights did not work despite changing the bulbs, so that plan was postponed to the next morning.

Then early Friday morning, we received the shocking news that my dear cousin passed away, a jovial, healthy male of 38, at the prime of his life. We dropped everything and made for the funeral, which was to take place the same day. Meeting his family was heartbreaking, but they bore their loss well, with fortitude and acceptance. I passed the day trying to keep busy, but it is only today that I really grieved.

So the gardening helped make me feel thankful to be alive, and chased away the clouds of sadness.

I managed to plant:

• 1 Tulbaghia bulb
• 2 Agapanthus bulbs
• 6 Gladioli bulbs
• 1 Oriental lily bulb
• 1 Oriental lilium bulb
• 3 Asiatic lilium bulbs

Agapanthus bulbs in a styrofoam box. What? Because I ran out of pots and it is too hot to prepare a bed. I don't want to put this off any longer.

Asiatic Lilium. This pot formerly held some Tigerella plants, which didn't do well. In the background is my weed-like kangkong, aiming for world domination.

I also sowed:

• White carrots
• Guernsey parsnips
• Cherokee butter beans
• Purple bush beans
• Mixed heirloom beetroot
• Sweet peas

I also repotted:

• Black pepper plant
• Green zebra tomatoes into recycled tyres, with bamboo stakes

Black pepper plant in pot near a pole. Er, 2 poles. Oh well.

Yellow pear cherry tomatoes. I wondered if these were twin mutant tomatoes until a few days later I realised these are the gourd-shaped cherry toms. Haha.

My neighbour Aunty Kan who also got bit by the 'grow your food' bug, invited me to her garden to see the changes so far. She grew these gorgeous looking leafy veggies from the Mixed Lettuce seeds, originally from Pun Pun Organic Farm.

Pretty mixed lettuces from Pun Pun Organic Farm, grown by Aunty Kan.

Aunty Kan also grew some Rainbow Chard from some seed I gave her, but strangely enough hers are all white or green, whereas mine were all pink or red-stemmed.

Pretty rainbow chard.

I feel a Rainbow Swap coming up soon-ish...