Pretty edges not just pot luck
The Age
Saturday October 31, 2009
There is a lot of joy in "cubbies for adults", writes Kath Dolan. NOT surprisingly for a woman with seven children, Cecilia Macaulay's mother didn't have much time for gardening. The oldest child, Macaulay recalls assuming control of the huge family backyard in suburban Chadstone when she was about 10, building cubbies with her siblings, digging for dinosaur fossils and keeping the pests at bay as best she could.The permaculture teacher, writer and illustrator now runs an international share household in North Melbourne that's held together in part by a shared commitment to the kind of inspiring, creative, ever-changing balcony or "edge" garden she'd like to see blooming in apartments, terraces and townhouses across the inner city.Macaulay describes successful balcony gardens as "cubbies for adults": fantasy worlds reflecting the passions, dreams and sense of fun of their owners. Her own dream involves creating a guild for balcony garden designers that supports inner-city residents who crave more connection with nature and each other. It would help them create stable little ecosystems of their own rather than random collections of potted plants or worm farms begun with enthusiasm but soon ignored.Macaulay regularly runs workshops for budding gardeners and is planning gothic gardening workshops starting in December, which will focus on black blooms and fruits. However, she cheerfully admits she needs an organiser to help turn her ambitions for a guild into reality.In the same way, balcony gardens start with a creative vision but need daily nurturing to thrive. "Whimsical people have the desire and vision; they get them started," she says. "But it's the clockwork people who make them succeed."The natural environment can present some formidable obstacles to balcony gardens: intense summer sun, for example, or strong winds (especially in high-rises).The whole point of edge gardens is pleasure. "Why bother planting a cactus?" she says. "It doesn't need you and you don't need it. You don't want to be an unpaid waiter."Here are Macaulay's tips for successful balcony gardens:–Start small and achieve success before attempting more ambitious projects.–Begin with a table and chair and some shade.–Include a goldfish pond. Daily feeding gets you into the habit of spending time in your garden.–Plant things you really love.–Use a theme that reflects your character (musicians could use old instruments as pots).–Include a mix of non-edible and edible plants and rare breeds.–Buy good-quality potting mix and big, beautiful features (such as a magnificent lemon tree).–Start a worm farm €” the nutrient-rich castings are heaven for potted plants.–Opt for things pests ignore such as tough-leaved orchids and figs and strong, spicy edibles such as rocket and chives.–Install a "wet pot" system to water plants without lifting a finger. Porous ceramic gourds are buried in each pot. They use osmosis to seep water directly to plants' roots when needed, then refill via gravity from a container.–On sunny balconies use porous pots such as terracotta that "breathe" well and sun-loving plants such as bougainvillea to create shade for other species.–On shady balconies plant leafy green vegetables that don't need much sun.–Make plants the feature rather than their pots, either by painting pots the same colour or covering them (in hessian, for example).
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