Before & After: Veggiegobbler's Aussie Garden

I have a special bloggy place in my heart for veggiegobbler. 

She was the very first one who clicked on the little "Follow" button to the right and followed Sweet Bean Gardening! I actually gave a shout and may have done a wee dance. :)

So when she emailed me to let me know about her Before & After, I was super-de-duper excited to show it off. She actually has a more detailed post on her veggiegobbler blog, but she was gracious enough to let me ask her a few more questions about it. And I love her attitude toward her garden:

"I was tempted to save my before and after shots until Spring or Summer when the garden is looking its best. To at least photograph it when the sun was shining, after the grass had been freshly whipper-snippered and after a bit of a weed and tidy up. But I haven't. You know I'm impatient and lazy so I did none of those things. I decided to show it warts and weeds and all and on a grey day. So here's a little tour of my imperfect, messy but transforming garden."

1. How on earth did you begin? What did you tackle first?

My dad came over one day when I was breastfeeding my first born and said he thought it'd cheer me up if we began to work on the garden. (I reckon I was surrounded by rubble inside and out!) He started to make a border with bricks around an existing concrete path and surrounding the established lemon and avocado trees. Monkey Man came home and immediately said the border was very "suburban" and that I'd never manage to keep the cooch grass out but I've proved him wrong. 

 Then I dug a little patch for a fernery outside the window. You can see this in the first of the after pics. I really just did little patches at a time starting with those closest to my view from the window. (I spent a lot of time breastfeeding on the couch looking out) without too much idea of the long term goal. My interest in veggies started about four years ago with one small patch (now I have 8 spots dedicated to veggies and herbs - with plans for more). 

2. How much time elapsed from your before pics to your after pics? 
About 7 years

3. What is your favorite part of the garden now?

My favourite spot is on a wooden bench in front of a veggie patch. (You can just see the bench in the 2nd after photo - in front of the flag). It's sunny and despite my pale complexion I do love to have a bit of a sit in the sun. I can watch and chat with the kids jump about on the trampoline and watch the chooks. From here I can also see all the bits that need work and make plans for the veggies.

4. What future plans do you have for your garden?

Convince Monkey Man to clear up a big pile of rubble beside the trampoline and plant a narrow garden there along the neighbour's brick wall. I'm planning to espalier some fruit trees up the wall.

*****

I feel like I've just taken an exotic vacation! :)
I love the little patio & pathway, and especially all of the plants which would never ever even think of surviving here in chilly Indiana. Thank you SO much veggiegobbler, for sharing your lovely, growing garden! Be sure to check out her blog for more garden goodness and some yum delish garden recipes.

And as always, if you have a Before & After you want to share...just contact me and I'd love to brag on it!