So in a wicked twist of dejavu I find myself again looking down the runway, another trip away fast approaching; and the innocent faces of my seedlings as they peer through sleepy eyes, opening them to the light as they look up at me for the first time. Their lives now precariously dependant upon my ability to read their needs; to water, feed, love, care and tend to their fragile systems… at least until they are a little bit stronger!

The last time I attempted “prepared self-sufficiency” the results were dismal. Rather than flourish in the cool, moist, protected environs of the vacated bath tub my ‘plant-lettes’ sought growth of a different type; the fuzzy, ashen, uninvited appendages that fester and forage in the damp, dank, under(un)growth…. mould. Not quite what I was expecting to come home to!!!

SO… this time around I’ve decided to seek professional help. It’s not enough to leave on a wing and a prayer, especially for over a month, and in the hottest wettest time of year!!

So the last thing on my list; after packing, organising mail, cleaning the house, cleaning the garage to make room for the clean car, turning off the water, turning on the fans, and drawing the curtains, is to take my plants (that were yesterday given some extra room to stretch their legs as I treated them to some brand new pots, fresh soil, and a good drink) to my lovely neighbours who have graciously agreed to take care of them for me!! The neighbours have a wonderful roof-top garden on their third level apartment and already have an abundance of flora and fauna taking up residence within their loving confines! (There’s even a few resident green tree frogs living by their fountain!!) I’m hopeful that the added mutual support provided by their temporary roof-top flatmates might spur them onwards and upwards!!!

I did take a few snapshots before I left as I was tracking their progress, and because I was so delighted with how happy they looked in the sunshine!!!

I love this pot!! I re-planted the basil on the 7th of November, 12days ago. WOW!!! The apple seedling has unfortunately suffered some slight stem trauma from prevailing ocean gusts and now has a little ‘kink’, giving a leaning tower of pisa-esque look to its lanky frame.

The spindly green bits growing profusely throughout the basil is actually snow-pea!! I cast off some seeds from my sprouting a couple of weeks ago thinking that they would break down and provide some nice nutrients to the organic soil cocktail. Instead they have taken root within the pot and are using the basil as a climbing frame, tenderly twirling their tendrils and climbing ever higher up their hosts!!!

They seem happy, which makes me happy. Happy garden, happy gardener!

Happy Christmas my precious garden of Eden!! See you next year!!! (Maybe we can work up to something like this Christmas garden!!!!)