And now, from one side of the country last week to the other side of the world today! Let's visit South Australia, shall we? That's where we find Xan, her two children, and her amazing gardens full of plenty to harvest and nourish now, and such dreams and vision for the future. I especiallly love this line from Xan's website bio and have been thinking about it since I first read it: "We live from scratch as much as sanity allows at this stage and relish any opportunity to 'do it ourselves'." That so perfectly captures the sense I get from visiting Xan's garden, and it's an inspiring sense I know you'll enjoy too.
Welcome to Xan's garden!
The Before shot (taken three years ago) of north garden, facing east.
The Right Now shot (taken June, winter 2016) of north garden, facing east.
Gardener: Xan Holyoak
Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Temperate-Mediterranean climate (at a guess, I'm going to say that it might equate to Zone 10 in the USA).
Garden Size: 1061m2 (a little over 1/4 acre)
How long have you been gardening?
It's hard to remember exactly how long, but I do know my love and commitment was fostered when my late-husband's parents gave us a collection of herb seedlings. Those plants came as a housewarming gift when we first moved out together in 1998. I recall transplanting those sweet little herbs into a sunny space out from the back door of our rented cottage, just beyond the kitchen. Eighteen years seems like a long time and although I have always tended a garden to some degree since, I feel that I am only just getting started.
The Before shot (taken three years ago) of east garden, facing north.
The right Now shot (taken June, winter 2016) of east garden, facing north.
Why do you garden?
I garden because of how it makes me feel, pure and simple. It clears my head, it slows me down and it makes me smile. When I garden I am free to wander and wonder. It connects me to the person I strive to be and leaves me in awe of Mother Nature. I breathe more deeply and a level of calm penetrates through to my core. It is a meditation for me and yet, it fuels my body and mind with a buzzing natural high all at once.
"Where it's going." Permaculture design drawings of north and east gardens - design and drawings by Nadja Osterstock.
How would you describe your garden?
Haha, it is definitely a project! About a year ago, just a few short months after my husband passed and I was faced with continuing to transform our garden, I employed the help of a Permaculture Designer. I now have a solid base to work from and a plan for how to create the vision in my head, plus pretty pictures to boot! Our 136-year-old stone villa was the original homestead for the farmland that is now our neighborhood. An initial subdivision around the 1920's reduced the original farmland to small acreage and then a further division around the 1960's created the semi-rural blocks that it is today.
Along the driveway is what I have nicknamed our feature tree. It is a Crab Apple and offers our first signs of spring each year. It is so spectacular when in full bloom and a bit of a neighborhood talking point, hence my nickname! In this same garden will be an evolving apothecary of medicinal herbs.
On the other side of our driveway is our north-facing vegetable garden. This will be bordered on all sides by fencing plus perennials, climbers and a rosemary hedge. This area is the most suitable for growing vegetables as it gains the maximum amount of sun throughout the day.
Across the pathway from here is a section soon to be planted out with natives, many of them edible. This borders a play area for the kids and flows down to lawn and a garden bed that will become home to beautiful floral annuals and perennials - I have to fill those vases somehow! Dotted all over will be clusters of herbs and other juicy bee forage.
The back garden is for chickens, beehives, a mini-orchard and our water tanks.
You would have noticed how frequent my will be descriptions are. That's the work-in-progress bit! It's all about making the vision a reality and it truly is amazing how much has already been achieved in the three years we have been here.
Looking out our lounge room window... a perspective drawing of our east-facing ornamental garden (it's my vision of how it will become) - artwork by Nadja Osterstock.
What’s your biggest gardening challenge?
Oh the challenges, there are many but the rewards far outweigh them. Rocky-clay soils, slaters (also known as woodlice, sow bugs and pill bugs)... I try to befriend them, really I do, but if anyone has any tips for discouraging those little critters from gnawing their way through my young seedling stems then I would love for you to please share.
South Australia is considered the driest state in the driest inhabited continent. Our hilly location means we are within the range to enjoy the highest level of rainfall available, but water, or the lack of, is by far our biggest challenge! We have just positioned two 10,000 liter (approximately 2642 gallons) water tanks and very soon they will be plumbed so we can begin to harvest our winter rain. This will make a huge difference to our garden's survival rate over summer when our searing heatwaves can be relentless.
What’s your biggest garden accomplishment?
What’s your biggest garden accomplishment?
Without a doubt, my biggest garden accomplishment would be completing the job my husband began before he passed away. It was the demolition and removal of an old damaged concrete rainwater tank. Rest assured I did not do it alone. No way, that thing was a beast! Through the amazing work and generosity of my friends and family, we got the job done and now you would never know it had even been there.
Oranges and lemons are ready for harvest.
What do you most love to grow?
One of my dreams is to be able to feed my family, as much as possible, from our own garden. I am always left with such awe every time I sow a seed and witness it's germination into a seedling and further growth into a fruit, vegetable or leafy green. To then be able to harvest that produce and use it to nourish myself and my family fills me with such joy, it really does. I know I am not alone in that.
Furthermore, it completely blows my mind to see first hand the quantity of food that can be reproduced through the saving of one plant's seed. With that understanding running through each one of my senses, I simply cannot comprehend how there can be hunger in this world. Nature is incredible and She really does provide.
What do I most love to grow? Anything that nourishes ones heart, body, mind and soul.
The first shoots of this year's garlic crop, planted from the best of last year's harvest.
I have two kids, both of whom are now in Primary School (Elementary). They are always welcome to share in the gardening work whenever they feel inclined. Their commitment wavers and varies depending on the day and the many outside influences, but certainly my youngest (who is nearly six) holds a greater passion for the work than his older sister. We recently spent a Family Day away from school (that's my version of responsible adult-style 'hookey') and with most of it spent in the garden, my Son declared, "Mum, doing stuff like this with you is one of my all-time favorite things to do". Yep, proud Mummy moment right there!
Banana passion fruit flowers are in full bloom.
Tell us more about you!
I live in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia with my two children. I am a Mother, a Writer, a Maker, a Baker and a Creator. A strong focus on natural parenting and living a conscious, sustainable life is woven throughout all I do. Life is a wild and crazy adventure and I am a firm believer in using the challenges as opportunities for inner growth. I love to experiment, read, research, seek wisdom and gather knowledge. I am constantly learning and discovering through playing, doing and giving it a go. My gardening is no exception! I hope you have enjoyed this little tour and please feel free to find out more through my blog, The Conscious Caterpillar and Instagram @theconsciouscaterpillar.
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Thank you, Xan, for sharing your garden!
(If you'd like to share your garden with us this season, send me an email for more details.)
