This past summer Lisa from Tasmania, Australia sent in pictures from her garden. Well, she’s back, and this time she is telling us about her Great Aunt Ruby… 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Meet my Great Aunt Ruby!
Ruby turned 98 last September, still lives by herself and tends to this amazing garden.
She lives in a little town called Wynyard in Tasmania and her home is a stones throw from the beach.
Ruby trained as a nurse and has spent a lifetime taking care of people.
Right up until the last few months, Ruby has pretty much sorted out the garden by herself, with a bit of help here and there from her daughter Margaret who lives almost next door. This season she decided that she may need a bit of help with the heavy digging, so that’s where I come in!
This plot Ruby dug herself and planted carrot, beetroot and lettuce seeds, then used the high tech method of cat-digging prevention by covering the area with any and all wire guards!
And it worked! A few months later there was a lush garden happening. The peas were well on their way as well as the potatoes (destined for the Christmas dinner table).
In her garden there are usually potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, beetroot, carrot, lettuce, peas, beans, cabbage, broccoli, artichokes, parsnip, strawberries, pumpkin, cucumber, silver beet, garlic and herbs. Plus probably other stuff I have forgotten!! Enough to feed a small army if one happened on by!!
Often when I go to visit, I’ll find Ruby sitting on her milk crate, wearing her gardening hat and pulling up weeds.
The before…
And after efforts of the other days weeding! Not bad for someone who is almost 100 years old!!
If she is pottering about the garden she will most likely be using an old mop to lean on, not as keen on the walking stick because if people see that, they might think she is “old.”
There is always a bit of a competition for the first ripe tomato of the season. I thought I may have been first past the post this year, but nope… here is Ruby “skiting” (as she would say)(boasting) about the first red tomato in her hothouse!
Ruby is very used to feeding herself out of what she grows. There is always a big feed of vegetables and fruit on the table. Because she is nearly blind, it gives her a lot of independence to be able to go up into the garden and get what she needs rather than continually having to rely on someone else to shop for her.
I might add that her scones (I think you call them biscuits in North America) are superb! (home-made jams to go on top of course!!)
What I love about Ruby’s garden is the way she has pretty flowers here there and everywhere right throughout. You are never really sure what to expect to see blooming at different times of the year.
This plot of flowers is now covered in a seaweed mulch. Advantages of living by the ocean!! The council here allows residents to collect what they need from the beach, and apart from being free, it doesn’t introduce any unwanted weeds! In her younger years, Ruby would just take the wheelbarrow across the road and help herself!
Ruby is adored by all her family, she is a wealth of information on gardening and cooking among other things, has great stories , she has a great sense of fun (for example: dressing up as Mother Hubbard for me when I needed a ‘Nursery Rhyme’ photo) and is always happy to put the kettle on for a cuppa when we drop in and I might add its nearly impossible to escape without an armful of food of some kind!!
Well… there you go.
Cheers,
~ Lisa
If you would like to have your garden, chicken coop or something you’ve made featured on One Hundred Dollars a Month, here’s what I’m looking for:
- Your Garden Pictures and Tips – I’d especially like to see your garden set ups, growing areas, and know if you are starting seeds indoors this year. If so, show me some picture of how you are going about it.
- Your Chicken and Chicken Related Stories – Coops, Chicks, Hen’s, Roosters, Eggs, you name it. If it clucks, send us some pictures to share with the world.
- Cool Arts & Crafts – Made from your very own hands with detailed {and well photographed} pictures and instructions.
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