January has been a weather hell of a month, of course no rain and temperatures every day in the high thirties, the garden is again stressed but at least the rain just after Christmas gave us about 25,000 litres of rainwater, so we can at least water the garden.

We have decided to extend our house and put a car port in as part of the house not just a metal extension, it’s not going to cost a lot more and of course will look a lot better.

I decided to replace about half of the front retaining wall where the car port is going, phew it was a big heavy job and I have again hurt my shoulder but it looks good. .Another 30 sleepers will finish the job, but that will wait for cooler weather.

We are picking star Fruit and Dragon Fruit at the moment the entire mango crop has been eaten by us, family and friends, and what a fabulous crop it was. I managed to keep the flying foxes away by stinging up a 30 metre length of Christmas flashing light tube, did not worry the possum but anyway it’s a ‘giving garden’.

We have heard from ‘Gardening Australia’ but that’s for another post later this month.

I am getting booked up giving talks on ‘Smart Sub Tropical Gardening’ and have a bus tour through shortly.

I have made a few minor changes to the garden this month, everything I do just adds to the beauty of the garden, it never finishes.

It’s almost time for the prawning season to start again, I am looking forward to this year’s hunting and gathering, its hard work throwing out a large cast net but I enjoy it especially eating fresh prawns at the end of the day.