April Garden Tour and Harvests
Peek over the virtual fence into what's happening in my kitchen garden this month
Hi Plant Parents
I invite you to step into my garden’s ever-changing theatre this month, where drama, cheer-worthy harvests and chaos collide. As summer makes its final bow, autumn is taking centre stage, bringing a refreshing change of pace.
Pest insect villains retreat, and new plant stars prepare for their debut. The spotlight fades on the summer crops, making way for a much-anticipated cast of cool-weather veggies. Join me as I reveal a few of the characters in this growing production. Grab your virtual popcorn for the video garden tour, because this season’s show is about to begin!
The Unfolding Story in My Garden
Firstly, before you peek over the virtual garden fence and I share some of the shady characters and stories here, let me put you in the bigger picture. We moved to this property just over three years ago, high on a hill, well out of the flood zone. It’s peaceful, has panoramic views and abundant wildlife (not just the friendly kind)! 😨
However, my food gardens are exposed to wild winds and scorching westerly sun during summer. The views and steep slope were a bundle deal. We have terraced quite a bit of it, but could also slide to the bottom boundary on a boogie board on a wet day! Navigating our modest orchard is not for the faint-hearted.
We have very clay soil and the weather has, for the most part, been either too dry, too hot or way too wet! Picky, aren’t I? Let’s just agree - no one has a perfect property or garden, including me! Despite the challenges, I’ve still managed to harvest food every day for fresh ingredients, medicine and herb teas. Enjoy the quick garden tour this month. Just a snippet of plants I’m growing and a few of the yummies.
I’m trying to grow and manage a new edible garden, while building healthy soil. Layering organic matter over the clay. Growing food, harvesting, preserving, cooking (I like the eating bit especially), saving seeds, propagating and occasionally enjoying the views at the end of a physically demanding day.
I have been helping to grow a resilient community via local gardening groups, while wearing my ‘Nanny’ hat to two beautiful grandchildren. My regular travel and visits to these precious humans involve connecting them to the earth and teaching my now 3-year-old granddaughter Sofie about plants, insects and nature lessons. Together we ‘nurse’ the edible and houseplant ‘patients’ back to life after neglect, thirst and starvation! Sometimes, incurable ‘dried arrangements’ are put to rest as compost in my daughter’s garden. Sofie now understands dead plants ‘feed the wormies’ as part of the cycle of life.
If you think I have lots of time for my garden, I don’t! It’s usually minutes most days. Occasionally, I disappear into the garden when I get a chance to play catch-up. 😊 My long-suffering husband comes to find me busy amongst my plant family when he’s hungry. Between travel to family and coaching clients, I also direct (oops, I mean ‘facilitate’) my husband’s landscaping projects. More about that another day.
When I trip over his piles of paving sand or blocks-in-waiting to become new garden beds, I pick aloe vera to soothe the scrapes from our garden reno minefield. Recently, I’ve been wielding the hedger like a wild hairdresser trying to tame the unruly jasmine hedges that have no sense of decorum.
I’ve been longing to just play in the garden! Now is my favourite time of the year. The weather is ‘typically’ perfect in April. 🤞🏼 I put my foot to the floor, planting all my cool-season favourites. So, here we grow!
The Cast and Crew
A lively troupe of characters are making an appearance. I’ve had several dramatic encounters with a resident non-venomous green tree snake. As you’ll see in this video, he’s incredibly curious. Watch him exit stage left up the pawpaw tree. That’s when I bow out of the garden and give him some space.
He silently slithers up the bean trellises like a high-wire artist. I’m usually unaware he’s there until we’re face to face. I’m respectfully wary of this shy performer in his yellow and olive green suit. He’s frightened me several times while picking climbing beans. Thankfully, he keeps the mouse population in check.
Several bustling public bird baths are the centre of lively gossip. Tiny finches, wrens, Willy wagtails, and birds of all kinds gather, chirping their complaints about the queue in nearby trees and shrubs. They wait for their turn to splash and sip. I watch their entertaining antics, listening to their social conversations. What DO they talk about? Birds are efficient pest patrollers in my kitchen garden. They dine out on caterpillars and other insects, minimising pest management. The occasional impatient peewee darts in for a quick drink, ignoring the etiquette. Like drivers on our roads, someone always wants to jump the queue!
The pollinator orchestra is deafening, with bees waltzing between flowers, humming a familiar tune. A welcoming buzz as they fertilise flowers and promise future fruits. My reward for their services rendered. I feel deep gratitude.
Cheeky skinks play hide-and-seek, often alarming me on narrow pathways. With lightning-quick moves, they have an uncanny knack for disappearing into thin air. Overhead, I witness a breathtaking display of precision and a high-speed chase scene. Swarms of dragonflies swoop past, performing their aerial acrobatics, divebombing unsuspecting airborne insects like daredevils in a garden circus. My predatory insect allies.
Nature doesn’t follow a script - it’s full of unexpected twists. As much as I dream of perfection, the garden’s appeal lies in its unpredictability. Each challenge, whether it’s fungal disease, pest invasions, or uncooperative weather, teaches me something new.
Lessons Learned …
“By planting with hope and adapting to what Nature delivers, I’ve learned to celebrate the harvest amidst the chaos and drama.”
Let’s embrace the privilege of playing a vital role in this living theatre, where every season brings new lessons, joy, and wonder.
I’m curious! Which plants are taking their final bow in your garden this season, and which seeds or seedlings are ready for their debut?
If you’re ready for planting, read my April Gardening Tips.
The laminated Subtropical Planting Guide is designed for the subtropical Queensland climate in Australia with our five seasons. It covers what to plant, seasonal garden tasks and common pests at different times of the year. It’s a planning and planting tool to use year after year.
May you fill your cup with joy from the garden. I look forward to sharing more inspiration with you soon. I’d love your feedback so please leave a comment.
Have a BEEautiful day, Anne
P.S. 🍃 If this helped propagate an idea worth growing, a coffee helps me keep nurturing more.
AI Notice: This content is not authorised for AI training, scraping, or summarisation. © Anne Gibson, All rights reserved 2025.
I have reading your emails dear Anne for years, and now I this platform too 💕
Thank you kindly xo
What an informative newsletter, great photos! Thanks