A stroll in very early Spring in the Bellinger River Valley.

Despite that it is still the first week of August it is very early Spring on the Coffs Coast. In the Fernmount Food Forest fruit trees are bursting into flower if they are receiving some northern sun.

Amaranth

 All through Winter self sown Amaranth have thrived in a sunny spot.

Dwarf White Peach

Pics in Mid Spring

Mowing the paths always lifts the spirits. The transformation is stunning and the paths grow more enticing. The Large Tibouchina Tree on the left (Tibouchina Mutabilis 'Noelene') is almost in flower in its shades of mauve. A mulberry, pruned for easy access overhangs the path.

 

Early Spring at the Fernmount Food Forest

Three pics only of early Spring garden happenings.

Black Mulberry

Some of our food forest trees

Why catalogue these trees in this fashion?

If you are searching for suitable fruit and nut trees for a similar climate then this lengthy list may just spark your interest. This food forest is situated on the border of warm temperate and subtropical climate zones. It is only ten kilometres from the NSW coastline and in a river valley,

Of course we have some failures but it has been surprising what subtropical trees will grow on our north facing slope. Indeed our Apple and Apricot trees struggle the most because our winters have insufficient chill factor. I hope the large pics assist with identification.  

Persimmon Fuju (Diospyros variety)  (right) and Apple trees in the lowest, therefore coldest in winter, south west corner.


Fuju is a dwarf variety of Persimmon that does not need bletting. We also grow Tropical Apple (Anna), Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples. We grow Crab Apple (Malus Golden Hornet) as a universal pollinator. It is extremely slow growing.

Morning Autumn Walk

8.30 AM and its time for a stroll with Nick's dog. Down the central path from the house at the front of the block to these indigenous Tree Ferns midway and at a small culvert bridge over a stream bed. We have massive storm events and Easterly Lows can dump a couple of metres of rain over a few days. This bridge has been replaced twice and finally with larger 30cm diameter pipes.

The Tree Ferns are self seeded and I must keep pruning the roots out of the nearby storm-water drain to keep the water flowing.