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

Very early Summer in the Fernmount Food Forest

A wander in the Fernmount Food Forest at present is refreshing. We have had some good falls of rain and the weather is regularly between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius.

Cranberry Hibiscus

 The Cranberry Hibiscus is putting out new growth. In very wet weather a pruning cut will quickly turn rotten. Some complain that this plant seeds wildly, but not here. Only a few seedlings pop up close by and they are welcome. The raw leaves add a lemon taste to salads. This plant can grow to three metres tall in our food forest.

Fruiting and flowering in a late Spring (November) garden on mid north coast NSW

The ten year old purpose built house is designed for comfort, space and to save energy wherever possible. It has 2.5kw of solar power facing north and is fully insulated.

Planting at the front gate in Spring (Furcrea, Pentstemon and Bismarck Palm)

The rooms are spacious with high ceilings. The three bedrooms are roomy. Each room has a garden outlook and privacy. The large master bedroom has an ensuite and walk in robe and opens on to the north facing terrace.

The Music Room provides a nook to escape from the Family Room.

A hot water pump circulates hot water to the taps with the push of a button saving on cold water. An instant hot water tap save energy, no kettles are needed. A filtered water tap is situated alongside.

Although the house is connected to the mains water supply a 25000 litre tank collects rain water for the garden taps, the laundry and toilets.

A worm farm sewerage system deals with all black and grey water and pumps water to a thrid of the orchard.

View from the front entrance

Across the quiet rural road Fernmount Cemetery is rarely used.

Brunsfeldsia near the spa (under sail) on western terrace.

Walking iris and pool garden below spa terrace

The huge hardwood back western facing deck has blinds.

There is space for a plant nursery and worm farm under the excavated corner of the house.

Steps lead up from the main path, past raised vegetable beds (right) to the north facing terrace.

North facing terrace

North facing lawn with main bedroom window

Front entrance with extra large double garage on left

Front entrance with coreopsis in gravel garden

Music room looking to the north terrace and dining room

Family Room looking to the back deck

Spa and back deck

Bedroom 2

Phil Dudman presented on a large screen TV

Twenty Bellingen Seedsavers had an excellent guest speaker experience when  Phil Dudman (writer and presenter from the Organic Garden and ABC Garden Show) visited the Fernmount Food Forest to speak on Fruit Tree Pruning, propagating and much more.

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.

Late Autumn, walking in the rain in the FFF.

We had a nice Autumn rain period last night. This wheelbarrow leaks but still has a fair haul of water.












The stream that carries water from two drainage holding ponds was flowing.