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Category: beneficial flora

Introducing

Oct 19, 2012 | artist as family, beneficial flora, companion plants | 3 comments
Introducing the newest member of Artist as Family: Blackwood Ulman Jones. Born on August 26, which also happens to be Patrick’s birthday. Welcome to the family, Woody!

To introduce him to the earth we thought we would dig a hole in the garden and plant his frozen placenta.

And of course we planted a blackwood tree on top, which the placenta will continue to nourish.

Blackwood wattles (Acacia melanoxylon) are local to cool mountainous climates in Victoria and Tasmania, and thus a tree local to where Woody lives.

Blackwoods are soil builders and companion plants to eucalypts and native cherry (Exocarpos cupressiformis), and named because of their intensely dark wood.

Woody’s Hebrew name, עץ גדול (Etz Gadol), means big tree.

Grow well little Big Tree!!

Companions for a Polyculture

Jul 8, 2010 | beneficial fauna, beneficial flora, companion plants, food forest, polyculture | 1 comment
We had an organisational day today, so we were a little drier than we were yesterday. People have been contacting us to ask what plants would be best to bring on Saturday to the community plant-in. So if you too are wondering, here are a few suggestions:

Herbs such as basil (attracts butterflies), chervil, fennel, oregano, spearmint, dill and coriander (all repel aphids), sage, borage and hyssop (all attract honeybees), caraway (helps strawberries and attracts parasitic wasps), thyme, wormwood.
Flowers such as yarrow and tansy (both attract beneficial predators such as ladybugs and beetles), nasturtiums and marigolds (general all-rounders for attracting predatory insects).
Strawberries, rhubarb, Chilean guava and anything else that will grow in a semi-shaded position on the south-side of the garden. We are also requiring a few small hollow logs for lizards to inhabit.

As you can see below, the two internal zones (citrus, Cadigal and guava middle) and the upper canopy (large deciduous for winter light) are nearly complete, while the outer zone, the green pharmacy, will constitute the community ‘plant-in’ area.