My new planter

I built another raised bed for the front patio. This time a much simplified design which was placed directly on concrete. Not giving anyone a chance to steal this one I filled it with soil straight away.

Don't leave anything hanging around, I had a length of leaky hose which had been safety sitting outside for the last 6 months until last night when someone walked right in behind the planter and took it. Probably looking for tools. There were three old cat beds, too small for Frank, behind a wall on the patio, they took them. Not upset about the lose, more the fact that someone invaded my space.

There's still a bit of work remaining like finishing the top edge and drainage holes around the bottom which will happen in the next few days. The design changed a bit, pine sleepers which I had in mind would have been too heavy and out of scale in this space. Cannot wait to start planting.

Two Valleys Trail – Cooks River and Wolli Creek

Last weekend I walked the first stage of this trail from Bexley North to Turrella, I think I just got a bit frustrated, more signage would be appreciated. Today I started at the beginning and finished at Tempe where I should have finished last weekend.

It's a great walk for all horticulture students especially those doing their diploma to be able to see so many Australian natives from the study list growing in closed forest environment. Lots of Pittosporum, Dodonaea, Cissus, Smilax, Juncus, ferns, Acacia, Banksia, Angophora and Eucalypts. The area is far from pristine but still a very valuable area in terms of its biodiversity and habitat for birds.

Generally when I go walking its to see plants but I'm notice more bird life and I did stop to watch several New Holland Honeyeaters flying around a Banksia integrifolia, although I could be wrong as don't know my birds very well yet. My camera is not good enough to take pictures of birds anyway. My favourites are owls and so far have only seen one pair of Powerful Owls at Ryde.

The trail is affected by many issues which I just don't have the time or space to explain now and Cooks River Valley Association, Wolli Creek Preservation Society, Mudcrabs – Cooks River Eco-Volunteers, Friends of Ewen Park have been working to remove weeds, reduce erosion and the damage of neglect and indifference for so many years. They've done a very good job but there is so much more needed.