Let’s Help Thelma! - May 15, 2025
Dear Gardening Friends
Thelma Kilfeather isn't happy, she's had five visits from Camden Council staff, who want her to remove her Verge garden. They've had a complaint about her beautiful garden being a "Visual Hazard". That really made me laugh.
Sadly it's not a laughing matter. Thelma is a gardener and she lives in River road Elderslie, which just happens to have some of the best gardens in Macarthur. The tree lined street is known for its leafiness, it's why people move into this area, the soil here is incredibly rich so trees and shrubs reach their full potential.
Thelma had a Bindi and weed infested mess as a nature strip, due to shade, so she removed this and planted a garden. She was aware that residents would need to still have access to their cars, so she made three paths through her garden.
She planted a mixture of natives and cottage garden plants. She has planted Lavender and Catnip, because of their fragrant flowers and foliage. It's become a sensory walk.
But Council staff have come out, they aren't happy, "It's Council land" they told her, so it has to go, they've had a complaint. How ridiculous.
In inner city suburbs like Paddington and Marrickville, Councils give out awards, for the best Verge Gardens.
They encourage gardeners to plant up the nature strips to attract Butterflies and Pollinators. They clap their hands when someone plants a street tree.
Surely a forward thinking Councillor will come to Thelma's rescue. It's plain to see that Thelma is a gardener, who keeps her garden looking neat and tidy.
Rules need to be bent, rules need to be rewritten for today's homeowners who have tiny gardens, with no room for trees.
The nature strip needs to become the nature attraction, not a lawn that attracts nothing but Bindi. Nature strips should be nature strips.
What do you think?
We have the most beautiful Monkey's Tail Cactus in a terracotta pot outside our nursery door. It spills out over the sides and it looks like a giant Octopus.
It came into flower last week and it looked spectacular!!!!!
I asked Hayden to buy some because this Collectors plant is soooooo popular because it's so easy to grow. We've grown ours using Tim's Best Potting mix.
Some beautiful Monkey's Tail Cactus have arrived and they are just $19.99. You need one.
Grow it in a hanging basket or a terracotta pot.
I've been invited to The Griffith Spring Festival by Vicki McRae and Izabella Apolloni. They are part of The Griffith Tourism Team, and they loved my stories about Griffith so much, they want me back!!!
They have just called in to see what Tim's Garden Centre is all about. They'd heard about our Tim's Best Potting mix, I'm surprised they aren't already using it because Griffith is the Fruit Bowl of the nation.
They wanted to know all about me but I was more interested in them, they had such lovely smiles.
We got our photo taken by Tylor, he was smiling like he was in the photo, which made us smile too.
I won't be surprised if I get invited to other Country towns that I've written stories about now. I could be cutting the ribbon at Cowra Japanese Spring Festival. I'll be using my Secateurs!
I'm big in Cootamundra, Temora and Young. Canowindra wanted me to stay in their Fossil Museum. I was lucky to get out.
I cooked that fabulous one dish dinner with Pork last night, it's so healthy and so cheap to make it's crazy. It matches the painting too!
I bought the Pork from Ingleburn Best Meat, it's right near St George Bank. They sell lots of Pork here so it's great value. These are Pork Ribs.
Arrange meat so you can make pockets for the vegetables. I've got Eggplant, Capsicum, Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes, with Rosemary, Garlic, Lemon Juice, Olive oil, Green Olives, Pink Salt, Pepper and a splash of Balsamic vinegar.
Cook on the grill setting in your oven for 40mins or until it turns brown. I put Fetta cheese on a few things this time. It's delicious. Serve with a big spoon of Hummus. I microwave Broccoli and Brussel sprouts this time too.
See comments for serving. It's a winner.
We have Rosemary plants and Garlic bulbs here ready to plant. It's time to grow Broccoli and Brussel sprouts.
You must have a Lemon tree. "Kevin The Lemon" is best. You can grow it in a big pot.
Zygo Cactus are bursting into bloom. These hardy shade loving plants flower through autumn. They are so easy to grow in pots or hanging baskets. They will thrive in morning sun positions.
We pot ours up using Tim's Best Potting mix and they grow beautifully. We have Zygo Cactus from $9.99. They are covered in buds. We have lots of colours.
Happy gardening
Tim