More of the Garden dec 2008

Roys outside coffee table

I Planted 2 tubes of Native violet and it now covers about 10 sq metres and is still going. It loves the thick mulch.

Iluka garden December 2008

I love the way the garden is filling up. I can call it a garden now, before it was a weedy sandpit.




I have started vegies, had our first bok choy and lettuce and little banana peppers. The beans are coming on well and spring onions just about ready. lots of herbs dotted amongst the plants.

The garden is taking on a lush look, we have had plenty of rain and are only on level 2 restrictions just because we feel we should. Lots of different birds in the garden and very friendly.

Summer again nearly Christmas 2008

I wanted to show the extension finished and our new furniture. We actually have a dining room now and can spread out a bit. We put down a new hardwood floor right through and love it. We still have our little table in the window and it gets all the winter sun. Looking for a blind.

mary mary quite contrary

How does my garden grow. wow! we have had so much rain I am feeling a bit guilty. you can practically see everything grow including the grass. My natives are getting big and my Hibiscus cuttings are now shrubs. I have one lemon on my new tree. The tomatoes are finished but I can grow them all year.

Latest addition

With Christmas over work has started again and Roy perilously painted the outside walls of the new addition. The plasterer has moved back in and causing havoc. but we are getting closer to spreading out. No more excuse me's, and stepping over Roys somehow incredibly long legs.

More room for us and visitors.

Feeling a bit cramped we decided to extend the living area, found a very reliable builder and are very pleased with the result so far. Not livable yet, still needs the plaster finished and painting etc but lots more room. 4mx6.2m very messy as everything out of the cupboards for a while until furniture relocated. You never say finished.

Paving paving paving no grass out the back

The back yard. 2005 can't call it a garden
View from the deck 2007

No more mowing the back. Pavers in exchange for labour .then the huge job of laying them.

Roy and Stan. Bless their hearts and knees. a bit of decking along the back finishes the garden off. Now just wait for all my babies to grow.

Our garden then and now

Photos show initial planting in the native garden Nov 2005 and now

Started with a bare canvas hard to grow anything under the nature strip pine trees.

The Bedroom

With a change of colour and polished floor the bedroom moved up from the 70's It was a big paint job to get rid of the mission brown woodwork.

Unseen there is a wall of White louvre wardrobe doors.

The new kitchen

It's great, a place for everything and self closing drawers. a great corner pantry etc It,s quite worn in already and working well. I love my Wok burner and being able to cook and watch people or the TV, as I had to face the wall in the old house. And when I am at the sink I look out onto the deck .great

Labour of Love ???????

The original floor was kitchen carpet glued obstinately and a thankless chore to remove. All the "mission brown" woodwork removed and painted white (sounds easy doesn't it) Not happy Jan,

floors sanded painting finished scooting over some time. waiting for the new kitchen

Back to the Beginning

We set ourselves a goal to complete all our renovations in 6 months which we achieved. The house was gutted and renewed . Our first few months we lived amongst all our posessions in a small space downstairs. The kitchen the first to go

The Deck!!!

Our first post and its about the making of our deck.

This is the back of the house before.


Not very appealing. We knew from the start we wanted a large deck off the back of the house.



Its now become one of the best features of our house, especially when we have a few visitors up. It gives us a lot more room for everyone to hang out, read a book or eat meals. Its very common to enjoy breakfast, lunch and tea out on the deck. And it feels like you're in a tree house because its nearly completely surrounded by trees, including three avocado trees and a mango tree, all taller than the deck. We've had possums come visiting and many different birds.




This is the 2nd deck, which is underneath. It gives visitors staying down stairs their own area, although they always seem to make their way upstairs.