The Ballarat Independent.

St Francis Xavier Primary School are the very proud winners of this year's Victorian Schools' Garden Awards.

BREAZE is very excited to join with the Ballarat Permaculture Guild, Friends of Royal Park and the Ballarat East Community Garden, to present ‘Local Food at the Ballarat Show'.

The Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens group and Botanical Garden's staff will join together tomorrow for the ‘rededication' of the McDonald Gateway which has had a $30,000 facelift courtesy of the Friends.

I remember my first southern Spring. I had moved to Victoria from Queensland in my mid-twenties with a small suitcase containing what I thought were suitable clothes. I had at least three long sleeved tops, shoes that weren't sandals and even a cardigan for goodness sake. Really there is nothing that can prepare a born and bred Queenslander for the Melbourne Winter. It hit me like a slap.

Spring has sprung and, with beautiful weather forecast, what better way to spend the coming weekend than in the garden?

Lake weed currently being harvested from Lake Wendouree is available to collect free of charge so it's a perfect time to make compost for the gardens.

Spring's nearly upon us - get planting so you can harvest your own vegies this Summer!

The reality of what feels like weeks of grey drizzle that creeps in under even the best gators, sodden gloves and mud smeared jeans has been a lot less bracing than those summer visions. Yet, this year I have finally fulfilled that goal - of being a winter gardener. No, it's not glamorous- no crunchy frost, just lots of slimy green algae that seems to turn my paths into ski tracks for unexpected slides whilst cursing under the breath. BUT - this is the year that I have gotten out there and it all started with a late olive harvest.

Just over three years ago now I arrived fresh from my six by eight meter city patch of yellowing grass and dog-mangled flowers to a rural heaven on an acre and a bit in the Central Highlands. Initially I felt as though a hitherto unknown fairy godmother had waved her sparkly wand and procured for me my dream ‘project'.

One of my reasons for gardening is food growing, both for me, and the other creatures that inhabit or visit my garden, including the indigenous birds, lizards, frogs and my chooks. You don't have to be an expert gardener to have something in the veggie patch all year round, or even in pots on the veranda if you don't have a garden. A few greens and some herbs, and you're on the way!

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Last week I decided it was high time I did something with the large quantity of lemons sitting in my kitchen. Whilst their scent has filled the house with a pleasant aroma, it would be devastating if they were to go to waste. So for the last seven days or so I have been busy making lemon curd, lemon tarts and preserved lemons whilst sipping on hot elderberry, lemon and honey drinks to ease my sore throat.