Strawberries in the Garden and Why They Suck.

I was watching Gardening Australia on Saturday night (because I'm rock and roll like that) and came across the most exciting thing I've heard for quite some time. (Again - rock and roll - that's me).

Planting geraniums near your vege garden helps to deter possums.

Who knew?!

See, gardening and living a slower, simpler life go hand-in-hand. They're a match made in heaven. Red wine and chocolate. Peas and carrots...

For me, gardening is therapy and exercise rolled into one earthy-smelly parcel of joy. I get so inspired when I'm outdoors, digging in the dirt, and would find nothing more satisfying than growing our own food.

But since our renovations, we've basically just focused on building the gardens again, getting some plants in, fixing the fences etc. There's been no time for growing our own food.

Slowly, slowly, though, I've been introducing some edibles. Some herbs, tomatoes, salad greens and citrus in particular. A few weeks ago I planted my first ever strawberry plants and have delighted in watching the flowers emerge, followed by the tiny little green berries, which slowly, slowly grow and turn pink. When they are just off being ripe, tempting me and Isla with promises of their juicy flavour  --BAM!-- possum stealth attack in the dead of night.

The little buggers have gotten every. single. berry.

So you'll understand why this geranium news got me so excited. This weekend, when I'm doing the obligatory hardware/nursery trip, I'm going to pick up some geraniums and see if we can't deter us some possums, without resorting to chemical sprays and the like. Because that would defeat the purpose of growing your own, don't you think?