I am writing this during the season of Kambarang. The traditional seasons that I grew up with are not used in the garden instead the far more practical and logical Noongar seasons are used – seasons that suit where we live.

Birak (December – January) Bunuru (February – March)
Djeran (April – May) Makuru (June – July)
Djilba (August – September) Kambarang (October – November)

I wrote the above last year but feel it is so important I need to remind myself how it important it is.

In Djeran Year 2 students learnt how to grow Jasmine from a cutting. In Makuru the cuttings were planted along side a path to eventually form hedges. During Djeran, strawberry runners were also pegged into a fresh pot while still be connected to the mother plant. In Makura they were cut free from the mother plant and in early Djilba with 100% success, all were planted into the newly prepared strawberry bed.

In Djeran Year 1 students learnt how to prepare a bed for carrots (they love carrots straight from the earth). Towards the end of Djilba (day before parents night) Year 1 students were shown how to pick carrots. On Parents Night they showed many parents this newly acquired skill. If you have never tasted a fresh carrot it is a delightful- crisp, fresh and beautifully flavoured!

Thanks to a Partnership Acceptance Learning Sharing (PALS) grant, hundreds of native seedlings have been planted. Last summer was devasting for them but more have been planted this year so eventually native bees will come in their swarms to the garden. This is the plan and a native bee hotel, which has been in the garden for many years without any customers, will hopefully improve its occupancy rates.

Mr Geoff Dunbar :: Primary Health and Physical Education Specialist