I bought a house on the Gold Coast in Queensland. I bought it because I fell in love with the garden. But I know very little about gardening so I have created this diary to help me grow and maintain my garden. To learn about the plants and what to do when.
I have never grown vegetables before. It is a constant fascination I am challenged by my garden, watching seeds sprout and seeing seedlings come to life and keep growing as you pick keepthin plants alive, dealing with pests, something is always going on in the garden.
Add to this the taste and goodness that come from food you have grown yourself.
I feel as I am learning skills I will use for the rest of my life.
Five months after starting this it’s a funny thing what is developing isn’t so much my garden though I have never had a garden like this before. It is my love for food and cooking that has come through.
Its vegetables I want to grow, I do want flowers but edible ones, and everyday thinking of something interesting to do with green and leafy is so much fun.
The recipes I am collecting here are my favorites, some my own, and others that I have collected over the years. Recipes for my family and friends.
So this is the gardening blog thats all about cooking.
goldcoastgardendiary 
Thats great, I knew you were blogging and not getting bogged, that was for mums entertainment.
it’s great to “meet” someone else who bought a house for the garden! Happy growing 🙂
What a lovely blog. Your photos are beautiful and, since I’m in Canada where it is grey and dull and cold, I really enjoy all the colours. I’m going to check out your recipes too! And thanks for visiting my blog. Hugs, Claire
Thank you Claire my photos are from a Sony Xperia mini phone I’m always surprised how well they come out. I grew up in England and November was always cold and grey but then the snow would come and it was so much fun, however I was only 16 when I left
Loving the blog mother!! If we get this new house I need help setting a herb garden. Love you, you’re an inspiration
I will love to do that. I love you to
I found your blog through Cecilia’s FB page The Kitchen’s Garden Project., When I saw that you live on the Gold Coast, I had to follow you, as I used to live there to until recently when I retired. I love gardening, especially vegies, so will follow your posts with great interest!
P.S. I was brought up in the UK too!
Better late than never to comment. Hope your pumpkin patch went well. Did you know you can also eat the vine? I’m a former Gold Coast resident too, but now live in Vanuatu, where the locals pick the new vine tips (about the last 12-18 inches), peel back the worst of the “hairy” main stem, and cook like any other green vegie. I love it steamed or chopped in a stir-fry. Picking the tips also produces more female flowers. Good luck.
Vanuatu must be so lovely. I read about a hibiscus variety in the pacific islands that you eat the leaves like spinach then put the stick in the ground and it will just start to grow.
Hi
I am similar to yourself as in a self taught Gardner become cook etc
My wife and I plan to shift to the GC from Melbourne we have a flourishing wisteria grown from an offcut and would love to know if there is a chance we could get one growing on the coast
We plan to live around the Parkwood / Arundel areas
Would love to hear your comments
Cheers Phil
Hi Phil,
You will love the Gold Coast, it is a great place. Make sure you give yourself time to settle in as it is not always easy to establish yourselves quickly. Parkwood and Arundel are nice areas and not far from the broadwater. Wisterias don’t always do well here, they can be slow to flower. Though a couple of days ago I saw one in full bloom. Unfortunately my daughters partner took to my wisteria last christmas with the shears and cut it right back so I didn’t get any flowers. (He is very lucky we love him to bits). I think you should bring your wisteria and see how it grows. They are so beautiful..
There is a group called Logan food gardeners that have a good blog and meet together not far from the coast. I recently joined them, haven’t got to any events bit busy but its a great site.
Hope your move goes really well.
do you know where I can buy buckwheat patties in the gold coast please.
Try mrs Flannery’s. They are in a few different locations.