Summer. Veggie Garden. It's happening.

I've been away from home for the better part of two weeks; first house- and animal-sitting for friends and then for a bit of adventuring. Coming home, the changes in my veggie garden are tremendous.

Unlike last season, I got off to a better start this season - with a focus on watering the plants regularly (and a good dose of water too). This is where I totally slacked this year.

I cleaned up my main bed in early September and put in compost from my own compost heap - my very yield. I only left in a few flowers and some mangy spinach plants from last season. And then I added purchased seedlings: cherry tomatoes from my neighbour as well as baby red cabbages, swiss chard (variety) and eggplant. And then I put in baby spinach and Asian leafy veg and nasturtium seeds.

On the herb garden side... The same neighbour who gave me the cherry tomato seedlings, gave me packets of seeds for chives, basil, thyme and fennel. I bought seeds for rhubarb and patty pans (in an empty slot in the herb garden as the main bed is full). And while I was away he bought some basil seedlings, which have gone in too. His wife loves the fresh basil for cooking; we should have quite a load this season. All of these seedlings and plants are coming on very nicely.

I've had a couple of spinach harvests already and I've spread the haul around to the gardener for our complex and to my neighbour, as he has been the most invested in the garden. It's an open garden in our complex and neighbours are invited to enjoy the produce (within reason).

Another neighbour recently donated a cement bench to this part of the garden - she wanted to move it out of her garden. It looks great.

And often when I'm working out there other neighbours pull in to see what is happening. The garden has community advantages beyond what comes out of it.

My new creation is a vygie garden; next to my tree tomato plants (nearing two years old). I really like vygies and this piece of ground really cooks in the sun so they should do well. It's not much to look at yet but should improve with time.

I'm enjoying the satisfaction of the garden and growth again. Once it is happening, maintenance is pretty easy and not too time consuming. Afterall, all the plants need from me is a little attention and lots of water.