February 2013 – Gallifrey Forest Farm

plant profile: sword fern

2013/02/25 Danielle 0

The common sword fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia), also called the tube ladder fern, ladder fern, erect sword fern, bayabang or fishbone fern, is common in Perth gardens. It is native to northern Australia and Asia, and it’s hardy enough that it is classified as an invasive species is some areas where it has been introduced. It survives, and even thrives in sandy Perth soils (basically beach sand) with no care or attention. What you probably didn’t know about the sword fern is that it produces edible tubers. Sword fern can be either terrestial or epiphytic. The fronds are 20 to 60 […]

holding pattern

2013/02/12 Danielle 0

It’s the middle of summer. Nothing much is happening, because nothing much can happen – everything (including us) is just trying to make it through the heat. Waiting for rain, waiting for cooler weather, waiting for the sea breeze in the afternoons. We’ve been heading up to Gallifrey every second weekend with barrels of water to top up the water tubes. So far, most of the baby fruit trees are still alive. Even the apple tree that the bloody kangaroos / wallabies tried to kill is still going, having shrugged off losing its entire top and being ringbarked during a […]