Tomato Survivor

After the heartbreak of Tomato Wilt last year, I only claimed a handful of homegrown tomatoes at the end of the season.

Try and try again... as the saying goes!

This year, after several false starts with various tomato plants which grew up to 30cms, then wilted before my eyes, I had one lone tomato plant left standing.

Of unknown origins, this plant popped up in the smallest garden bed. It must have sprouted from compost which we added to the bed. Probably from a stray tomato I tossed in the compost many many moons ago.


This lone tomato survivor was a prolific producer! Averaging around 6 tomatoes per truss, of yummy red and greenness. The fruit taste suspiciously like the "Choc Cherry" tomatoes I once bought from the supermarket.

Despite my best efforts to water, feed and nurture this mystery tomato plant, one dry & windy day, it finally keeled over; dragging its still-green but withered limbs over the side of the garden bed. This occurred whilst it was still growing handsome trusses of tomatoes, full of promise... full of sweetness.

Based on last season, I knew the tomato fruit could still ripen on a plant despite the rest of it looking like a dehydrated mess. So that's why I have left the tortured plant in the bed, looking very much like a victim of some sadistic gardening experiment.

Pond Life

After a long time spent mostly dry & empty, the pond is now full of plants and critters!


In order to a microsystem happening, the a bunch of water-loving plants were put in weeks before. We now have water lilies and papyrus amongst others.



Eight goldfish and two "Delicate blue-eyes" now call the pond home, along with a couple of aquatic snails.

It was fun submerging the bags half in the water for about 30 mins before yelling, "RELEASE THE FISH!!" Some of the goldfish had to be coaxed out. The Blue-eyes shot out as quick as bullets. We were told by the pet store that they eat mosquito larvae, hence their popularity. They were the last two in the store, and we bought them up. They're pretty hard to spot in the pond, being almost transparent.