Usually at ACC our Gardening Group comes along each Friday and tends the fruit trees in our little orchard, waters and cares for the community herb gardens, wrangles the leaves (oh the leaves), turns the community compost bins and pulls up the weeds. They keep everything looking so lovely.

Yes, we are missing them!

Everything seemed okay in winter … but then spring arrived. In the last couple of weeks our garden has gone from slightly raggedy to verging on a jungle!

Anyway, neighbours, you’ll be pleased to know that this week we started the process of getting it ship-shape again. We began by weeding along the fence, tidying up the hill and sweeping the concrete.

And we’ll keep going next week until it is all back in order.

Because actually (currently hidden in the there amongst the weeds) some pretty exciting growing has been going on. And we’d like to show off. Like the plum trees. They are full of fruit this year. It’s quite a thrill - the prospect of our first real harvest!

Fingers crossed.

Hi Leanne here.

How fabulous are the neighbourhood roses? Have they always been this good? Or is it just that I now have the time to stop and smell (and photograph) them?

I saw some spectacular blooms this week. So here’s my pick (please note I have no formal training in this whatsoever! And when I say it’s a competition, it’s not really, I’m the judge, and the only way you can enter is by me passing by your fence. And then by me noticing your flowers - so in truth it’s all pretty random). But I hope you enjoy them too!

Runner up. A Fairfield entry. It’s quite lovely and gentle.

The winner. From Northcote. What do you think? The colour is amazing I reckon.

What a glorious day hey? While you’re out enjoying the sunshine why not pop past the milkbar … There’s a new letter up (Sunday).

Have you noticed all the new street libraries that have popped up in the last few months?

In my walks I’ve spotted new ones on Perry Street, on Thompson Street and on Mitchell Street. Just to name a few.

And local Kathy wrote to us last week about the one she’s recently installed out the front of her house in Mercil Road.

She says it has been a joint effort of woodworking and mosaic skills that has kept her and her partner Allen entertained during lockdown.

Locals are invited to stop by and choose a book (there's a chair for leisurely browsing) or to drop off their no longer needed reading material.

And this book library has the added bonus of being near a community nature strip veggie patch. So you can collect some silverbeet for dinner at the same time.

Thanks for letting us know Kathy. Your street library Is a gorgeous addition to the neighbourhood.

Happy reading everyone. And don't forget to eat your greens! 😀

Out in the street* … our tables are back. And we’re pleased to see that they are getting a whole lotta love**.

Happy neighbourhood days.

* Creedence Clearwater Revival ** Led Zepplin