It’s been an exciting start to the year with the arrival of our artist in residence, Paulo Wellman. He has integrated into Waygood Foundation beautifully by making a deep study of the gardens and beach, familiarising himself with plants, experimenting with techniques, and immersing himself in the landscape by walking and swimming. Paulo uses different techniques for his colourful artwork… carving woodblocks, monoprints, painting with watercolours and using a printing press as well as working digitally. You can find out more about Paulo Wellman on his website. Paulowellman.com
Our potter, Lucy Mcmillan has moved to a different studio in the city centre. We will miss her presence, her unique handbuilt pottery can be found on her website. www.studiolucymcmillan.com
Our current resident and potter, Mandi is using the kick wheel at Waygood Foundation enthusiastically. Her ceramics and pottery were to be part of the Waitakere Open Studios, which were unfortunately cancelled. You can find her art work on this website. https://www.facebook.com/Mandi-Ceramics-100802785857268
As the weather is too hot and dry we are slowing down with planting and are spending more time nurturing the established plants. The tomato plants especially require extra care. Delateraling and trimming of their bottom leaves requires alot of time!. There are many ways to shape a tomato plant… at the moment we try to have one main stalk and leave two strong laterals. By trimming off the bottom leaves, the tomato plant will have better air circulation and less chance of becoming mouldy. Once they start fruiting we feed the plants with a liquid fertiliser made from banana peels, soaked in a bucket of water for at least a week, then diluted by a 1:4 ratio. Many basil seedlings are planted underneath the canopies of the tomatoes, as it is said to improve the taste of the tomatoes.
Other plants have been receiving liquid feeds made from seaweed, nettle or comfrey tea. We also tried a new fertiliser made from compost tea and molasses which is ready to use in just an hour after brewing.
Our first banana bunch finally ripened, all of a sudden we had too many bananas than we could eat! We made ice cream with the overripe bananas. It’s a deliciously easy recipe, just chop the bananas into chunks, freeze them and then blend them up in a high speed food processor.
Montbretia flowers are showing off, we enjoy their colours and the medicinal properties in them, while at the same time being aware of their invasiveness . Nancy makes a beautiful essence from the flowers by floating unblemished blooms in water in a non-metallic bowl. Place in the sun for a day, then strain and store. We’re loving the light blue flowers that come from the chicory plant we forgot to harvest and the echinacea that was planted last year is showing it’s first flowers.
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