Once we’ve got our trees planted, we usually walk away for several months and hope for the best. 
But eventually we come back and check on them.
On the Easter weekend we had a whole crew of helpers to strip remaining covers from the 450 trees and shrubs planted in May 2013 near the cattleyards. Also known as “Georgia’s Patch”. Some of the wattles are now pretty tall and visible from a distance. That’s great for being able to see them when you drive past. The eucalypts have also taken off since the last time we looked at them in January, although the apple boxes (eucalyptus bridgesiana) tend to flop about when they’re released and disappear into the long grass. 
About thirty plants had to be replaced in 2014 after the brutal heatwaves of December and January. We learned that even our mulch and deep holes won’t protect them without extra water in such weather. All but a very few this year are looking great. Many of them were pretty crowded in their covers and gladly spread their branches more widely.
We gained a hundred or so plastic corflute covers that we can reuse elsewhere.
Georgia, Trent, Yunus and Craig who helped do the original planting should be happy this little forest is doing so well. 
The dogs, as always, were no help at all.
Meanwhile, the youth (Jessie, Sophie, Millie) organized an Easter Egg hunt for the fogies. Some cherry tomatoes got picked up instead of eggs, but they were delicious in their own way, if less symbolic of fertility and growth. What if the more chocolate we eat, the more the trees will grow? I could go for that.
One Bend In The River 
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