AUTUMN in Bathurst reinforces to us all the joys of living in a climate with punctuation marks.
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Spring is wonderful, brisk winter invigorating, summer evenings glorious, but autumn is the best, with abundant produce from the garden, tomatoes, beans, berries, fruit and nuts.
Glorious autumn days bring stunning shows of colour, cool nights, and no frosts (yet).
However now is the time to plant, to prepare for seasons to come.
OTHER RECENT ECO NEWS COLUMNS:
Recent wonderful autumn break rains mean that this year is perfect for planting just about anything, except for frost tender plants, and deciduous trees and shrubs.
Visit one of Bathurst's excellent nurseries, talk to the knowledgeable staff.
Fill the car boot up with seeds and plants, go home and put them in the ground.
Talk to all your new babies regularly, tend them, study their needs - they too do much better if loved.
The mental health benefits of gardening, growing and nurturing plants are now well proven.
On the farm most native trees, especially tube stock, will thrive this year.
Contact our excellent local Landcare Nursery, and follow the guidelines to get best results.
In the vegetable garden plant broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, broad beans, peas, rhubarb, and garlic.
Plant new shrubs and ground covers. Plant sweet peas in sunny spots. If you have space, plant a tree, allowing for its mature size.
Bathurst has significant, and increasing, problems with the urban heat island effect: large expanses of unshaded concrete, tarmac, and buildings.
These all absorb the energy from the sun, radiating it back, heating the air around us.
A shady tree is best, but all plants, even grass, are absorbing energy, transpiring water, and providing evaporative cooling.
As Climate Change progresses greening Bathurst will be vital to make our city liveable.
Bathurst Council is to be commended on its planting efforts, but the council and all of us need to do much more.
Start planting - now.