Ok, I know it is very self indulgent but … we had some aerial photos taken of our block. Now, I can’t help myself, I have to show them to you.
There are advantages and disadvantages of having the shots taken in winter. The obvious advantage is: it is green, but the down side is the deciduous trees are bare. In the top shot you can see, from left to right and back to front, the compost bins, two water tanks, the shed (with a small tank), the vegie patch, the house, the garage, and another water tank. The green on the left side and front of the house are the two passionfruit vines.
Most of the trees are bare but in the top right hand you can see the olive trees. You can also make out seven liquid ambers behind them. The spots around the trees is because we had just sprayed so the grass is dying off. There is wisteria on the arbor down the centre of the photo.
The bottom two photos show the whole of the block. The green trees mid way up are more olive trees. Next to them, to the left, are the citrus trees (you can actually see fruit on the trees). In front of the olives are the grape vines and in front of the citrus trees and next to the grape vines are the rose gardens. If you look closely, you can see that we have only pruned half of them. The white dots are the rose name tags. The green tree mid right is a macadamia tree and the two green dots towards the arbor are avocado trees. At the bottom of the block are native trees. In front of them, you can see the fence line.
Passion Fruit Garden 
Wonderful! And not at all self indulgent!
Hi Josephine – I think, just a little 🙂
I imagine what your place looks like. I have to say it bears no resemblance to my imagination so I’m glad I now a picture for reference!
Fi, you now have me curious of what you imagined.
You’ve a beautiful home, Glenda, and it sits on a fantastic piece of property. Strange seeing so much green in winter. Here, if it isn’t white with snow it’s grey. black, or brown.
Hi John, it is interesting, We are green in winter and brown in summer, the opposite to you. 🙂
That is a huge house Glenda. are you running a B&B as I notice three almost separate studios on the end of the main building. You have created a beautiful space and I imagine it keeps you fit maintaining it.
Hi Francesca, they are two bedrooms and a study. We could do a B&B but we don’t.
That’s a great idea so you can track progress along the line, every 5 years I think. I like, on a balmy evening to tour our little estate with a G&T but I think I’d need to have a bulk supply in a chilled bottle to make it around your estate. That arbor must be a sight to behold when in bloom and you can see the rose tags! You must both be very proud of all your accomplishments, it doesn’t happen easily. 🙂
Thanks Maree.
That’s an impressive block Glenda with some wonderful angles and shapes in your roofs. It’s good to have aerial shots as a record; we have some from 1964 and it’s interesting to look back to see how things have changed and grown (or died). You’ll have to get another set done when everything is in full bloom.
I would love to Anne, it will be very different. In summer, all that green will be brown.
What a beautiful green block Glenda and how wonderful to live in such vast surroundings. Now I know why you always have fresh produce in your kitchen 🙂
Hiya Moya, Don’t be fooled by the green, come summer it will be all brown.
Even in winter I am sure it still has charm 🙂
These shots are wonderful, and the environs you’ve created are marvellous, a beautiful, useful, productive estate. Rewarding but a lot of work sometimes I imagine. The aerial photo is a great idea… we have a more modest version to match our modest abode… a Google Earth screenshot!
Hi Ella, it is always a lot of work and as we get older we are getting much less inclined.
It’s beautiful, Glenda. The wisteria arbor must be very beautiful when it’s in flower. It looks as though you have great soil too.
Hi Jan, the soil down near the roses is really good. It is pretty miserable up near the house.
WOW! What an amazing space you have Glenda. We only have one water tank, I have wanted a second for a long while now, think its time to take action. Think its time to start planting more trees here too.
Have a beautiful week ahead.
🙂 Mandy xo
Mandy, I am thinking of getting another one. We usually run out of water by the end of summer. Another one would be perfect but they are expensive and in a dry winter we would not collect much more.
Glenda & Maureen great photo’s of your Estate. Very much looking forward to driving down to your Ponderosa in September. I didn’t think it was self indulgent at all, great idea. Puts everything into perspective.
Hi Deb, it was really self indulgent but who cares? No me 🙂
Absolutely huge place you’ve got there, Glenda. I’d call it an estate, too! I guess the large number of water tanks are due to the Mediterranean climate in Perth. A necessity I am only beginning to appreciate. Lovely to have all those trees, but a lot of work. Love the sprawling house, and I guess soap manufacturing goes on in the shed? Liz had it right – Wow!
Hi Debi, Yeah, we have long dry summers here so we collect the water for the summer. My soaping has been relegated to the garage, Maus is king of the shed.
That’s one hell of a garden Glenda, my 10’sq balcony seems pretty inadequate!
You make me smile Sandra. Our vegie patch beds are 12 metres long!!
Wow!!
You are too kind Liz.
Glenda, that’s not a ‘house’…that’s a beautiful estate. I love all the angles and lines of your house and you’re so lucky to have the gorgeous property. I’m curious about your water tanks though…do you have to have water trucked in?
Most people here in the cities and large towns are on town water but out where we are people are on wells.
Hi Diane, All in the cities and in country towns are on scheme water. Even all in our street are but we are not as we are so high the Water Corporation will not guarantee that we would get decent flow. Also, it is nearly half a kilometre from the street so it would cost a lot. We have been quoted $10,000. In Australia, all houses (even sheds and garages) have gutters so you can collect the roof water. This is what all country people not living in towns do. You collect the water and store it in tanks for the summer. We also have had two bores but both have dried up (bloody climate change). People also build dams, especially for livestock. Getting water trucked in is very, very expensive. We usually have to do it at the end of summer as we use a lot of water on the trees.