I’ve just planted two fruit trees. But it’s the wrong time! you shout.

Indeed, but I’m gardening upside down. It’s the end of winter, beginning of spring here in Fremantle, Australia. There are three flowers on the almond tree, we spotted narcissi in the park and trees all around are heavy with yellow lemons. I left the London Road station garden with lettuces growing blousy, some on the point of bolting. Here, the lettuce seedlings have just gone in, though we’re regularly cutting mini-rocket and lambs’ lettuce. The day-time temperatures are in fact similar to an English summer – between 17 and 20C – but if in your summer the temperature regularly goes beyond 40C, then this is cold. It’s also occasionally rainy, so it’s a great time to plant.
I’ve just planted a lemon and an olive. I was concerned that the effort of digging the planting hole to a diameter of approximately 75cm and a similar depth would be exhausting: it is, on Brighton chalk. But here by the Indian Ocean coast, the ground is basically sand. Digging took no time at all. At least in this particular location, there’s some organic matter in the soil; it looks like dark brown sugar. The Italian immigrants used to have market gardens here. Water, thank-goodness, doesn’t just drain away.
Just as well, as water conservation is a serious business. The basic climate is hot and dry. And this year, the Perth area is suffering from unusually low rainfall. The problem is compounded by the fact that the area is booming, so there’s more and more building, more and more population. We water the plants with grey water from the washing-up and the shower. The water butts here take thousands of litres, not hundreds.

But olives and lemons are tough plants round here. They should thrive on the washing-up water.