A miraculous thing happened a few weeks ago. We were on holiday in Tasmania when it happened, travelling around the countryside on Karly’s-Food-&-Booze-Tour-2010 (which I’ll tell you all about another time). Its something we’ve been waiting many months for and it happened again this past weekend.

Rain. Blessed, life-giving rain.

We received 60-odd millimeters of rain, enough to overflow my tank and when we returned home, praying that our vegie patches might have survived the week, we found a lush, green oasis. Nothing comes without a cost of course and for me that was several buckets of tomatoes that split, much to the delight of the fruit fly, and the loss of a beloved grevillea and rosemary. Nonetheless I happily paid that price for the benefit of the rest of the garden, which exulted in bloom and fresh growth.

Since then, knowing that the dry, searing summer was over, I have lavished my garden with the contents of my rainwater tank and it was replenished again this past weekend. My buddleia reflowered, sagging under the weight of the unexpected bounty, lush red growth appeared on all my roses and a new explosion of salvia flowers appeared in the front garden. I sat on my front steps with a cup of tea and enjoyed this for some time in the breaks between showers, and discovered that my front right garden bed had finally filled out as I’d hoped it would so many years ago.

I am continually astonished with how quickly the garden reacts to a downpour in a drought-stricken country such as Australia. We seem to never quite have it all – areas are either dry and barren or overwhelmed by flooding rains, such as they are facing in Queensland at present. My sympathies go out to all who have faced such devastation up there. Here in Canberra though, the rain is most welcome.

What I had forgotten of course, was the effect a small downpour has on zucchinis (or courgettes, for those of you in the UK & Europe). While happily plodding along with the daily water allowance, producing an occaisional and quite manageable harvest, natural rain sends this plant into a frenetic attack of production. I admired how the foliage became lush and strong, but didn’t take care to look under the leaves. The result – a large number of arm-length zucchinis! What can one do with such a harvest?! I consulted numerous cookbooks which helpfully told me that zucchinis are best harvest small and listed recipes to make the most of these minature, flavour-filled delicacies. What about if they require their own room and allowance?  Nothing.

Thankfully friends whose families have grown vegetables for many years are more useful that the overpaid chefs to whom I generally subscribe. I made pots of zucchini soup, dozens of zucchini fritters, mega-zucchinis stuffed with spiced mince and topped with cheese, and we have had zucchini with every meal since it began. If any readers have good zucchini recipes, I’d be delighted to hear them!

Following the last weekend’s rain, we have a new eruption of flowers but this time I’m ready. My plan is to harvest the flowers this time, stuff and batter them lightly before frying up.  One or two nights of laziness and my plan will be out the window, so no time to write now – I have flowers to pick!