The Power of Noticing: How a Garden Wander Led Me to Morels

Wandering the garden with a cup of tea in hand is one of my favourite things to do. It’s quiet, slow, unhurried. Just a gentle loop to see what’s changed. For someone with a busy mind and restless hands, these little garden walks are the times I find myself exhaling. My thoughts begin to quiet, and my eyes tune in. I stop thinking about what I need to do next and start noticing what’s right in front of me.

That’s how I spotted them—small, textured caps pushing up through the mulch in the Wicking Bed Garden. I crouched down for a closer look. They had that unmistakable honeycombed morel look to them, but I’d never found any growing in real life despite hunting for them in all the right local spots. I sent a photo to my friend Speedy (@speedy6579), who’s an absolute encyclopaedia when it comes to all things botanical. Shared it with another of his mycologist friends, the verdict was in. Both quite certain and equally surprised that what I’d found was Morchella rufrobrunnea—the blushing morel.

It’s not every day you find morels growing in a little backyard garden in central Victoria. Daylesford no less.

They popped up right on the edge of the paths between the wicking beds, where I laid woodchips last year - a space that was lawn when we first moved here. Now, those mulched paths are quietly composting down beneath our feet, becoming rich, living soil in place. I top them up each season and let the cycle begin again. It seems the fungi have found what they need in that environment. Speedy’s advice is to leave them to mature in place, and the spores might have a chance of spreading and naturalising here.

The idea of more morels, living right here, makes me ridiculously happy.

I learnt today that all Morchella species are edible once cooked. That in itself feels like a bit of a gift.

When we lived at Oak and Monkey Puzzle, one of my favourite autumn rituals was mushroom foraging with the kids—searching the property and adjoining pine forests for Saffron Milkcaps (Lactarius deliciosus) and Slippery Jacks (Suillus luteus). Saffron and Oliver, despite being so young, became absolute pros at spotting them. With the first good autumn rains, they’d race to find the first saffron-stained stem of the season. It’s one of those memories that sticks

And now, on this tiny 515 square metre block, we’ve found morels. It feels like a kind of full circle. Unexpected, but somehow exactly right. A quiet little nod from the soil.

But what it brought up for me—once more—is how important observation is. Not just in gardening, but in everything. I’ve always been that way. Even as a kid, I was the one watching. Noticing small things. The way someone moved, the way the air changed before rain, the signs that something was about to shift. It’s how I’ve learnt to garden—not through hard and fast rules, but through paying attention. Seasons, cycles, subtle changes. All of it teaches you if you stop to notice.

It’s also where I feel the most content. I know that word gets thrown around, but I mean it in the truest sense. It’s where I feel most ‘myself’, most at peace. I’m not sure how to explain it without it sounding a bit ‘woo woo’, but it’s the closest I get to that feeling of being completely in the right place, at the right time. Part of something bigger. Connected to the ecologies of all living things.

So no, it’s not just a random mushroom sighting. For me, anyway, it’s a serendipitous reminder. That when I slow down, and pay attention—even just for a moment—the world has a way of showing us things we never expected. And that’s where the magic is.

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Workshops are slowing down a little over winter while I focus on writing the book, but if you’d like to keep in touch, the best way is through my monthly newsletter. It’s where I share what’s growing here, what I’m preserving, what I’m learning and so much more—and you’ll be the first to hear when new workshops are announced too.

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As always, it’s so lovely having you here,

Natasha xx

A Festive Season Message

As the festive season settles in, I want to take a moment to share a message of gratitude and reflection with you all. This time of year is a wonderful opportunity to pause, take stock of the year that has been, and find joy in the simple pleasures that surround us—our gardens, our communities, and our shared connection to the land.

This year has been one of growth, learning, and creation. Whether you’ve joined me through workshops or social media, blog or newsletters, explored the stories of Oak & Monkey Puzzle or Little Cottage on a Hill, or simply shared a kind word or message, I want you to know how much your support has meant to me. It’s these moments of connection that make this work and way of life so fulfilling.

As the days grow long and warm here in Daylesford, the garden is at its most generous. There’s something deeply grounding about the rhythm of a productive garden in summer—abundant flowers, ripening produce, and the hum of life all around. It’s a beautiful reminder that nature gifts us moments of respite, joy, and purpose when we care for it with intention.

Join me in glimpses of the garden in its full summer glory. It’s a reflection of the love and care that has gone into its making and a symbol of the kind of life I hope to inspire in others—one of creativity, sustainability, and a deep connection to the spaces we inhabit.

As we move into 2025, I am excited for what lies ahead. From new and super exciting projects (more on that very soon!) to more opportunities to share skills and stories with you, there is so much to look forward to. But for now, let’s embrace the festive spirit - whatever that means for you, celebrate the beauty of the every day, and cherish the company of those we hold dear.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I wish you and your loved ones a festive season filled with warmth, laughter, and a touch of garden-inspired magic.

For those of you in Victoria’s fire-affected areas, take care, stay safe, and I am sending you all the positive energy I can muster. Our emergency services face an incredible challenge, and I cannot thank them enough for all that they do. 

With heartfelt gratitude,

Natasha xx

Living Well Spotlight: My Bucket List

Living with Purpose: A Bucket List for Balance and Beauty

As I sit here in the garden of Little Cottage on a Hill, thinking about another ‘calendar’ year soon coming to an end, surrounded by the call of cockatoos and the buzz of busy bees, I reflect on what it means to live well—and my ‘bucket list’.

Living well, to me, is about balance. It’s about finding joy in the simple moments—a freshly harvested tomato still warm from the sun, the comforting ritual of making preserves, or the laughter shared around a table. It’s about creating spaces that nurture not only the land but also the people who connect with it, fostering community, and living with purpose and creativity. For me, living well isn’t about grand gestures or perfection—it’s about being present, noticing the beauty in everyday life, and giving back to the world around me.

My bucket list isn’t a list of lofty ambitions but rather a collection of dreams and intentions that align with these values. It’s a way of planting seeds for the future while savouring the process of nurturing them into being. Here are some of the ideas that inspire me as I think about the year ahead and beyond.

1. Create a Community Garden at Little Cottage on a Hill

At the heart of my vision for Little Cottage on a Hill is the dream of transforming it into a vibrant community garden. A space where people from all walks of life can come together to learn, share, and grow, this productive garden would be a celebration of sustainable practices and the joy of collaboration. I imagine neighbours, families, and visitors gathering to cultivate the land, exchanging ideas, skills, and stories.

It would be a place to foster connection—with each other and the landscape we all share. The good news is that this bucket list item is already well on its way to being achieved! Come join me for a workshop!

2. Spotting a Blue-Banded Bee

One dream I’m holding close is to spot a blue-banded bee in my garden. This tiny yet remarkable pollinator would be a wonderful marker of the growing biodiversity that’s been nurtured by creating a verge garden here at Little Cottage on a Hill. The verge garden has been a labour of love—designed to invite native wildlife, support pollinators, and contribute to the ecological health of the area.

As part of this journey, I’ve begun documenting all the new birds and insects I see for the first time in the garden. It’s a mindful practice that helps me notice and appreciate each visitor, from vibrant parrots to delicate native bees. Capturing these moments in photos feels like a visual diary, a quiet celebration of the life that’s flourishing here. Seeing a blue-banded bee in one of these snapshots would feel like a milestone—a sign that the garden is thriving, and that these small, intentional efforts are making a real difference.

A while back I spotted a Cloak and Dagger bee in Lily Langham’s garden and gosh it was something! 

3. Considering Writing My First Book

I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a book for some time now, and it’s becoming something I’m seriously considering. The focus would be on productive gardening, sharing practical advice, design principles, and thoughtful reflections on creating beautiful, sustainable spaces that provide nourishment and joy. It’s still very much in the ideas phase, but I envision it as a guide that inspires others to embrace the concept of living well through their own gardens. For now, I’m letting the idea take root and grow, much like a seed planted in rich soil.

4. Host a Seasonal Preserving Workshop Series

One of the dreams I’m bringing to life is hosting a seasonal preserving workshop series right here at Little Cottage on a Hill. Preserving the seasons is something I’m deeply passionate about—it’s a way of capturing the abundance of the garden and turning it into something beautiful and lasting.

These workshops will celebrate the rhythm of the year, teaching participants how to create their own pantry filled with seasonal preserves. From the bright tang of citrus marmalade in winter to the rich warmth of tomato passata in summer, each session will reflect the unique produce of the season.

It’s more than a workshop—it’s an opportunity to connect with others, share skills, and honour the joy of growing and preserving food. If this sounds like something you’d love to experience, visit Preserving the Seasons with Natasha Morgan for details and bookings. I can’t wait to tick this bucket list item off my list, welcome you to Little Cottage on a Hill, and share this timeless craft with you!

Planting Seeds for the Future

My bucket list is less about achieving and more about intention. It’s about planting seeds—not just in the soil but in the heart. It’s about nurturing these dreams with care, savouring the process of their growth, and embracing the beauty of the everyday along the way.

Here’s to the dreams we hold, the seeds we plant, and the joy we find in living well.

Forest Bathing for Creative Self-Care

Forest Bathing: Finding Peace in the Whispering Trees

Over the years, my love for gardens, plants, and everything that grows wild and untamed has taken me down many paths. From tending my sprawling 5-acre backyard to now living on a smaller block with Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens as my cherished neighbour, I’ve come to see nature not merely as a backdrop but as a constant, steadfast presence—always there, always generous.

It’s here, among Wombat Hill’s towering trees and winding paths, that I’ve embraced the quiet, healing art of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. This practice doesn’t involve plunging into streams or lakes; it’s about immersing yourself in the forest atmosphere—breathing it in, letting its sounds, scents, and textures restore and soothe. It’s an invitation to slow down, to simply be, guided by curiosity and calm.

The Healing Power of Trees

I’ve always felt a deep connection to woodlands. So when life called for a change in my living space, I didn’t feel like I was leaving my 5-acre property behind. Instead, I saw it as an opportunity to find a new way to stay close to what I love.

Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens has become my sanctuary—not mine to own, but a place that cradles a piece of my heart. Most days, you’ll find me wandering its paths, listening to birdsong threading through the trees. The crunch of leaves beneath my feet, the rustle of branches, the cool shadows interrupted by golden shafts of light—it all weaves into a symphony that calms and restores.

Gardens: Places to Be Inhabited

Gardens, to me, are not just aesthetically pleasing spaces—they are places to be lived in. They are where life reveals itself in unhurried, authentic ways. In the garden, I feel most attuned to life’s rhythms—the cycles of growth, bloom, and quiet decay that gently mark the passage of time.

A garden isn’t just a place to look at; it’s a space to experience, to breathe, to truly live within. There’s a fulfilment that comes with tending a garden, watching how it evolves with each season’s care. It’s a quiet reminder that life is always shifting, growing, transforming.

When I walk through Wombat Hill, I carry that same feeling—a sense of being part of something larger, a pulse beneath the surface that beats steady and true.

Bringing Shinrin-Yoku to Life

Forest bathing doesn’t demand grand gestures or lengthy journeys into remote wilderness. It can happen in the smallest patch of green or a beloved park. All it asks is that you pause, let go of the rush, and allow your senses to guide you.

The next time you find yourself near trees, take a moment to slow down. Leave your phone behind. Instead, listen for the rustle of leaves, the soft hum of insects, or the distant call of a bird. Breathe deeply, letting the scent of earth and foliage settle within you. Notice the textures, the shifting colours, and the way sunlight dances across the bark of a tree. Let the moment hold you—calm, steady, and alive.

Reconnecting with Nature, Reconnecting with Ourselves

In our hurried world, it’s easy to feel untethered, swept along by endless tasks, deadlines, and screens. Forest bathing offers a gentle way back—a quiet invitation to reconnect, not just with nature, but with ourselves.

Walking among the trees, I’m reminded of their quiet strength. They’ve weathered countless seasons, standing firm through storms and basking in sunshine. In their timeless resilience, I find my own—a grounding reminder that, like them, we can remain steady and rooted, no matter what life brings.

Pause and Breathe: Nature’s Simple Invitation

As the busyness of life often sweeps us along, forest bathing offers a chance to step away and simply be. It doesn’t require an expansive forest—just a patch of green, a cluster of trees, or even your own garden can provide what you need.

The next time you’re near trees, I encourage you to pause:

• Take a deep breath and let the scents of earth and leaves settle within you.

• Listen to the rustle of branches, the birdsong, or the hum of insects.

• Notice the textures of bark and leaves, the play of light, and the shifting colours.

These small moments, though quiet, have a profound way of centring us—of grounding us in a slower rhythm that hums beneath the rush of daily life.

Here’s to the grounding whispers of nature, the steadying presence of trees, and the gift of time to pause and simply breathe. May this season bring you moments of peace and connection, wherever you are.

Oak & Monkey Puzzle: A Hub of Creativity, Community, and Connection

In 2014, I embarked on a life-changing journey that brought me to Spargo Creek, a small hamlet nestled within the Central Victorian Highlands. This tree change wasn’t just a move to the country; it was a deeply rooted desire to reconnect with nature and live a life that merged creativity, collaboration, and sustainability. Oak & Monkey Puzzle, the five-acre property we purchased, became the canvas for my vision—a vision that blended my expertise in landscape architecture, horticulture, and my passion for flowers, produce, preserving and creating spaces where people could gather, learn, and be inspired.

The property’s name was inspired by the grand colonial trees that graced the landscape, including towering Oaks and a majestic Monkey Puzzle tree. Their presence was a reminder of the property’s rich Gold Rush era history as the old Spargo Creek Post Office, O’Connells’s General Store, and recreation reserve. This place had long been a hub for community and exchange, and I felt drawn to that legacy. It was here that I could see all my passions—design, nature, productive gardening and teaching—coming together in one place. Oak & Monkey Puzzle became the canvas for a new way of life, a life and business created from a hybrid of passions, deeply connected to the land and a yearning for a simpler yet richer way of living.

Aspirations and Inspirations

Oak & Monkey Puzzle was more than just a property; it was a living, breathing manifestation of my aspirations. I wanted to create a place that would bring people together—a space where artisans, designers, and gardeners could collaborate and share their knowledge. My inspiration for this venture stemmed from years of working on large-scale public projects, most notably The Australian Garden (Stage 2) at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. After spending years in the public realm design world, I longed for a more personal, intimate connection with the land, one that would allow me to explore my creative passions while building a sense of community.

The property’s almost derelict state was no deterrent; I only saw its endless potential. With the Wombat State Forest as a backdrop, the land was rich with opportunity, waiting to be transformed into productive gardens, cut flower terraces, and orchard spaces. I envisioned Oak & Monkey Puzzle as a place where people could come to experience the beauty of nature, the joys of growing their own food, and the fulfilment that comes from creative expression.

The Design and Construction Process

The creation of Oak & Monkey Puzzle was a labour of love and a testament to the power of clever and considered design and a bucketload of drive, elbow grease and passion. My approach was deeply influenced by the landscape architecture design principles I had honed and taught a generation of university students throughout my career. The first step was to experience the space and truly get to know it—to understand its aspect (sunny and shaded spaces and orientation to the sun), climate, geology, topography, soil conditions and more. This was crucial in determining how the garden would take shape, ensuring that every element worked harmoniously with the land and the seasons.

From there, I focused on creating spaces that would evolve with the workshop and bespoke event offerings and natural rhythms of the seasons. The garden became a place of discovery, shaped by multi-functional spaces that expanded and contracted depending on how it was inhabited, offering new experiences throughout the year. Every area was thoughtfully planned, from the productive gardens that provided fresh produce to the outdoor rooms that extended the living space beyond the house. The lawn axis, connecting the gardens to the forest, served as a central feature, grounding the entire property in its natural surroundings.

Building a Community

Oak & Monkey Puzzle wasn’t just about creating a beautiful garden—it was about fostering a deep sense of self, and community. From the very beginning, I envisioned this space as a reflection of my greatest sources of personal joy and contentment, as well as a hub for collaboration, learning, and connection. I hosted workshops on garden design, floristry, styling, drystone walling and more, inviting local artisans and craftspeople to share their skills and life-long passions. These workshops became more than just educational experiences—they were opportunities for people to gather, exchange ideas, and form lasting connections.

The community that grew around Oak & Monkey Puzzle mirrored the values I hold close—creativity, sustainability, and collaboration. It became a place where conversations flowed as naturally as the changing seasons in the garden, and where an ethos of generosity was at the heart of every interaction. The property evolved into a destination for those seeking inspiration, knowledge, and a deeper connection to nature.

A Place of Transformation

Over the years, Oak & Monkey Puzzle transformed from a near-derelict property into a thriving, productive landscape that embodied my vision of ‘living well’. It was a place where we grew our own food, preserved the harvest, and shared the bounty with the local community. The property’s history as a post office and general store added to its charm, and I felt privileged to breathe new life into it. The gardens evolved with the seasons, offering something new with each passing year. It was a space that was constantly in motion, much like the creative process itself.

Legacy and Moving Forward

After nearly a decade at Oak & Monkey Puzzle, my family and I made the decision to move on. The lessons I learned during those years—the importance of living in tune with the land, the power of community, and the beauty of sustainable design—continue to guide me in my new chapter at Little Cottage on a Hill. Oak & Monkey Puzzle will always hold a special place in my heart as the foundation of my journey into sustainable living and community collaboration, as well as creating a life that's aligned with my truest self.

Today, as I keep exploring what it means to live a life that truly makes my heart sing, and as I continue to share my knowledge through workshops and writing (oh and online courses… stay tuned!), the spirit of Oak & Monkey Puzzle lives on. It was a place of transformation, creativity, and connection, and its legacy continues to inspire everything I do.