We are finally coming to the end of a long cold wet winter in the southern part of Australia.

(To see what can thrive in the middle of a Melbourne winter, watch ABC Gardening Australia - Saturday 6.30pm when Stephen Ryan takes a walk around Karen's garden with her.)

The citrus trees may not have enjoyed it, but it has helped our gardens in many ways. 

The cold has cleaned out many of the garden pests that established themselves during the warmer weather of the last few years.

The rain is filling our reservours, tanks and dams, and even better it is filling the soil deep down, bringing water to deeper rooted plants like fruit trees.

Despite the frosty feel in Melbourne and Tasmania, there are signs that spring is on her way.

Birds are sounding different and almond and plum trees are blossoming.

Herbs such as mint, peppermint, chives, lemon balm and oregano are all sprouting, letting us know that its time to divide and replant to reinvigorate them.

Come along to the next Edible Eden Class on Sunday 26th September - 'Herbs for the Kitchen and Wellbeing' and learn how to use 15 of Karen's favourite herbs to enliven your cooking and health.

Get your circulation going by clearing out your vegie patch ready for spring plantings. Don't waste your weeds  - add them to soup (nettles), dry them for use as therapeutic herbal teas (nettle, cleavers, dandelion), give them to your chickens (milk thistle, nettles), chop up with a shovel and dig them into the garden as green manure (leave 3-4 weeks before planting) or make weed tea by infusing in water in a large (100 litre) plastic bin with a lid to keep out mosquitos. After a couple of weeks the weedy goodness has passed into the water and it can be used (dilute to the colour of weak tea) as a tonic for the garden.

Then get ready for your spring vegie garden plantings at the Small Space Big Harvest Class on Sunday 3rd October, ideally suited to any city vegie gardener!

(And if you miss the show Saturday night, it's repeated Sunday at 1pm, and will be up on their website in a week or so).

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Karen Sutherland has been growing food since the age of 8, and has worked designing and making gardens for the last 25 years.

Classes are held in her own edible eden, featured early this year on 60 minutes.

Her dream is detailed in her website, which also has details about other classes.