Bush Block Tips

Sue Lang emailed Burke’s Backyard to ask for more stories on bush gardens. After removing the lawn and planting a native garden in her front yard, she is disappointed that it looks a bit plain.

Adding structure

Don explained that random shrubberies (and also vegetable gardens) can look scruffy and untidy. The key to making them look attractive is to add some structure and geometry, perhaps in the form of a pathway.

Every week part of Burke’s Backyard is filmed in Don’s garden. It is an indigenous bush garden, which mostly features plants that are native to the local area. A river of well-manicured, emerald green lawn runs through the garden, contrasting with the areas of bush and adding a sense of organisation to the whole thing.

Parterre gardens work on a similar principle. Parterres are ornamental flower gardens arranged in precise geometric patterns and defined by straight pathways and crisp box hedging. Even when the flowers have died down, parterres still look good because of their wonderful structure.

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