There’s nothing more Australian than a gorgeous, golden wattle and when you think about it, in the depths of winter when things are miserable & cold out there in the garden, these plants start to flower that lovely warm yellow colour of course obviously they...
Does your garden lack OOMPH? Does it lack drama, verve or panache? Well you need one or more plants that really grab everyone’s attention: Feature Plants. One of the best eyecatchers is the Australian native GYMEA LILY. This is a plant straight from the Land of...
Electric drills have come a long way. The modern screw driver and drill all in one is a fabulous tool. Equally electric drills with hammer settings make drilling into concrete or bricks a breeze. Impact drills are also wonderful. But you need to take care when...
What do you do about sharks that attack people? What do you do about aggressive magpies? Well we must consider the planet first. Mankind has taken over most ecosystems: some animals are endangered, others are over-populated. So we need to save and protect...
We men have a frightening tendency to break ourselves. Men fall out of trees, off roofs or off ladders. Men over 50 are a particularly worrying group. So, why not help the silly old sods. The best way to help them is with a long-handled lopper. Buy a good long...
We all have that rather shady and sometimes dry area where nothing grows well. … Well! This sounds like a job for… Clivias. Clivias are very hardy and long-lived clumping plants about 50cm tall with long strap shaped dark green leaves. The flowers are usually a...
Are you in the mood for something old-fashioned? Something soft & girly, but that’s fun for the kids. … Well I’m talking about fuchsias. These graceful and charming old-fashioned flowers grow into small bushes in part shade… or they can grow as...
This has been a wonderful year for bottlebrush plants. In many ways bottlebrushes are the most useful of all Australian native shrubs and trees. They are excellent small trees, especially the weeping bottlebrush – Callistemon viminalis. There are also dense...
Do you want to do your bit for the environment? Well here goes, in order: 1. Feed the local birds. Put out seeds for parrots and finches. Try some lorikeet mix from a pet shop for nectar-feeding birds. Plant grevilleas, kangaroo paws, bottlebrushes and banksias...
Using one each of every plant that you like in your garden is unlikely to create a good look. The best idea is to decide on the look that you want: e.g. a topical garden, a cottage garden or a mini farmyard garden. Then select plants whose colours mix well...