The Burke’s Backyard team visited a tiny backyard (6x10m or 20×33′) at the back of a semi-detached home. Landscape designer Graeme Greenhalgh explained the importance of colour in the garden, and how small spaces can appear as big spaces using tricks...
Gardening Styles and Feature
Stunning Standards
In the past, if you wanted to add some really interesting feature plants to your garden, you had to have the time and the expertise to grow them yourself. Today things are much easier for the busy gardener. It’s possible to simply go along to your local nursery...
Don’s Landscaping Tips: Window View
Don’s Landscaping Tips: Window View Windows are essential in houses to let in light and fresh air. But a problem that is common to old and new houses is when a window looks straight out onto a fence or straight onto the neighbour’s house. What do you do to...
Formal Domestic Design
Formal Domestic Design The owners of this property did not want deciduous trees dropping leaves, and they didn’t want to spend a lot of time sweeping. Instead they chose a garden in the modern formal style, which makes good use of a number of elements: hedges,...
Global Garden
Global Garden A few years ago theme gardens were very fashionable in Australia. They included cottage gardens, native gardens, succulent gardens, perfumed gardens, white gardens, and more recently, ethnic styles such as Mexican or Tuscan. The latest trend is a blend...
Heather Cant’s Garden Revisit
Heather Cant’s Garden Revisit Burke’s Backyard first filmed “Gowan Brae” at Burradoo over four years ago, so we decided it was time to pay Heather Cant another visit. The property is 11/2 acres (0.6ha), and consists of a charming old turn of...
Using Purple in the Garden
The use of purple foliage in the garden is one of the more difficult things to get right. But it can be a breath of fresh air from the straight green gardens and the key to using purple is to plant more of it. If you only plant one Berberis or Purple Japanese maple in...
Indiana Jones Sequel
We took that classic backyard disaster area, the disused driveway on the side of the house, and transformed it into a tropical jungle fantasy garden complete with ponds, a waterfall, colourful plants, a boardwalk and a suspension bridge. The progression of this...
Adelaide Wisteria Garden
Even before you open the gate and enter Penny Ruddock’s small Adelaide property, it’s obvious you’re in for a horticultural treat. Penny has planted a street garden on the verge, dominated by a wonderful combination of wisteria and lavender in full...
Instant Garden
Instant Garden Michael McCoy has created an amazing garden which has maximum impact in minimum time. A year ago the 0.1ha (0.2acre) backyard lawn was sprayed to kill it off and the whole area was planted out with herbaceous perennials. Within 12 months the garden has...
