Running water in a garden can help to create the feeling of having your own little retreat, a place for contemplating and an escape from the everyday pressures of life. If well designed, fish ponds can also provide an interesting focal point and the kids will love...
During their visit to Spain, the Burke’s Backyard team was impressed by hanging pots adorning the courtyard walls in even the smallest gardens. One of the drawbacks to using wall plantings to create a Spanish look in an Australian garden is the weight of a...
‘Burke’s Backyard’ has visited many gardens over the years with many different themes. Each garden has reflected the varied interests and fantasies of its owner. Of all the garden styles the one that is almost universally admired is the tropical...
Burke’s Backyard visited an older style house which had been given a new modern look with a Tuscan theme. The outdoor entertaining area had been paved and retaining walls finished in a painted cement render. The original barbecue however looked out of place with...
One of the incredible privileges of living in Australia is being able to watch such a wonderful collection of native birds. The best way to bring them into your backyard is to plant native Australian plants such as grevilleas, banksias or bottlebrush. Another way to...
Small backyards don’t necessarily mean no garden at all. They can be transformed into garden rooms as an extension of the house. One such example of a garden room courtyard was designed by Jim Fogarty. The design The aim was to provide a low maintenance,...
Gardens can take as much of your time and money as you let them, but Burke’s Backyard recently featured an award winning garden developed on a tight budget. Budget gardeners Molly and Neil McCloskey of Corrimal, NSW, have some useful tips on how to garden...
Dry stone wall building is one of the oldest construction methods known to mankind. These mortar-less barriers are dotted throughout the British countryside. During the Burke’s Backyard trip to Ireland, Don visited the Rock of Cashel, a cathedral built entirely...
A swimming pool and its surrounding landscape can fulfil your fantasy. Don recently visited a pool area which was jointly designed by Brad Baxter of Award Pools & Landscapes, Ty Armstrong the owner and John Storch, Landscape Architect. This particular pool could...
Burke’s Backyard recently visited the garden of Gitta and Gunther Rembel. Situated in bushland, it was designed with a series of walled, courtyard gardens preserving and blending with the native vegetation as well as creating separate garden rooms. The walls...