In many parts of Australia the drought is starting to bite hard and water restrictions are in place. In some areas, normal garden sprinkler systems cannot be used. However, drip irrigation systems are permitted. Don spoke with Grant Evans, Manager of Dural Irrigation...
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...
One Hour Makeover Glenda Walton of Croydon, Melbourne, wrote a letter asking Don for help. Glenda and her husband, Jeff, have lived in the same house for 30 years. They’ve done a lot of work trying to bring the property into the 2003s, but they haven’t been able to...
Regular Burke
The front garden of this Federation house was suffering from lack of water. Although an attractive box hedge ran along the back of the bed, the Iceberg rose in front of the hedge needed some care and attention, and the mondo grass was barely surviving. In just under...
Australia has some of the world’s most beautiful birds, and it’s easy to encourage them to stop over at your place for a visit. Simply provide food, shelter and fresh water and the birds will do the rest for you! Bird-friendly garden checklist Grow Australian native...
Don teamed up with Scott Cam to create a seaside garden featuring a beautiful, cypress pine boardwalk. A new gravel driveway was laid, and the garden was mass planted with spectacular Gymea lilies. Getting started A plan was drawn to scale showing all aspects of the...
Don showed a very good use for the small-leaved variety of creeping fig (Ficus pumila
Watering the garden is a much more complex job than many people think. It is particularly difficult if your soil is water repellent (or hydrophobic), because the water just runs off instead of soaking into the soil. These soils can be treated with a soil wetting agent...
Don planted up a hollow log with Australian native rock orchids, to create a fabulous natural effect in the backyard. Hollow logs make great planters. You might have a tree in the garden that has died and fallen over, or if you live on a bush block there may already...