There are many statues and garden ornaments available these days. They are often white concrete which look great in a formal Roman or Greek old style garden but unfortunately don’t suit most gardens. In a conventional garden a more neutral colour such as...
Two viewers’ letters were mentioned on Burke’s Backyard recently. One included a photo of a 10 year old Grevillea ‘Pink Surprise’ which was covered in flowers and still looking like a very healthy plant. The grevillea had been pruned heavily...
Soil which has been exposed to the hot, dry conditions that have been experienced recently in much of Australia can become resistant to water. Even after heavy falls of rain or deep watering, soil that is water resistant will remain dry just below the surface. Both...
A wheelbarrow is essential equipment for any gardener or handyperson, but which is the right one for you? It is important to feel comfortable when using the barrow. Here are a few guidelines. Shape: There are three shapes of wheelbarrow available – the home...
Wisterias are beautiful flowering plants but Peter Valder noted that some people seem surprised to see this plant with seed pods. Peter Valder recently looked at these plants when he visited some Mt Wilson gardens. Ornamental pods Wisteria is a legume, like peas and...
If you like conifers and particularly pencil pines remember that they will only grow straight up. Pay attention to where you plant any young trees or large shrubs. Look up and make sure there isn’t anything that will create a problem later on, like electricity...
To get the best flowers from most roses you must prune them in winter. Roses can be pruned when they are dormant, between June and early August. Prune earlier in frost free coastal districts (usually July) but leave pruning until August in areas which experience...
After a heavy thunderstorm in Sydney, two large trees from a neighbour’s property fell onto the recently built ‘Burke’s Backyard’ aviary. Some damage occurred to the structure but no birds were lost. However much it may look like an accident,...
Tibouchinas (which used to be known as lasiandras) have purple or pink flowers in late summer or autumn, with some varieties flowering during winter. They range in size from small shrubs (the variety ‘Jules’ is a shrub to 1m (3′) tall) to tall trees...
Some unusual plants to grow in your garden are the elkhorns or staghorns. The difference between these two plants is the elkhorn (Platycerium bifurcatum) has thinner, wispier leaves and multiple “eyes” or rosettes of foliage whereas the staghorn...