Mushrooms and toadstools conjure up images of pixies and fairies, and some extraordinary fungi come up after we’ve had some rain. Don Burke recently looked at an absolutely glorious fungus which he says had a soft, cold and clammy, yet almost human feel to it....
Don Burke has a few suggestions for brightening up a spring garden, adding colour, interest and a bit of whimsy. Three of the best azaleas which will give strong structure and colour to the garden are ‘White Prince’ (white), ‘Rose Queen’ (pink)...
Spring is the season for fetes and now is the time to get into the garden if you want to propagate some great pot plants in time to sell at the local school, church or hospital fete. Plants are always great favourites at fetes and if you follow a few of Don’s...
Australian native plants are excellent in the garden especially the new varieties of grevilleas, grafted darwinias, banksias, compact and prostrate wattles. An excellent base for a native garden is sandstone rubble. Sometimes this is produced when digging is done to...
Figs are beautiful trees that can be grown as hedges or topiarised into interesting shapes. However many varieties of figs grow into large trees if unpruned and left unattended. The roots can grow so large that footpaths and driveways can be cracked and foundations of...
The Dramm water breaker is the best all round nozzle for serious gardeners. It can be attached to a wand to reach plants easily and dispenses a soft stream of water so you can water right up to a pot plant without washing out all the potting mix. It has an aluminium...
Professor Struan Sutherland is the man who developed the antivenene for the funnel web spider bite and also antivenenes for many of the key Australian snakes. He has recently written his autobiography and has a lush garden based on hydroponics. Sadly he is now...
It’s spring and the sneezing, red eyes and runny noses are with us as some 20% of Australia’s population succumb to spring fever. Common allergies Allergies amount to some of the worst medical problems that we face in Australia. More than one in five...
One of the greatest treasures that lie in the capital cities of Australia are the Botanic Gardens bookshops. There are books on native flora and fauna, bush foods, foreign gardens and specific botanical books that aren’t available anywhere else. As well as books...
Spring flowering bulbs are beautiful in the garden but what do you do with them once they’ve finished flowering? It’s important to keep caring for your bulbs after flowering to ensure good flowering the following year. What to do Remove dead flowers from...