Mark Horton wrote to Burke’s Backyard to tell Don about his two neighbours, Simon Wright, who is an Australian, and Pete Kavanagh, a New Zealander. Simon and Pete are engaged in a bit of ‘friendly’ trans-Tasman rivalry over who has the best nature...
Don looked at a spectacular red-flowering variety of bougainvillea called ‘Scarlett O’Hara’. This particular plant had been pruned back hard on one side and as a result it had produced lots of rampant, thorny growth. The unpruned side was covered in...
An irrigation system is an integral part of a low maintenance garden. Instead of being a slave to your garden, you can set up systems to water your lawn, flowerbeds, vegies and even your pots. You can put each one on a timer, so you won’t even have to remember...
Don showed how to make the most of bromeliads by planting them into stylish, dramatic pots. The fabulous sculptural beauty of bromeliads is at its best when they’re dressed up and looking great, and the good news is that these plants are easy to grow. Wide and...
You may remember our blue metal makeover, when Don transformed a large, ugly courtyard into a stylish entertaining area. The courtyard was cleaned up, agricultural pipes and blue metal were installed to drain excess water from the site, and the central area was filled...
On last week’s program we featured a stunning, succulent ball. You may have thought you’d like to make one yourself, but decided the succulents were too expensive to buy. The good news is that succulents are very quick and easy to propagate, and you can...
Grevilleas are among the best Australian native plants grown in gardens today. Many of them flower nearly all year, and they attract native birds to the backyard. The only problem is that after five to six years some grevilleas start to look straggly, and they grow so...
Don carried out renovation pruning on a neglected Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’. He explained that severe pruning would kill or cure the grevillea: it would die, or it would send out new growth. Either way you’re better off, because there’s really...
If you live on a busy road, it’s a great idea to screen out passers-by and vehicles by planting a hedge. Hedges will also act as windbreaks, although they won’t cut down on street noise. The row of Leyland cypress shown in our segment was planted as a...
When choosing equipment or machinery for your house or garden, it’s best to go for something that is simple, with very few moving parts. That way, there is less to go wrong, wear out or break. Home irrigation systems are good examples. Many are fitted with tiny...