Don looked at a row of sasanqua camellias growing in a very narrow garden bed alongside a busy road. Because space was so limited, the camellias had been espaliered against the brick wall. Espaliering means training a tree or shrub to grow against a flat surface....
Don looked at a row of murrayas (Murraya paniculata) that had died back through the winter. This problem was caused by frost chilling the leaves down, stopping them functioning properly and leaving them susceptible to sunburn next morning. The parts of the bushes...
Don and the Burke’s Backyard team travelled west of Sydney to Bilpin, in the Blue Mountains. There they met Greg Bailey, the owner of ‘Springside Gallery’, who showed them around his beautiful 4 hectare (8 acre) garden. Don was amazed at how lush and...
Growing Carnivorous Plants Don visited specialist plant grower and author, David Banks. David demonstrated how easy it is to set up a bog area in a sunny part of your garden, where you can grow a mixed collection of carnivorous plants. Plants featured in our segment:...
When hedges such as camellias or lilly pillies are in active growth during the warmer months of the year, Don recommends pruning every 4 weeks or so. Regular light ‘haircuts’ keep hedges tidy and prevent them getting out of hand. If you wait too long...
If you’ve always wanted to grow a lush, green lawn but you’re not having much success, the problem could be soil compaction. Grass does not grow well in compacted soil. Don’s tip Simply stamp your foot on the ground! If it feels fairly hard...
Don visited turf farms at Clarendon and Windsor, on the outskirts of Sydney. Recently, this area has had severe frosts with temperatures as low as -6°C. He compared lawn varieties being grown at the farms for frost and cold tolerance. ‘Couch’ Couch is a...
One of life’s pleasures is to go without shoes in summer – unless there’s bindii in your lawn. If you’ve ever had bindii prickles in your bare feet, you’ll know how painful it can be. Bindii (Soliva pterosperma) is a specialist plant,...
The bushfires that swept through areas of New South Wales recently caused an incredible amount of damage. Sadly, some people lost their homes, while many others lost everything around their homes, including their gardens. We contacted Carmel Niland, Director-General...
If you live near the bush, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for any weed seedlings and remove them immediately. Weeds are always a worry in bushland areas, particularly in places where there are high water and nutrient levels. Don pulled up some weeds growing...