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Camellias are wonderful plants. Most varieties have attractive, glossy green foliage, and they put on their fabulous flower display in the cooler months of the year when the rest of the garden often looks dull and bare. As well as making excellent specimen plants and...
Cheryl Maddocks has written 34 books and hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles on gardening. She is the gardening columnist for the Good Weekend (Sydney Morning Herald, The Age), and she is also a member of the horticultural team at Burke’s Backyard. In...
Victor and Cristina Aprozeanu wrote to Burke’s Backyard inviting Don to visit them and see their unique garden. Victor is very enthusiastic about his extensive and fascinating collection, and is proud of his horticultural achievements over the last four years....
Melbourne landscaper, Evan Gaulke, enjoyed the challenge of designing his own garden on a small, steep corner block. Evan loves gardens that are fun, interesting and free flowing, rather than very formal gardens that are difficult to maintain. He also tries to work...
Don talked about the importance of keeping your trees and shrubs pruned well back from the footpath. Trees and shrubs growing over the footpath make access very difficult for all sorts of people, including pedestrians, parents pushing strollers and postal workers...
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 received a letter from Research Scientist, Dr Dugald Close, who is associated with the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry, at the University of Tasmania. In the letter, Dr Close explains why leaves colour reddish shades in autumn, and...
Don showed a pelargonium that had outgrown the available space and nourishment in its pot. He explained why it is necessary to repot plants every few years, and demonstrated potting techniques using a large yucca (Yucca elephantipes). Don’s tips Repot any plants...
Recently Margaret and Geoff Briggs wrote a letter asking Don to help them with a gardening dilemma. Five years ago they planted over 40 sasanqua camellias (Camellia sasanqua cvs) against their back fence. Some of the plants grew well, but others mysteriously died....
Don looked at a lawn riddled with weeds, moss and lichen. He guessed that the garden owners had forgotten to reset the sprinklers for winter, so the lawn was overwatered. Also, being on the southern side of the house the lawn obviously didn’t receive enough sun...