Solve a problem, find a plant or look for a design inspiration
The marriage of Duane and Narrelle was on shaky ground – and all over a messy garage! Don stepped in and helped Duane tidy up. He installed a simple tool board, along with a wall-mounted hanging rack for larger gardening tools. Materials: 1 x sheet 15mm plywood...
The owners of this Cairns garden, Steven and Lyn Ford, wanted to let more light into the front of the house, so they removed the carport and replaced it with a moat. The moat fills the front yard of their half hectare (1.2 acre) block. Steven’s work as a...
Don traveled to Melbourne to meet Kari Tusan, a Balinese man, and his Australian wife, Sarah. Kari and Sarah met in Bali, married and now live in Australia with their three children. They told Don that they’d like a tropical-style garden to remind them of Bali,...
When most people think of beautiful tropical beaches, they think of swaying coconut palms, seashells and golden sand. Don showed how to create a long-lasting reminder of your tropical holiday by growing a coconut palm in your own home. Surprisingly, coconut seedlings...
Don had some great tips on pruning, fertilising and sowing seed, as well as some fun for the kids. Sow seed: This is a great time of the year to sow seed. It’s fun to do and by the time the drought’s over your seedlings will be ready to plant out in the...
Never let anyone talk you into putting duckweed, or any other floating weed, into a pond. Duckweed (Lemna sp.) spreads very quickly in still or slow moving, nutrient-rich water. It grows 30% faster than water hyacinth and can actually double in size in a few days....
Don received a letter from Sandra Price, asking for help. Sandra’s flat faces the street, and as the garden is below street level there is no privacy from passers-by. She explained that she loves Parisian-style gardens filled with citrus, colour and fragrance....
For some time, Liz and Brett Summerell have collected interesting, second-hand Australian bush relics. Recently they decided to do something with them. After much thought and discussion, they decided to create a ‘bush hut’ on their property, as a home away...
Judi and John Denton live in the Adelaide Hills. Their garden design shows a modern approach that reflects the contemporary design of the house. This interesting garden features evergreen plants as structural elements, bold mass planting, soft grey-green foliage and...
The worst problem facing gardeners in Australia today is that when soils dry out, they can become water repellent, or hydrophobic. When this happens, water just runs off instead of soaking into the soil. Don showed an example of a water repellent soil and...