Solve a problem, find a plant or look for a design inspiration
Don discovered a wonderful old bush cooking vessel in a junk shop, and decided it would make a very good planter for Australian native plants. He turned it upside down and drilled some drainage holes in the base, then filled it with kangaroo paws. Don chose the...
For a great Aussie look in the backyard, why not use an old hollow log as a planter? You might have a tree in the garden that has died and fallen over, or if you live on a bush block there may already be some hollow logs lying around on the property. Rustic planters...
Myths and superstitions are part of the rich fabric of our lives – we rely on them to forecast the weather, tell the future and even to grow plants! The trouble is that sometimes it’s very difficult to separate fact from fiction. Throughout the program Don...
Peter Valder looked at some of the ancient myths associated with plant names Daphne Greek myth: Daphne, the beautiful daughter of a river god and a goddess of the earth, was relentlessly pursued by the sun god, Apollo. Just as Apollo was about to grab Daphne, her...
Maria and Kosta’s Garden – Concreting This week, Nigel and Don worked on the concreting at Kosta and Maria Elfes’ property. Two circular concrete areas, one larger than the other, were poured near the rear of the house and deck. Whilst the deck that...
There is a general belief that orchids are hard to grow but this is a myth. They are actually hardy plants when grown in the right climate and conditions. The popular cymbidium orchids are almost unkillable! They come in a fantastic range of flower colours,...
There are many versatile native plants that not only make excellent ground covers or container plants, but also fit very well into cottage style gardens. On a recent visit to Nielsen’s Native Nursery at Loganholme in Queensland, Don looked at rock daisies,...
Mini Mondo Grass For practical outdoor areas concrete slabs or tiles are a suitable finish but can look bleak and horrible. One solution is to soften the look by using Miniature Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nanus’) around the edges of the groups of...
‘Shademaster’ or Soft Buffalo Grass A lush green lawn adds beauty and value to any home. Unfortunately, a more familiar sight to most gardeners is a thin patchy lawn struggling to survive without enough water or sunlight. One of the best lawn...
Cloudehill is at Olinda in the Dandenongs, about an hour’s drive from Melbourne. Burke’s Backyard has made a point of visiting this spectacular garden over a number of years, and talking to owner Jeremy Francis. At Cloudehill Jeremy combines modern,...