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The vegetable garden shown in our segment looked attractive, even though some of the vegetables had finished cropping and some of the beds were empty. The beds, which were edged with treated pine, were set out in a grid pattern in the lawn. Mowing the grass between...
You might remember a year ago Don visited Mick and Anna Perri at their home on Sydney’s northern beaches. Mick is an expert gardener who has been growing fruit and vegetables on his property for 24 years. Don and Mick planted some tropical and subtropical fruit...
Mine’s Bigger Than Yours We have had hundreds of entries in the Mine’s BIGGER Than Yours competition. Thank you to all the viewers who have taken the time to send in their photos. This week’s entries included: Huge category Butternut pumpkin – Ray Philips,...
When developing a garden it is important to choose plants that are really reliable. Don looked at one of the classic groundcovers – the Australian native violet (Viola hederacea). A native of eastern Australia and the Western Pacific Islands, this low-growing plant...
The Australian Native Birthflower for June is Payne’s Thryptomene Payne’s thryptomene is an Australian native shrub growing to about 1m (3’) tall. It has an open, pendulous habit and tiny, aromatic leaves. Dainty, pale pink or white flowers are produced along the...
The potato or Solanaceae family contains some of the most poisonous plants in the world, as well as some of the most important food plants. There are about 90 genera and 2600 species in this amazing family, including annuals, perennials, climbers, shrubs and small...
The tiny courtyard in our segment was dominated by a rock wall. Many people think that the best approach for an area like this is to use small pots that won’t take up too much space. However, a jumble of little pots and plants usually just looks messy. Don created a...
Clumping plants such as aspidistras and agapanthus can easily be chopped up and used elsewhere in the garden, given to friends or sold at the local fete. Don demonstrated the technique by dividing a clump of clivias (Clivia miniata). How it was done Using a sharp...
Aloe vera is a clump-forming perennial with dense rosettes of thick, spiky grey-green leaves and tubular yellow flowers in summer. The young leaves are often spotted red. A. vera var. officinalis has softer leaves, which are spotted and streaked white. Medicinal...
Autumn is a great time to do garden improvement and maintenance, for example constructing a pathway or a pergola, sharpening your tools, improving your soil or mulching the garden beds. A little time spent on jobs now will help your garden power away in the spring....