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If you are thinking about having silkworms for your kids then you need access to a mulberry tree to have a ready supply of leaves to feed the silkworms. (See ‘Silkworms’). Details Common name: Mulberry tree, black mulberry Botanic name: Morus nigra. The...
Deciduous magnolias produce their spectacular winter and early spring blooms on naked branches. Although expensive plants to buy they are long-lived, slow growing trees which bring a stunning display to your garden each year. The exciting news about magnolias is that...
Privacy Cypress An important aspect of the backyard is maintaining privacy and one plant that provides good privacy quickly is the Bhutan cypress, (Cupressus torulosa). This plant, a large, dense conifer, will provide good screening to a height of about 7m (20′)...
Broccoli is a productive vegetable that can be grown as a cool climate crop in all parts of Australia (see climate map 1). For most people it is a short lived crop but, with the right care and regular harvesting, broccoli plants will last for several seasons. Caring...
Wattles, also called acacias, are wonderful native plants. More than 850 species of wattle grow in Australia, ranging from ground covers and charming shrubs to giant trees that provide fine timber and screening. With this number of species and many cultivars there is...
[metaslider id=31322] Citrus trees were an integral part of an Australian backyard and still have an important place in today’s garden. Not only does the Vitamin C in their fruit protect against colds and flu in the colder months, citrus are also highly...
Free Vegie Garden Not all seeds are dry when they are first collected from a plant. Some, particularly the seeds from many fruits and salad vegetables such as cucumbers and tomatoes, are incased in a mush or pulp. In order to plant the seed, it is necessary to...
Iris Book One of the most spectacular achievements in plant breeding this century is the development of modern irises. There are many different iris species and within the main garden irises such as tall bearded and Japanese iris, exist a myriad of colour and forms....
Everyone eats potatoes, but almost nobody grows their own. Jackie French demonstrated a simple way of making a potato patch in a corner of your backyard, that will produce kilos of potatoes. Potatoes can be grown in all areas in Australia although plants grown in...
Driveway Tips ‘Burke’s Backyard’ visited a home in Sydney where a recently-constructed driveway had begun to disintegrate. The gravel drive had become pot-holed after only four years of use. This prompted advice on the correct way to make a driveway....