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The driveway at the front of a property is often the entrance to the home and so making a welcoming impression is important to add to the overall effect of the garden. More often than not it is an unappealing concrete scar at the front. To transform an uninteresting...
His Royal Highness King Henry the Eighth had six wives, one navy, several armies, a keeper of the royal pillow and someone responsible for the royal salads. The King was very fussy about his salads which contained at least 40 different leaves. But his favourite...
The front entrance of a home needs to be attractive, welcoming and create the right spirit for anyone who visits your home. An attractive path is one aspect of the entrance to a home that will help create a warm welcome. Granite paving Granite is a long...
A new product available in some states and coming available Australia wide is a drip-proof tap washer called a ‘Doustvalve’. The West Australian development has a nylon base and spindle with a rubberised material inside which is burst-resistant. The result...
The simplest things can make a big difference to the environment. For example, if you use lots of fertiliser on your lawn it will be beautifully lush and green. However, the excess nutrient will eventually be washed down the drain, then to a river or creek....
Don looked at an outdoor area that was not functional. The walkway was cluttered with pots and the barbecue was in the wrong place. He suggested replacing the old barbecue with a potted kitchen garden, and building a new Besser Block barbecue in a more suitable...
Nashi pears come from eastern Asia, China, Japan and Korea. They are very juicy and resemble apples in shape. Don looked at the best varieties for the home garden, while Geoff Jansz used Nashis to prepare an appetiser and a dessert. Varieties ‘Nijisseiki’ An upright,...
Everybody wants the perfect lawn which looks as good as a bowling green without all the hard work. An old favourite is Kikuyu lawn, a runner grass which is vigorous and easy to grow. Advantages: tolerant of heavy wear and traffic vigorous and easy to grow...
Steps, pavers, concrete slabs or tiles can look very stark and harsh in the garden. A popular landscaping trick is to tone down these areas using one of the varieties of mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus). Don visited Bronte House in Sydney, where mondo grass has been...
Everybody wants the perfect lawn which looks as good as a bowling green without all the hard work. Riley’s Super Sports couch There is a new lawn available, Riley’s Super Sports, which is a couch lawn. It stays green in winters, tolerates traffic and...