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Some unusual plants to grow in your garden are the elkhorns or staghorns. The difference between these two plants is the elkhorn (Platycerium bifurcatum) has thinner, wispier leaves and multiple “eyes” or rosettes of foliage whereas the staghorn...
The cut and fill method of construction is very popular for sloping building sites. It involves cutting back into a hillside and moving the soil to the lower side of the site to create a level building site. A retaining wall is then required to hold back the earth....
Growing your own plants from a cutting is one of the most satisfying things you can do when gardening. The cuttings can be taken during late spring and summer and grow readily. Plants that can be grown from cuttings include; Coleus, Verbenas, Double impatiens,...
Rocks in the garden add interest and style to any design, whether it’s around a pool, in a rockery of a Balinese style. But rocks can be expensive to buy and to install in the garden. That’s why the art of rock making has become such a popular garden...
A love of gardening can also mean a love of books. When you find a general book on plants or something specific on a type of gardening technique it can be a real joy. However it is sometimes difficult to find gardening and plant books in general bookstores....
Twenty years ago the chemicals that were available to treat pests and diseases were quite nasty. Not only were they unsafe to you and your family but also to the environment. Many have now been banned. There are certain groups of plants, each with their own set of...
Drainage When heavy rain occurs such as that which has been falling in many parts of Australia recently, it is a good time to get out and have a look at the water courses in the back or front yard – where the water comes from and where it goes. You can...
Keen gardeners don’t seem to notice the grime and gunk that comes off their hands when they wash up in the bathroom at the end of a gardening session. Jackie French has a great idea for solving those bathroom sink blues that comes with extra scrubbing power....
Mushrooms and toadstools conjure up images of pixies and fairies, and some extraordinary fungi come up after we’ve had some rain. Don Burke recently looked at an absolutely glorious fungus which he says had a soft, cold and clammy, yet almost human feel to it....
Don Burke has a few suggestions for brightening up a spring garden, adding colour, interest and a bit of whimsy. Three of the best azaleas which will give strong structure and colour to the garden are ‘White Prince’ (white), ‘Rose Queen’ (pink)...