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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....
Topiary is a fascinating gardening activity where people can create all sorts of animals, birds and shapes in the backyard. Anthony Cabret is a master of topiary who can transform amorphous blobs of trees into artworks, like his model titanic that is sinking into the...
Many parts of eastern Australia received heavy rainfalls recently bringing relief to some drought situations. There are some gardening tips for autumn that will help your garden look even better after the rain. Autumn is a good time for planting particularly after...
Rhapis Palms are great as indoor plants and like most good indoor plants they come from a sub-tropical to tropical rainforest in south-east China where there isn’t much natural light. There are two sorts of Rhapis palms suitable for indoor living. Plant details...