Solve a problem, find a plant or look for a design inspiration
Tibouchinas Tibouchinas, also known by their old name lasiandras, are native to south-east Brazil, where people use the massed purple blooms to decorate churches at Easter time. Here in Australia tibouchinas also make quite a statement in autumn, with their riot of...
Tibouchina ‘Totally Moonstruck’ Tibouchinas, also known by their old name lasiandras, are native to south-east Brazil, where people use the massed purple blooms to decorate churches at Easter time. Here in Australia tibouchinas also make quite a statement...
If you live in the cooler parts of Australia, there are many wonderful plants you can grow that flower in winter and early spring. These are very useful to have in the garden, because they provide a welcome splash of colour and a little bit of cheer at an otherwise...
Winter Flowering Natives Nothing beats Australian native plants for colour all year round, and most importantly in winter when birds too will benefit from the nectar when food is scarce. Don looked at some of the plants in the garden that have been flowering during...
One of the most delightful things about life is the changing of the seasons. First the winter, with those hearty soups and the crackling and flaming of an open fire. In the spring life is renewed, with all the birds building their nests and fresh leaves appearing on...
Japonica camellias are the best known and most popular camellias grown in gardens today. Not only do they produce beautiful flowers in the depths of winter when everything else is bare, but they also have glossy evergreen foliage. With few pests or diseases to bother...
If you like Australian native plants, and particularly if you like attracting native birds to your backyard, then she oaks are plants well worth considering for your garden. She oaks come in a variety of sizes – from ground cover, through to shrub, small and...
Don’s Best Indoor Figs Indoor plants can add enormous beauty to your home, as well as giving it a natural, relaxed feel. One of the most fashionable plants in Australia at the moment is Ficus benjamina, the weeping fig. Although it is a rainforest giant in its...
Plants for Wet and Boggy Areas Some gardens have heavy clay soil and areas which are waterlogged, especially after rain. If that sounds like your backyard and you’re wondering what to do, don’t worry, quite a few plants actually thrive in those conditions....
Roses Don looked at a fantastic display of Iceberg and Flower Carpet roses outside the Donvale Rehabilitation Hospital in Melbourne. This year roses are looking particularly good, especially in the areas of Australia with a Mediterranean climate, that is around Perth,...