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Don visited a property situated in a remnant cabbage tree forest on Sydney’s northern beaches. Although the house and garden design could be described as modern Australian, it has a wonderful open feel reminiscent of an Asian or Balinese pavilion. Folding cedar...
Timmy the Sheep Timmy the Merino sheep was born a runt and his mother abandoned him. Carol and Graham Blaser took pity on the poor little lamb. They bottle-fed him around the clock, and wrapped him in sheepskin. Things took a turn for the worse when Timmy developed...
Pansy ‘Moonface’ This year big pansies are back! In fact, Bedding Plants Australia has chosen a large pansy as their Flower of the Year for 2001. Pansy ‘Moonface’ (Viola x wittrockiana), comes in a spectacular new colour mix guaranteed to cheer...
If you want to grow a hedge that flowers, it is important to choose plants that flower on old wood. That way, you can prune and shape the new growth without cutting off all the flower buds. The port wine magnolia, as seen in our segment, is an excellent choice for a...
Red Banana The ornamental red banana has interesting flowers and foliage, and the colourful bananas produce lots of seeds, unlike most edible bananas which are sterile. Plant details Common name: Red banana, self-peeling banana Botanic name: Musa velutina Description...
Red Passionfruit Rosemary Galatis of Adelaide wrote to Burke’s Backyard to say that she loved the red passionfruit plant, but that she hadn’t been able to buy one in her local area. On a recent trip to South Australia, Don visited Rosemary and presented...
Rondeletia Once a common garden plant, Rondeletia amoena is rarely seen nowadays. Peter Valder thinks that is a pity, because this hardy, Central American native produces a wonderful display of salmon-pink flowers every spring. Plant details Common name: Rondeletia...
Rose Geraniums Surprisingly, one of the most wonderful rose scents in the garden comes not from roses, but from rose geraniums – and not from flowers but from leaves. Jackie French uses the leaves of rose geranium to make a rose-scented room deodoriser that is...
Sasanqua Camellia ‘Classique’ is a compact, low-growing sasanqua camellia. Plant details Common name: Sasanqua camellia Botanic name: Camellia sasanqua ‘Classique’ Description A prostrate sasanqua camellia which grows slowly to around...
Shade Plants Many gardeners have difficulty growing plants in moist, shady spots. Don visited Bronte House in Sydney, and looked at a group of plants that have been used very effectively in a semi-shaded part of the garden (see list below). They include some indoor...