Famous Australian people and landmarks on Burke’s Backyard
Regular Burke’s Backyard contributor, Peter Valder, has written a wonderful new book titled Gardens of China. In the book Peter describes over 200 of the gardens he has visited in China. They include surviving imperial gardens and those of retired officials,...
According to Burke’s Backyard resident scientist, Graeme Quirk, many an afternoon ‘snoozer’ has been unjustly labelled as lazy. In fact, research conducted by NASA and others has shown that staff who take quick naps at work are really doing the right...
Don and the Burke’s Backyard team travelled north-west of Sydney to Mount Wilson in the Blue Mountains. There they visited a beautiful garden called Windyridge, and met the owners, Rodger and Wai Davidson. History The garden dates back to 1877, when it was part...
Our celebrity gardener this week is Olivia Newton-John. Olivia, who is deeply concerned about the environment, showed Don around her property in northern NSW. She and horticulturist, Michael Waite, have planted thousands of native rainforest trees on the property to...
Singer, songwriter and producer Ross Wilson has been a major force in Australian rock music for more than 30 years. Ross was front man for rock bands Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock. His most memorable songs include ‘Daddy Cool’, ‘Come Back Again’...
Eccentric Art House Artist and teacher, Andrew Hayim De Vries, has completely rebuilt a small, 1920s timber worker’s cottage using what he calls ‘urban rubble’. Andrew purchased the house in 1986, and over a period of 12 years he transformed it into...
Don and the Burke’s Backyard team visited film director, Phillip Noyce, at his home near Sydney’s Palm Beach. Phillip talked to Don about the difficulties of gardening so close to the ocean, and how hard it is to select plants that will withstand harsh,...
Don visited the beautiful, tropical-style garden of Dennis Hundscheidt. Situated at Sunnybank in Brisbane, this is one of the best private gardens in Australia. Clever design Although the garden is only the size of a normal suburban block (around 1000...