One of the greatest challenges for Australian gardeners is getting the garden through the long, hot summer. Here are some top tips for protecting your plants in the coming months. Mulch This helps the soil stay cool and hold moisture, so check this and renew if needed. Water well before spreading mulch and don’t let … Continue reading Prepare gardens for more heat
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While mid spring in the garden is all about flowers, fragrance and growth, there are also blooms past their best, overgrown hedges, and bits of frost-damaged growth that want to reshoot. Regular pruning and clipping takes little time but makes a world of difference to how long and how well plants grow. Make these clever … Continue reading Secret to more flowers in your garden
Kangaroo paws are one of our most distinctive native plants, and come in tall and dwarf varieties in many colours. A question commonly asked by gardeners is what causes blackened leaves. Basically, anything that kills leaf tissue causes unsightly dark black marks to appear on the leaves. Here’s what to do. Irregular black marks are … Continue reading Success with kangaroo paws
Cats are pretty good at avoiding toxic plants, but dogs can be less picky. If you worry about whether a particular plant will harm your pet, here’s a snapshot of a few plants and which parts can cause problems. Lilium This can cause kidney damage and failure. Oleander The animal is likely to exhibit breathlessness …
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You can grow enough carrots in a pot to keep you going for months, and it’s handy being able to move it around so they get just the right amount of sun. Here’s how to get started. Choose a container at least 30cm wide and deep. If you’re growing carrots over the warmer months, go … Continue reading Grow a pot of carrots
Edging is the unsung hero of the garden, creating defined lines that give the landscape a clean, finished appearance. Whichever type you choose, it provides the essential finishing touch to your landscaping. Plastic This is sold as rolls of flexible, UV-resistant material that you cut to the desired length and secure in the ground with … Continue reading 5 top edging materials
Hedges are very useful in the garden to separate one area from another or to screen out the neighbours! Here are three fast-growing options that also offer fruit or flowers. Bottlebrush (Callistemon) Bottlebrushes make terrific screening plants. They can be pruned occasionally to form an informal hedge or clipped more regularly for a crisper look, … Continue reading Hedges in a hurry