FOR a lot of reasons, the typical family no longer grows any food at all, unlike earlier generations of the Depression and War years, for whom the provision of their own vegetables and fruit offered families “food-security”. One of the results is that many children barely understand where fruit and vegetables really come from, let [...]
MORE and more homes have courtyards. With our busy lifestyle they become a well-used and important part of the garden, used as play areas and for entertainment. Rarely is lawn used as a flooring. They usually have a hard surface of tiles, gravel or pavers, and this needs to be softened. Water features help make [...]
GARDENERS must be among the easiest of people for whom to shop! There are so many products with which they will be happy, apart from another plant. A gift need not be for the actual garden. Anything botanical, like soap or another body-care product with a floral scent or derived from a botanical base, is [...]
MOST gardeners have their preferences when developing their gardens. Some are plantsmen, pure and simple. They love their plants, and design principals usually end up going out the window as they discover yet another plant which they simply must have! Other gardeners love to create a design and these usually include hard landscaping features such [...]
BOTH our climate and the beauty of the surrounding area encourage people to enjoy the outdoors. Two of the most popular areas used by walkers and cyclists all year are along the Murray River and up on the Nail Can Hill. After the beautiful rains we have had, there has been a marked increase in [...]
HYDRANGEAS are like violets to most people. They remind us of our grandparents. They are a plant which have always been in older gardens, forming an under-planting in shaded areas. Their popularity is again increasing, after many gardeners found it too difficult to keep them during the drought years. There are several different forms of [...]
PLANTS that make a statement, either as a result of clipping or have a naturally striking form, have a place in every garden, no matter what sort of style or design the gardener has adopted. They can enhance either a formal or informal design by adding constructional elements to the garden planting. The trick is [...]
WE live in almost the ideal climate for herbs, and there are many reasons for growing them. They add to the appearance of your garden as many have attractive foliage and very pretty flowers. Also of course, their scent is lovely. They are such an asset in the kitchen, adding greatly to flavour in so [...]
THIS group of plants became very popular during the years of drought we experienced. They have benefitted as much as any other plant from all the natural rain, and are looking magnificent, though a trifle rampant in some cases! Now is the time to split large clumps up, remove any dead sections, tidy them up [...]
IRIS have been glorious this spring, especially the common bearded Iris germanica. This much-loved old garden specimen comes now in a myriad of colours. The flowers are so distinctive, and last well in a vase as well as in the garden, where it is valued for its foliage as well all through the year. The [...]