In praise of PentasI might just be a tiny bit of a pentas fanatic. I’ve been growing them for about 20 years now, in two different gardens and there’s nothing that beats them for flowering display over most of the Sydney year. Pentas is very variable in form, so when you buy it, it’s a bit hard to tell at first Continue reading
Composting in a small spaceOut the kitchen door, to the right off the landing, I’ve positioned the compost bin for easy access. I’m rewarded with views of my back garden and this one of my front. It’s a view ofthe front I only see from this angle so it’s a treat. Today I was rewarded by pink dianthus (cheddar pinks ‘Firewitch’) and pink rhododendron blooming with a bit of the bluish purple nepeta (catmint ‘Six Hills Giant’) and the chartreuse alchemilla (lady’s mantle). Even without the sun shining it’s lovely!
Environmental weedsI have always wished for a horticultural equivalent of the joke: Q: When is a cook bad? A: When he beats the eggs. I wish for this because gardening words are by their very nature only gentle or benign, even innocuous. We prune, pollard, dig, churn, plant, nurture, grow, irrigate and pick. We never slap or punch. Nor do we beat. Continue reading
Parsley and socksI wonder are there any other vegetable gardeners like me out there? I do it in fits and starts. I start with the most amazing amount of energy. I dig, I manure, I plant – mostly Continue reading
Say Aloe to colourful winter flowersGarden colour is welcome any time of year, but especially in winter. If you’ve been searching for something to brighten up a cold and dull winter landscape then look no further Continue reading
Trees for streetsI live in a small township in SW Victoria with a population of about 500 people. It is a long, narrow town with hills to our north and the sea to the south. The town girdles the Princes Continue reading
A designer’s front gardenSo what does my garden look like? Hmmm…………. A few years ago I realised, “I really do have to take my home address off my business card”. People would look at the address Continue reading
A turf labyrinth – a bearable version of grass cuttingSpring has been a disappointment for sun loving human beings in this part of the world so far. It has been constantly cold, wet and dull almost since Easter. Yet, many plants (although not the garden vegetables, which are now severely behind) seem to enjoy this “wettest drought on record”, as long as they are able to hold back their flowering activity. Continue reading
IrrigationWater restrictions… grrr! Don’t get me wrong – I’m not into wasting water, and sensible Adelaide gardeners familiar with our notorious mains supply have been watering early Continue reading
Choosing plants for tropical hedgesIn the tropics, hedges are a bit difficult. However in these days of closely built suburban developments, a sound and sight screen is often desirable. There are not a lot of plants really suitable for a classic hedge, and things tend to grow so fast that you are forever clipping them to keep that nice clean line, so beloved of maze builders, parterre planters and topiarists. Continue reading
What do you do with a rental garden?If you’re living in a rented house, how do you manage to have an attractive garden without spending a lot of time and money? If you’ve been lucky enough to walk into a beautifully Continue reading
Kangaroo paw, Anigozanthos ‘Bush Endeavour’Anigozanthos ‘Bush Endeavour’ is a tall, red flowered kangaroo paw that I bred about 10 years ago. I did that in response to what I perceived was a demand for a tougher, more long-lived landscape-type kangaroo paw. Continue reading
There’s a competition in the birdbathThere’s a competition going on in my birdbath…. The early morning clouds are high and pink, the air is fresh and cold, and the big copper birdbath is brimming with the recent Continue reading