I love a sunburnt country…but wish it would rain some more – a sequelIn February 2018, I was bemoaning the loss of some long-established plants in my predominantly native garden in the Hunter Valley.
The Gardens of the MonaroGardens in the Monaro area of southern NSW need to be resilient and tolerant of droughts, frosts and snow. Here is the story of three gardens. Continue reading
Vallarta Botanical Garden, MexicoCurrently, Mexico is recognized as the fifth-richest country in plant and animal species, but expanding human population and legal and illegal logging are taking their toll.
Keeping a promise….While holidaying in Vietnam in 2010, I spent a couple of days helping out at the Da Nang Social Support Centre. This centre caters for people that are unable to look after themselves because of bad health, they are too young, or too old, or just too poor.
Hawaii: a paradise for plantsIslands are Nature’s kitchen and the Hawaiian Islands, sitting in splendid isolation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, are the perfect place to see where evolution has cooked up a smorgasbord. When the first humans arrived on the islands around 400 AD there were already thousands of plant and animal creations.
Australian wildflowers featureAustralian wildflowers were the focus of a national competition, designed to promote awareness of their use in floristry.
A show for the bucket listIs the Hampton Court Flower Show on your bucket list? If not, here’s at least five reasons why it should be.
The Gardener opens in Australian cinemasThe Gardener, a documentary which reflects on the meaning of gardening and its impact on our lives, opened in selected Australian cinemas from October 11.
Instant city garden oasisGarden designer Robert Boyle’s client had dreams of a very private city garden, only to discover the adjoining property, which they had just purchased to create their back-garden oasis, would be overlooked and dominated by a large development on a neighbour’s property.
Naples Botanical GardenHorticulture can be an undisciplined craft—the lack of set rules sometimes gives rise to brilliance, sometimes not. Those with unbridled enthusiasm for plants tend to chafe under the restraint of design while designers often complain that gardeners are messing things up. Fortunately, horticulture and design partnered to make the Naples Botanical Garden garden a true joy.
Child’s play garden designIn order to create exciting gardens for young children, you need to put yourself in their shoes. It’s a sad fact of life that most of us lose, bit by bit, connection with the direct sensory world of our childhood.
Hawaii: from lava fields to lush forestsLocated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a volcanic hot spot, the Hawaiian Islands are engine rooms of geological evolution and a plant lover’s paradise. But there is little overt celebration of these natural wonders, which primarily serve as backdrops to a tropical paradise holiday or, in our case, a transpacific wedding.
Indoor plant careIndoor plants are very much in vogue. But it’s important to look after them. Here are some top tips to keeping your indoor plants looking good.