If you want to enjoy the outdoors in the beautiful spring weather then simply getting outside and into the garden or relaxing on the veranda sounds like a terrific idea. For those with Hay fever or Asthma this beautiful time of year is less appealing. Working for clients has led me to read books covering […]
The way we live may have changed but the world we live in is still there. It is a challenge sometimes to understand why Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world. With 89% of our population living in cities most are missing out on being part of the real Australia; real […]
The important thing is not so much the way you water but why you water. If you are growing plants in the ground then the roots need water and a little bit of air. Whether you rely on rainfall or add water depends on your plant selection, soil type and good maintenance. Whichever way you […]
Succulents are finding a place with other contemporary architectural plants but better than this is the fact that they can work well in a variety of garden styles from the very grand and historic, right up to the ultra-modern and just about everything in between. After years of hovering in the background it is […]
Making hedges work starts with well thought out design. I love hedges; they are the bones and the backdrop of many classic garden styles and I’m prepared to go out on a limb and say that hedges will never go out of fashion. What is a bit old fashioned is the word hedge. I think […]
There are only two ways to create a garden. In a world where nothing seems simple it is hard to imagine this can be true, but to some extent it is. It is difficult to argue that a well-designed garden is not a work of art but if it is a type of art then […]
There is much more to silver plants than just being good in the heat; there is something of a sense of elegance and sophistication that accompanies silver foliage. Understanding silver plants is to understand that not all plants are green and that there is a big wide world of plants out there. Silver, like white, […]
Choose well, prune properly and you are eighty percent of the way to scoring a goal. Can we make beautiful gardens with Australian natives in northern Victoria? Yes we can, but as with all other garden plants it is much better if we know which ones to choose and how to manage them. Times have […]
If you want to paint a picture with landscape plants then the ‘big brush’ on the palette has to be ornamental trees with autumn colour. If you are not sure how big a brush this is then imagine a good sized golden ash and you will be looking at a plant with between 150,000 and […]
It is autumn but not just because it is April but because the plants are telling us. Deciduous trees are showing hints of colour in the leaves and warm seasons grasses like Kikuyu and Buffalo are only growing spasmodically now that the days are running out of heat and light. Soon we will have more […]
