Autumn

Broccoli is a wonderful addition to the garden, delicious steamed, grilled, in a stir-fry or added raw to a salad (wonderful with walnuts). Here is everything you need to know how to grow broccoli. Broccoli loves the cold/winter season. It needs good drainage and plenty of sunlight, although late-maturing varieties may prefer some shade to protect them from sudden heat …

Accentuate a living space or area of the garden with a display of Orchid flowers this Autumn, their bold flowers and colours also making them the perfect living gift for Mother’s Day. 1. Dendrobium Dendrobiums come from Asia and the Pacific, including Australasia. They grow best throughout Qld and northern NSW and have no leaf drop, so they’re pretty easy …

If you always struggle to come up with a unique gift idea for Mother’s Day, here are our top six (6) gardening gifts for practical mums: 1. Potted fruit tree It’s surprising how many dwarf fruit tree varieties are available at your local gardening expert.  Depending on your climatic zone in Australia, you can pot lemons, figs, apples, mulberry and …

  Feijoa trees produce an abundance of bi-colour scarlet flowers in spring and by autumn the delicious, fragrant fruit which taste like the tropics will to ready to pick. When not in fruit, their lush evergreen foliage with matte green and silver leaves make for beautiful feature tree in ornamental gardens or in large container plantings. Feijoa trees prefer cool …

Preparing the garden for bulbs for next season’s flowering. Just as true for planting bulbs as in real estate, the most important thing is position, position, position.  Not all bulbs are suitable for all regions, so the first objective is to select varieties suitable for your area and planting time. Bulbs take a longer time to establish and flower than …

The potato originated in the Andes Mountains, where it was cultivated by Pre-Columbian Indians. It was taken to Spain by the Conquistadors, but because of its association with poisonous plants (it is a member of the nightshade family), the potato didn’t come to prominence in Europe until introduced into Ireland in the 17th century. Being so nutritious and easily grown …

They may have a touch of ‘granny’, but African Violets make for marvellous flowering indoor plants and are the ideal choice for terrarium displays.  Location African Violets require moderate to bright indirect light all year round to encourage flowering. A well lit kitchen bench or coffee table is perfect. They also prefer humidity in the atmosphere (thus why they are …

A favourite in warm temperate to tropical Australian gardens where they can grow year-round, the passionfruit originates from South America. This lovely climber has it all; lush foliage, beautiful flowers and delicious fruit! Planting Passionfruit In warmer zones with mild winters, passionfruit can be planted throughout the year. Plant only during the warmer time of year, from October to March …

Pawpaws are like a gift from the gods! Easily grown in home gardens, their delicious, sweet flesh can be enjoyed at the breakfast table for most of the year. Native to southern Mexico and central America, pawpaw flourishes in the tropics and subtropics where individual trees can be productive for up to 6 years. Which sex to buy? Pawpaw trees …

Callistemons (or bottlebrush) are some of the most beautiful and versatile native plants in Australian home gardens. This group of floriferous trees and shrubs are unrivalled in their ability to bring colour and attract native birds to the garden. An icon of the Australian garden, all species of Callistemons are true show-stoppers when in bloom and if you happen to …