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Saturday, September 11, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Who Gives a Fig?
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5fm wed 5pm
Feature Interview: with Dr Dale Dixon, Manager Collections at Sydney Botanic Gardens Herbarium. Dale talks about the role of the fig wasp in pollinating the flowers inside the fruit. Inside the female fig tree’s fruit is black insects with wings-these are the female fig wasps. Fig wasps develop from eggs laid in the fig flowers. The male wasp apparently never leaves the fig because he dies after mating. The female wasp gathers pollen from male flowers before departing. Not that the female wasp used this pollen.The female wasp now has to tunnel into a fig that has unripe male flowers but ripe female flowers. She lays her eggs into the flask like flowers at the same time leaving the pollen behind that she collected from another fig. The flower that has the eggs turns into a gall and becomes food for the wasp baby or larvae. There’e more to this story, but that’s it in a nutshell.
Vegetable Hero: Herb Alloysia triphylla or Lemon Verbena. - Lemon verbena thrives in full sun; even better is a site in the reflected light of a white fence or garage wall.
Prune hard every Autumn or early winter to keep it from looking straggly.
Why is it good for you?- It helps in digesting food, strengthening the nervous system and relieving nausea and cramps. - Lemon verbena is often used as a slimming aid, since it breaks down cellulite and regulates metabolism. - Lemon verbena is used as a mild sedative during times of stress or to help with sleeplessness
Design Elements: Gertrude Jekyll-famous English garden designer. Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932), created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and America; her influence on garden design has been pervasive to this day. She spent most of her life in Surrey, England, latterly at Munstead Wood, Godalming. She ran a garden centre there and bred many new plants. She was famous for her painterly style being influenced by such artists as Turner. She also designed hardy flower borders rather than just perennial borders.
Plant of the Week: Tulips.Depth & spacing: Plant 12-15cm deep and 10-15cm apart.
Aspect: Full sun to very light shade. In warmer climates, Tulips like a cool, part shaded spot. Top dress with a complete fertiliser after planting & water in. Otherwise incorporate fertiliser into the soil a week or more before planting. For best results in subsequent year, top dress again immediately after flowering. Use a complete fertiliser like Dynamic Lifter for Roses.
Drying leaves & flower buds This is often caused by Botrytis (Tulip Fire). To protect against Botrytis, spray the Tulips with a fungal spray designed for ornamental plants (ask at your local nursery).
Foliage but no flowers: This is usually a result of bulbs becoming too hot (which cooks the flower bud). This can happen during storage or after planting. To avoid this, ensure the storage spot stays relatively cool (ie less than 25C) and don't plant the bulbs until early May. This gives the soil a chance to cool down after Summer.
What's On: September 18th, Fluid fibre and food -walk and talk at the Sydney Botanic Gardens, 2-4pm. Book 9231 8182.
Richmond Tafe Open Day 18th September-Horticulture courses for everyone.
Feature Interview: with Dr Dale Dixon, Manager Collections at Sydney Botanic Gardens Herbarium. Dale talks about the role of the fig wasp in pollinating the flowers inside the fruit. Inside the female fig tree’s fruit is black insects with wings-these are the female fig wasps. Fig wasps develop from eggs laid in the fig flowers. The male wasp apparently never leaves the fig because he dies after mating. The female wasp gathers pollen from male flowers before departing. Not that the female wasp used this pollen.The female wasp now has to tunnel into a fig that has unripe male flowers but ripe female flowers. She lays her eggs into the flask like flowers at the same time leaving the pollen behind that she collected from another fig. The flower that has the eggs turns into a gall and becomes food for the wasp baby or larvae. There’e more to this story, but that’s it in a nutshell.
Vegetable Hero: Herb Alloysia triphylla or Lemon Verbena. - Lemon verbena thrives in full sun; even better is a site in the reflected light of a white fence or garage wall.
Prune hard every Autumn or early winter to keep it from looking straggly.
Why is it good for you?- It helps in digesting food, strengthening the nervous system and relieving nausea and cramps. - Lemon verbena is often used as a slimming aid, since it breaks down cellulite and regulates metabolism. - Lemon verbena is used as a mild sedative during times of stress or to help with sleeplessness
Design Elements: Gertrude Jekyll-famous English garden designer. Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932), created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and America; her influence on garden design has been pervasive to this day. She spent most of her life in Surrey, England, latterly at Munstead Wood, Godalming. She ran a garden centre there and bred many new plants. She was famous for her painterly style being influenced by such artists as Turner. She also designed hardy flower borders rather than just perennial borders.
Plant of the Week: Tulips.Depth & spacing: Plant 12-15cm deep and 10-15cm apart.
Aspect: Full sun to very light shade. In warmer climates, Tulips like a cool, part shaded spot. Top dress with a complete fertiliser after planting & water in. Otherwise incorporate fertiliser into the soil a week or more before planting. For best results in subsequent year, top dress again immediately after flowering. Use a complete fertiliser like Dynamic Lifter for Roses.
Drying leaves & flower buds This is often caused by Botrytis (Tulip Fire). To protect against Botrytis, spray the Tulips with a fungal spray designed for ornamental plants (ask at your local nursery).
Foliage but no flowers: This is usually a result of bulbs becoming too hot (which cooks the flower bud). This can happen during storage or after planting. To avoid this, ensure the storage spot stays relatively cool (ie less than 25C) and don't plant the bulbs until early May. This gives the soil a chance to cool down after Summer.
What's On: September 18th, Fluid fibre and food -walk and talk at the Sydney Botanic Gardens, 2-4pm. Book 9231 8182.
Richmond Tafe Open Day 18th September-Horticulture courses for everyone.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Natural Remedies
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5fm Wed5pm Sat. 12noon
Feature Interview:
Alan Hayes author of 27 books about natural remedies for the house and home, talks about living the sustainable and carbon lifestyle in his Duralong Valley home. Go to http://www.itssonatural.com/ for more information.
Vegetable Hero: Mint or Menthe spp, in the family Lamiaceae. Ideal growing temperatures for mint are warm sunny days (25°C) and cool nights (15°C). This is why, in the hotter climates, mint generally grows better in the more shaded areas of the garden. Mint can be propagated either cuttings or by seed. You can grown new plants by digging up plants in late winter–early spring (like now) and dividing them into runners with roots, then replanting. This will prevent the plants from becoming root-bound and prone to disease, giving you strong, healthy plants for the new season.
Most of the time we are busy trying to just keep it tidy. It can take over your garden if your not care so, be like me, and grow it in a pot that you can sink in the garden bed. Mint, when planted nearby will help beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, chili and bell peppers, Chinese cabbage, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, salad burnet and squash. Planting mint near peas, cabbage or tomatoes will improve their health and flavor. Mint will attract hoverflies and predatory wasps to your garden. Mint is also a favorite of earthworms.
Design Elements:Lawns-BUFFALO Sir Walter (Patented Turf)
Australian grass - Soft Leaf Buffalo grass has excellent drought tolerance
due to its strong and deep root system. Because it is Winter Active it maintains its colour
longer than other Buffalo and does not go purple in winter. It can handle full sun and grows well in the shade. The crisp green colour of Sir Walter makes it a most attractive lawn in summer and winter.
"Palmetto is an emerald green Soft Leaf Buffalo that has a long broad soft leaf which is shade and drought tolerant. This turf is extremely hardy once established and does not go purple in winter. Palmetto is a medium grower with a strong root system which recovers very quickly from damage.
Shademaster "This variety of Soft Leaf Buffalo has a broad and long course leaf. It is good in high traffic areas as it is a very fast grower. It loses its colour and turns purple in winter."
Nara Native Turf-or Zoysia macrantha, sacts the same way as any Buffalo lawn, can be bought in rolls. Use the same fertilizers and cut the same way.
CT2 Couch-"This is a blue/green couch with a longer blade than the Winter Green and Green Leaf Park couch. It is very hardy and has very good drought tolerance. CT2 recovers in half the time as most other couches. It will however discolour if the temperature drops below 3° C.
Windsor Green Couch (Patented Turf)-"This dark and very dense lawn has a small leaf with very few seedheads. Windsor Green discolours if the temperature drops below 3° C. It is a hardy grass with good wear and tear tolerance. Grows best with a minimum of 4 - 5 hours of sunlight per day. Considered the best grower in the shade of all the couch lawns."
Greenleaf Park Couch "This is a blue/green couch with small blades. It is not however frost tolerant and will discolour if the temperature drops below 5° C. It is a very hard wearing grass and is used in most bowling greens."
Winter Green-"This is an olive/green coloured grass with small blades (smaller than Green Leaf Park Couch and does slightly better in the shade). Will discolour if the temperature drops below 5° C. This couch produces a lot of seedheads unless it is well fertilised. It has a tendency to get patchy. It will take some shade but needs at least 6 - 7 hours of sunlight per day."
KIKUYU I think this is a weed.
Plant of The Week: Culture: Strelitzia Reginae: This South African genus is a member of the Musaceae family.An evergreen perennial that will reach 1.5m—2m in most situations. It is grown for its spectacular flowers and are used all over the world for cut flowers.Strelitzia Reginae needs full sun to light shade with warm temperatures, when planted in pots keep them crowded for the best amount of blooms. In very cold climates it is better to grow them in pots that could be moved indoors when freezing temperatures are expected.
Feature Interview:
Alan Hayes author of 27 books about natural remedies for the house and home, talks about living the sustainable and carbon lifestyle in his Duralong Valley home. Go to http://www.itssonatural.com/ for more information.
Vegetable Hero: Mint or Menthe spp, in the family Lamiaceae. Ideal growing temperatures for mint are warm sunny days (25°C) and cool nights (15°C). This is why, in the hotter climates, mint generally grows better in the more shaded areas of the garden. Mint can be propagated either cuttings or by seed. You can grown new plants by digging up plants in late winter–early spring (like now) and dividing them into runners with roots, then replanting. This will prevent the plants from becoming root-bound and prone to disease, giving you strong, healthy plants for the new season.
Most of the time we are busy trying to just keep it tidy. It can take over your garden if your not care so, be like me, and grow it in a pot that you can sink in the garden bed. Mint, when planted nearby will help beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, chili and bell peppers, Chinese cabbage, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, salad burnet and squash. Planting mint near peas, cabbage or tomatoes will improve their health and flavor. Mint will attract hoverflies and predatory wasps to your garden. Mint is also a favorite of earthworms.
Design Elements:Lawns-BUFFALO Sir Walter (Patented Turf)
Australian grass - Soft Leaf Buffalo grass has excellent drought tolerance
due to its strong and deep root system. Because it is Winter Active it maintains its colour
longer than other Buffalo and does not go purple in winter. It can handle full sun and grows well in the shade. The crisp green colour of Sir Walter makes it a most attractive lawn in summer and winter.
"Palmetto is an emerald green Soft Leaf Buffalo that has a long broad soft leaf which is shade and drought tolerant. This turf is extremely hardy once established and does not go purple in winter. Palmetto is a medium grower with a strong root system which recovers very quickly from damage.
Shademaster "This variety of Soft Leaf Buffalo has a broad and long course leaf. It is good in high traffic areas as it is a very fast grower. It loses its colour and turns purple in winter."
Nara Native Turf-or Zoysia macrantha, sacts the same way as any Buffalo lawn, can be bought in rolls. Use the same fertilizers and cut the same way.
CT2 Couch-"This is a blue/green couch with a longer blade than the Winter Green and Green Leaf Park couch. It is very hardy and has very good drought tolerance. CT2 recovers in half the time as most other couches. It will however discolour if the temperature drops below 3° C.
Windsor Green Couch (Patented Turf)-"This dark and very dense lawn has a small leaf with very few seedheads. Windsor Green discolours if the temperature drops below 3° C. It is a hardy grass with good wear and tear tolerance. Grows best with a minimum of 4 - 5 hours of sunlight per day. Considered the best grower in the shade of all the couch lawns."
Greenleaf Park Couch "This is a blue/green couch with small blades. It is not however frost tolerant and will discolour if the temperature drops below 5° C. It is a very hard wearing grass and is used in most bowling greens."
Winter Green-"This is an olive/green coloured grass with small blades (smaller than Green Leaf Park Couch and does slightly better in the shade). Will discolour if the temperature drops below 5° C. This couch produces a lot of seedheads unless it is well fertilised. It has a tendency to get patchy. It will take some shade but needs at least 6 - 7 hours of sunlight per day."
KIKUYU I think this is a weed.
Plant of The Week: Culture: Strelitzia Reginae: This South African genus is a member of the Musaceae family.An evergreen perennial that will reach 1.5m—2m in most situations. It is grown for its spectacular flowers and are used all over the world for cut flowers.Strelitzia Reginae needs full sun to light shade with warm temperatures, when planted in pots keep them crowded for the best amount of blooms. In very cold climates it is better to grow them in pots that could be moved indoors when freezing temperatures are expected.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Orchidaceous Time
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5fm Wed 5pm, Sat 12noon
Feature Interview: Kevin Hipkins of Royale Orchids talks about care for orchids.Tip: flush your orchids in summer, late in the evening to cool the bark. Heat builds up in the bark during the day and cooks your orchid. Avoid watering the leaves. http://www.royaleorchids.com/
For upcoming shows http://www.orchidsocietynsw.com.au/
Vegetable Hero:Tetragonia tetragonoides, Warrigal Spinach. An Ice Plant because it exhibits Crassulacean Acid Metabolism or CAM. That's an ability to store carbon at night, not requiring the stomates to open during the heat of the day. Very drought tolerant, growing on sand dunes on the east coast of Australia. Needs minimum blanching of 2-3 minutes to get rid of the high concentrate of oxalates.
Design Elements:Mulch for your garden. Most bark and leaf mulches add to a level of 7 -10cm. Tea tree and sugar cane mulch, only 5 cm is needed.
Apply soil wetter over the top to stop an impenetrable mat forming.
Plant of the Week:Boronia spp. Best to grow from seed so that a tap root is formed. Adventitous roots from cuttings are very prone to root rot from too wet a soil. Otherwise treat as an annual plant. High perfume.
What's On: Kauri Project at Lion Gate Lodge-Sydney Botanic Gardens from 21-29 August, 10-49 each day. Agathis moorei, a 150 year old Kauri pine in the gardens was decimated by the resident flying foxes. Tablets of the trunk of the tree were distributed to 15 craftsmen to fashion items of art and decoration such as frames of mirrors, bangles, a boat, dining table and much more.
Feature Interview: Kevin Hipkins of Royale Orchids talks about care for orchids.Tip: flush your orchids in summer, late in the evening to cool the bark. Heat builds up in the bark during the day and cooks your orchid. Avoid watering the leaves. http://www.royaleorchids.com/
For upcoming shows http://www.orchidsocietynsw.com.au/
Vegetable Hero:Tetragonia tetragonoides, Warrigal Spinach. An Ice Plant because it exhibits Crassulacean Acid Metabolism or CAM. That's an ability to store carbon at night, not requiring the stomates to open during the heat of the day. Very drought tolerant, growing on sand dunes on the east coast of Australia. Needs minimum blanching of 2-3 minutes to get rid of the high concentrate of oxalates.
Design Elements:Mulch for your garden. Most bark and leaf mulches add to a level of 7 -10cm. Tea tree and sugar cane mulch, only 5 cm is needed.
Apply soil wetter over the top to stop an impenetrable mat forming.
Plant of the Week:Boronia spp. Best to grow from seed so that a tap root is formed. Adventitous roots from cuttings are very prone to root rot from too wet a soil. Otherwise treat as an annual plant. High perfume.
What's On: Kauri Project at Lion Gate Lodge-Sydney Botanic Gardens from 21-29 August, 10-49 each day. Agathis moorei, a 150 year old Kauri pine in the gardens was decimated by the resident flying foxes. Tablets of the trunk of the tree were distributed to 15 craftsmen to fashion items of art and decoration such as frames of mirrors, bangles, a boat, dining table and much more.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Power and Passion of Days Gone By
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5fm Wed. 5pm. Sat. 12noon
Feature Interview: Hilary Valance, great great granddaughter of Lachlan Macquarie's Aide de Camp, talks about how Sydney's Botanic gardens were largely responsible by the vision of Governor Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth.
Vegetable Hero:Chokoes. This unusual climbing plant Sechium edule belongs to the pumpkin or Cucurbitaceae family and is a single species native to tropical America.Put one or two in a warm dark place for a few weeks, till they put out a runner, then put in a warm light place for a few weeks, by the time your ready to plant them they will have a strong runner maybe a foot or 2 long, a head start, crushed egg shells around the vine when planted in the ground is a good deterrent to snails and slugs,When you plant them, after any danger of frosts is over, plant the seed with the sprouted end pointing upwards. Plant the whole fruit - half in the soil and half out but wait till it starts sprouting. Back fill with a mix of soil, compost and animal manures like composted chook poo.
Design Elements: Irrigation for your garden. For certified Irrigation installers go to http://www.irrigation.org.au/ and Smartwatermark gives lots of handy tips on irrigation. http://www.smartwatermark.org/
You need th have a "backflow valve" or preventer to stop contaminants like fertilisers and other garden chemicals going back into the water supply should there be a revers in pressure.
Plant of the week: Pansies, Viola wittrockianum.Pansies can be difficult to start from seed. They require cool temperatures (60 - 65 degrees F.) And darkness, to germinate. Covering the soil with black plastic or a sheet of newspaper, will help germination, but the soil should be checked daily to make sure it doesn’t dry out under the cover. Once the shoots are visible, the cover should be removed. Seeds generally germinate in 1-2 weeks, but allow 15 weeks from seeding to flowering.
Maintenance: If you can allow your pansy plants to remain in your garden and rest during the hottest months, they will probably begin blooming again in autumn.
sShearing the plants back when they start to set seed, will encourage new growth. Deadheading will encourage more blooms. As with any long blooming annual, pansies appreciate some fertilizer. However too much food will just make them leggy. They respond well to monthly foliar feeding.
What's On: 21-29th August. Kauri exhibition at Lion Gate Lodge, Sydney Botanic Gardens Botanic. The gardens lost Agathis moorei or Kauri pine (one type) in 2008 due to roosting of flying foxes. Parts of the tree were handed out to 20 craftsmen who have made desirable wooden objects for exhibition and purchase.
August 22nd: Herbarium open day10.30-4pm at Sydney Botanic Gardens.
Feature Interview: Hilary Valance, great great granddaughter of Lachlan Macquarie's Aide de Camp, talks about how Sydney's Botanic gardens were largely responsible by the vision of Governor Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth.
Vegetable Hero:Chokoes. This unusual climbing plant Sechium edule belongs to the pumpkin or Cucurbitaceae family and is a single species native to tropical America.Put one or two in a warm dark place for a few weeks, till they put out a runner, then put in a warm light place for a few weeks, by the time your ready to plant them they will have a strong runner maybe a foot or 2 long, a head start, crushed egg shells around the vine when planted in the ground is a good deterrent to snails and slugs,When you plant them, after any danger of frosts is over, plant the seed with the sprouted end pointing upwards. Plant the whole fruit - half in the soil and half out but wait till it starts sprouting. Back fill with a mix of soil, compost and animal manures like composted chook poo.
Design Elements: Irrigation for your garden. For certified Irrigation installers go to http://www.irrigation.org.au/ and Smartwatermark gives lots of handy tips on irrigation. http://www.smartwatermark.org/
You need th have a "backflow valve" or preventer to stop contaminants like fertilisers and other garden chemicals going back into the water supply should there be a revers in pressure.
Plant of the week: Pansies, Viola wittrockianum.Pansies can be difficult to start from seed. They require cool temperatures (60 - 65 degrees F.) And darkness, to germinate. Covering the soil with black plastic or a sheet of newspaper, will help germination, but the soil should be checked daily to make sure it doesn’t dry out under the cover. Once the shoots are visible, the cover should be removed. Seeds generally germinate in 1-2 weeks, but allow 15 weeks from seeding to flowering.
Maintenance: If you can allow your pansy plants to remain in your garden and rest during the hottest months, they will probably begin blooming again in autumn.
sShearing the plants back when they start to set seed, will encourage new growth. Deadheading will encourage more blooms. As with any long blooming annual, pansies appreciate some fertilizer. However too much food will just make them leggy. They respond well to monthly foliar feeding.
What's On: 21-29th August. Kauri exhibition at Lion Gate Lodge, Sydney Botanic Gardens Botanic. The gardens lost Agathis moorei or Kauri pine (one type) in 2008 due to roosting of flying foxes. Parts of the tree were handed out to 20 craftsmen who have made desirable wooden objects for exhibition and purchase.
August 22nd: Herbarium open day10.30-4pm at Sydney Botanic Gardens.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Go On, Plant a Tree!
SYDNEY GARDEN TALK 2RRR 88.5fm Wed 5pm,
repeat Saturday 12noon
Feature interview: Bushcare coordinators from Hunters Hill. Eastwood branch ofTzuchi foundation leader Kim Lee. http://www.tzuchi.org/ or Phone Tzu Chi foundation on 98747666
E-mail: .mailto:.sydney@tzuchi.org.au for more info.
Vegetable Hero:Pisum sativum var.Saccharatum or Snow Peas.Edible podded peas do best under cool, moist growing conditions. The crop is sensitive to heat, and temperatures above 30oC will cause early maturity and lower yields. Day temperatures from 15o to 18oC average, and a minimum of 7oC, are ideal. Peas and other legumes (plus wattles) have symbiotic bacteria in their roots called rhizobia, that 'fix' nitrogen in the soil mean that peas are capable of manufacturing their own nitrogen.. This means they don't need as much fertiliser as other vegies do and are good to dig into the soil to concentrate available nitrogen for future crops. I assume that they're still pretty hungry for other nutrients though - so a bit of fertiliser won't go astray.
Design Elements: Garden Lighting. Three main types-fuel, electric and solar.
Recommended:-Electric low voltage using transformer, and use LED lights in your fittings. !st-place path lights in to light your way around the garden.
2nd-select an ornamental tree and shine a torch (at night) across the tree to determine the best effect to light it. You can use uplights to highlight other shrubs or ornanments in the gardens.
Plant of the Week:Pyrostegia venusta-Orange Trumpet Creeper. Native of Brazil and South America. Member of Bignoniaceae Family.Regular heading back several of the stems can help develop some of the flowers and foliage on the lower and middle portions of the fence.
It looks magnificent climbing over a large tree or high fence with its cascading effect that looks just like an orange blanket. I heard it referred to as the “Dunny Vine” and most gardeners my age know which vine I am referring to, as when we were kids our grandparents used to have them growing over chook pens, out houses and sheds.
This evergreen vine produces curtains of brilliant orange tubular flowers from autumn to spring. Several months of flowering, means it’s worth growing.
This South American vine climbs by tendrils to 6m or 30 feet or more but is easily controlled by pruning.
To grow this vine, make sure you put it in a place that gets full winter sun-it loves that location
What's On:Passion and Power-Walk and Talk on 14th August 2-4pm Sydney Botanic Gardens. Life of Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie. Bookings: 9231 8304/9231 8134 Cost $15
If you missed National Tree Day, get involved this September 18th at Gladesville Reserve 9-12noon and get planting trees to create a cleaner and healthier environmental for the next generation,”
repeat Saturday 12noon
Feature interview: Bushcare coordinators from Hunters Hill. Eastwood branch ofTzuchi foundation leader Kim Lee. http://www.tzuchi.org/ or Phone Tzu Chi foundation on 98747666
E-mail: .mailto:.sydney@tzuchi.org.au for more info.
Vegetable Hero:Pisum sativum var.Saccharatum or Snow Peas.Edible podded peas do best under cool, moist growing conditions. The crop is sensitive to heat, and temperatures above 30oC will cause early maturity and lower yields. Day temperatures from 15o to 18oC average, and a minimum of 7oC, are ideal. Peas and other legumes (plus wattles) have symbiotic bacteria in their roots called rhizobia, that 'fix' nitrogen in the soil mean that peas are capable of manufacturing their own nitrogen.. This means they don't need as much fertiliser as other vegies do and are good to dig into the soil to concentrate available nitrogen for future crops. I assume that they're still pretty hungry for other nutrients though - so a bit of fertiliser won't go astray.
Design Elements: Garden Lighting. Three main types-fuel, electric and solar.
Recommended:-Electric low voltage using transformer, and use LED lights in your fittings. !st-place path lights in to light your way around the garden.
2nd-select an ornamental tree and shine a torch (at night) across the tree to determine the best effect to light it. You can use uplights to highlight other shrubs or ornanments in the gardens.
Plant of the Week:Pyrostegia venusta-Orange Trumpet Creeper. Native of Brazil and South America. Member of Bignoniaceae Family.Regular heading back several of the stems can help develop some of the flowers and foliage on the lower and middle portions of the fence.
It looks magnificent climbing over a large tree or high fence with its cascading effect that looks just like an orange blanket. I heard it referred to as the “Dunny Vine” and most gardeners my age know which vine I am referring to, as when we were kids our grandparents used to have them growing over chook pens, out houses and sheds.
This evergreen vine produces curtains of brilliant orange tubular flowers from autumn to spring. Several months of flowering, means it’s worth growing.
This South American vine climbs by tendrils to 6m or 30 feet or more but is easily controlled by pruning.
To grow this vine, make sure you put it in a place that gets full winter sun-it loves that location
What's On:Passion and Power-Walk and Talk on 14th August 2-4pm Sydney Botanic Gardens. Life of Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie. Bookings: 9231 8304/9231 8134 Cost $15
If you missed National Tree Day, get involved this September 18th at Gladesville Reserve 9-12noon and get planting trees to create a cleaner and healthier environmental for the next generation,”
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Historical Camellias
Sydney Garden Talk 88.5fm 2RRR Wed 5pm, Sat12 midday
Feature Interview: Jim Lykos from http://www.camelliasnsw.org/
the Sydney branch of the Camellia Research society. Jim talks about the project to re-introduce some of the 400 camellias that were lost from Camden Park, the historical home of William MacArthur of the 1800's.
Vegetable Heroes:Pisum Sativum or Peas from the Fabaceae family.Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary of a (pea) flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking. Peas belong to the Fabaceae family, which means they fix Nitrogen from the air into their roots. Sow the seeds directly into the soil 15mm to 20mm deep (1'' or knuckle deep) and 75mm to 100mm apart (3'' to 4''). Water in well and don't let them dry out.By watering Peas in the mornings will help to avoid mildew. Don’t overhead water late in the afternoon. If you do have mildew, try spraying with MILK mixed with a couple of drops of detergent.
Design Elements:designing small water gardens. Small water gardens are just a collection of submerged potted plants. If they don’t work for you, just lift them out and start again.
A half wine barrel, or terracotta pot of similar size, can house a small water garden
You can get glazed pots with no holes or plug one you’ve got with some cork and seal it with silicon to make absolutely sure. You will have to water proof your regular terracotta pot with with a sealer.
For the wine barrel, line it with a pond liner cut to size.When you place your pot or tub in it’s final position, make sure you use a level so that it sits right, otherwise you’ll have to tip all the water out and adjust it.
Some suggest that putting some sand underneath the pot gives it a flat even surface. Otherwise you can put your pot on your paved area.
Pumps are optional, but they are a good way to keep your pond clear instead of filling up with algal bloom. The drawback is you need a handy power point.
Combine marginal plants like a tall spiky planted like yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) with broad leaves like Alocasia or Colocasia spp.
If you want to build a frog pond, you can pick up a kids paddling pool-those shell shaped ones that you might see on a throw out day, and sink that into the ground. Place a few large rocks around the edge and inside the pond so that the tadpoles when they are frogs can climb out.Plant some sedges and other marginal plants around the edges. Put in some floating duckweed and one or two dwarf lilies (otherwise it wont flower) as this type of pond is really shallow.
A note from your local council: Generally, there is no point in releasing frogs in a garden. They have a homing drive and are unlikely to stay.
Plant of the week: Magnolia soulangiana Common names for the Saucer Magnolia include Tulip tree and Japanese magnolia., their showy flowers are large and goblet shaped and may vary in color from light to deep pink. The size and shape of the flowers are what gave the Saucer Magnolia its common name. When fully opened into the "saucer" position the petals range from 5" to as much as 10" in diameter. The large flower buds are covered with pubescent scales. The flower itself is made of 6 tepals, mostly pure white inside. Each tree flowers for about 28 days.
Needs protection from hot dry winds and from frost. Water well in summer to avoid leaf burn.
Fertilise with a complete fertilizer when young otherwise it’s not necessary.
This tree is difficult to propagate from cuttings and doesn’t like being transplanted.
If you do prune a branch take the whole branch out rather than leave a stunted stump-because that’s how it will stay. Generally tends to have its own shape.
What's On: National Tree Day. Sunday 1st August
Feature Interview: Jim Lykos from http://www.camelliasnsw.org/
the Sydney branch of the Camellia Research society. Jim talks about the project to re-introduce some of the 400 camellias that were lost from Camden Park, the historical home of William MacArthur of the 1800's.
Vegetable Heroes:Pisum Sativum or Peas from the Fabaceae family.Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary of a (pea) flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking. Peas belong to the Fabaceae family, which means they fix Nitrogen from the air into their roots. Sow the seeds directly into the soil 15mm to 20mm deep (1'' or knuckle deep) and 75mm to 100mm apart (3'' to 4''). Water in well and don't let them dry out.By watering Peas in the mornings will help to avoid mildew. Don’t overhead water late in the afternoon. If you do have mildew, try spraying with MILK mixed with a couple of drops of detergent.
Design Elements:designing small water gardens. Small water gardens are just a collection of submerged potted plants. If they don’t work for you, just lift them out and start again.
A half wine barrel, or terracotta pot of similar size, can house a small water garden
You can get glazed pots with no holes or plug one you’ve got with some cork and seal it with silicon to make absolutely sure. You will have to water proof your regular terracotta pot with with a sealer.
For the wine barrel, line it with a pond liner cut to size.When you place your pot or tub in it’s final position, make sure you use a level so that it sits right, otherwise you’ll have to tip all the water out and adjust it.
Some suggest that putting some sand underneath the pot gives it a flat even surface. Otherwise you can put your pot on your paved area.
Pumps are optional, but they are a good way to keep your pond clear instead of filling up with algal bloom. The drawback is you need a handy power point.
Combine marginal plants like a tall spiky planted like yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) with broad leaves like Alocasia or Colocasia spp.
If you want to build a frog pond, you can pick up a kids paddling pool-those shell shaped ones that you might see on a throw out day, and sink that into the ground. Place a few large rocks around the edge and inside the pond so that the tadpoles when they are frogs can climb out.Plant some sedges and other marginal plants around the edges. Put in some floating duckweed and one or two dwarf lilies (otherwise it wont flower) as this type of pond is really shallow.
A note from your local council: Generally, there is no point in releasing frogs in a garden. They have a homing drive and are unlikely to stay.
Plant of the week: Magnolia soulangiana Common names for the Saucer Magnolia include Tulip tree and Japanese magnolia., their showy flowers are large and goblet shaped and may vary in color from light to deep pink. The size and shape of the flowers are what gave the Saucer Magnolia its common name. When fully opened into the "saucer" position the petals range from 5" to as much as 10" in diameter. The large flower buds are covered with pubescent scales. The flower itself is made of 6 tepals, mostly pure white inside. Each tree flowers for about 28 days.
Needs protection from hot dry winds and from frost. Water well in summer to avoid leaf burn.
Fertilise with a complete fertilizer when young otherwise it’s not necessary.
This tree is difficult to propagate from cuttings and doesn’t like being transplanted.
If you do prune a branch take the whole branch out rather than leave a stunted stump-because that’s how it will stay. Generally tends to have its own shape.
What's On: National Tree Day. Sunday 1st August
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Life's A Garden Tour
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5fm Wed 5pm, Sat 12 midday
Feature Interview:Secretary of the Eastwood Evening Garden Club, Ailsa Wareham talks about her recentr trip to visit gardens and parks in southern NSW and Victoria. Highlights were, Foxglove Spires in Tilb a Tilba, and Heronswood in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. The garden club meets every second Tuesday of the month at Dundas Baptist Church Hall.
Vegetable Heroes:Lemongrass-Cymbopogon citratus. Native to India and member of the Poaceae family. Lemon grass has slender stalks about a 30cm long (12”). To grow in the garden, confine it in a bottomless plastic pot, otherwise it will spread and take over your garden.
For cooking use the stalks only and pick the thick, light green ones that feel firm and aren't dried out and wilted. Cut off the woody root tip of each stalk until the purplish-tinted rings begin to show and remove the loose, dry outer layer(s). Also, if the top of the stalk is dry and fibrous cut this off too. When using it in cooked dishes, bang it with a cleaver to bruise the membranes and release more flavour.
Put a handful of the leaves into the saucepan when steaming or simmering chicken or fish to give a delicate but delicious taste of lemon. It can be used in many dishes as a substitute for lemon.
To store fresh lemon grass, wrap well in clingfilm and refrigerate, it will keep for up to three weeks.
Design Elements:what to put in a small flower bed?j. Buy plants as seeds shoots bulbs or root cuttings.
i. Summer display-think about Minature gladioli, Belladonna lilliies, Crinum and of course Hippeastrums-but you need to buy the bulbs now. For year round foliage-try Iris flowers and day lilies.
ii. Autumn flowers-Alstroemeria-Princess Lillies, Easter daisies-asters,Chrysanthemum,Penstemons, red Hot pokers or Kniphofia sps. Gingers-Costus barbatus and bulbs-cyclamen, Sternbergia lucida-yellow autumn crocus-yellow flowers that don’t need lifting or dividing.
iii. Winter flowering-Paper daisies-used to be Helichrysum bracteatum now are Xerochrysum bracteatum. Hellebores or Lenten roses-good for shady locations in winter. Some Correas-the funny Chef’s hat. Red hot pokers-Kniphophia “Winter Cheer.”-flowers that almost look like flaming torches-also a magnet for nectar feeding birds. For winter flowering annuals-can’t go past pansies. So many varieties-some with cat’s whiskers, bi-colours and solid colours. Often flower well into spring and easy to grow from seed. In fact you can sow them now.
iv. Spring flowers-Lillies-Novemebr Lillies that is, all manner of bulbs-spring stars, daffodils, anemones, etc
Plant of the Week:Acacia spp. or Wattles. Acacia pycnantha is Australia’s floral emblem-proclaimed 1st September 1988. Australia has 950 different species of wattles.Wattle was an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning pliant woody branch or a barrier made from pliant branches.
Early settlers used wattle branches as framework for their homes.
Extract from Historical Records of Australian Science.
Wattles were used by Aboriginal Australians for food, medicine and other purposes. Fruits, seeds, tubers and berries were eaten; sweet drinks were made from flower nectar and teas made from leaves. Some plants were used as Medicine and others for making spears, tools, baskets and shelters.
Sydney Golden wattle-A.longifolia-used seed (ground into flour) gum and grub 3-6m
Golden Wattle A.sophorae-seeds, gum.4m Yellow flower spikes in mid winter to spring.
Seeds used in all wattles. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ look for grow me instead plants. Cootamundra wattle or Acacia baileyana has proven to be invasive outside its natural region. Seeds are spread by birds and germinate quickly. It cross pollinates the already endangered Down Wattle or A.pubescens.
Habitat/ecology: While many Acacia species favor drier sites, others are adapted to more moist conditions.
What'sOn:. PARADISE GARDEN SPRING OPEN WEEKEND Free Entry Plenty of Easy Parking
WHEN: Saturday 31 July & Sunday 1 August 2010 TIME: 10 am to 4 pm both days
Over 12 hectares of Camellias, Magnolias, Cherry Blossom and other glorious flowers and trees.
Learn how to grow drought hardy camellias from members of the NSW Camellia Research Society Take a free guided tour of the garden;Buy a great range of plants at bargain prices.
WHERE: 147 Greta Road, Kulnura 2250 Paradise is approximately 30 minutes from Gosford (via Somersby) and Wyong (via Yarramalong), find a map at www.camelliasnsw.org
DONATIONS from sale of plants to NSW Camellia Research Society and Peats ridge/Kulnura Scout Group.
Feature Interview:Secretary of the Eastwood Evening Garden Club, Ailsa Wareham talks about her recentr trip to visit gardens and parks in southern NSW and Victoria. Highlights were, Foxglove Spires in Tilb a Tilba, and Heronswood in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. The garden club meets every second Tuesday of the month at Dundas Baptist Church Hall.
Vegetable Heroes:Lemongrass-Cymbopogon citratus. Native to India and member of the Poaceae family. Lemon grass has slender stalks about a 30cm long (12”). To grow in the garden, confine it in a bottomless plastic pot, otherwise it will spread and take over your garden.
For cooking use the stalks only and pick the thick, light green ones that feel firm and aren't dried out and wilted. Cut off the woody root tip of each stalk until the purplish-tinted rings begin to show and remove the loose, dry outer layer(s). Also, if the top of the stalk is dry and fibrous cut this off too. When using it in cooked dishes, bang it with a cleaver to bruise the membranes and release more flavour.
Put a handful of the leaves into the saucepan when steaming or simmering chicken or fish to give a delicate but delicious taste of lemon. It can be used in many dishes as a substitute for lemon.
To store fresh lemon grass, wrap well in clingfilm and refrigerate, it will keep for up to three weeks.
Design Elements:what to put in a small flower bed?j. Buy plants as seeds shoots bulbs or root cuttings.
i. Summer display-think about Minature gladioli, Belladonna lilliies, Crinum and of course Hippeastrums-but you need to buy the bulbs now. For year round foliage-try Iris flowers and day lilies.
ii. Autumn flowers-Alstroemeria-Princess Lillies, Easter daisies-asters,Chrysanthemum,Penstemons, red Hot pokers or Kniphofia sps. Gingers-Costus barbatus and bulbs-cyclamen, Sternbergia lucida-yellow autumn crocus-yellow flowers that don’t need lifting or dividing.
iii. Winter flowering-Paper daisies-used to be Helichrysum bracteatum now are Xerochrysum bracteatum. Hellebores or Lenten roses-good for shady locations in winter. Some Correas-the funny Chef’s hat. Red hot pokers-Kniphophia “Winter Cheer.”-flowers that almost look like flaming torches-also a magnet for nectar feeding birds. For winter flowering annuals-can’t go past pansies. So many varieties-some with cat’s whiskers, bi-colours and solid colours. Often flower well into spring and easy to grow from seed. In fact you can sow them now.
iv. Spring flowers-Lillies-Novemebr Lillies that is, all manner of bulbs-spring stars, daffodils, anemones, etc
Plant of the Week:Acacia spp. or Wattles. Acacia pycnantha is Australia’s floral emblem-proclaimed 1st September 1988. Australia has 950 different species of wattles.Wattle was an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning pliant woody branch or a barrier made from pliant branches.
Early settlers used wattle branches as framework for their homes.
Extract from Historical Records of Australian Science.
Wattles were used by Aboriginal Australians for food, medicine and other purposes. Fruits, seeds, tubers and berries were eaten; sweet drinks were made from flower nectar and teas made from leaves. Some plants were used as Medicine and others for making spears, tools, baskets and shelters.
Sydney Golden wattle-A.longifolia-used seed (ground into flour) gum and grub 3-6m
Golden Wattle A.sophorae-seeds, gum.4m Yellow flower spikes in mid winter to spring.
Seeds used in all wattles. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ look for grow me instead plants. Cootamundra wattle or Acacia baileyana has proven to be invasive outside its natural region. Seeds are spread by birds and germinate quickly. It cross pollinates the already endangered Down Wattle or A.pubescens.
Habitat/ecology: While many Acacia species favor drier sites, others are adapted to more moist conditions.
What'sOn:. PARADISE GARDEN SPRING OPEN WEEKEND Free Entry Plenty of Easy Parking
WHEN: Saturday 31 July & Sunday 1 August 2010 TIME: 10 am to 4 pm both days
Over 12 hectares of Camellias, Magnolias, Cherry Blossom and other glorious flowers and trees.
Learn how to grow drought hardy camellias from members of the NSW Camellia Research Society Take a free guided tour of the garden;Buy a great range of plants at bargain prices.
WHERE: 147 Greta Road, Kulnura 2250 Paradise is approximately 30 minutes from Gosford (via Somersby) and Wyong (via Yarramalong), find a map at www.camelliasnsw.org
DONATIONS from sale of plants to NSW Camellia Research Society and Peats ridge/Kulnura Scout Group.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Enter Spring Garden Competition Now
Feature Interview: Robbie Cunningham, liason officer for Parks and Community at Ryde Council talks about judging criteria for Spring Garden Competition. enter online at http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/
Vegetable Hero:Chinese Cabbage-Brassica chinensis and Brassica pekinensis. Chinese cabbage shocks easily, and transplanting sometimes shocks it into going to seed. Therefore, it's best to sow the seed directly in the garden and thin them to stand 20-30cm or 8 to 12 inches apart. This is quite different from your regular cabbage because last week I mentioned that transplanting European Cabbage actually helps grow stronger roots on the plant. With Chinese cabbage, the time from planting to harvest is 7 to10 weeks depending on the variety. You should harvest when the cabbage heads are compact and firm and before seed stalks form.
Cut off the whole plant at ground level.
Design Elements: Small rockery design-choose a site 1metre x 1 metre. Half bury your rocks to give it stability.What makes a rockery ugly? Plenty of soil on show or a straggly plant that’s growing up among the rocks is too tall and out of place.
a. Go for a theme and stick to it.Try any of these themes-
i. Succulent theme-Echeverias, Kalanchoes, sedums.
ii. Orchid theme-Dendrobiums there is-a range of colours available.
iii. Flower theme-alyssum, acheillea,asters, Begonias-rhizomatous, campanula, diascia, gazania, phlox, primula-make sure you select for sun or shade.
iv. Native rockery plants-bush Kangaroo paws, Austromyrtus dulcis, dwarf heath myrtle or beackia now Babingtonia, ground cover grevilleas like G Gaudi Chaudi.” Myoporum –pinks or whites.
Plant of the Week: Lilly Pilly: Acmena smithii and Syzygium spp
Here are my top choices: in descending order of height.
A. Acmena smithii var minor-small leaves, grows to 5 x 5metres. This is considered a dwarf Lilly Pilly because they can grow up to 25 m in their natural habitiat.Tolerates clay and heavy soils as well as sandy soils. Prune annually. Moderately drought tolerant so needs a good watering when the temps go up high in summer.Not prone to pysillid damage.
B. Acmena smithii “Allyns Magic” has coppery new growth.
C. Acmena smitthii Sublime-5 metres x 2.5 m-thick dense foliage all the way down to the ground. White flowers and purple berries in mid winter to spring.
a. Great for a privacy hedge and cope better in shade than all those people planting NZ Pittosporums in that 50cm wide bed between the pool and your neighbour’s fence.
D. Syzygium leuhmannii-5m+ pink new growth and whitish berries. Weeping habit and is one of the best privacy screening hedges.
E. S. australe “Bush Christmas" and “Elite” can be pysillid prone but I’m growing one to topiary and haven’t had the problem. These are considered mid size around 3-5 metres max. A. smithii “Hot Fl;ush” is a mid sized Lilly Pilly that is not pysillid prone.
F. S. leuhmanii x wilsonii or Cascade Lilly Pilly-grows to 3m. A hybrid that has powderpuff pale pink flowers and pale pink fruits. Great hedging
G. Little ones-under 2m.
a. S. leuhmannii "Royal Flame.” Resistant to pysillds.
I. Tiny under 1m
a. A. smithii “Hedgemaster.”-b. S. australe “Tiny Trev.”NOT
what's On:
Vegetable Hero:Chinese Cabbage-Brassica chinensis and Brassica pekinensis. Chinese cabbage shocks easily, and transplanting sometimes shocks it into going to seed. Therefore, it's best to sow the seed directly in the garden and thin them to stand 20-30cm or 8 to 12 inches apart. This is quite different from your regular cabbage because last week I mentioned that transplanting European Cabbage actually helps grow stronger roots on the plant. With Chinese cabbage, the time from planting to harvest is 7 to10 weeks depending on the variety. You should harvest when the cabbage heads are compact and firm and before seed stalks form.
Cut off the whole plant at ground level.
Design Elements: Small rockery design-choose a site 1metre x 1 metre. Half bury your rocks to give it stability.What makes a rockery ugly? Plenty of soil on show or a straggly plant that’s growing up among the rocks is too tall and out of place.
a. Go for a theme and stick to it.Try any of these themes-
i. Succulent theme-Echeverias, Kalanchoes, sedums.
ii. Orchid theme-Dendrobiums there is-a range of colours available.
iii. Flower theme-alyssum, acheillea,asters, Begonias-rhizomatous, campanula, diascia, gazania, phlox, primula-make sure you select for sun or shade.
iv. Native rockery plants-bush Kangaroo paws, Austromyrtus dulcis, dwarf heath myrtle or beackia now Babingtonia, ground cover grevilleas like G Gaudi Chaudi.” Myoporum –pinks or whites.
Plant of the Week: Lilly Pilly: Acmena smithii and Syzygium spp
Here are my top choices: in descending order of height.
A. Acmena smithii var minor-small leaves, grows to 5 x 5metres. This is considered a dwarf Lilly Pilly because they can grow up to 25 m in their natural habitiat.Tolerates clay and heavy soils as well as sandy soils. Prune annually. Moderately drought tolerant so needs a good watering when the temps go up high in summer.Not prone to pysillid damage.
B. Acmena smithii “Allyns Magic” has coppery new growth.
C. Acmena smitthii Sublime-5 metres x 2.5 m-thick dense foliage all the way down to the ground. White flowers and purple berries in mid winter to spring.
a. Great for a privacy hedge and cope better in shade than all those people planting NZ Pittosporums in that 50cm wide bed between the pool and your neighbour’s fence.
D. Syzygium leuhmannii-5m+ pink new growth and whitish berries. Weeping habit and is one of the best privacy screening hedges.
E. S. australe “Bush Christmas" and “Elite” can be pysillid prone but I’m growing one to topiary and haven’t had the problem. These are considered mid size around 3-5 metres max. A. smithii “Hot Fl;ush” is a mid sized Lilly Pilly that is not pysillid prone.
F. S. leuhmanii x wilsonii or Cascade Lilly Pilly-grows to 3m. A hybrid that has powderpuff pale pink flowers and pale pink fruits. Great hedging
G. Little ones-under 2m.
a. S. leuhmannii "Royal Flame.” Resistant to pysillds.
I. Tiny under 1m
a. A. smithii “Hedgemaster.”-b. S. australe “Tiny Trev.”NOT
what's On:
Saturday, July 10, 2010
A Circle of Orchids
Sydney Garden Talk Wednesdays 5pm, Saturday 12noon
Feature Interview:Eastwood and district Orchid Circle secretary-Bernadette Williams talks about the 70 year history of the club, and a bit about the cultivation of Phaleanopsis or Moth Orchid. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 8pm un the Uniting Church Hall, Acacia st, East Denistone, 7.15 for Novice and Intermediate growers in the back room.
Plant of the Week: Camellia Japonica-large green leaves, showy flowers in winter. Pale coloured flowers prefer a dappled aspect in the morning particularly, or semi-shade most of the day. Dark coloured flowered Camellias can take full sun in the morning. Mulch with 2.5cm cow manure now and fertilise with Camellia fertilser after flowering.
Camellia japonica "Duo de Chartres." (pictured)What's On:Camellia Show-Henry street Gordon at Ravenswood School for Girls. Sunday10-5pm.
Orchid show Sunday 11th July at Eastwood Mall
Feature Interview:Eastwood and district Orchid Circle secretary-Bernadette Williams talks about the 70 year history of the club, and a bit about the cultivation of Phaleanopsis or Moth Orchid. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 8pm un the Uniting Church Hall, Acacia st, East Denistone, 7.15 for Novice and Intermediate growers in the back room.
Vegetable Hero:Cabbage or Brassica oleracea "Capitata." Cabbages do best in a reasonably firm soil, so leave it for several months between digging and planting. Why firm soil? So they don’t fall over when they grow those heavy heads.Pick a reasonably sunny spot for the site where you are growing cabbages. If you can, use a site where peas and beans (Legumes) where grown the recently-dig the pea and bean roots into the soil to provide nitrogen. I’ve been told that transplanting cabbage seedlings helps them to grow strong roots , so if you are starting from seed, sow them in a punnet.
Design Elements:small herb gardens for small spaces. Why not make it a herb spiral of about 1m high by 1.5m wide. Place rocks around the base and gradually build up to a conical shape. Drier herbs like Marjoram and Sage at the top, shadier herbs like Mint around the back and sunnier herbs like Parsley and Coriander around the front.
Plant of the Week: Camellia Japonica-large green leaves, showy flowers in winter. Pale coloured flowers prefer a dappled aspect in the morning particularly, or semi-shade most of the day. Dark coloured flowered Camellias can take full sun in the morning. Mulch with 2.5cm cow manure now and fertilise with Camellia fertilser after flowering.Camellia japonica "Duo de Chartres." (pictured)
Orchid show Sunday 11th July at Eastwood Mall
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Bloomin'Orchids
Sydney Garden Talk Wed 5-6pm, Sat. 12-1pm
Feature Interview:Geoff Fulcher from the NSW Orchid Society talks mainly about Cymbidium Orchid care. There show is on at the Tropical Centre, Sydney Botanic gardens 3rd and 4th July. http://www.orchidsocietynsw.com.au/
Vegetable Hero:potatoes discovered by south Americans. Contains solanin when exposed to sunlight turns green. You can get virus free seed potatoes from harware stores, some supermarkets, and garden centres of course. To grow potatoes, you will need to deeply dig the garden bed to ensure the soil is loose. Chicken manure or blood and bone should be dug through the bed as potatoes need a lot of phosphorus but not too much nitrogen. Too much nitrogen will cause the potatoes to create too much leafy growth rather than potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are planted into the soil to about 10cm deep to get enough soil coverage. Seed potatoes should be planted about 50cm apart.
As the potatoes grow, it is important to keep them well covered, either by mounding the soil or heavily mulching. If sunlight reaches the potatoes as they are growing, they will turn green and become inedible. Keep the potatoes watered moderately as potatoes will rot in soil that is too wet
Design Elements;Reviewing Climbing plants-Try Podranea ricasoliana-pink flowers), Pyrostegia venusta-Orange Trumpet Creeper for quick covers. Wisteria chinensis-chinese Wisteria, or Wisteria macrobotrys-Japanese Wisteria-for beautiful scent and hanging flowers in Spring. These are deciduous creepers.
Plant of the Week:Hellebores spp. Helleborus orientalis and Helleborus x hybridus.Hellebores have dangling cup-shaped flowers which invite one to reach down and look inside. The outside of the sepals (which look like petals: the true petals are reduced to nectaries within the flower) may be rich pink while the inside may be paler, sometimes spotted, within. Dark nectaries can make the flower even more fascinating.
The pink, plum and white varieties are known as Helleborus x hybridus and incorrectly as Oriental varieties Most hellebores prefer semishade particularly in hot areas. Mine in the garden are never watered. Like most perennials, hellebores are best planted in Autumn but they are so hardy that I plant them year-round. I am enjoying the reward now
What's On:Camellia Show at Ravenswood Girsl High School, Sat, July 10th 1-4pm and Sun July 11th 10-4pm.
Feature Interview:Geoff Fulcher from the NSW Orchid Society talks mainly about Cymbidium Orchid care. There show is on at the Tropical Centre, Sydney Botanic gardens 3rd and 4th July. http://www.orchidsocietynsw.com.au/
Vegetable Hero:potatoes discovered by south Americans. Contains solanin when exposed to sunlight turns green. You can get virus free seed potatoes from harware stores, some supermarkets, and garden centres of course. To grow potatoes, you will need to deeply dig the garden bed to ensure the soil is loose. Chicken manure or blood and bone should be dug through the bed as potatoes need a lot of phosphorus but not too much nitrogen. Too much nitrogen will cause the potatoes to create too much leafy growth rather than potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are planted into the soil to about 10cm deep to get enough soil coverage. Seed potatoes should be planted about 50cm apart.
As the potatoes grow, it is important to keep them well covered, either by mounding the soil or heavily mulching. If sunlight reaches the potatoes as they are growing, they will turn green and become inedible. Keep the potatoes watered moderately as potatoes will rot in soil that is too wet
Design Elements;Reviewing Climbing plants-Try Podranea ricasoliana-pink flowers), Pyrostegia venusta-Orange Trumpet Creeper for quick covers. Wisteria chinensis-chinese Wisteria, or Wisteria macrobotrys-Japanese Wisteria-for beautiful scent and hanging flowers in Spring. These are deciduous creepers.
Plant of the Week:Hellebores spp. Helleborus orientalis and Helleborus x hybridus.Hellebores have dangling cup-shaped flowers which invite one to reach down and look inside. The outside of the sepals (which look like petals: the true petals are reduced to nectaries within the flower) may be rich pink while the inside may be paler, sometimes spotted, within. Dark nectaries can make the flower even more fascinating.
The pink, plum and white varieties are known as Helleborus x hybridus and incorrectly as Oriental varieties Most hellebores prefer semishade particularly in hot areas. Mine in the garden are never watered. Like most perennials, hellebores are best planted in Autumn but they are so hardy that I plant them year-round. I am enjoying the reward now
What's On:Camellia Show at Ravenswood Girsl High School, Sat, July 10th 1-4pm and Sun July 11th 10-4pm.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Gardening is Easy
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5fm Sat-12midday, Wed -5pm
Feature Interview:winning team leader of Easy Care Gardening at Volunteers Award Ceremony in Ryde, Ian Norman, and interviewed by guest 2RRR trainee, Rosalind Horton. Why not ring today on 9983 1644 or go to the easy care gardening website. http://www.easycaregardening.org.au/ You’ll find the contact number there as well as the address and the little bit difficult email address as well. Or ring me here at the station and I’ll pass it on. Email: ecg2074@easycaregardening.org.au
Vegetable Hero-Asparagus officinalis-Common Asparagus. Grow it now-buy the Asparagus crowns from you supermarket, garden nursery or online.Plant in winter or early spring, while the crowns are still dormant. Plant in furrows about 20 cm deep and 30 cm wide. Place the crowns onto a small mound in the centre of the furrow, so that the roots point down at about 45°, spread the roots out carefully. Backfill with compost to a depth of 7.5 cm. Space the plants 45cm apart, with 1.2 m between rows. Fill in the trench gradually as growth progresses. The next Spring (that is, the first season) light cutting of spears can be done for the first month of the growing season, with normal cutting taking place each following year until late December.
Design Elements: Reviewing trees-why not go for Port Wine Magnolias?Some suggestions for hardier trees-. good doers-Michelia spp, port wine Magnolia.eg Figo, small purple flowers, Coco-slightly largere cream flowers, Mixed Up Miss, bigger cream flowers. Feature glossy green leaves and perfume flowers that are not that big really, but big on perfume. 3 metres-but can be clipped into a 2 metre hedge or less. Hardy and drought tolerant once established.
c. Bauhinia variegate-Orchid Tree-small tree suits most gardens. Evergreen with variegated pale magenta flowers. Heart shaped grey-green leaves.
d. Arbutus unedo-Irish Strawberry tree-glossy dark green foliage, bunches of lilly of the valley type flowers, red berries that can me made into jams and liquers. e,i. Eucalyptus cladocalyx “Vintage Red.” Is a red form of Sugar Gum. This eucalypt has deep coloured bark that looks quite black when young. The leaves are a deep dark red. Grows to only between 2-4metres. Can prune it back by 1/3 every 12 months if you want to keep it small. This is a grafted plant so any green shoots coming from the bottom of the trunk should be pruned off straight away.
Plant of the Week: Tagetes patula and Tagetes lemonii.Tagetes Lemmonii sometimes known as Lemmon’s marigold is a large ornamental shrub with a lemony smell and lots of single yellow marigold flowers. A profuse bloomer over a long season it is commonly used in warm climates as an addition to the perennial border or as an accent shrub along hot sunny walls. It’s bright green fern like foliage, wispy and soft, is not what it seems.
What's On-Camellia show at Ravenswood school hall Sat10th July 1.30-5pm and Sunday 11th July, 11am-4pm. Check out details at http://www.camelliasnsw.org.au/
Feature Interview:winning team leader of Easy Care Gardening at Volunteers Award Ceremony in Ryde, Ian Norman, and interviewed by guest 2RRR trainee, Rosalind Horton. Why not ring today on 9983 1644 or go to the easy care gardening website. http://www.easycaregardening.org.au/ You’ll find the contact number there as well as the address and the little bit difficult email address as well. Or ring me here at the station and I’ll pass it on. Email: ecg2074@easycaregardening.org.au
Vegetable Hero-Asparagus officinalis-Common Asparagus. Grow it now-buy the Asparagus crowns from you supermarket, garden nursery or online.Plant in winter or early spring, while the crowns are still dormant. Plant in furrows about 20 cm deep and 30 cm wide. Place the crowns onto a small mound in the centre of the furrow, so that the roots point down at about 45°, spread the roots out carefully. Backfill with compost to a depth of 7.5 cm. Space the plants 45cm apart, with 1.2 m between rows. Fill in the trench gradually as growth progresses. The next Spring (that is, the first season) light cutting of spears can be done for the first month of the growing season, with normal cutting taking place each following year until late December.
Design Elements: Reviewing trees-why not go for Port Wine Magnolias?Some suggestions for hardier trees-. good doers-Michelia spp, port wine Magnolia.eg Figo, small purple flowers, Coco-slightly largere cream flowers, Mixed Up Miss, bigger cream flowers. Feature glossy green leaves and perfume flowers that are not that big really, but big on perfume. 3 metres-but can be clipped into a 2 metre hedge or less. Hardy and drought tolerant once established.
c. Bauhinia variegate-Orchid Tree-small tree suits most gardens. Evergreen with variegated pale magenta flowers. Heart shaped grey-green leaves.
d. Arbutus unedo-Irish Strawberry tree-glossy dark green foliage, bunches of lilly of the valley type flowers, red berries that can me made into jams and liquers. e,i. Eucalyptus cladocalyx “Vintage Red.” Is a red form of Sugar Gum. This eucalypt has deep coloured bark that looks quite black when young. The leaves are a deep dark red. Grows to only between 2-4metres. Can prune it back by 1/3 every 12 months if you want to keep it small. This is a grafted plant so any green shoots coming from the bottom of the trunk should be pruned off straight away.
Plant of the Week: Tagetes patula and Tagetes lemonii.Tagetes Lemmonii sometimes known as Lemmon’s marigold is a large ornamental shrub with a lemony smell and lots of single yellow marigold flowers. A profuse bloomer over a long season it is commonly used in warm climates as an addition to the perennial border or as an accent shrub along hot sunny walls. It’s bright green fern like foliage, wispy and soft, is not what it seems.
What's On-Camellia show at Ravenswood school hall Sat10th July 1.30-5pm and Sunday 11th July, 11am-4pm. Check out details at http://www.camelliasnsw.org.au/
Saturday, June 19, 2010
It's Camellia Time
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5fm, Wed 5pm, Sat 12 midday.
Feature Interivew:Bill Parker from Parkers Camellias and http://www.camelliasrus.com.au/Tried and true Camellias-Camellia japonica"Lovelight,"-large white flowers, semi double, with central gold stamens. C. japonica "Red Red Rose,"-vibrant red semi double flowers, C. japonica "Don Herzilia de Freitas Magalhes," purple informal double flowers.
To enter a Camellia flower or photograph of a Camellia, advise entry by 1st July to NSW Camellia Research email:nswcamellias@hotmail.com or 9449 8989.Vegetable Heroes.Onions-Allium Cepa
Onions are a good companion plant. Grown around the garden they repel pests. They contain sulphur which is a strong disinfectant. In the past it was used to heal gun shot wounds and during World War 1, sphagnum moss was soaked in the juice as a wound dressing.
Remember to always lime your soil well a week or two before planting onions. They love a sweet soil. Don't forget avoid applying manures and blood and bone to the beds in which you're about to grow your onions because they prefer alkaline soil. You can use spent mushroom compost instead of cow manure.
Onion seeds are can be sown into seed raising mix into punnets. Or if you want to sow them directly into the garden, make it easy for yourself, mix the seed with some river sand-say one packet of seed to one cup of sand and sow it that way. Bit like sowing carrots!
Design Elements: Reviewing Perennials-Salvias-all kinds-eg. Salvia "Limelight"-Green and Purple bracts. Salvia leucanth "Santa Barbara."-Puple velvety bracts and grey foliage.. Helichryseum petiolare or Licorice plant grey felty foliage. Full sun, drought hardy.
Anisodontea "Pink Star."-small shrub to 1.2m. in full sun.
Arthropdium cirrhatum or Renga Renga lilly for light shade-pale green leaves and white starry flowers.
Clivea mineata or Clives. Full dry shade.
Plant of the Week: Diamond Pittosporum or Auranticarpa rhombifoliium.According to the Lamington National Park website, the common name is Deamond Pittosporum because of the shape of its leaves.
As it matures the natural shape of the tree can form a pyramid, but the ones I’ve seen around Gladesville reserve haven’t reached that stage yet.It has a smooth, grey bark.. The leaves are simple-diamond shaped, alternate, glossy and a bit leathery. About 75 mm long with toothed margins and distinct venation ,clustered at branch ends.Flowers are small, white, bell shaped and perfumed in terminal clusters in summer and are followed by colourful orange berries (5mm dia) in autumn and winter. The berries are carried on the tree for several months and each contains 2-3 black seeds.The Diamond Pittosporum naturally occurs in rainforest regrowth. Usually sub-tropical rainforest, but it can tolerate drier conditions. The ones growing the Gladesville Reserve, don’t get any additional water and survive dry summer quite well.
What's On.Catchment connections is planning a Bushcare bus tour on Saturday 3 July. The Monash Rd site has been chosen to showcase Bushcare in the City of Ryde. Phone Ryde Council.
NSW Camellia Research Society's 41st annual show 10-11July at Ravenswood Girls High School.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
When Is A Park Not A Park?
Sydney Garden Talk Wed 5-6pm. Sat 12-1pm 2RRR 88.5fm
Feature Interview: Friends of Cudal Reserve-Tonia Amy and Andrew Wilson talk about fighting to keep this Reserve as open space instead of being sold by Sydney Water and houses being built on it. A park is not a reserve it seems. A reserve is land put aside for use yet to be determined even if it has been open space for more than 50 years. To support Tonia and Andrew email cudalreserve@yahoo.com
Vegetable Heroes:Garlic-Allium sativum-In Sydney we would normally plant after about the 20th March, and during April, but it was really warm still then and even into May, so you still could do it now. The crop might have smaller cloves though.
When you plant the cloves, don’t plant too deeply otherwise they will rot off. Plant them so the tops of the bulbs are just below the surface. Plant them about 8 cm apart with the point end facing up.
Garlic usually takes about • 17-25 weeks. 4-6 months to mature. You can tell because the leaves or stalks have flopped over and turned brown.
Design Elements:Reviewing Shrubbery. The shrubbery of older gardens from the 20’s through to the 60’s were a green backdrop to border plants. These were often hardy plants that could cope with drought and floods, but are now hard to find.You can find a list on http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/ (navigate via About Heritage/ Landscape & Gardens/Heritage Gardens) Let’s look at spicing up boring scenery with some mixed shrubbery. That are good doers as well and only need a once a year prune.
i. Abelia “Frances Mason-golden foliage and only grows to 1 metre. Easily clipped into a ball or standard if you like.
ii. Loropetaum chinense-chinese Fringe Flower-tough, good doer with dark plum coloured foliage and pink fringe flowers that aren’t that intrusive if you don’t like pink. Grown more for the foliage and can be trimmed into a hedge. Very drought hardy and landscapers are using them more in designs.
iii. Rondeletia amoena-Rondeletia. 3m dense glossy leaves with pale pink clusters of waxy perfumed flowers. Bird and butterfly attracting. Used in Federation gardens together with Viburnum tinus or Laurustinus. Hard to get now but available from the Botanic Gardens nursery. Grow it from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in October/November.
iv. Spiraea cantoniensis or May bush grows on roadsides in Austria. Tough plant with mass of white flowers in spring. Deciduous.
v. Justicea carnea & J. carnea “Alba.” Known as Brazilian Plume flower. Flowers are dark pink or white for the Alba variety. Grows to 1.5-2m. sun, part shade. Large dark green leaves.
ix. Babingtonia virgata, syn Beackia virgata. Replaces the ubiquitous Diosma. Similar leaf to Diosma and larger habit. Addition of very small white flowers-suit native bees and small mouthparts of beneficial insects such as predatory wasps and lacewings.
x. Leptospermum flavescens “Cardwell” great small shrub with hundreds of white tea tree flowers-like miniature daisies. Grows to 2m. has a weeping habit. There’s a smaller version growing to 0.5m called L. “White Wave.” Tea trees are often overlooked, but have very showy flowers and respond well to clipping. Great for a fast growing screen or hedge-can even get burgundy coloured foliage > morrisonii “Burgundy.” 3 x 1.5m Full sun.
xii. Callistemon-very hardy and cope with sandy soils easily.
Plant of the Week:Zygocactus-Schlumbergera spp.Zygocactus respond to light feedings with diluted liquid fertilizer during spring and summer growing seasons. If you’re growing them indoors,use any good houseplant fertilizer or African Violet food every two to three weeks. But I don’t think people of Sydney do that as they grow quite well outside. Give them a potassium food such as tomato food or something for flowers. Stop fertilizing in early March to allow buds to set. Do not transplant or move the plant once buds have set. Resume fertilizing after flowering. Use a general potting mix but added loads of coarse sand, or perlite.. Propagation-this is really dead easy. Just break off a small piece of branch with 2-3 segments and strike it in some sandy mix, like seed raising mix.
Whats On:Saturday 12, 19 and 26 June, Bushcare Training Workshop. Council's Bushcare program, an introduction to weeds and a practical session on the hand removal of non-woody weeds in the field. The course is free but you must book your place with Liz Powell on 9777 7871
Monday 14 June, Free Guided Walk on Plants and People of the Lane Cove River from 1.30-3.30 pm. Start at Magdala Park in North Ryde, . the City of Ryde on 9952 8222.
Friday 18 June, Moonlight Meander with Sugar Gliders, 7pm to 8.30pm. This is a free event from Willoughby City Council Explosives Reserve, Opposite 42 Cammeray Road, Castle Cove. Bookings essential, phone Di Eva on 9777 7755
Feature Interview: Friends of Cudal Reserve-Tonia Amy and Andrew Wilson talk about fighting to keep this Reserve as open space instead of being sold by Sydney Water and houses being built on it. A park is not a reserve it seems. A reserve is land put aside for use yet to be determined even if it has been open space for more than 50 years. To support Tonia and Andrew email cudalreserve@yahoo.com
Vegetable Heroes:Garlic-Allium sativum-In Sydney we would normally plant after about the 20th March, and during April, but it was really warm still then and even into May, so you still could do it now. The crop might have smaller cloves though.
When you plant the cloves, don’t plant too deeply otherwise they will rot off. Plant them so the tops of the bulbs are just below the surface. Plant them about 8 cm apart with the point end facing up.
Garlic usually takes about • 17-25 weeks. 4-6 months to mature. You can tell because the leaves or stalks have flopped over and turned brown.
Design Elements:Reviewing Shrubbery. The shrubbery of older gardens from the 20’s through to the 60’s were a green backdrop to border plants. These were often hardy plants that could cope with drought and floods, but are now hard to find.You can find a list on http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/ (navigate via About Heritage/ Landscape & Gardens/Heritage Gardens) Let’s look at spicing up boring scenery with some mixed shrubbery. That are good doers as well and only need a once a year prune.
i. Abelia “Frances Mason-golden foliage and only grows to 1 metre. Easily clipped into a ball or standard if you like.
ii. Loropetaum chinense-chinese Fringe Flower-tough, good doer with dark plum coloured foliage and pink fringe flowers that aren’t that intrusive if you don’t like pink. Grown more for the foliage and can be trimmed into a hedge. Very drought hardy and landscapers are using them more in designs.
iii. Rondeletia amoena-Rondeletia. 3m dense glossy leaves with pale pink clusters of waxy perfumed flowers. Bird and butterfly attracting. Used in Federation gardens together with Viburnum tinus or Laurustinus. Hard to get now but available from the Botanic Gardens nursery. Grow it from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in October/November.
iv. Spiraea cantoniensis or May bush grows on roadsides in Austria. Tough plant with mass of white flowers in spring. Deciduous.
v. Justicea carnea & J. carnea “Alba.” Known as Brazilian Plume flower. Flowers are dark pink or white for the Alba variety. Grows to 1.5-2m. sun, part shade. Large dark green leaves.
ix. Babingtonia virgata, syn Beackia virgata. Replaces the ubiquitous Diosma. Similar leaf to Diosma and larger habit. Addition of very small white flowers-suit native bees and small mouthparts of beneficial insects such as predatory wasps and lacewings.
x. Leptospermum flavescens “Cardwell” great small shrub with hundreds of white tea tree flowers-like miniature daisies. Grows to 2m. has a weeping habit. There’s a smaller version growing to 0.5m called L. “White Wave.” Tea trees are often overlooked, but have very showy flowers and respond well to clipping. Great for a fast growing screen or hedge-can even get burgundy coloured foliage > morrisonii “Burgundy.” 3 x 1.5m Full sun.
xii. Callistemon-very hardy and cope with sandy soils easily.
Plant of the Week:Zygocactus-Schlumbergera spp.Zygocactus respond to light feedings with diluted liquid fertilizer during spring and summer growing seasons. If you’re growing them indoors,use any good houseplant fertilizer or African Violet food every two to three weeks. But I don’t think people of Sydney do that as they grow quite well outside. Give them a potassium food such as tomato food or something for flowers. Stop fertilizing in early March to allow buds to set. Do not transplant or move the plant once buds have set. Resume fertilizing after flowering. Use a general potting mix but added loads of coarse sand, or perlite.. Propagation-this is really dead easy. Just break off a small piece of branch with 2-3 segments and strike it in some sandy mix, like seed raising mix.
Whats On:Saturday 12, 19 and 26 June, Bushcare Training Workshop. Council's Bushcare program, an introduction to weeds and a practical session on the hand removal of non-woody weeds in the field. The course is free but you must book your place with Liz Powell on 9777 7871
Monday 14 June, Free Guided Walk on Plants and People of the Lane Cove River from 1.30-3.30 pm. Start at Magdala Park in North Ryde, . the City of Ryde on 9952 8222.
Friday 18 June, Moonlight Meander with Sugar Gliders, 7pm to 8.30pm. This is a free event from Willoughby City Council Explosives Reserve, Opposite 42 Cammeray Road, Castle Cove. Bookings essential, phone Di Eva on 9777 7755
Saturday, June 5, 2010
World Environment Day
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5 fm Wed. 5pm, Sat. 12noon
Feature Interview: Anna Ainsworth-Community Development Director at Eden Gardens. Nilushi Disanyake, Kristin Gabriel-from Environment team at Ryde Council. All 3 talking about the events on Sat 5th June at Eden Gardens to celebrate World Environment Day. http://www.edengardens.com.au/
Vegetable Hero:Angelia-Angelica archangelica-a herb used to ward off diseases by chewing on the root of the plant in the 15th Century. Angelica likes moist, rich soil that is slightly acid, growing best in semi-shade. Find a shady, sheltered spot for growing angelica - it likes moist soil, so keep it well watered .Leaving the seeds to ripen on the stems, will mean they’ll self sow readily. The young angelica stems can be candied and used to decorate cakes and pastries, and can also be jellied. Do this when the stems are in their second season-mid to late Spring when stems are still green.
The leaves are used in herb pillows - it's said to have a calming effect - and the roots can be cooked with butter.
Design Elements:Plant up structure. Choose a shrub that you like and clip it to shape and put 3 or 4 around the garden as a way of introducing structure in a garden bed. Helichrysum petiolare is a good option-no need to let it sprawl. Box and Lilly Pilly's make good stand alone shrubs too.
Plant of the week:Arbutus unedo-Irish Strawberry tree. Native to Portugal and Spain but migrated to Ireland after the Ice Age when there was still a connecting land bridge. Grows to 3 metres with 2-3 main trunks. You can prune to keep it smaller. Dark green leathery leaves-6cm long with toothed margins. Bell like or urceolate white flowers hanging in bunches of 10-30, similar to Lilly of the Valley flowers. Flowering in late Atumn/Winter.Aggregate drupe or berry starts off green and 12 months later turns to red. Rought brown/red bark peels to a smooth trunk as the tree ages. Slow growing. Grows in any soil. Sun, part shade.
What's On:Tuesday 8 June Eastwood Evening Garden Club is meeting at Dundas Baptist Town Hall at 7.30pm. Guest speaker this month is Stuart Read from the Heritage Council of NSW.He’ll be speaking on gardens of yesteryear. Visitors are always welcome at the Club.
If you have any questions call Ailsa on 9874 2306.
Monday 14 June, Free Guided Walk on Plants and People of the Lane Cove River from 1.30-3.30 pm. Start at Magdala Park in North Ryde, walk to Lane Cove National Park and back and learn about the history and environment of this area. Places limited, call . the City of Ryde on 9952 8222.
Feature Interview: Anna Ainsworth-Community Development Director at Eden Gardens. Nilushi Disanyake, Kristin Gabriel-from Environment team at Ryde Council. All 3 talking about the events on Sat 5th June at Eden Gardens to celebrate World Environment Day. http://www.edengardens.com.au/
Vegetable Hero:Angelia-Angelica archangelica-a herb used to ward off diseases by chewing on the root of the plant in the 15th Century. Angelica likes moist, rich soil that is slightly acid, growing best in semi-shade. Find a shady, sheltered spot for growing angelica - it likes moist soil, so keep it well watered .Leaving the seeds to ripen on the stems, will mean they’ll self sow readily. The young angelica stems can be candied and used to decorate cakes and pastries, and can also be jellied. Do this when the stems are in their second season-mid to late Spring when stems are still green.
The leaves are used in herb pillows - it's said to have a calming effect - and the roots can be cooked with butter.
Design Elements:Plant up structure. Choose a shrub that you like and clip it to shape and put 3 or 4 around the garden as a way of introducing structure in a garden bed. Helichrysum petiolare is a good option-no need to let it sprawl. Box and Lilly Pilly's make good stand alone shrubs too.
Plant of the week:Arbutus unedo-Irish Strawberry tree. Native to Portugal and Spain but migrated to Ireland after the Ice Age when there was still a connecting land bridge. Grows to 3 metres with 2-3 main trunks. You can prune to keep it smaller. Dark green leathery leaves-6cm long with toothed margins. Bell like or urceolate white flowers hanging in bunches of 10-30, similar to Lilly of the Valley flowers. Flowering in late Atumn/Winter.What's On:Tuesday 8 June Eastwood Evening Garden Club is meeting at Dundas Baptist Town Hall at 7.30pm. Guest speaker this month is Stuart Read from the Heritage Council of NSW.He’ll be speaking on gardens of yesteryear. Visitors are always welcome at the Club.
If you have any questions call Ailsa on 9874 2306.
Monday 14 June, Free Guided Walk on Plants and People of the Lane Cove River from 1.30-3.30 pm. Start at Magdala Park in North Ryde, walk to Lane Cove National Park and back and learn about the history and environment of this area. Places limited, call . the City of Ryde on 9952 8222.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Future Focus
Sydney Garden Talk Wed 5pm,Sat. 12 noon 2RRR 88.5fm
Feature Interview: Catchments Connections Officer, ryde Council-Kristin Gabriel. Talking about Future Focus program for all residents in the catchment of Lane Cove River. Four creeks lead to this river-Shrimpton Creek,...
To find out if you're in this catchment area and eligible for a home visit from Kristing, go to Ryde council,…www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/futurefocus or ring 9952 8222
Vegetable Hero:Garden Cress-Lepidium sativum.
Cress is a reseeding annual or biennial, which can be grown in shade or semi shade. In grows well in the cooler months. “If you plant cress during the summer, the plants will shoot up flowers without making enough growth to harvest.”
If grown in dry soil and very hot weather, its refreshing nip becomes unpleasant and bitter.
Its seeds are light - germinating, in about 2 to 4 days.
Soil is not that important, and sand, coir peat, and compost are all suitable. Water well; seeds and plants should be kept moist.
Cress prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. that’s slightly acid.
Desgin Elements:Built Structures-using built features such as Pergolas, walls-either stone, brick or other man made materials to construct division or levels for interest in the garden. Use garden paths-stepping stones, or pavers edged with a low growing perennial to lead the eye to a focal point.
Plant of the Week: Cyclamen-Cyclamen persicum.
Watering and Feeding
Cyclamen don't usually die prematurely through lack of care. Most people who kill their plants do so with kindness and that is, overwatering.
Cyclamen grow from tubers, these are storage organs that keep it alive during periods of dormancy. These tubers will rot when continuously saturated.
Water your cyclamen when the soil has dried, but don’t allow too much time to pass before watering again. Since cyclamen are best suited to cooler temperatures, they appreciate a cool drink rather than a warm one. Saturate the soil well, and allow the excess water to exit through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Proper drainage is necessary in order to keep the tubers healthy.
What's On:World Environment Day-Eden Gardens-Saturday June 5th.
Feature Interview: Catchments Connections Officer, ryde Council-Kristin Gabriel. Talking about Future Focus program for all residents in the catchment of Lane Cove River. Four creeks lead to this river-Shrimpton Creek,...
To find out if you're in this catchment area and eligible for a home visit from Kristing, go to Ryde council,…www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/futurefocus or ring 9952 8222
Vegetable Hero:Garden Cress-Lepidium sativum.
Cress is a reseeding annual or biennial, which can be grown in shade or semi shade. In grows well in the cooler months. “If you plant cress during the summer, the plants will shoot up flowers without making enough growth to harvest.”
If grown in dry soil and very hot weather, its refreshing nip becomes unpleasant and bitter.
Its seeds are light - germinating, in about 2 to 4 days.
Soil is not that important, and sand, coir peat, and compost are all suitable. Water well; seeds and plants should be kept moist.
Cress prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. that’s slightly acid.
Desgin Elements:Built Structures-using built features such as Pergolas, walls-either stone, brick or other man made materials to construct division or levels for interest in the garden. Use garden paths-stepping stones, or pavers edged with a low growing perennial to lead the eye to a focal point.
Plant of the Week: Cyclamen-Cyclamen persicum.
Watering and Feeding
Cyclamen don't usually die prematurely through lack of care. Most people who kill their plants do so with kindness and that is, overwatering.
Cyclamen grow from tubers, these are storage organs that keep it alive during periods of dormancy. These tubers will rot when continuously saturated.
Water your cyclamen when the soil has dried, but don’t allow too much time to pass before watering again. Since cyclamen are best suited to cooler temperatures, they appreciate a cool drink rather than a warm one. Saturate the soil well, and allow the excess water to exit through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Proper drainage is necessary in order to keep the tubers healthy.
What's On:World Environment Day-Eden Gardens-Saturday June 5th.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Dry Spell Gardening
Sydney Garden Talk, Wednesdays 5pm Saturdays 12noon 2RRR 88.5fm
Feature Interview: Brendan Moar-host of TV series dry spell gardens on cable TV. Talks about creating a connetion between a 1950's style house and an uninspiring plain backyard. http://www.opengarden.org.au/
The garden is open this weekend 22nd,23rd May as part of the open garden scheme. Brendan created a succulent cage that looks suspended somehow from the fence. In fact is attached with quite a bit of steel engineering. The lawn and garden beds are edged with long lasting aluminium. Looks fantastic! 
Rounded balls of Helichrysum petiolare blend with the planted succulents. Japanese box make the other defined features.
Vegetable Hero: Curry Tree Plant-Murraya koenigii.Rutaceae family, named after botanist Johann Koenig.
Full sun or light shade. Fertilize with palm or citrus fertilizer to promote leaf production. Curry plants can be grown in large pots and also on the ground .I have one plant in large pot and it’s only about 1 metre in height. They do not spread very much laterally on the ground or in pots but can succer if roots are disturbed. Use a well drained potting mix. Full sun, water and fertilise well. Use young leaves and crushed seeds in curries, soup stocks and sauces. Berries are edible but seeds are poisonous.
Plant of the Week: Ceratostigma willmottianum-Chinese Plumbago.Ceratostigma willmottianum : This sub-shrub needs full sun flourishing in any well drained soil and being well suited to drier soils such as sandy soils. Will cope with some shade/ Spreading habit makes it great as ground cover amongst rock plants in a tough sunny dry spot. 30cm by 45cm spread
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear annually to shape. Pruning time: autumn after flowering-will withstand pruning to the ground.
What's On:Sunday 23 May, Guided Walk of Shrimpton’s Creek. This walk will follow the bushland corridor between suburban developments. Witness some examples of landscaping and bush regeneration designed to reduce the pressures on our urban creeks. You will also see what happens when plants escape from our gardens into the bush and learn about some of Ryde’s indigenous flora. Distance: 3.4km, Grade: easy. Part of the Catchment Connections Program Time: 2 - 4pm Cost: Free Bookings: 9952 8222
Vegetable Hero: Curry Tree Plant-Murraya koenigii.Rutaceae family, named after botanist Johann Koenig.
Full sun or light shade. Fertilize with palm or citrus fertilizer to promote leaf production. Curry plants can be grown in large pots and also on the ground .I have one plant in large pot and it’s only about 1 metre in height. They do not spread very much laterally on the ground or in pots but can succer if roots are disturbed. Use a well drained potting mix. Full sun, water and fertilise well. Use young leaves and crushed seeds in curries, soup stocks and sauces. Berries are edible but seeds are poisonous.
Plant of the Week: Ceratostigma willmottianum-Chinese Plumbago.Ceratostigma willmottianum : This sub-shrub needs full sun flourishing in any well drained soil and being well suited to drier soils such as sandy soils. Will cope with some shade/ Spreading habit makes it great as ground cover amongst rock plants in a tough sunny dry spot. 30cm by 45cm spread
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear annually to shape. Pruning time: autumn after flowering-will withstand pruning to the ground.
What's On:Sunday 23 May, Guided Walk of Shrimpton’s Creek. This walk will follow the bushland corridor between suburban developments. Witness some examples of landscaping and bush regeneration designed to reduce the pressures on our urban creeks. You will also see what happens when plants escape from our gardens into the bush and learn about some of Ryde’s indigenous flora. Distance: 3.4km, Grade: easy. Part of the Catchment Connections Program Time: 2 - 4pm Cost: Free Bookings: 9952 8222
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Preserving Our Flora & Fauna
Sydney Garden Talk Wed 5-6pm,Sat 12-1pm 2RRR 88.5fm
Feature Interview:Ryde, Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society committee members Brigid Dowsett & Cathy Merchant talk about the history of the society and it's major achievement being saving the Field of Mars from being turned into a tip. Field of mars is now a Heritage Reserve. Visit Field of Mars visitors centre to obtain a map that walks around the 33 hectares of reserve. For more info on the society, goto http://www.rydehhffps.org.au/
Vegetable Hero: HorseradishBOTANICAL NAME: Armoracia rusticana syn. A. lapathifoliaHorseradish is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae syn. Cruciferae -kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and the common radish) and is cultivated for its thick, fleshy white roots.
The bite and aroma of the horseradish root are almost absent until it is grated or ground. During this process, as the root cells are crushed, volatile oils known as isothiocyanate are released. Vinegar stops this reaction and stabilizes the flavor. For milder horseradish, vinegar is added immediately.Propagate by root division in spring or autumn for harvest the following year. At harvest-dig up all the plant and use the larger roots to make horseradish sauce and store the smaller ones in sand for replanting next year.
Design Elements:Sturcture using hedges-hedges give that strong vertical element and help define beds and borders. You can use hedges in clipped geometric shapes or curves for variety.Buxus are good in any garden on their own as a clipped feature or as a hedge. Buxus microphylla var Japonica is a fairly fast grower. Try Teucriam fruticans, Westringia fruticosa for tight grey foliage, or Alternanthera for dark burgundy foliage.
Plant of the Week: Hakea laurina or Pin cushion Hakea. Named after Baron von Hake.In the Australian National Botanic Gardens it is grown singly as a shrub or small tree reaching 5 m. The best specimens are in open beds of light soil, watered but well drained. In full sun the species forms an upright shrub with a compact, rounded head, flowering freely and evenly each year on the well-ripened wood. Specimens 20 years old in light shade are rather slender and sparse and in this position they do not flower well or regularly. The rounded pin-cushion flower heads are soft deep pink, with projecting long styles, white to pale pink on aging. A faint, pleasant scent may be detected and bees have been seen visiting the flowers. Saturday, May 8, 2010
Timely topiary for a Tidy Garden
Sydney Garden Talk Wed.5-6pm, Sat 12-1pm, 2RRR 88.5fm
Feature interview:Mark Morrison, horticulturalist and topiary enthusiast. Start your topiary now. For more info go to http://www.morrisonsgardencentre.com.au/
Feature interview2:Nara Native Turf-from Ozbreed
Vegetable Hero:Cauliflower-Brassica oleraceae Botryoides.
All cauliflowers need a neutral or slightly alkaline soil to do well. If the soil is too acidic, the plants will be unable to obtain all the trace elements they need, and may develop whiptail. On the other hand, soils which are too limey or chalky can lead to stunted and discoloured cauliflower. Leave at least six weeks between liming and manuring. As with all brassicas, avoid using a plot on which a brassica crop was grown within the past two years. Cauliflowers will definitely suffer if they are grown on the same plot for two or more years in a row. A cauliflower is ready for cutting when the upper surface of the curd is fully exposed and the inner leaves no longer cover it. As usual in your veggie garden, cauliflowers are ready at the same time. If the weather is warm and you leave the cauliflowers in the ground once they have matured, the heads expand and they become discoloured and less appealing. To avoid this lift some early, they will be quite edible.
Here’s a tip to not have to eat cauliflower everyday for a month, gather up the leaves and tie them together over the curd so that they cover it, using garden twine, an elastic band or raffia. It will also protect the winter ones from the frost.
Design Elements:Structure for the garden-an overview.
It’s the bones of your garden. If you half close your eyes and look at your garden the things that stand out are the ‘structural’ elements. Providing a sound underlying structure is at the heart of good garden planning. Structure can be many things:
1 At its most obvious it’s the hard manmade elements in a garden – stone or brick walls, wooden screens, a pergola. Paths and paved areas (like a patio) also provide structure – they are elements that define a space.
2 Plants also provide structure. Obvious examples are hedges as they often enclose the garden and define its boundaries and are a very strong vertical element. But mid height and smaller hedges are also structural – think of the box hedges in a knot garden and the way they form a pattern. You can use smaller hedges to break up the space in a garden – either a mid height hedge to hide a section of your garden, or a small hedge to edge a planting bed.
3 Evergreen plants are structural elements in a garden. They keep their leaves all year round and their shapes, whether columnar, round or spreading, define the space. Some plants have, or can be pruned, into a clearly defined outline so you can use them architecturally (box). Many have an architectural outline – think of yuccas, phormiums with their sword-shaped leaves. You can also use standards for a structural element – a row of standard roses alongside a pathway.
4 Focal points are extremely valuable for structure and interest in the garden. Could be feature tree (weeping ones work well), a striking plant in a beautiful container, a sculpture, water feature, or seat.
Plant of the Week:Banksia ericifolia-Heath Banksia.
Both varieties of Banksia ericifolia are medium to large shrubs with narrow , linear leaves to about 15 mm long. The flower spikes are 80 - 110 mm wide, up to 500 - 600 mm long and usually orange in colour, although there is a form with maroon flowers in cultivation and another with whitish flowers with red styles. B.ericifolia is one of a group of banksias with "hooked" styles projecting from the axis of the flower spike. The flowers occur in autumn and winter and are followed by woody seed-bearing cones.
Feature interview:Mark Morrison, horticulturalist and topiary enthusiast. Start your topiary now. For more info go to http://www.morrisonsgardencentre.com.au/
Feature interview2:Nara Native Turf-from Ozbreed
Vegetable Hero:Cauliflower-Brassica oleraceae Botryoides.
All cauliflowers need a neutral or slightly alkaline soil to do well. If the soil is too acidic, the plants will be unable to obtain all the trace elements they need, and may develop whiptail. On the other hand, soils which are too limey or chalky can lead to stunted and discoloured cauliflower. Leave at least six weeks between liming and manuring. As with all brassicas, avoid using a plot on which a brassica crop was grown within the past two years. Cauliflowers will definitely suffer if they are grown on the same plot for two or more years in a row. A cauliflower is ready for cutting when the upper surface of the curd is fully exposed and the inner leaves no longer cover it. As usual in your veggie garden, cauliflowers are ready at the same time. If the weather is warm and you leave the cauliflowers in the ground once they have matured, the heads expand and they become discoloured and less appealing. To avoid this lift some early, they will be quite edible.
Here’s a tip to not have to eat cauliflower everyday for a month, gather up the leaves and tie them together over the curd so that they cover it, using garden twine, an elastic band or raffia. It will also protect the winter ones from the frost.
Design Elements:Structure for the garden-an overview.
It’s the bones of your garden. If you half close your eyes and look at your garden the things that stand out are the ‘structural’ elements. Providing a sound underlying structure is at the heart of good garden planning. Structure can be many things:
1 At its most obvious it’s the hard manmade elements in a garden – stone or brick walls, wooden screens, a pergola. Paths and paved areas (like a patio) also provide structure – they are elements that define a space.
2 Plants also provide structure. Obvious examples are hedges as they often enclose the garden and define its boundaries and are a very strong vertical element. But mid height and smaller hedges are also structural – think of the box hedges in a knot garden and the way they form a pattern. You can use smaller hedges to break up the space in a garden – either a mid height hedge to hide a section of your garden, or a small hedge to edge a planting bed.
3 Evergreen plants are structural elements in a garden. They keep their leaves all year round and their shapes, whether columnar, round or spreading, define the space. Some plants have, or can be pruned, into a clearly defined outline so you can use them architecturally (box). Many have an architectural outline – think of yuccas, phormiums with their sword-shaped leaves. You can also use standards for a structural element – a row of standard roses alongside a pathway.
4 Focal points are extremely valuable for structure and interest in the garden. Could be feature tree (weeping ones work well), a striking plant in a beautiful container, a sculpture, water feature, or seat.
Plant of the Week:Banksia ericifolia-Heath Banksia.
Both varieties of Banksia ericifolia are medium to large shrubs with narrow , linear leaves to about 15 mm long. The flower spikes are 80 - 110 mm wide, up to 500 - 600 mm long and usually orange in colour, although there is a form with maroon flowers in cultivation and another with whitish flowers with red styles. B.ericifolia is one of a group of banksias with "hooked" styles projecting from the axis of the flower spike. The flowers occur in autumn and winter and are followed by woody seed-bearing cones.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
New Ozzie Breed of Plants
Sydney Garden Talk Wed 5-6, Sat. 12-1pm 2RRR 88.5fm
Feature Interview: Todd Layt, owner & manager of Ozbreed Plants-talks about new plants he has bred.
ISABELLA®Liriope muscari
Isabella is a denser more compact fine leaf foliage and forms a dense ground cover.
In summer, display of showy pink flowers.
Isabella is drought and frost tolerant, and good for sunny or very shady positions.
In cooler areas it is a good idea to cut it back low to the ground in late winter.
Isabella grows to about 40cm high, with a wide spread of 50cm, making it an excellent ground cover.
PENNSTRIPE Pennisetum alopecuroides 'PAV300'
First Variegated Australian Native Grass Pennstripe is a showy, compact clumping perennial grass with narrow arching leaves and spectacular feathery flower plumes from summer to autumn.
The main feature of this variety is its stand out variegated foliage and compact form. Pennstripe grows to approximately 45cm x 45cm, which is 3/5 the size of the common form.
Pennstripe is the first variegated Australian native grass.
Vegetable Heroes:Broad Beans-belong to Fabaceae.
Like all beans, they fix atmospheric nitrogen and so, are also useful as a green manure.
They are hardy, easy to grow. Plant them in April or May for an early spring harvest. Good varieties for this region include Early Long Pod, any of the Windsor varieties and Cole’s Dwarf Prolific.
Broad beans prefer a sunny well-drained position in the garden. Ideally, the soil should fertile, but should not
have excess nitrogen or rich manure as this will promote leaf growth rather than flower (and bean) production and will make the plant more sensitive to frost and disease.
Sow 5-10cm below ground. You can sow in a weak solution of seaweed extract overnight to speed up germination.Takes up to two weeks to germinate and 3-5 months to harvest. Pick early to avoid having to peel them beans to eat them.
Design Elements: Colour Green.
Plant of the Week: Banksia ericifolia.
What's On. Sydney Botanic Gardens plant sale-Sat.8th May, 9-1pm.
Feature Interview: Todd Layt, owner & manager of Ozbreed Plants-talks about new plants he has bred.
ISABELLA®Liriope muscari
Isabella is a denser more compact fine leaf foliage and forms a dense ground cover.
In summer, display of showy pink flowers.
Isabella is drought and frost tolerant, and good for sunny or very shady positions.
In cooler areas it is a good idea to cut it back low to the ground in late winter.
Isabella grows to about 40cm high, with a wide spread of 50cm, making it an excellent ground cover.
PENNSTRIPE Pennisetum alopecuroides 'PAV300'
First Variegated Australian Native Grass Pennstripe is a showy, compact clumping perennial grass with narrow arching leaves and spectacular feathery flower plumes from summer to autumn.
The main feature of this variety is its stand out variegated foliage and compact form. Pennstripe grows to approximately 45cm x 45cm, which is 3/5 the size of the common form.
Pennstripe is the first variegated Australian native grass.
Vegetable Heroes:Broad Beans-belong to Fabaceae.
Like all beans, they fix atmospheric nitrogen and so, are also useful as a green manure.
They are hardy, easy to grow. Plant them in April or May for an early spring harvest. Good varieties for this region include Early Long Pod, any of the Windsor varieties and Cole’s Dwarf Prolific.
Broad beans prefer a sunny well-drained position in the garden. Ideally, the soil should fertile, but should not
have excess nitrogen or rich manure as this will promote leaf growth rather than flower (and bean) production and will make the plant more sensitive to frost and disease.
Sow 5-10cm below ground. You can sow in a weak solution of seaweed extract overnight to speed up germination.Takes up to two weeks to germinate and 3-5 months to harvest. Pick early to avoid having to peel them beans to eat them.
Design Elements: Colour Green.
Plant of the Week: Banksia ericifolia.
What's On. Sydney Botanic Gardens plant sale-Sat.8th May, 9-1pm.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Pandemonium with Bromeliads!
Sydney Garden Talk Wednesday5-6pm, Saturday12-1pm 88.5fm, 2RRR
Feature Interview:Treasurer NSW Bromeliad Society, Ken Phelan talks with me about the different genera with the Bromeliaceae family.We talk about how to distinguish between, Neoregelia, Nidularium and Vriesia, as well as which of the genera are more sun hardy. Those with hard leaves and spines on the edges of the leaves such as Aechmea, and some Guzmania.
Vegetable Hero: Mustard Plant. Mustard seeds of the various mustard plants are among the smallest of seeds. The seeds are about 3mm in diameter, and may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional cuisines. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard (Brassica nigra), brown Indian mustard (B. juncea), and white mustard (B. hirta/Sinapis alba).Mustard is grown like lettuce. It is more heat tolerant than lettuce, but long hot summer days will force the plant to bolt (go to seed). If you can get the seeds, sow them in early the Spring or early Autumn.
Sow mustard seeds 1/4 to 1/3 inch deep, and 3" apart. Thin seedlings to 5" - 9" apart.
They prefer cool weather, so leave the middle of the summer for the heat loving vegetables.
Mustard plants grow well in most good garden soils. They prefer full sun and cool weather. Planting successive small crops, separated about a week apart, results in a continuous supply of greens.
Mustard plants should be grown quickly. Use plenty of water, and ample amounts of fertilizer, to promote fast growth of tender, green leaves. Water plants during dry periods.
Mustard greens are eaten raw, or cooked. Harvest leaves while young and tender. Pick individual leave, or the entire plant. Leaves get tough and have a strong flavor during hot, dry weather.
Design Elements: Cool colours
Plant of the Week,Gordonia axillaris or Poached Egg Tree.Even though Gordonia is yet another genus in the tea family with flowers that closely resemble single white camellias with their large central boss of yellow stamens. The genus is now considered a strictly New World one, because the Asian species have been moved to the genus Polyspora.
Polyspora axillaris has the common name of Fried Egg Tree, so named for its 9mm wide white flower with its orange-yellow central boss of stamens. There’s a couple of quite good specimens near tennis courts in Hillcrest ave, Gladesville..
If you're looking for a small tree for your backyard, then you must check out this one. better known to most by its old name Gordonia axillaris .
What's On:Bromeliad Society Autumn Show, 11 Wellbank St. Concord, 24th &25th Arpil 9-5pm
Feature Interview:Treasurer NSW Bromeliad Society, Ken Phelan talks with me about the different genera with the Bromeliaceae family.We talk about how to distinguish between, Neoregelia, Nidularium and Vriesia, as well as which of the genera are more sun hardy. Those with hard leaves and spines on the edges of the leaves such as Aechmea, and some Guzmania.
Vegetable Hero: Mustard Plant. Mustard seeds of the various mustard plants are among the smallest of seeds. The seeds are about 3mm in diameter, and may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional cuisines. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard (Brassica nigra), brown Indian mustard (B. juncea), and white mustard (B. hirta/Sinapis alba).Mustard is grown like lettuce. It is more heat tolerant than lettuce, but long hot summer days will force the plant to bolt (go to seed). If you can get the seeds, sow them in early the Spring or early Autumn.
Sow mustard seeds 1/4 to 1/3 inch deep, and 3" apart. Thin seedlings to 5" - 9" apart.
They prefer cool weather, so leave the middle of the summer for the heat loving vegetables.
Mustard plants grow well in most good garden soils. They prefer full sun and cool weather. Planting successive small crops, separated about a week apart, results in a continuous supply of greens.
Mustard plants should be grown quickly. Use plenty of water, and ample amounts of fertilizer, to promote fast growth of tender, green leaves. Water plants during dry periods.
Mustard greens are eaten raw, or cooked. Harvest leaves while young and tender. Pick individual leave, or the entire plant. Leaves get tough and have a strong flavor during hot, dry weather.
Design Elements: Cool colours
Plant of the Week,Gordonia axillaris or Poached Egg Tree.Even though Gordonia is yet another genus in the tea family with flowers that closely resemble single white camellias with their large central boss of yellow stamens. The genus is now considered a strictly New World one, because the Asian species have been moved to the genus Polyspora.
Polyspora axillaris has the common name of Fried Egg Tree, so named for its 9mm wide white flower with its orange-yellow central boss of stamens. There’s a couple of quite good specimens near tennis courts in Hillcrest ave, Gladesville..
If you're looking for a small tree for your backyard, then you must check out this one. better known to most by its old name Gordonia axillaris .
What's On:Bromeliad Society Autumn Show, 11 Wellbank St. Concord, 24th &25th Arpil 9-5pm
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Save the Salt Marsh Please
Sydney Garden Talk Wednesdays 5-6pm, Saturdays 12-1pm. 2RRR 88.5fm
Feature Interview: Mia Dalby-Ball, ecologist specialising in salt marshes, and river systems.
Saltmarshes are considered to be important coastal habitats because of their role in filtering surface water and run off from land before it enters the estuary and the sea, their contribution to coastal productivity and because they are a source of organic material and nutrients for a wide range of marine communities.Salt marshes are the spongy layers between Mangroves and the land that may occur inland or near the sea.
They support grasses and succulents plants, but also small crabs, about 2-3 cm in size. The spawn from the crabs supports fish called small fry that are an essential food source for the bigger fish and so on up the chain.
Large numbers of crabs burrow in saltmarshes environments. These crabs excavate burrows over large areas in the saltmarsh, changing the physical structure of the environment.
From studies about mangroves and crabs, it’s been found that when the crabs bury the plant material in their burrows, this enhances the efficiency of microbial decomposition in subsurface mangrove sediments..
Crabs in mangroves are recognised for the role to the structure and function of mangrove habitats because of their burrowing and feeding activities, where they are high order predators.
These crabs are important to the foodweb because they process the leaf litter into more palatable forms and so contributing to nutrient recycling.
Vegetable Hero:Ellataria cardamomum-Cardamon
Cardamom is a perennial (means won’t grow a trunk or turn into a tree) with tall simple canes or stems that grow out of rhizomes. It is native to the shady forests of India, Ceylon and Malaysia.
Growing Cardamom-is a tough plant and drought tolerant as well if you grow it in the right spot.
You need to get a rhizome from someone in order to grow cardamon.True to its original habitat, cardamom prefers humous rich soil, filtered light and room to grow. You can grow it in a pot if you really must, but over summer it will get pot-bound, and refuse to flower, so you must keep dividing the plant and passing it out to friends (a great gift, by the way).
Even if your plant doesn’t flower you will have a huge supply of fragrant leaves, which is just as good to have as the spice.
From winter to midsummer feed your plant with fish emulsion.
Design Elements;Colour in Garden Design, designing with Hot Colours.Tropical associations, red, yellow, bright pink and organge.Warm colours may the garden seem closer than it is really is so use these colours to make parts of the garden to draw visitors into a space. Create a focal point with a hot colour.
Use Bougainvillea, Cannas, Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, Kniphofias.
Temper down the look with palms,Philodendron and ferns-ie. plants with big leaves. Try Ensete ventricosum.
Plant red flowers among silver foliage to give jewel effect.
Plant of the Week. Asters:Mostly very frost resistant, asters have a preference for well-drained fertile soil that remains moist during the growing season. A sunny, airy, open position ensures maximum flower production and minimum mildew, which can cause problems in humid conditions. Deadhead routinely to encourage continued flowering, and cut back hard after flowering. Propagate by winter division or from spring softwood cuttings.
What's On:
Bromeliad Society Autumn show. Senior Citizens centre,Wellbank street, Concord 24,25th April. 9-5pm
Feature Interview: Mia Dalby-Ball, ecologist specialising in salt marshes, and river systems.
Saltmarshes are considered to be important coastal habitats because of their role in filtering surface water and run off from land before it enters the estuary and the sea, their contribution to coastal productivity and because they are a source of organic material and nutrients for a wide range of marine communities.Salt marshes are the spongy layers between Mangroves and the land that may occur inland or near the sea.
They support grasses and succulents plants, but also small crabs, about 2-3 cm in size. The spawn from the crabs supports fish called small fry that are an essential food source for the bigger fish and so on up the chain.
Large numbers of crabs burrow in saltmarshes environments. These crabs excavate burrows over large areas in the saltmarsh, changing the physical structure of the environment.
From studies about mangroves and crabs, it’s been found that when the crabs bury the plant material in their burrows, this enhances the efficiency of microbial decomposition in subsurface mangrove sediments..
Crabs in mangroves are recognised for the role to the structure and function of mangrove habitats because of their burrowing and feeding activities, where they are high order predators.
These crabs are important to the foodweb because they process the leaf litter into more palatable forms and so contributing to nutrient recycling.
Vegetable Hero:Ellataria cardamomum-Cardamon
Cardamom is a perennial (means won’t grow a trunk or turn into a tree) with tall simple canes or stems that grow out of rhizomes. It is native to the shady forests of India, Ceylon and Malaysia.
Growing Cardamom-is a tough plant and drought tolerant as well if you grow it in the right spot.
You need to get a rhizome from someone in order to grow cardamon.True to its original habitat, cardamom prefers humous rich soil, filtered light and room to grow. You can grow it in a pot if you really must, but over summer it will get pot-bound, and refuse to flower, so you must keep dividing the plant and passing it out to friends (a great gift, by the way).
Even if your plant doesn’t flower you will have a huge supply of fragrant leaves, which is just as good to have as the spice.
From winter to midsummer feed your plant with fish emulsion.
Design Elements;Colour in Garden Design, designing with Hot Colours.Tropical associations, red, yellow, bright pink and organge.Warm colours may the garden seem closer than it is really is so use these colours to make parts of the garden to draw visitors into a space. Create a focal point with a hot colour.
Use Bougainvillea, Cannas, Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, Kniphofias.
Temper down the look with palms,Philodendron and ferns-ie. plants with big leaves. Try Ensete ventricosum.
Plant red flowers among silver foliage to give jewel effect.
Plant of the Week. Asters:Mostly very frost resistant, asters have a preference for well-drained fertile soil that remains moist during the growing season. A sunny, airy, open position ensures maximum flower production and minimum mildew, which can cause problems in humid conditions. Deadhead routinely to encourage continued flowering, and cut back hard after flowering. Propagate by winter division or from spring softwood cuttings.
What's On:
Bromeliad Society Autumn show. Senior Citizens centre,Wellbank street, Concord 24,25th April. 9-5pm
Saturday, April 10, 2010
At the Easter Show
Sydney Garden Talk 2RRR 88.5 fm Saturdays 12-1pm, Wednesdays 5-6 pm
Feature Interview: Jeff Cooke, Managing Director Ramm Botanicals, http://www.ramm.com.au/
Talking about new plants bred by Ramm: Anigozanthus "Pink Pearl." Brachysome "White Cloud." Mandevilla "Regal Ruby."
Vegetable Hero: Petroselinum-Parsley
Design Elements: Designing your garden with colour. Ep.1-Mixed Colours and the Colour Wheel.
Plant of the Week: Fuchsia
What's On.
Feature Interview: Jeff Cooke, Managing Director Ramm Botanicals, http://www.ramm.com.au/
Talking about new plants bred by Ramm: Anigozanthus "Pink Pearl." Brachysome "White Cloud." Mandevilla "Regal Ruby."
Vegetable Hero: Petroselinum-Parsley
Design Elements: Designing your garden with colour. Ep.1-Mixed Colours and the Colour Wheel.
Plant of the Week: Fuchsia
What's On.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Join A Garden Club Now
SYDNEY GARDEN TALK 2RRR 88.5 fm
Saturdays 12-1pm, Wednesdays 5-6pm
Feature Interview: Christine Rethers, Secretary Kuringai Horticultural Society. meets Tuesday 6th April, 7.30pm
Vegetable Hero: Mizuna-Japanes lettuce greens. Easy to grow, just sow the seeds and pick off the leaves. Use in stir frys, soups, salalds.
Design Elements:Mediterranean gardens.
Plant of the week:Correa reflexa, Correa, alba, Correa pulchella-Correas, or Native Fuchsia
Flowering now and all through winter providing nectary for all nectar feeding birds.
Grows in part sun, not full western sun. Water over dry periods.
Whats On:
Saturdays 12-1pm, Wednesdays 5-6pm
Feature Interview: Christine Rethers, Secretary Kuringai Horticultural Society. meets Tuesday 6th April, 7.30pm
Vegetable Hero: Mizuna-Japanes lettuce greens. Easy to grow, just sow the seeds and pick off the leaves. Use in stir frys, soups, salalds.
Design Elements:Mediterranean gardens.
Plant of the week:Correa reflexa, Correa, alba, Correa pulchella-Correas, or Native Fuchsia
Flowering now and all through winter providing nectary for all nectar feeding birds.
Grows in part sun, not full western sun. Water over dry periods.
Whats On:
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Darling Dahlias
SYDNEYGARDENTALK 2RRR Saturdays 12-1pm, Wednesdays 5-6pm 88.5 FM
Feature Interview: President of Eastwood Evening Garden Club-Arthur Mc Cullagh.
Next meeting on Tuesday 13th April, 7.30 pm at Dundas Baptist Church Hall.
Dahlias are easy, just dig a hole and plant the tuber with some Blood 'n' Bone.
Divide Dahlias when they start to shoot next Spring.
Use Eco Rose for powdery mildew -contains Potassium Bi Carbonate.
Use Dipel or Success (contains Spinosad) for caterpillars.
Vegetable Hero: Salvia officinalis or Sage. Sage prefers a warm, sunny location, although it does not enjoy extreme heat. It is not particular about soil, except that it be well-drained.
Pruning after flowering will keep plants attractive and prevent them from getting too woody and leggy. Fertilize in early spring.
The health benefits of growing sage have been handed down to us from ancient wisdom.
Herb tea made with sage is a stimulant used to treat all sorts of ailment and disorders. It is also good for clean teeth and promotes healthy gums.
Sage is a mild tonic great for the nervous system. This mild tonic quietens the nerves, relieves spasms, helps induce sleep and combats depression, mental exhaustion.
Design Elements: Problem Dry Shady Garden. For dry shade under a tree-try Vinca major or Periwinkle-green leaves and violet blue flowers from spring to Autumn.
Cliveas do well in dry shade-orange through to creamy yellow flowers with dark green strappy leaves.
Grassy types-Liriope muscari or Lilly turf-purple flower spikes. Mondo grass-black through to variegations of green and white, yellow and green.
Lamium 'Beacon Silver'-has silvery foliage for lightening an area.
Ivy-Hedera helix, has variegated cultivars also to lighten an area.
Raise beds to increase growth of planting underneath or grow in pots. Hellebores do well in shadey areas as to hydrangeas, especially in raised beds.
Plant of the Week. Begonias.Begonias are desert plants, that is they are succulents so they don’t like overwater.
Originating in the shaded protection of tropical and subtropical forests, begonias will not tolerate frost, and most dislike direct sunlight except for some morning sun. This means that in frost-prone areas they should be grown under the shelter of shrubs or trees, under verandahs and pergolas or in containers which can be moved to protected spots, while bedding begonias should be treated as annuals.
The succulent nature of begonias means that they are able to store moisture and need less frequent watering. However, they prefer a humid environment with adequate ventilation to avoid diseases, and getting this balance of moisture and ventilation just right is the key to success.
Whats On:Wednesday 31 March, Royal Botanic Gardens. Native Fruit & Nuts walk and talk, 10.30am – 12.30pm Join volunteer guides David Chandler, Jenny Pattison and Lisle Brown to explore the incredible diversity of native plant seeds. Find out when a berry is not a berry, and a gumnut not a nut. On this ‘hands-on’ tour you will have the opportunity to discover the vast array of interesting and unique ways Australian plants package their seeds. Where: Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Gardens Cost: Friends $12,non-members $18, includes morning tea at 10.30 am Enquiries: 9231 8182
Feature Interview: President of Eastwood Evening Garden Club-Arthur Mc Cullagh.
Next meeting on Tuesday 13th April, 7.30 pm at Dundas Baptist Church Hall.
Dahlias are easy, just dig a hole and plant the tuber with some Blood 'n' Bone.
Divide Dahlias when they start to shoot next Spring.
Use Eco Rose for powdery mildew -contains Potassium Bi Carbonate.
Use Dipel or Success (contains Spinosad) for caterpillars.
Vegetable Hero: Salvia officinalis or Sage. Sage prefers a warm, sunny location, although it does not enjoy extreme heat. It is not particular about soil, except that it be well-drained.
Pruning after flowering will keep plants attractive and prevent them from getting too woody and leggy. Fertilize in early spring.
The health benefits of growing sage have been handed down to us from ancient wisdom.
Herb tea made with sage is a stimulant used to treat all sorts of ailment and disorders. It is also good for clean teeth and promotes healthy gums.
Sage is a mild tonic great for the nervous system. This mild tonic quietens the nerves, relieves spasms, helps induce sleep and combats depression, mental exhaustion.
Design Elements: Problem Dry Shady Garden. For dry shade under a tree-try Vinca major or Periwinkle-green leaves and violet blue flowers from spring to Autumn.
Cliveas do well in dry shade-orange through to creamy yellow flowers with dark green strappy leaves.
Grassy types-Liriope muscari or Lilly turf-purple flower spikes. Mondo grass-black through to variegations of green and white, yellow and green.
Lamium 'Beacon Silver'-has silvery foliage for lightening an area.
Ivy-Hedera helix, has variegated cultivars also to lighten an area.
Raise beds to increase growth of planting underneath or grow in pots. Hellebores do well in shadey areas as to hydrangeas, especially in raised beds.
Plant of the Week. Begonias.Begonias are desert plants, that is they are succulents so they don’t like overwater.
Originating in the shaded protection of tropical and subtropical forests, begonias will not tolerate frost, and most dislike direct sunlight except for some morning sun. This means that in frost-prone areas they should be grown under the shelter of shrubs or trees, under verandahs and pergolas or in containers which can be moved to protected spots, while bedding begonias should be treated as annuals.
The succulent nature of begonias means that they are able to store moisture and need less frequent watering. However, they prefer a humid environment with adequate ventilation to avoid diseases, and getting this balance of moisture and ventilation just right is the key to success.
Whats On:Wednesday 31 March, Royal Botanic Gardens. Native Fruit & Nuts walk and talk, 10.30am – 12.30pm Join volunteer guides David Chandler, Jenny Pattison and Lisle Brown to explore the incredible diversity of native plant seeds. Find out when a berry is not a berry, and a gumnut not a nut. On this ‘hands-on’ tour you will have the opportunity to discover the vast array of interesting and unique ways Australian plants package their seeds. Where: Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Gardens Cost: Friends $12,non-members $18, includes morning tea at 10.30 am Enquiries: 9231 8182
Saturday, March 20, 2010
How Green is Your Home?
SYDNEY GARDEN TALK on 2RRR 88.5 fm Saturdays 12-1pm, Wednesdays 5-6pm
Feature Interview: How green is your home? Go to http://www.greenstyle.org.au/
Vegetable Hero: Savory herb- winter and summer. Savory is an annual or perennial herb, Satureja hortenis, for Summer Savory, or Saturejo montana being for Winter Savory.
All Savory’s belong to the mint or Lamiaceae family. They have dark-green,narrow leaves for winter savory and light green narrow leaves for summer savory. The savories can be used fresh or dried and crushed. The history of savory goes back about 2000 years and they are one of the oldest culinary herbs.
What does Summer Savory like. Well, it’s no different than growing Thyme, it likes full sun with well-draining soil.
Savory prefers to be planted in soil that's slightly alkaline. Give it a side-dressing of compost or worm castings whenever possible. Summer savory is bushy and low-growing so it makes an excellent edging plant for a kitchen garden, herb bed, or vegetable garden.
Summer savory likes regular water. I have some growing in a strawberry pot so that it cascades out of one of the holes. It seems to like that spot better than the strawberries. As far as the soil in my container goes, well it’s just potting mix with soil wetter crystals added to it. So you see it's well-suited to container gardening, as well.
Tips for the Chef:Summer savory, Satureja hortensis, is a nice herb to use when you are cutting back on salt-it's flavor is mild, a little bit similar to thyme, but with it's own unique flavor. To me, it has a slightly peppery flavour, but a piney fragrance when you crush it in your hand. You can mince summer savory and combine with bread crumbs for coating fish or vegetables such as squash before sauteeing. Use it in potato dishes, tomato sauces, meatballs or vegetable juices. It's also great in egg dishes such as omelets and frittatas.
Mince fresh summer savory leaves and combine with garlic, bay and lemon for a good marinade for fish.
Design Elements: Planting out your garden with cacti and succulents.
For a hot or suuny spot that is weel drained, ie, doesn't hold much water, try cacti and succulents.
Make a dry river bed using pebbles, and plant out blue shaded succulents to give the impression of a water feature.
For dry sloping sites, terrace your garden and plant out with larger succulents such as Agave attenutata, Kalanchoe spp.
Group your succulents according to colour size and leaf shape to give it some form. Uses splashes of colour such as Aeonium Zwartkopf (very black foliage) and Sedums that have different flower colours ranging from pinks yellows to dark reds.
Plant out succulents amongs steps, sleepers or stoney rockeries.
For sunny side passageways, add gravel, stepping stones and succulents.
Plant of the Week: Camellia Sasanqua. Let’s start with the main difference between Camellia japonica and Camellia Sasanqua.
The leaves are dark green on both, but Sasanqua Camellias have a noticeably smaller leaf to that of Japonicas. For me that’s an easy way to pick between the two.
Sasanqua flowers are also smaller, from the very tiny Baby Bear, palest of pink flowers to the larger, but more blowsy white edged with pink, C. Sasanqua “Something Special, or Wahroongah.
The growth habit is much faster, sometimes, twice as fast. There are some Camellia japonicas which take 10 years to get to over two metres…like the red Emperor of Russioa.
That’s why the Camellia Society of Australia, is always showing its members how to graft Camellia japonica onto a stock plant of Camellia Sasanqua.
#I’ve got one going…the handsomely named. C japonica Dona Herzilia de Freitas Magales, that I grafted onto a sasanqua stock last June. One of the three has survived and is being carefully nurtured for planting out in autumn.
Sasanquas, the Sun lover. Sasanqua Camellias are among the easiest of garden plants to grow. They flower heavily in very early Autumn and early Winter with a not too much care.
The glossy dark green leaves of all cultivar varieties always look good in garden design. Cultivars growing to various heights and widths are available for selection. There is also a wide range of flower colours and forms. Flower colours range through a selection of whites, pinks and reds. A carpet of petals covers the ground below the bush when it is in flower.
What's On:
Open Garden 20th and 21st March-19 Fourth Ave, Eastwood.
Saturday 27 March, West Ryde Easter Parade and Market. Time: 10am - 3pm Venue: West Ryde MarketplaceCommunity parade and market stalls. For more information email easterparade@rydetoyota.com.au or call 9858 1788.
Feature Interview: How green is your home? Go to http://www.greenstyle.org.au/
Vegetable Hero: Savory herb- winter and summer. Savory is an annual or perennial herb, Satureja hortenis, for Summer Savory, or Saturejo montana being for Winter Savory.
All Savory’s belong to the mint or Lamiaceae family. They have dark-green,narrow leaves for winter savory and light green narrow leaves for summer savory. The savories can be used fresh or dried and crushed. The history of savory goes back about 2000 years and they are one of the oldest culinary herbs.
What does Summer Savory like. Well, it’s no different than growing Thyme, it likes full sun with well-draining soil.
Savory prefers to be planted in soil that's slightly alkaline. Give it a side-dressing of compost or worm castings whenever possible. Summer savory is bushy and low-growing so it makes an excellent edging plant for a kitchen garden, herb bed, or vegetable garden.
Summer savory likes regular water. I have some growing in a strawberry pot so that it cascades out of one of the holes. It seems to like that spot better than the strawberries. As far as the soil in my container goes, well it’s just potting mix with soil wetter crystals added to it. So you see it's well-suited to container gardening, as well.
Tips for the Chef:Summer savory, Satureja hortensis, is a nice herb to use when you are cutting back on salt-it's flavor is mild, a little bit similar to thyme, but with it's own unique flavor. To me, it has a slightly peppery flavour, but a piney fragrance when you crush it in your hand. You can mince summer savory and combine with bread crumbs for coating fish or vegetables such as squash before sauteeing. Use it in potato dishes, tomato sauces, meatballs or vegetable juices. It's also great in egg dishes such as omelets and frittatas.
Mince fresh summer savory leaves and combine with garlic, bay and lemon for a good marinade for fish.
Design Elements: Planting out your garden with cacti and succulents.
For a hot or suuny spot that is weel drained, ie, doesn't hold much water, try cacti and succulents.
Make a dry river bed using pebbles, and plant out blue shaded succulents to give the impression of a water feature.
For dry sloping sites, terrace your garden and plant out with larger succulents such as Agave attenutata, Kalanchoe spp.
Group your succulents according to colour size and leaf shape to give it some form. Uses splashes of colour such as Aeonium Zwartkopf (very black foliage) and Sedums that have different flower colours ranging from pinks yellows to dark reds.
Plant out succulents amongs steps, sleepers or stoney rockeries.
For sunny side passageways, add gravel, stepping stones and succulents.
Plant of the Week: Camellia Sasanqua. Let’s start with the main difference between Camellia japonica and Camellia Sasanqua.
The leaves are dark green on both, but Sasanqua Camellias have a noticeably smaller leaf to that of Japonicas. For me that’s an easy way to pick between the two.
Sasanqua flowers are also smaller, from the very tiny Baby Bear, palest of pink flowers to the larger, but more blowsy white edged with pink, C. Sasanqua “Something Special, or Wahroongah.
The growth habit is much faster, sometimes, twice as fast. There are some Camellia japonicas which take 10 years to get to over two metres…like the red Emperor of Russioa.
That’s why the Camellia Society of Australia, is always showing its members how to graft Camellia japonica onto a stock plant of Camellia Sasanqua.
#I’ve got one going…the handsomely named. C japonica Dona Herzilia de Freitas Magales, that I grafted onto a sasanqua stock last June. One of the three has survived and is being carefully nurtured for planting out in autumn.
Sasanquas, the Sun lover. Sasanqua Camellias are among the easiest of garden plants to grow. They flower heavily in very early Autumn and early Winter with a not too much care.
The glossy dark green leaves of all cultivar varieties always look good in garden design. Cultivars growing to various heights and widths are available for selection. There is also a wide range of flower colours and forms. Flower colours range through a selection of whites, pinks and reds. A carpet of petals covers the ground below the bush when it is in flower.
What's On:
Open Garden 20th and 21st March-19 Fourth Ave, Eastwood.
Saturday 27 March, West Ryde Easter Parade and Market. Time: 10am - 3pm Venue: West Ryde MarketplaceCommunity parade and market stalls. For more information email easterparade@rydetoyota.com.au or call 9858 1788.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Cacti and Succulents are Native Too!
SYDNEY GARDEN TALK 2RRR 88.5 FM Saturdays 12noon-1pm, Wed. 5-6 pm
Feature Interview: Attila Kapitany, President of the Australian Cacti & Succulent Societ. http://www.cssaustralia.org.au/
Vegetable Hero:Carrots- daucus carrots sativus.
The simplest way to sow carrots is to mix a packet of seed with once cup of river sand, pouring the contents into seed drills or just broadcasting them in 10 cm wide row. Cover the seed with finely sieved compost. Not too thick or they won’t germinate. The sand makes germination easier; but because sand drains so quickly you need to make sure the carrot seedlings don't dry out at this crucial stage.
Carrots have one of the longest germination times of all vegetables; often taking over 3 weeks.
To help with the germination, add a packet of radishes. These germinate in 4-5 days, and help break the surface crust of the soil. The radishes will be gone in a few weeks so no problems with overcrowding there.
Thin the carrot seedlings out when they're about 5cms (2 inches) tall, when they have 4 little leaves to a distance of 2cm (a little under an inch).
Carrots need about 5cm between plants so they can grow the root without pushing onto other carrots, which would stunt/prevent growth of root of harvesting size and shape.
Design Elements: Mediterranean Dry Gardens.
Plant of the Week: Dahlia-March "to do" list.
Continue to remove spent blooms to encourage new flowers to grow, otherwise the plant is fooled into thinking it had better set some seed before dying back for the end of the season.
The more you pick, the more flowers you will have coming on. Always pick with a decent stem, and cut it off just above a leaf node so that the next laterals can grow on. Keep up your spraying with caterpillar spray-something that contains Spinosad.
Continue to disbud where required, and keep up your watering and spraying regime. Water in the cool of the evening, and give a good soaking once or twice a week. This is better than a quick watering every day which achieves very little.
What to do in april-Excessively wet soil may cause the tubers to rot, so if your weather has been wet and stormy, you may want to wait for a drying trend.
Dig and prepare a 30cm-12 inch diameter by 30cm or 12 inch deep planting hole. Mix a shovel full of compost, a handful of bone meal, and a little Dolomite lime to the soil which was removed.
What's On
Feature Interview: Attila Kapitany, President of the Australian Cacti & Succulent Societ. http://www.cssaustralia.org.au/
Vegetable Hero:Carrots- daucus carrots sativus.
The simplest way to sow carrots is to mix a packet of seed with once cup of river sand, pouring the contents into seed drills or just broadcasting them in 10 cm wide row. Cover the seed with finely sieved compost. Not too thick or they won’t germinate. The sand makes germination easier; but because sand drains so quickly you need to make sure the carrot seedlings don't dry out at this crucial stage.
Carrots have one of the longest germination times of all vegetables; often taking over 3 weeks.
To help with the germination, add a packet of radishes. These germinate in 4-5 days, and help break the surface crust of the soil. The radishes will be gone in a few weeks so no problems with overcrowding there.
Thin the carrot seedlings out when they're about 5cms (2 inches) tall, when they have 4 little leaves to a distance of 2cm (a little under an inch).
Carrots need about 5cm between plants so they can grow the root without pushing onto other carrots, which would stunt/prevent growth of root of harvesting size and shape.
Design Elements: Mediterranean Dry Gardens.
Plant of the Week: Dahlia-March "to do" list.
Continue to remove spent blooms to encourage new flowers to grow, otherwise the plant is fooled into thinking it had better set some seed before dying back for the end of the season.
The more you pick, the more flowers you will have coming on. Always pick with a decent stem, and cut it off just above a leaf node so that the next laterals can grow on. Keep up your spraying with caterpillar spray-something that contains Spinosad.
Continue to disbud where required, and keep up your watering and spraying regime. Water in the cool of the evening, and give a good soaking once or twice a week. This is better than a quick watering every day which achieves very little.
What to do in april-Excessively wet soil may cause the tubers to rot, so if your weather has been wet and stormy, you may want to wait for a drying trend.
Dig and prepare a 30cm-12 inch diameter by 30cm or 12 inch deep planting hole. Mix a shovel full of compost, a handful of bone meal, and a little Dolomite lime to the soil which was removed.
What's On
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Garden Party
SYDNEY GARDEN TALK 2rrr 88.5 fm Saturdays 12 noon- 1pm, Wedneseday 5-6pm
Feature Interviews: Two open gardens in Drummoyne, St Georges Crescent.Hooper garden tip-mulch your garden. Croll garden tip-water your garden an it will grow, feed your garden and it will flourish.
Open Garden Scheme: http://www.ogs.org.au/
Vegetable Hero: Oregano, Origanum marjoram ; Origanum vulgare.
You can grow this plant from seed, or buy as a seedling.
Harvest when plant reaches the flowering stage
Sow in garden, or start in seed trays. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
Best planted at soil temperatures between 18°C and 25°C.
Space plants: 15cm
As far as companion planting goes, anything that benefits from having a flea beetle deterrent, like all Hibiscus, plant Oregano next to it. I haven’t tried this one, so if anyone has found this successful, give me a call in the studio.
For best flavour harvest in the morning just after the dew has lifted. Oregano has a high level of antioxidant activity, as it has lots of phenolic acids and flavonoids.
Garden Design Elements:Dry Native Gardens.
Need-free draining soil, low phosphorus.
Use in borders, banks, rockeries.
Design uses-infomal,use colour and texture like a tapestry, plant in drifts and curves, avoid straight lines.
Formal-Westringia clipped like topiary, hedges, lillypilly.
Contemporary-striking plants-Doryanthes, Xanthorrea.
Grasses in combination with other plants. Lomandra 'Tanika, L. 'Seascape,' Dianelle 'Breeze' D. 'Cassa Blue'
Feature trees;Corymbia'Summer Beauty'. Euc. cladocalyx. 'Vintage Red'.
Plant of the Week: Stenorcarpus sinuatus, Qld Firewheel Tree. Proteaceae Family.
Grows in warmer types of rainforest in coastal areas north from the Nambucca R.Despite its sub-tropical to tropical origin, S.sinuatus is adaptable to a range of climates and will even succeed in dry climates if additional water is available. It prefers fairly rich, loamy soils but is tolerant of most well drained soils. It may be grown in a sunny or partly shaded location.Keep one single leader to avoid splitting of the trunk as the tree ages.
Keep it well watered in really hot weather otherwise it tends to drop a lot of leaves. Bird attractant trees get a bit of flower and seed mess around the bottom but I have underplanting of Heliotrope and various begonias without any trouble.
What's On.
Monday 8 March, Easy Care Gardening Workshop by the City of Ryde. A good opportunity to meet other gardeners, learn about Easy Care Gardening Inc and the joys of volunteering. A free lunch is provided followed by a tour of Eden Gardens.Time: 11am - 1pm,Venue: Eden Gardens, Cnr Lane Cove and Fontenoy Roads, North Ryde, Free,Numbers are limited. Bookings are essential. Call 9144 1699 by Tuesday 2 March 2010.
Tuesday 9 March Eastwood Evening Garden Club meets with Helen Kerley from the City of Ryde talking about worms. (Marianne…mention Ailsa on the show last week). The Club welcomes guests and if you’d like to go, it’s at 7.30pm at Dundas Baptist church hall, 154 Marsden Road, Dundas.
Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 March – Electronic Waste cleanup Time: 9am - 4pm Is your home full of electronic clutter? Then have a clean out and bring your unwanted electronic goods for recycling and safe disposal. Products accepted: televisions, computers, laptops, monitors, printers, mobile phones and computer-related peripherals (joysticks, mouses, hard drives etc) Products not accepted: whitegoods, UPS units, overhead projectors, contaminated equipment or other hazardous waste. A maximum of 20 systems per carload will be accepted. Collection points are:
Bicentennial Park, Lofberg Rd, West Pymble
Mosman Council Carpark, The Crescent, Pymble
Balcombe Heights Estate, 90-94 Seven Hills Rd, Baulkham Hills (Saturday from 9.30am)
Kimbriki Environmental Enterprises, Kimbriki Rd, Terrey Hills
Feature Interviews: Two open gardens in Drummoyne, St Georges Crescent.Hooper garden tip-mulch your garden. Croll garden tip-water your garden an it will grow, feed your garden and it will flourish.
Open Garden Scheme: http://www.ogs.org.au/
Vegetable Hero: Oregano, Origanum marjoram ; Origanum vulgare.
You can grow this plant from seed, or buy as a seedling.
Harvest when plant reaches the flowering stage
Sow in garden, or start in seed trays. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
Best planted at soil temperatures between 18°C and 25°C.
Space plants: 15cm
As far as companion planting goes, anything that benefits from having a flea beetle deterrent, like all Hibiscus, plant Oregano next to it. I haven’t tried this one, so if anyone has found this successful, give me a call in the studio.
For best flavour harvest in the morning just after the dew has lifted. Oregano has a high level of antioxidant activity, as it has lots of phenolic acids and flavonoids.
Garden Design Elements:Dry Native Gardens.
Need-free draining soil, low phosphorus.
Use in borders, banks, rockeries.
Design uses-infomal,use colour and texture like a tapestry, plant in drifts and curves, avoid straight lines.
Formal-Westringia clipped like topiary, hedges, lillypilly.
Contemporary-striking plants-Doryanthes, Xanthorrea.
Grasses in combination with other plants. Lomandra 'Tanika, L. 'Seascape,' Dianelle 'Breeze' D. 'Cassa Blue'
Feature trees;Corymbia'Summer Beauty'. Euc. cladocalyx. 'Vintage Red'.
Plant of the Week: Stenorcarpus sinuatus, Qld Firewheel Tree. Proteaceae Family.
Grows in warmer types of rainforest in coastal areas north from the Nambucca R.Despite its sub-tropical to tropical origin, S.sinuatus is adaptable to a range of climates and will even succeed in dry climates if additional water is available. It prefers fairly rich, loamy soils but is tolerant of most well drained soils. It may be grown in a sunny or partly shaded location.Keep one single leader to avoid splitting of the trunk as the tree ages.
Keep it well watered in really hot weather otherwise it tends to drop a lot of leaves. Bird attractant trees get a bit of flower and seed mess around the bottom but I have underplanting of Heliotrope and various begonias without any trouble.
What's On.
Monday 8 March, Easy Care Gardening Workshop by the City of Ryde. A good opportunity to meet other gardeners, learn about Easy Care Gardening Inc and the joys of volunteering. A free lunch is provided followed by a tour of Eden Gardens.Time: 11am - 1pm,Venue: Eden Gardens, Cnr Lane Cove and Fontenoy Roads, North Ryde, Free,Numbers are limited. Bookings are essential. Call 9144 1699 by Tuesday 2 March 2010.
Tuesday 9 March Eastwood Evening Garden Club meets with Helen Kerley from the City of Ryde talking about worms. (Marianne…mention Ailsa on the show last week). The Club welcomes guests and if you’d like to go, it’s at 7.30pm at Dundas Baptist church hall, 154 Marsden Road, Dundas.
Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 March – Electronic Waste cleanup Time: 9am - 4pm Is your home full of electronic clutter? Then have a clean out and bring your unwanted electronic goods for recycling and safe disposal. Products accepted: televisions, computers, laptops, monitors, printers, mobile phones and computer-related peripherals (joysticks, mouses, hard drives etc) Products not accepted: whitegoods, UPS units, overhead projectors, contaminated equipment or other hazardous waste. A maximum of 20 systems per carload will be accepted. Collection points are:
Bicentennial Park, Lofberg Rd, West Pymble
Mosman Council Carpark, The Crescent, Pymble
Balcombe Heights Estate, 90-94 Seven Hills Rd, Baulkham Hills (Saturday from 9.30am)
Kimbriki Environmental Enterprises, Kimbriki Rd, Terrey Hills
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Stopping the Methane Bubble
SYDNEY GARDENTALK 2RRR 88.5 FM Saturdays 12noon-1pm. Wednesdays 5-6pm.
Feature Interview: Helen Kerley-Ryde Waste Communications Officer.
Go http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/ to connect with what bins you can get from council for composting and worm farms.
Go to http://www.tec.org.au/ to find the latest info on problems with landfill, waste, and the latest articles written about these environmental issues.
Vegetable Hero:Perennial Coriander, Eryngium foetidum.
A better choice for subtropical and tropical areas than common coriander as it also dries well and stands up to cooking
This perennial form of coriander produces dandelion-like leaves and prickly seed heads. Keep removing the seed heads as they form if you want greater leaf production.
The leaves can reach 25cm long, -when they get this long, the leaf gets sharp spines along the leaf edge. The flowers are white after which a round fruit grows, covered with rounded protrusions. Sharp spines also occur on the flower stalk. It has a taproot which grows down to about 12cm.
Perennial Coriander flowers quite freely or some might say, ‘a lot’ especially during summer, and the prickly flower heads need to be regularly pruned from the plant to get more leaf growth or to make sure of new leaves get formed.
How to cook with this Coriander.
The leaves need to be chopped as they are tougher than the regular coriander. The leaves of perennial coriander will put up with some cooking unlike regular coriander. Use leaves in stir-fries, soups, salads, curries and salsa. Use the root to flavour vegetables.
The prickly seed head can be made into a spicy paste. Put seed head into blender or processor with chilli, ginger, garlic and sesame oil or vegetable oil and whiz until smooth. Store in fridge. Use to flavour curries and stir fries or spread on sandwiches or biscuits with cheese. The paste can also be stirred through chopped chicken for a delicious sandwich fill.
This variety of coriander dries well, retaining good colour and flavour.
Design Elements:Styles
Plant of the Week: Tibouchina "Alstonville" or Tree Lasiandra.
Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville'
Classed as a shrub by some, it can be trained as a small tree with appropriate pruning. Its small and controllable size has no doubt contributed to its popularity in modern gardens, where there is no longer space for grand tropical flowering trees like poinciana.
Also, many other trees flower in spring or in early summer. Although it can produce some flowers in spring, 'Alstonville' provides a burst of colour in late summer/early autumn. Its namesake Alstonville (NSW), the town near which this plant was developed, has a Tibouchina festival every year in March when the trees are putting on their best display
'Alstonville variegata' is a variegated leaf form. If anyone is still producing this cultivar commercially, please get in touch.
Tibouchina 'Jules'
This cultivar is also very popular, but in contrast to 'Alstonville' it is a dwarf shrub, suitable for a garden bed or container.
Tibouchina granulosa 'Kathleen'
This cultivar has pink flowers (The original species T. granulosa has purple flowers), and will grow into a tree if left unpruned.
Whats On:
Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March, Open Gardens at Drummoyne. You might think that visiting an Open Garden means driving out of Sydney and seeing some of the big gardens in the Blue Mountains or Southern Highlands. Not so. There are some fascinating local gardens in the Open Garden scheme, and we have two this week at Drummoyne. Error and Trial is at Unit 1, 26 St Georges Crescent, and the Hooper garden is at number 24 St Georges Crescent. There’s an $8 joint fee to view both gardens and they are open fro 10am to 4.30pm both days of the weekend.
Saturday 6 March. The Bushcare Program will be holding a 'Field of Mars Discovery Afternoon' from 1:30pm-3:30pm The event will include:
A guided walks program that will cater for all age groups and a variety of interests.
An interactive Australian animal show (live animals).
Displays promoting Bushcare, Catchment Connections and Waste Education.
Free afternoon tea.
Plant giveaway.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Ryde Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society (RHHFFPS) and the Habitat Network. It will start off an exciting new series of monthy activities planned by the RHHFFPS.
We know how great Field of Mars Reserve is.....let's share it with other people!
If you would like to come please contact Sandra Payne, Bushcare Officer, Open Space, City of Ryde, Phone: 9952 8257
Feature Interview: Helen Kerley-Ryde Waste Communications Officer.
Go http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/ to connect with what bins you can get from council for composting and worm farms.
Go to http://www.tec.org.au/ to find the latest info on problems with landfill, waste, and the latest articles written about these environmental issues.
Vegetable Hero:Perennial Coriander, Eryngium foetidum.
A better choice for subtropical and tropical areas than common coriander as it also dries well and stands up to cooking
This perennial form of coriander produces dandelion-like leaves and prickly seed heads. Keep removing the seed heads as they form if you want greater leaf production.
The leaves can reach 25cm long, -when they get this long, the leaf gets sharp spines along the leaf edge. The flowers are white after which a round fruit grows, covered with rounded protrusions. Sharp spines also occur on the flower stalk. It has a taproot which grows down to about 12cm.
Perennial Coriander flowers quite freely or some might say, ‘a lot’ especially during summer, and the prickly flower heads need to be regularly pruned from the plant to get more leaf growth or to make sure of new leaves get formed.
How to cook with this Coriander.
The leaves need to be chopped as they are tougher than the regular coriander. The leaves of perennial coriander will put up with some cooking unlike regular coriander. Use leaves in stir-fries, soups, salads, curries and salsa. Use the root to flavour vegetables.
The prickly seed head can be made into a spicy paste. Put seed head into blender or processor with chilli, ginger, garlic and sesame oil or vegetable oil and whiz until smooth. Store in fridge. Use to flavour curries and stir fries or spread on sandwiches or biscuits with cheese. The paste can also be stirred through chopped chicken for a delicious sandwich fill.
This variety of coriander dries well, retaining good colour and flavour.
Design Elements:Styles
Plant of the Week: Tibouchina "Alstonville" or Tree Lasiandra.
Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville'
Classed as a shrub by some, it can be trained as a small tree with appropriate pruning. Its small and controllable size has no doubt contributed to its popularity in modern gardens, where there is no longer space for grand tropical flowering trees like poinciana.
Also, many other trees flower in spring or in early summer. Although it can produce some flowers in spring, 'Alstonville' provides a burst of colour in late summer/early autumn. Its namesake Alstonville (NSW), the town near which this plant was developed, has a Tibouchina festival every year in March when the trees are putting on their best display
'Alstonville variegata' is a variegated leaf form. If anyone is still producing this cultivar commercially, please get in touch.
Tibouchina 'Jules'
This cultivar is also very popular, but in contrast to 'Alstonville' it is a dwarf shrub, suitable for a garden bed or container.
Tibouchina granulosa 'Kathleen'
This cultivar has pink flowers (The original species T. granulosa has purple flowers), and will grow into a tree if left unpruned.
Whats On:
Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March, Open Gardens at Drummoyne. You might think that visiting an Open Garden means driving out of Sydney and seeing some of the big gardens in the Blue Mountains or Southern Highlands. Not so. There are some fascinating local gardens in the Open Garden scheme, and we have two this week at Drummoyne. Error and Trial is at Unit 1, 26 St Georges Crescent, and the Hooper garden is at number 24 St Georges Crescent. There’s an $8 joint fee to view both gardens and they are open fro 10am to 4.30pm both days of the weekend.
Saturday 6 March. The Bushcare Program will be holding a 'Field of Mars Discovery Afternoon' from 1:30pm-3:30pm The event will include:
A guided walks program that will cater for all age groups and a variety of interests.
An interactive Australian animal show (live animals).
Displays promoting Bushcare, Catchment Connections and Waste Education.
Free afternoon tea.
Plant giveaway.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Ryde Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society (RHHFFPS) and the Habitat Network. It will start off an exciting new series of monthy activities planned by the RHHFFPS.
We know how great Field of Mars Reserve is.....let's share it with other people!
If you would like to come please contact Sandra Payne, Bushcare Officer, Open Space, City of Ryde, Phone: 9952 8257
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Garden Clubs
SYDNEY GARDEN TALK 2RRR 88.5 FM Saturdays 12 noon-1pm & Wednesdays 5-6 pm
Feature interview: Eastwood Garden Club Secretary:ailsa Wareham.
The club meets every 2nd Tuesday at 7pm at the Dundas Baptist Church,154 Marsden Road, Dundas (cnr Carson str.) opposite Brush Farm House.
Vegetable Hero: Chives-Allium Schoenoprasum.
Chives are a very easy plant to grow. A couple of seeds planted in a pot or a corner of an herb garden make a great source of a flavourful herb for soups, dips, omelettes and garnish for just about anything.. Chives like sunny spots, but they will cope with a bit of light shade.
They like well-drained soil, loaded with organic nutrients, and they like to be kept moist. That’s the tip. People think that chives are a dry climate plant because of their appearance-grey, narrow leaves, pretty much what dry climate plants look like.
So if you’re wondering why your Chives are looking poorly or not growing that much, give them so more water than you’ve been doing especially around the root zone.
Even so, chives will tolerate dry conditions for reasonable periods of time. Sprinkle chive seed on top of the soil and tamp down lightly. (Chive seeds lose their viability quickly; so try to plant them within the year they have been purchased.)
If you’re not having any luck with seeds, try propagating some by division.
That is, planting rooted clumps in spring,
Established or more mature plants usually need to be divided every 3-4 years. Design Elements: Ornaments in your courtyard garden.
Design Elements:Ornaments for your Courtyard
Choose large pots to make a statement. Steer clear of itty bitty pots-too much to care for, will need constant watering.
Plant of the Week: Hibiscus-Hibiscus rosa-chinensis
POSITION: In order to obtain the best results from your hibiscus, make sure you choose an open sunny situation, preferably sheltered from cold prevailing winds. Full sun is essential, although hibiscus will grow and survive in shaded positions, they will not bloom as prolifically as if planted in full sun. Hibiscus do well on northern walls, particularly the modern varieties.
Hibiscus will grow with other shrubs, but they prefer to be planted on their own, and to obtain optimum results prepare a special bed for them alone, so that they do not have to compete for food, light, water and sun. Half a day's sun is the minimum requirement Remember also that hibiscus grow happily in pots, given an open potting mix and kept moist
The best time to prune hibiscus is just before the new season's growth, usually about September
What's On:
Sunday 28 Feb, Permapatch Community Garden Lane Cove is open from 2 to 5pm if you’d like to find out more about community gardening. There’ll be a working bee, children’s activities and afternoon tea. It’s located behind Chatswood West Uniting Church at the corner of Pacific Highway and Mowbray Road. There’s parking on site. Call Jono on 0401 890 256
Feature interview: Eastwood Garden Club Secretary:ailsa Wareham.
The club meets every 2nd Tuesday at 7pm at the Dundas Baptist Church,154 Marsden Road, Dundas (cnr Carson str.) opposite Brush Farm House.
Vegetable Hero: Chives-Allium Schoenoprasum.
Chives are a very easy plant to grow. A couple of seeds planted in a pot or a corner of an herb garden make a great source of a flavourful herb for soups, dips, omelettes and garnish for just about anything.. Chives like sunny spots, but they will cope with a bit of light shade.
They like well-drained soil, loaded with organic nutrients, and they like to be kept moist. That’s the tip. People think that chives are a dry climate plant because of their appearance-grey, narrow leaves, pretty much what dry climate plants look like.
So if you’re wondering why your Chives are looking poorly or not growing that much, give them so more water than you’ve been doing especially around the root zone.
Even so, chives will tolerate dry conditions for reasonable periods of time. Sprinkle chive seed on top of the soil and tamp down lightly. (Chive seeds lose their viability quickly; so try to plant them within the year they have been purchased.)
If you’re not having any luck with seeds, try propagating some by division.
That is, planting rooted clumps in spring,
Established or more mature plants usually need to be divided every 3-4 years. Design Elements: Ornaments in your courtyard garden.
Design Elements:Ornaments for your Courtyard
Choose large pots to make a statement. Steer clear of itty bitty pots-too much to care for, will need constant watering.
Plant of the Week: Hibiscus-Hibiscus rosa-chinensis
POSITION: In order to obtain the best results from your hibiscus, make sure you choose an open sunny situation, preferably sheltered from cold prevailing winds. Full sun is essential, although hibiscus will grow and survive in shaded positions, they will not bloom as prolifically as if planted in full sun. Hibiscus do well on northern walls, particularly the modern varieties.
Hibiscus will grow with other shrubs, but they prefer to be planted on their own, and to obtain optimum results prepare a special bed for them alone, so that they do not have to compete for food, light, water and sun. Half a day's sun is the minimum requirement Remember also that hibiscus grow happily in pots, given an open potting mix and kept moist
The best time to prune hibiscus is just before the new season's growth, usually about September
What's On:
Sunday 28 Feb, Permapatch Community Garden Lane Cove is open from 2 to 5pm if you’d like to find out more about community gardening. There’ll be a working bee, children’s activities and afternoon tea. It’s located behind Chatswood West Uniting Church at the corner of Pacific Highway and Mowbray Road. There’s parking on site. Call Jono on 0401 890 256
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