When a plant has as it's title "Autumn Joy" it predicates the season for which we should be able to expect it's flowers. Well, this sedum has not let the side down, only 4 days premature of our version of Fall.

I must confess that this is not actually a picture of our sedum as all the batteries for the digital camera are flat. However, this photo does bear much resemblance to the plant I was about to take a photo of - maybe a little less magenta and more pink in the flower - but very similar.

We bought this from a nursery last year, as it was flowering. After it's flowering period its leaves begin to turn a brown colour and it withers up. We cut the stems back to ground level and from then until it flowers again it begins its travail upwards. The lime green leaves would accent any foliage planting and the flower colour is very trendy at the moment.

They don't need a lot of sun but require regular watering. They grow to about 70-80cm and look better mass planted than if they were grown as a focal plant or individually.

Posted by Stuart at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If there is one thing that shouts summer more than anything else it's sitting under a pergola with massive bunches of grapes dangling overhead. I've never had one of these vistas in my own garden but I can certainly appreciate it in others and would love to dream that one day it may become a possibility.

A single grape vine can easily cover a 6" x 6" pergola and produce more grapes than you'll ever be able to eat. But, it takes many years to get to that stage. You'll have to substitute fruit for growth for probably the first couple of years as it climbs its way across the trellising. After a couple of years of growth though it's time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Table grapes are a wonderful fruit and so easy to care for. They require pruning in the winter months and possibly some mulching during the hot summers but need little else. Your hardest chore will be finding enough neighbours to give the fruit away to.

If you want to view a great list of table grape varieties visit this site [PDF].

Posted by Stuart at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hardwood cutting propagation is similar to softwood cuttings except that the softwood technique uses the soft tips of the plants. Hardwood propagation utilises the harder growth of a plant and is usually undertaken towards the end of autumn or throughout winter.

Hardwood propagation allows you to grow many different plant species that won't work using the softwood propagating technique such as roses, grape vines, and other plants with a twiggy habit.

1. Take a cutting of the plant that you wish to propagate ensuring that each cutting has at least 2 bud nodes on it. (TIP: Cut the bottom of the cutting with a straight incision and the top with a slanted incision. This will remind you as you are potting them up which end needs to go into the planting medium).
2. Make the bottom cut just underneath the bud node and the top cut just above the 2nd bud node.
3. Dip the bottom cut into some rooting gel or compound and then place into the planting medium. You can create a trench in a garden bed and place them straight in the ground or you may decide you want to protect them a little more and plant them in some good quality potting mix. You can easily fit 5-6 cuttings into one 200mm pot.
4. Cover with a 2L soft drink bottle with the bottom cut off and allow to propagate over the winter. In spring you will notice the top node begin to bud and this is the sign of your success. Plant these cuttings out into their own pots or straight into the ground.

Posted by Stuart at 5:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

To Alice,

My humblest apologies for missing your tag last Monday. I had read your post but somehow missed the word "Stuart" at the bottom of it. Thanks to Kerri for pointing it out to me. So here goes;

What were three things you wanted to be when you grew up?

1. Fireman, Policeman, Ambulance Driver. This is every little boys dream.


2. A Chef. I actually did this - leaving school at 15 and doing my apprenticeship. It's a great trade to have behind you.


3. A Businessman. I remember Mum & Dad taking me into the city one evening when I was about 10 and seeing qall these guys walking around in suits. Oh, to have a suit. This is what I wear now and I'm looking forward to the day I can wear civies all day every day.

You can relive one day from your childhood. Which one will it be?

Only one day. C'mon that's a bit tough. Probably every Sunday afternoon that I played basketball with my mates down at the local Primary School. They had these mini-board rings whichwe could dunk on easily and it was always great fun.

You have two minutes (and a mover with you if you need heavy lifting help!) to grab 5 things from your home before it morphs into a polka dotted hobgoblin and hops away. What will you take? (Food/drink/family/friends excluded).

1. My laptop


2. My desktop computer


3. My PDA


4. All my books - mostly non-fiction, mostly Christian youth based


5. All my Carlton gear - posters, scarves, hats, shirts etc

You have to paint one quote on your kitchen wall. What is it going to be?

"Never, never, never give up." Sir Winston Churchill

What is the one thing you want to have accomplished by the end of the year?

Finish building my shed.

You are moving to the moon for one year and can only bring one flower with you. What kind will you bring?

It would definitely have to be a magnolia. The world would be a different place without them so I'm guessing the moon would be too.

You just received word that aside from one flower you can also bring five books with you. Which ones will you bring?

1. The Bible


2. My new gardening encyclopedia


3. "Your God is too Safe" - Mark Buchanan


4. Any autobiography


5. A Suduko puzzle book - or crossword's

Tagging 3 lucky people:

• Val


• Chloe


• Kenny









Posted by Stuart at 4:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I really enjoy this type of propagating because it is usually successful but always a minor miracle. Not because I haven't taken steps to ensure the cuttings success it's more a set-and-forget type process than other types of propagating and seems to procure these wonderful results regardless of my intervention.

This technique, like any other propagating technique, doesn't work for all plants but it will work for those that have leggy, pliable stems that grow leaves along them. Practise with some of your shrubs and analyse the results.

To propagate by soil-layering use the following steps;

1. Locate a suitable stem as previously mentioned find a leggy, pliable stem that grows leaves along it.
2. Make an underside incision find a place along the stem that can bend low enough to reach the ground. Make an incision on the part of the stem that touches the soil as at upward slant, taking care not to cut through more than 1/3 of the stem.
3. Dust with hormone powder I have never used this with soil-layering and have nearly always had success but if you're find that you don't want to risk the result use a little of the powder or gel around the cut.
4. Remove some soil scoop enough topsoil to create a small trench for the stem to lay along. Lay the stem down and then cover again with remaining soil.
5. Hold the stem down use a metal "U" turned upside down to hold the stem in the soil. The only time you will fail with this technique is when the stem comes away from the soil and air affects the incision.

As an alternative, you can use a pot to grow the plant in by replacing the soil method with some potting mix in a container.






Posted by Stuart at 5:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Water features have become such a garden fashion accessory that it seems every other garden has at least one. Why do we place these features in our gardens? Many reasons, I suspect, but the main two would be (1) to add another dimension to the garden, and (2) to create a tranquil place in our gardens that encourages us to relax.

I'm all for both and would love to have more water than lawn in my garden, if I didn't have children who needed somewhere to run and play.

So, if you're thinking of setting up a water fountain or feature read on....

• Power source not all water features require a pump with a power source but all fountains do. So if you're planning to set one up, find a site that will be easy to get power to it. Some pumps require low-voltage power that can be hooked up through an outside power point while others may require conduit laid in the ground. Assess the costs and inconvenience before deciding on the perfect location.
• Aesthetics every water feature or fountain needs to either blend or compliment the surrounding vegetation. Stick with the style your garden is and work with what you already have. It would look fairly ridiculous putting a formal roman fountain in an Australian native setting.
• Safety If you have little kids or are likely to have young children visit your garden then you will need to protect them from your water features. A good solution is to support some steel mesh just below the surface of the water. These will slow down most children and is quite inexpensive and easy to instal.

Posted by Stuart at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The Auckland Regional Council is seeking public views on adding 51 plants to the list of those that cannot legally be sold, including agapanthus, bangalow and phoenix palms and english ivy.

To those gardeners who wrote earlier on my 5 most hated plants that agapanthus would certainly be on their list, this is probably comforting news. But to gardeners seeing any plant listed as a weed would be devastating, especially if you had a few in your garden.

Read the whole article from the The New Zealand Herald.

Posted by Stuart at 6:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are a few plants that can be propagated from leaf cuttings and the ones that are all have prominent veins. African violets and begonias are great examples of these.

This seems fairly insane that you could get new plants from just sticking a leaf in the ground but it is true and almost as simple.

1. Select a mature leaf from theplant you're wanting to propagate. Remove the leafstalk from the end of the leaf and begin making slits in the underside veins without going all the way through the leaf.
2. Dust some rooting hormone over the vein cuts and place right-side-up on top of some quality potting mix which has been premoistened.
3. Place some toothpicks or wire through the leaf to keep it on the soil and then cover this with plastic or store in a greenhouse.
4. Once the new growth exhibits 2 or 3 new leaves it is time to transplant. Cut through the original leaf around the new growth and transfer to their own individual pots.

Voila! You have some new plants from a leaf - hard to believe, huh!






Posted by Stuart at 5:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There are more than 100 different types of Lavatera which are found in mediterranean regions. The Australian Hollyhock or Lavatera plebia is a short-lived perennial which can grow to 1-2 m. It flowers prolifically throughout spring, summer and early autumn and is very showy.

It fits well within our cottage theme in the front garden and its bushy nature can really fill a void. It can also be well fitted as a foliage plant around water features.

Easy to grow and propagate from seed and soft and hardwood cuttings.

Posted by Stuart at 8:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Softwood cuttings are taken from the new green tips of perennial shrubs during their growing season in Spring. It's best to take your cuttings (usually about 10cm) first thing in the morning when they're holding the most water and keep them moist to avoid wilting. Remove almost all of the foliage bar a couple of leaves at the top of the cutting.

Dip the end of the cutting into some rooting hormone powder and then place into a good potting medium. I usually place about 5 cuttings per 200mm pot and then cover it with an a 2L soft drink bottle that's had its base removed. This produces a wonderful greenhouse effect and gives the cuttings a great start. Remember to label and date the cuttings and keep them in a shaded location.

Once the cuttings have taken root (usually 3-6 months) plant them out in to their own pots trying not to disturb their new root ball.

Posted by Stuart at 5:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Working in the garden can count as exercise. Using a shovel or garden fork to lift and turn dirt or compost increases your muscular strength and endurance; kneeling and standing after removing weeds can increase your flexibility and raking leaves can increase your cardio output. Why would you bother going for a walk - unless of course it was to go and see someone else's garden?

This is one of the things that I love about gardening - I can get a good solid workout while I'm enjoying my hobby. Try achieving that when you're next reading your favourite novel!! I know many people who prefer to have compost tumblers rather than fork their own but I find that the workout I get from regularly turning my own compost means less time I have to spend in a sterile gym.

When you're next out in the garden performing a few chores, take some timeto consider all the activities you do and the benefits your body is reaping from them.

Posted by Stuart at 5:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Clumping plants often require division for their own general health and well-being but one advantage of this practise is that you end up with more plants. This is by far one of the easier and most succesful ways to propagate plants.

To learn how to do it, read on..

To divide clumping perenials like agapanthus, clivia's and even chives start by using two gardening forks like a pair of salad spoons under the base of the plant. You need to position these far enough below the base of the plant to ensure you don't remove the leaves from the roots.

Lever the two forks against each other as you prise the rootball from the earth and are left with the complete plant out of the ground. Then, begin to divide the clump by finding foliage and roots that could appear to be a separate plant if they were to grow on their own. Using a sharp knife sever this possible smaller plant from the main clump while keeping as many roots as possible attached. Continue cutting these little plants away until the whole clump is divided.

When you've finished dividing the clump, plant out the cuttings in potting mix or back in the place where they were taken from. You might want to dust the roots with a fungicide prior to planting on to increase your chances of success.

Posted by Stuart at 5:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last year I wrote a post on Amateur Gardening on the 10 Most Important Gardening Tools and a few of you offered your own lists. Well, it's now time to get the axe sharpened, the chopping block cleaned and your list out because we're going to whittle it down to the 3 gardening tools you couldn't live without.

Here they are;

1. Wheelbarrow Without one of these you couldn't do it. If you decide that you want to try without it make sure you type physiotherapist into Google and jot down a few numbers to keep handy.
   


2. Shovel Goes without saying really!
   


3. Secateurs Think of a garden tool and what do you get. A gardener without their pair of secateurs is like Mork without Mindy, or tinia without a toe!
   

What? No lawn mower. If I could only have 3 tools I would just create my garden without lawn and plant lawn substitutes that didn't require mowing.

There are a lot of tools that I would love to have but to limit it this would have the basics.

Posted by Stuart at 6:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Seeds are a great way to propagate plants whether they're collected from your own plants or you're starting off some new ones in your garden. The beauty of seeds is seeing something that looks like it has absolutely no life actually spring to life.

I've just planted some seeds in my garden which I posted earlier that are now showing signs of growth. Little green stems are poking their way out of the soil and I'm optimistic that many will survive and grow well.

How do you propagate from seed?

• Self-Seeding many annuals spread their own seed after flowering which allows new plants to grow in your garden in the next season. There is no effort involved apart from pulling out the ones you don't want to grow where they've sprouted.
• Location Seeding there are also many plants which you can sow the seed directly into the ground where you want them to grow. Most of these are fragile annuals that if you raised them in seedling trays and then bedded them out would fail. The best way seed these is by planting 2-3 in each location that you require and then if they all succeed pluck the extra ones out leaving the strongest one to grow.
• Raised in Seeding Trays this is the most fun way of propagating from seed. Depending on your level of expertise and the resources you have available to you this can be confined to just a seedling tray or could involve heat beds and humidifiers or greenhouses.

  Some seeds can be planted as they are in a quality seed-raising mix or you could make your own consisting of 1/3 compost, 1/3 river sand and a 1/3 vermiculite. Planted 2-3 in each cell they can also be plucked to the strongest one as they grow.

  Other seeds though may require some more effort than just placing in the propagating mix. Sweetpeas require soaking overnight before planting out in location and many of the Australian natives require smoking or heat application to begin germinating. If you're not having much success with your seeds try another way to get them to open up. Sometimes it may just be trying to imitate nature that will provide the success you're after.
  






Posted by Stuart at 5:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

If you had no space limitations in your garden what 4 trees would you want to have on display?

Here's my top four...

1. Purple Jacaranda this tree goes off like a frog in a sock. When summer hits our rural landscape you can spot these trees growing miles away. I just love the colour and their deciduous habit.

2. Magnolia Soulangeana I don't understand how anyone could not fall in love with these trees. I'm a big fan of deciduous trees so it already gets a big tick of approval but then those flowers - whoa!! The colour, the shape, the fragrance. This tree gets a big 11 out of 10 for me.
   

3. Giant Sequoia I first saw a couple of these growing in an arboretum in Pemberton, south-east of where I live. They were magnificent trees which towered so far above us we felt like dwarf's (not that there'sanything wrong with dwarfs). If I had the room, a grove of sequoias would certainly adorn my garden.
   

4. Karri these are tallest and most straight trees you will ever see. Their bark is a palette of off-whites mixed with salmon pinks and with an undergrowth of bracken look absolutely sensational. Plus their native to Western Australia - a big plus.
   






Posted by Stuart at 5:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

The cheapest way to get plants into your garden is to propagate them - making another plant from the one you already have (or a friend already has). This is also the defining arena for who is, and who isn't, a gardener.

See anyone can throw some plants in the ground and with limited understanding apply enough water, fertiliser and TLC to it that it can grow with some success. But to grow plants from something you already have instead of picking them up at a nursery - now there's an achievement.

Over the next week or so I thought it would be worth exploring some of the techniques gardeners can employ to propagate their own plants. There's a wealth of information out there but I like to build a reference that's quick and easy to get hold.

I found this helpful site (probably more helpful for Americans than us Aussies) but nonetheless helpful at understanding some propagation techniques for your plants.

Posted by Stuart at 4:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Why the great debate? Certainly these two options can co-exist, right? Possibly. Some people are dogmatic about their choice of lawn mower and for very specific reasons, which they're usually happy to quote - ad nauseum.

I think both mowers can have a place in our gardening shed (that is if you can afford the expense) or at the very least be used at different times for our lawn maintenance. They both have different roles to play and so long as you can appreciate their differences then gardeners can respect both pieces of equipment.

Reel Mowers

Reel mowers (or 'real' mowers, as some like to suggest) mow your lawn in a vertical rotation. They lift the blades up and then cut their tips and are best at keeping a perfect law looking perfect. With the roller on the back of the reel mower it can keep your grass flattened and level which always looks great.

However, reel mowers fail to level out the lawn. They will ride straight over bumps and can't cope with much debris in the way.

Rotary Mowers

Rotary mowers mow in a horizontal rotation. The blade, positioned under the engine, is designed to cut the blades at a particluar level determined by the operator. This is great when you're trying to reduce spongyness in the lawn or when you're attemptiong to level it.

However, while cutting at a set level is one of its strengths it can also be its downfall. For instance, if you're trying to mow around an edge of your garden and the border falls away into a garden bed you may find that the rotary mower can cut deeply into your grass. It doesn't allow for mistakes.

While most of my mowing is done by a reel mower, I have and will continue to use a rotary mower at times for specific purposes. They both have a place in the garden shed.

Posted by Stuart at 5:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

So, you have all these herbs growing but apart from using them in your cooking what else can you do with them?

Having herbs growing in the garden is certainly great, not only aesthetically pleasing but also versatile for using in your cooking. But there is another use - herbal tea. I'm not a big tea drinker, give me a large Dome macchiato anyday, but I do like the spontaneous cup of herbal.

Most teas come from the leaves of the camellia sinensis but herbal teas come from their namesake - herbs. Herbal teas can be made from dried or fresh herbs and can be a mixture or just a single herb. Which ones can you use and which ones will put you in hospital? Read on for links to some great sites and helpful info...

Backyard Herbal Teas [link since removed] are where we're all coming from - being able to make teas out of the herbs we have or desire to grow. Another quick article with a few herbal tea ingredients is this article.

September 11 saw the start of National Herb Medicine Week here in Oz and the 7 Sunrise Team got on the bandwagon touting a couple of their own remedies as well.

Apart from using the plants that we grow for our own relaxation purposes it also seems that there are many benefits to drinking herbal tea as well. As gardener's though, we need to realise that there isn't conclusive evidence to support many of these claims but regardless of the research, drinking tea made from your own herbs can't be a bad thing.

Posted by Stuart at 4:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Big Bird, on a recent migratory trip down south for the winter, overshot his preferred location and ended up Down Under for the first time in his flying career. We caught up with the bird that brings so much joy to children every week on Sesame Street to talk gardening.

G4D: Is it true that the early bird catches the worm, Big Bird?

Big Bird: No. It's a fallacy that has been purported throughout generations misleading young people when they should have stayed in bed. Who wants to catch the worm anyway? If birds composted more they wouldn't have this problem of getting up so early. They could sleep in and then feast at a more respectable hour of the day.

G4D: Recently there's been a lot of talk about attracting birds to your garden. Are you attracted to any gardens and what is it exactly that attracts you?

Big Bird: I'm attracted to gardens that have lots of room to land with really soft surfaces. These nectar type trees everybody's planting may be alright for little birds but you'll never find me hopping from branch to branch. I'd probably break them. What really attracts me to a garden is a large spa, cold beer and perhaps a few pretzels.

G4D: This was a photo from a gardening awards ceremony where you were one of the fortunate recipients. Tell us about your award.

Big Bird: It was nothing really. I didn't actually win a prize I was there as a guest of honour as they unveiled the town's new bird bath. They wanted me to try it out but I refused to get undressed with all those people watching.

G4D: Yes. I can imagine that would be a little embarrassing having to remove that tie.

G4D: We've seen your posters about your trip to China what was that about?

Big Bird: I was there on behalf of the National Duck Association that was advocating better conditions for ducks. They weren't too happy ending up on someone's table as Peking Duck so we tried educating people that they were more useful as snail eaters in their gardens.

G4D: Finally, do you have any new gardening projects coming up?

Big Bird: Yer I'm currently building a bird house.

Posted by Stuart at 6:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I can remember vividly on a talkback gardening show a few years ago, a lady was phoning in to complain that she had found worms in her garden and was requesting a removal solution. How things have changed!

To find a gardener that didn't want worms inhabiting their garden is nowadays a rarity. We have begun to understand what a great resource they are and the many benefits that come from allowing them to deal with our scraps to naturally tilling our soils. How do you keep worms in your garden so they keep working for you? Read on...

• Source of Organic Matter If you've been gardening for a period of time you will have noticed that worms gravitate to organic matter. The compost heap is always riddled with them and garden beds that have organic matter as mulch or even dug though will find worms in abundance. If you're not finding 20+ worms in your beds with each shovel full of dirt you turn over, then it could be a sign that your soil is malnourished and requires more organic matter.
• Moist...but no too moist Soil needs to be moist and not dried out. If the soil isn't moist worms will avoid it for worms love moist, dark locations.

Posted by Stuart at 5:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If there were ever a flowering plant that could challenge the sunflower at cheering you up - Gaillardias would be it. These small clumping plants send out innumerable single stemmed flowers that are so bright they would cheer up any garden.

Gaillardia's are a short-lived perenial that will self-seed at the drop of a hat. They can become quite a nuisance in a formalised setting but will thrive in a cottage garden where they need to compete with other plants to survive. The clumps of dark green foliage will grow to no more than 30cm (12 inches) while the flowers will shoot up to a height of about 80cm (31 inches).

They flower prolifically through summer and early autumn (fall) and their seed heads look great perched next to the flowers.

These were introduced to us by a friend who gave us some of the self-sown plants out of her garden. When we moved we transplated a couple of our own self-sown plants into our new garden and they haven't looked back since.

Posted by Stuart at 5:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As you can see some progress is being made with the front annual borders. As I said in my previous post we have planted a mixed orange and yellow cosmos at the back, purple lisianthus in front of that, pink and purple asters hiding them and then flattened out with some white alyssum at the front.

I'm so looking forward to seeing this picture come to fruition. The cosmos is already showing some signs of life and it shouldn't be too long before the alyssum graces us with its presence.

Posted by Stuart at 5:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It is only recently that we have started realising that frogs play an important role in our garden. Many gardeners are now trying to attract frogs into their gardens as they realise the benefits that are associated with them. They are great at keeping the insect population to a minimum and probably better at doing this than spiders.

If you don't have many of them living in your garden then you may find your garden is more fatigued than you think. Read on to find out why frogs don't reside in some gardens....

• Water source for frogs to exist in your garden there needs to be a welcome water source. A pond that is not too deep (no more than 30cm - 11.8in) is able to accomodate frogs quite well especially if it is still water. What about the breeding of mosquito larvae, I hear you ask? Never mind. Frogs love mosquitoes for breakfast, lunch and tea.
• Hiding places frogs need somewhere to hide. Most people will attract frogs using a pond as the water source. If the environment around the pond is sparse then you will have limited success in attracting frogs to your garden. Reeds, water-lillies and any other native water plants are great to conceal an entire frog family.
• Limit chemical sprays frogs are able to absorb chemicals through their skin and may even eat insects poisoned by chemicals. If you are wanting to attract and keep frogs in your garden try using some alternatives to chemical sprays.

Posted by Stuart at 5:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Phewwww.... That's me whistling at you through a gumleaf between my fingers. It's Aussie for come over here and take a gander. Yep, I got bored just having one blog and found I was getting way too much sleep so I thought I'd chuck another one on the barbie.

Check it out!

Posted by Stuart at 6:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The difference between a good garden and a great garden is the weaving of landscaping structures into the garden fabric. If you've planned it well it will look spectacular at least and magnificent at best.

But like all things in the garden, they will become tired and need maintenance and there is no time like the present to get outdoors and check them out.

• Assess the Risk We have an advertising slogan from Worksafe here in WA that talks about Thinksafe S.A.M. Spot the hazard, Assess the risk and Make the changes. Fairly corny but effective in analysing and managing problems. Landscape structures are never designed for eternity so they need to be continually assessed to ensure that they're not going to break or fall over at the one moment in time that somebody decides to walk beneath it. Look for crack lines, extra weight being put on by other factors (birds, overweigt creepers etc.) or even rotting.
• Fungus build-up we all desire to have some fungus attach itself to most of our landscape structures (statues in particular) to give it that aged look. And while most fungi are harmless there are others that may begin to destroy your structure. If you don't know what it is that's growing research it and see if it needs to be removed. Otherwise enjoy and boast about the length of time it's been in your garden.





Posted by Stuart at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)