I've never seen any of the greatest gardens of the world - yet I plan to one day. I dream off crossing Monet's bridge at Giverny, France. Or, admiring some of the most amazing conifers at the Kew Botanical Gardens in England.

And while I dream of these places I'm sure there are many who believe that their garden is up amongst the world's best.

But for this exercise, I'm keen to find out what garden's of the world we can agree upon as being the best. So, it's over to you to email me, or comment below, with a garden that you have visited that would certainly rate as one of the greatest gardens of the world.

The only provisos are; (1) you must have physically visited it, and (2) it must be open to the public - so please don't add any private gardens.

I will update this post to reflect the list of great gardens that we think are the world's best.

Posted by Stuart at 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

If you need to ask the question then you obviously haven't seen one. And, if you haven't seen one then it's obvious that you don't believe in them. For if you did believe in them, you would see them everywhere.

I've never seen them - and I accept that my lack of belief has probably caused this seemingly irreversible condition.

My daughters, on the other hand, see them everywhere. And they're quick to point them out - well, at least they were until they realised I was an unbeliever. Now they just shake their head and cuss at my inability to see the unseen in the same way Morpheus was bemused by Neo's initial disdain for what he couldn't see.

I'm talking, of course, about the garden sprite - fairies. Pixies, elves, nymphs, sprites are all part of the world our children enjoy despite their parents ineptitude at grasping the imaginary.

Garden sprites are those little creatures that adorn fairy gardens. If you have children you won't need to add them in a physical sense because they just turn up. You may need to decorate a few shrubs with tinsel and allow them to store a few pieces of doll house furniture in the garden beds, but you won't need to add any pixie characters - they're already there.

No. Garden sprite adornments are not for children. They're for the unbelieving parents who need to reminisce their childhood.

When you think of garden sprites there is only one name that comes to mind - Frank Lloyd Wright. Arguably the greatest American architect, Wright created the Midway Gardens in Chicago and with the help of sculptor Alfonso Iannelli positioned Sprites to protect the gardens.

Their geometric shape is instantly recognisable and reproductions of Iannelli's work are quite common for many gardening enthusiasts. Their purpose in the garden is supposedly the same - protecting it.

Posted by Stuart at 5:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If you really want to spite your gardening friends, install a greenhouse in your backyard. Even if your intention isn't to upset them, it inevitably will be the resulting outcome. Why? Because every gardener wants one.

Don't they?

I know I do. In fact, if I had just a little more room there would be a greenhouse featuring prominently in my backyard. Alas, as with all things there is an economic cost to consider. Do I forego the backyard aquaponics and vegetable garden? Should I resist adding a chicken coop? And, can I really do without a potting shed? Nuh!

Therefore, the reason I don't have (or will have - in the short term anyhow!) a greenhouse is the limited space in which to house one. And while this might also be the reason for others not having one some may claim that they can't afford one.

Well, I'm here to inform you that cost is no longer a barrier. Building your own greenhouse is accessible for less than a few hundred bucks.

Las Palitis, a Californian native plant nursery, offers a how-to make your own greenhouse using rebar, PVC piping, fence posts and UV stabilized polyethylene. Granted, it's not pretty but it is highly effective and that's what most gardeners want anyway, isn't it?

The plans that Las Palitis display will produce a 28ft (8.5m) x 15ft (4.5m) greenhouse - the size of my future vegetable garden. And while for some this may be too big it isn't hard to adjust the quantities and reduce the overall size.

For those gardeners who are looking for something that might be a little more stable - or more attractive - ThingsToBuild.com have plans for another greenhouse. Their plans are for a more manageable 8ft (2.4m) x 10ft (3m) construction but the materials are more rigid and therefore more expensive.

And, for the gardener who would rather spend time in the garden than waste it constructing their own greenhouse, Amazon.com offers products that range from a small Walk-In greenhouse up to the modest Greenhouse 8' x 6' by DuraMax. But if you really want to pique your neighbours interest then the Rion 8'6" W x 24' L Prestige Greenhouse might be more your style.

So, apart from my excuse of not having enough room there aren't many other reasons why any gardener should be without a greenhouse. Especially those who live in colder climates where frosts are not only prone, but commonplace.

Posted by Stuart at 5:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I've been a tad slack the past few weeks missing this weekly roundup of the gardening blogosphere. This post helps encapsulate and summarise some of the great tips that have been offered by experienced gardeners who share their knowledge via their garden blogs.

While I'm still catching up on some great reading and useful tips, I thought I would showcase what I've found so far;

• Marc from Garden Desk wrote a very informative post to answer his friends question Why are there so many different tomatoes? To the non-gardener a 'tomato' is a tomato while we enjoy the intricacies of the abundance of varietals and how to grow them. Marc answers the question very well.
• Garden Porn (definitely SFW - Safe For Work) may have a name that scares a few readers away but after recently discovering this great blog courtesy of Rick Anderson's blogroll, I must say I'm hooked. This blog features some incredible landscape design images and posts and has this week written a helpful post on placing and integrating a spa into your garden design.

  For those who don't have, or ever intend to have a spa, it's still a useful read for how to incorporate any design elements into the backyard.

• In My Kitchen Garden has written a helpful review on a book titled Astrological Gardening which discusses tips and ideas for gardening by the moon and stars.
• I've not seen Wall-O-Water's before but Molly Day from All the Dirt on Gardening has them growing in her vegetable patch. Well...not literally growing, but she hopes to grow some garlic between them as they have helped warm up the ground. Sounds like an interesting gardening idea and I look forward to seeing how these progress.
• Rob from Sustainable Garden tries to explain why chickens get grumpy. I'm not sure he's found the answer but I can only extend the hand of empathy on this one. Chickens are fickle creatures and I find the best way to get them laying is to hit the problem HEAD on - if you get my gist.
• And finally, Gayla from You Grow Girl has written 12 reasons why I don't grow edibles in my street garden. Trust me when I say that one reason is probably enough but Gayla goes all the way and explains every possible reason for not doing this.

And there you have it. Another week and hopefully another list of helpful posts that might aid your gardening.

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

Many home gardeners opt to buy in mulch when the weather begins to warm. In an effort to protect their garden beds from water evaporation and help combat weed growth they instinctively purchase large mulch loads and then spend the weekend dispersing it.

But, have you ever considered what goes into making that load of mulch?

Presumably it's bark and leaf matter that's been recycled as a byproduct of the timber millers. And, in many cases this is what you're getting. However, if you expect it to be 100% of the overall product you're either living in denial or ignorance is bliss.

Many mulch wholesalers and manufacturers will substitute a variety of items to bulk up their volumes. Wood pallets and crates - usually made from foreign timbers are a great alternative to sourcing natural timber fibres. And, while we would like to believe that it is just the waste products that are being used, many times the whole tree including the inner core is ground.

While this is still all natural it means that you're the one getting the raw end of the stick. The inner trunk of the tree will decompose far quicker that the bark which means you will have to mulch your garden more often. Suppliers who mulch the whole tree and imported softwoods benefit from cheaper overhead costs and also from increased customer orders but usually charge similar prices to quality providers.

And, what about those articles that warn us of bringing ants and termites onto our properties. Is there any cause for concern? The simple answer is no.

How can you tell what's in the mulch?

Before you allow the mulch to be offloaded onto your driveway, check the contents. Here are some things you should be able to look for and discuss with the supplier;

• Check for green or light-coloured wood - bark mulch should be fairly dry to moist if it is old enough and should have a dusty feel about it. Softwood that has been sitting in a mulch pile for some time will look greenish and have a slimy texture.


• Ask the supplier where they source their mulch from - many tree removal companies run a mulching arm as part of the business operations. While this is not a bad thing and the mulch produced will have no ill-effects on your gardens, it is an inferior product compared to milled bark and should be much cheaper.


• Ask how long it is stored for - the longer the mulch is stored the more decomposing has already taken place. If the mulch has been sitting in their yard for some time then it may rot down too quick in your garden beds, and thereby force you to buy more later in the season.

The best mulch you can get is from recycling your own plants and materials, and it's cheaper too. But if you must buy from a mulch supplier, take the time to find out what you're getting and don't just settle for what you've been given.

Posted by Stuart at 6:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Yesterday was Anzac Day, a midweek public holiday and a chance to catch up on some much needed rest - I've been fighting a flu since Sunday.

Apart from sleeping in and taking my time to get my act together, it was an opportune occasion to head into the garden. The big project of the day was removing our damaged hedge. Our goal was to also get down to Margaret River's Lavender Farm and look for a new variety to hedge our garden - but we ran out of time and will hopefully get there on the weekend instead.

It was an interesting experience ripping out a group of plants that you have tended for a couple of years. I remember when we first planted these - all grown from cuttings - and the time it took for them to be firmly established. Growing a hedge is no afternoon picnic.

Once the plants were out, there was a sense of freedom from having to live with a hedge that would take some time to regrow but also we could look forward to planting something else. No longer do I have to despise walking past this part of the garden.

That's not all. The amount of green waste I was able to collect from these bushes is enormous so I'm opportunistically looking forward to starting a new batch of compost. And, we even found some plants that had been smothered by this monstrous vegetation that were still alive and thankful for some breathing space.

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

As you start out on your gardening journey there is a basic list of tools that are needed: secateurs or garden shears, loppers, gloves, a wheelbarrow, garden spade and maybe a fork. That should get you started.

But, as all hobbies develop it seems our tool requirements change. No longer will a pair of utility garden shears cover all the jobs that we perform. They might be overkill for deadheading the daisies and underachievers when it comes to pruning thicker deadwood.

And with so many options available it becomes hard to know what each tool does and whether it can earn a permanent place in your tool shed. Too make matters more difficult, retailers are now offering multi-use tools which can perform a number of tasks with the one piece of equipment. But, should we expect that a universal tool can operate as efficiently as a purpose built one - the jury is still out on that one.

Flower Shears

If you've ever tried to deadhead a mop of coreopsis you instantly realise that a pair of utility garden shears are more effort than they're worth. After contemplating hedging the whole plant, removing the living and the dead, you come to your senses and think of other tools which might be more practical.

Fortunately, our gardening forefathers have pioneered this area already. Flower shears or scissors are the ultimate deadheading tool. They are designed to be easily maneouvred in your hand while deftly plying each dead bloom away from a neighbourly flower.

There are many types of flower shears from long-handled ones with similar sized blades to more ergonomic varieties offering a more comfortable fit.

Flower shears are a definite requirement for the gardener who is keen to produce many flowering plants.

Bonsai Shears

For the bonsai enthusiast, using a pair of scissors or your garden shears may have helped you start. However, they soon become tedious to use when the intricacies of bonsai or ikebana are realised.

Bonsai shears are designed with fatter blades to help guide the pruner around the plant without accidentally snipping off an important branch. Their scissor action is similar to garden shears and hand pruners ensuring that the cut is straight and the branch does not get crushed.

This type of garden shear needs to be strong enough to cut through age-old boughs, roots and still remain agile in the hands of a bonsai gardener.

Garden Shears

When you mention garden shears there is only one manufacturer who comes to name - Felco. Swiss-engineered and designed back in 1945. The company deserves its reputation after primarily targeting the development of garden shears exclusively and maintaining their quality for over half a century.

Garden shears and hand pruners are the mainstay gardening tool. Copycat versions have come and gone and you can always pick up a <$10 bargain at your local Bunnings or Home Depot. But, they never quite work as well as a pair of Felco's.

Felco garden shears are worth the extra expense because they have a reputation to last and provide consistent results. They will definitely require a place in your tool shed, away from little hands and bigger hands wanting to de-limb their plastic toy soldiers.

Garden shears come in two types; bypass pruners and anvil pruners.

Bypass Pruners

This type of garden shear is the most common. Based on the scissor action the blades don't necessarily need to be ultra sharp - just well-aligned. The blades themselves are shaped much like a bird's beak and that's not where the similarity ends. Mimicking nature, the blades remain in constant contact with the plant material throughout the complete action.

So you end up with a cleaner, straighter cut that is less likely to result in wounding the plant and allowing disease to enter. The action of using bypass pruners is actually easier on the hands as well because the leveraging from the blades do most of the work for you.

Anvil Pruners

If you picture an axe hitting an anvil you will understand the way anvil pruners work. This type of garden shear is not the most useful in many gardens but has a specific purpose when cutting away deadwood.

The blade on this tool needs to remain sharp and will take some maintaining to keep it that way. However, when it is, the anvil pruner can effortlessly cut away deadwood where bypass pruners may struggle.

The rolcut pruner is probably one of the best examples of an anvil pruner but it also has the adaptation of blades that draw back and forth like a saw.

Loppers

Loppers are the finally piece in the garden shear puzzle - that is if you discount pruning saws and chainsaws. They are the tool that is specifically built to handle small tree branches and effortlessly remove much of your larger shrub prunings.

Many loppers work on the same principle as the bypass pruner with the only difference being the length of the handle and the size of the blades. The increased handle size gives greater leverage and puts more power into each cut and while this has been the key for selecting good loppers in the past, its reasoning is far diminishing.

The reason for this is that many loppers are now turning to ratchet or gear powering that allows even more torque from a similar or smaller sized lopper. What once took a super-sized effort to achieve a decent cut can now be made quite simply.

Conclusion

When it comes to performing tasks around the garden there is always a tool that's better than a multi-tool. If a manufacturer can come up with one that can lop and deadhead at the same time, then they have my full attention. Until then, though, it's better to have the right tool for the right job.

Posted by Stuart at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The University of Missouri - Columbia have recently started a new gardening site called Gardens for Every Body. It's a site packed with information and gardening tips aimed specifically at those who struggle to enjoy their hobby because of some challenge to their physical bodies.

The elderly may find that their body can no longer cope with the rigorous strains that their previous gardening routines expected. While physically handicapped people may struggle to perform activities in the garden that they once were able to or would like to.

This site guides people in tools that they can use, styles of gardening that they can explore and ways that they can practically organise their gardens. And, if that's not enough, residents in the area can apply for an in-person demonstration outlining some of the tools and techniques discussed.

This is great for gardening and a valuable site for those who are currently limited in their capacity to enjoy their hobby.

Source: Fulton Sun

Posted by Stuart at 7:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One word comes to mind when I'm out to find plant bargains and some new garden nurseries.

RESTRAINT.

Not just from maxing out my credit card, or buying superfluous goodies that I know will never find a home or get used in my garden. Instead, there are a few other reasons why you should plan before heading off for the nurseries.

Using a post I wrote some time ago on another blog, titled 5 ways to save money while shopping, I'm going to use similar themes to discuss our nursery excursions.

• Eat before you shop - as hard as it is to be objective in your grocery needs when your tummy's rumbling so it is almost impossible to choose carefully when you haven't been in the garden recently. My biggest tendency when I've had a few busy weekends is to spend the next one gorging myself on plants at the nurseries rather than assess what I really need.

  Unless you know exactly what you need, take some time (maybe an hour or so) in the garden before heading off. Once you hit the nurseries, seeing all those new season plants, ornaments and gardening tools are going to tempt you to fill your trolley. Show some restraint and only buy the items that you were after.

  Often I've come back with some great bargain plants only to discover I have no room to plant them. Know where you're going to grow your plants before buying them.

• Rotate your shopping day by 1. the idea behind this principle in my other blog was that by moving your shopping day every week would eventually save you a week's worth of grocery money after every 7 weeks. While most gardeners (and they're obviously not real gardeners! lol) don't visit the nurseries every week, rotating your nursery shopping days may also help you save some money.

  How? Most people visit the nurseries on the weekends. They can become congested, stressful and annoying at best. So, while you're dealing with all that frustration it's easy to grab stuff and be more spontaneous about your purchases.

  If possible, try visiting the nurseries on a weekday. This will mean that the queues are shorter and you will have more time to think through your purchases. You may even find the nursery owner a little more willing to give helpful advice and offer suggestions.

• Buy per weight which could be better construed as "Buy per size." I often find myself buying the smaller pots of a certain variety rather than opting for a more mature specimen. Mainly it has to do with dollars. But in reality it may actually work out cheaper to buy the more mature plant because it's already been growing for a season or two more.

  Choosing young, immature plants has its risks. They are more susceptible to disease and pests and may still need another season or two in a greenhouse/ shadehouse. While there are no guarantees with either option you are more likely to have success with a plant that has been readied for planting than one that hasn't.

  Just think of all the time you lose if it dies before it even gets to the mature specimen's size.

• Stay at the one shop in this case, stick with the one nursery rather than nurseries. This is a little different to the grocery shopping experience because usually it's the same processed, branded items we're purchasing and we're just looking to save dollars.

  With a nursery, the idea of staying at the same one is more to do with finding a reputable outlet that gives you quality products and service. If you've had success with your plant purchases from certain nurseries then you're more likely to have success again - or at least the rapport you're striking with the nursery owner is more receptive to dealing with issues.

• Buy in bulk - many nurseries will offer discounts to customers who buy a few plants at one time. One nursery that we frequent, usually rounds the amounts down or gives us a sizable discount when we spend more than a certain amount. This is great as it allows us to buy more plants for the same dollars.

  When you plan your trip to the nurseries try and space them so that you're buying a few plants, tools and other products rather than frequent trips to buy one or two items.

So, next time you head off for the nurseries prepare to buy the best bargains, at the cheapest possible price - and ensure that you NEED it. Otherwise, just walk away...

Posted by Stuart at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Someone please tell me that I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. Somebody? Anyone?

Friends of ours bought a property close to town during the last few years. Their dream is to renovate the existing tearooms into a conference centre and counseling facility to help with people suffering all types of psychological issues. Not only that, on weekends they hope to offer the venue as an option for couples looking to get married.

Which is all great if you only had to worry about the buildings and infrastructure.

But we all know how important gardens are to both causes. For those suffering mental illnesses they need places of respite where they can sit and focus on other things apart from their problems. And, for those getting married they always seek out venues that have beautiful gardens as the backdrop for the nuptials and photographs.

So, who better to offer their services than yours truly. Or, should I say, who would be stupid enough?

This is a Google map of their property - all 2 hectares of it. The large building is the tearooms that are currently being renovated.

And these are some of the derelict gardens that surround the renovations. Notice the dead Coral Gum - how do you kill one of these?

This large field will eventually become the gardens where couples will exchange vows. Can you see the vision yet?

And this is the dam that keeps drying in the summer but looks beautiful as it refills in the winter.

And, while the project looks huge and insurmountable I'm excited about being a part of it. It will all be staged so that as an area is finished another will be started. There are some definite priorities for what needs to be completed and landscaped first.

Just when you thought the project couldn't be any more difficult let me introduce you to a few variables that will need to considered;

1. There is no budget. I mean zilch, nill, none, zero however you want to express it. All the money has been tied up in the buildings and purchase of the land. As the couple will be doing most of the counseling voluntarily and relying on enough weddings to keep food on the table, money is something that is in short supply.

2. There is limited water. The dam fills in winter but empties in summer (at the perfect time when one could do with a drop or two). There are a couple of rain water tanks and a bore extracts water from some underground reservoirs but there certainly isn't enough to reticulate the whole property.

3. The soil is $%*@? (not good). Most of it is just straight sand and water-repelling sand at that. It's going to take bucket loads of organic material to get plants growing well in most of the beds.

However, there are a few things going for it.

1. The school I work at has allowed me to use their potting shed to pot up and germinate my own plants. The groundsman even thoughtfully added a bolt and padlock to secure it. This potting shed was being used for some classes that no longer run so it has sat idle for the past couple years.

2. The property abounds in natives that can easily be propagated. This is where most of the plant material will come from to design the garden. It makes sense anyway to use plants that are already doing well in a given location to reuse them.

Plants like melaleucas, callistemons, grevilleas, banksias, eucalypts and proteas will feature heavily throughout the garden schemes.

It's a very exciting venture, and one that I'm sure will take many years before it even smells of completion. However, I'm keen to start this challenge and look forward to sharing the progress as the journey continues.

Posted by Stuart at 6:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Blotanical has just received one of its most important updates - a new blog. No, not a new gardening blog to put on the map but a new blog about garden blogging.

This new blog will allow me to inform you when new blogs have been posted - so you can go and meet some new gardening friends - and also share when updates and modifications have occurred on the directory. I'm really too undisciplined to keep up with a newsletter and blogging gives me the freedom to tell you about a new change without waiting a fortnight.

The blog itself is fairly basic at the moment but it will grow over time. As it won't be updated on a daily basis you might want to consider subscribing to the RSS feed and keep it in your feed reader.

And, comments are still available for you to share your suggestions and feedback.

Are you ready to take a look? Here's the link.

Posted by Stuart at 5:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The key to growing a syngonium - Neglect!

I'm not joking. This is a photo of the one that resides in my office at work and it has been with me for the past 9 years. I've never changed the soil or repotted it. It's never had any fertiliser. It gets very little sunlight. And there have been many times when I've forgotten to water it.

Yet, it keeps surviving. I would be amazed if I could actually kill it as it seems impervious to any form of neglect.

But I do feel a little sympathetic to my plant from time to time. It has been so faithful and continually bears new foliage despite my lack of affection.

Syngonium plants aren't high maintenance. This is why they are a common indoor plant that many home gardeners opt for and do well with. They enjoy a moist soil but can live in any medium even when it dries fully (though not for long).

Your syngonium does need light for most of the day for perfect growing conditions. However, they can extract enough sunlight from a room that is barely lit without needing to sit on a windowsill. This syngonium in its pot never sees the light so the foliage has climbed down and extracts what it needs.

Syngoniums can be propagated from leaf cuttings.

CORRECTION:

Gary from Plant-Care.com has picked up a wee error in my plant identification. In his recent comment he states;

I agree with the "neglect" aspect of care for this house plant or office plant I guess is more correct. Many plant owners give their plants way too much love and attention.

However, the plant in the photo is a pothos and not a syngonium. They are in the same family, require basically the same care but are two different plants.

I posted a few couple for reference. syngonium images and a pothos.

Keep up the good work and keep sharing your plant knowledge!

Thank you for being so polite in your correction Gary. This is certainly my bad and I apologise to my readers for getting this plant mixed up and leading you all astray. I must admit that I had never even heard the term 'pothos' until Gary mentioned it and now I'm wondering whether I've ever seen these plants marketed as such. I shall continue to investigate.

Posted by Stuart at 6:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

For non-gardeners, or those who like to garden - so long as it can be done within TV ad breaks, designing your garden for low-maintenance doesn't have be a chore. In fact, if you design your garden well then most of your gardening activities can be spent on enjoying the things you like to do - like planting, cutting flowers and trimming your plants to shape.

To achieve this there are certain gardening jobs that you may want to avoid in the planning process. These chores are usually quite time-consuming, take a heap of effort and in some cases be quite banal. So which jobs can be avoided? Check these out;

1. Lawn Edging - this is by far the most time consuming task one could perform in their garden, especially in the warmer months. Design your lawns to butt against a wall or a fence rather than run into garden beds. This will allow you to use a brush cutter or line trimmer to keep the lawn under control. Exposed edges will always require edging to keep them from extending their boundaries and looking neat.

Time saved each week: For a small lawn at least 20 minutes in spring and summer.

2. Hedge Trimming - if you would rather watch football or clean the oven than get out in the garden, plan your landscape design without hedges. Depending on what plant you are trying to hedge will determine how much effort is needed to maintain its look. You can still grow a hedge but choose plant varieties that look good without the formal trim.

Time saved each month: Obviously it depends on the hedging plant and how many hedges you have but conceivably it could save you an hour or more each month by not trimming them.

3. Lawn Mowing - no prizes for guessing that this would be a job to avoid. Rather than spend time mowing and manicuring a lawn opt for ground covering substitutes. These could be plants that don't require as much mowing such as dichondra and chamomile or it could be non-organic coverings such as paving, concrete or gravel.

If you really want lawn, design your areas in such a way that it cuts down the time needed to manicure them. Round your edges rather than allowing them to butt into a 90° corner and try to keep obstacles at a minimum. You could always contract someone else to mow your lawn for you.

Time saved each week: Easily 20-30 minutes.

4. Weeding believe it or not this is one job that can easily be avoided. Design your gardens so that plants grow closely to each other thereby inhibiting weed growth. Use semi-permeable weed-control mats to lay under your mulch or just mulch heavily enough to restrict their growth.

Time saved each week: 10-20 minutes.

5. Digging if you plan to grow vegetables plan not to dig. Create raised beds that don't require any tilling of the soil but are grown on top of last season's compost or layers of straw. Buy yourself a compost tumbler rather than using the bin method.

Time saved each week: 5-10 minutes.

6. Watering this is one job that I'm not a big fan of as it can be incredibly time consuming. Install some garden reticulation and set it up with an automatic controller to come on when the plants need it the most. Then, it's merely maintaining the system for leaks and breakages which in comparison is little time at all. You can even put your hanging baskets and container plants on the same system.

Time saved each week: Upwards of 2 hours or more.

7. Pruning and deadheading this job comes down solely to plant choice. If you opt for plants that are high maintenance in the flowering department you will spend forever keeping the plant in shape and free of dead blooms. This is why many people select foliage plants that don't require this much effort.

Time saved each week: 10 minutes or more.

So, as you can see, with a little design forethought you can easily save yourself a couple hours each week in garden maintenance. Which will give you more time for...gazing.

Posted by Stuart at 6:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Hands up who would like a gazing ball plonked artistically on their manicured lawn. Anyone?

As if the humble gnome wasn't already an indictment on our gardens and landscaped lawns, it seems that we can actually plummet to greater depths of design stupidity. Just by placing a ball in our garden.

But not just any old ball. It must be a gazing ball. And what, pray-tell, does one do with a gazing ball? Gaze at it, I guess. And what could be more wonderful than that? For, if we didn't have a ball to gaze at we might need to grow some plants to decorate our humble abodes. Heaven forbid!

Instead of showing what's blooming in the garden we could show pictures of how the light reflects off our new garden whimsy. Or, maybe share anecdotes of how we discovered new meaning and enlightenment from staring at a round object that looks more at home...well...more at home anywhere but in a garden!

And as if that wasn't enough, you can also buy solar gazing balls for when you want to light up your garden at night. Not only can you gaze at your gazing ball during the day, you can even spend some quality twilight time gazing at it as well.

I must confess, as if you hadn't already noticed, that these are not going to be a feature in my garden. My humble apologies to those who raced out and bought one already or are waiting on their Demtel delivery, but honestly? Are these not the ugliest thing one could put in their garden?

Posted by Stuart at 6:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Ever since Michelle from GardenRant brought this picture to our attention, I've been chewing over in my mind as to a possible replacement for that rose.

I've read the comments on the GardenRant blog and understand it's historical importance as a sculpture (and that it probably has nothing to do with gardening!), however, I'm keen to know what others think should be planted inside that fist.

I agree with you Michelle. Roses are a little cliche.

Claire from An Alameda Garden thought that it would be better if the fist were holding a bunch of oxalis weed, root and all.

Should it have been sculpted with a weed, a hard-to-grow plant or some other inspirational floral symbol? And, if this sculpture was in your home town what would it be holding?

If it were in Busselton it would definitely be holding an arum lilly.

Posted by Stuart at 5:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

The Wollemi Pine, which caught world-wide attention in 1994 after being discovered in a remote canyon in Sydney's Blue Mountains, may now have an uncertain future because of its past.

Touted as a 'living fossil' dating back to the Jurassic period, the Wollemi Pine is credited as being more than 130 million years old.

Dr Greer, a leading biologist, thinks differently and has criticised the scientific world for their race to publish data which is yet unfounded. Greer, commenting in the Weekend Australian suggests that the Wollemi may in fact be a new species rather than one that has survived several age periods.

Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens executive director, Dr Tim Entwistle, disagrees with the new claim and holds firmly that Wollemi's are direct descendants of their distinct lineage. Entwistle believes there is more than enough evidence to pinpoint their descension rights and argues the point.

This could create an awesome bun fight within the botanical world and it will be interesting to see how it's played out in the ensuing months. The result, however, will be unlikely to reverse the public's infatuation with this plant and regardless of whether it's a direct descendant or a new species from the original lineage will make very little difference.

UPDATE

If you read the comment below from Tyra of Tyra's Garden you will notice that she promised photos of a Wollemi near her in Amsterdam. The Dutch are really treating it with kid gloves!

Posted by Stuart at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Landscaping with gravel is not a new idea but it is a concept that many gardeners struggle to come to terms with. Especially if it means replacing the sacred lawn. Then the idea either enters the "Let's consider it" basket or it's relegated to the abyss of stupid gardening thoughts.

But, landscaping gravel doesn't have to replace your lawn. There are many uses for gravel in your garden design than just surfacing large areas. Mulching, laying as a pathway, or even creating a focal point with a pair of chairs and table positioned atop.

The real charm of gravel is that it comes in many different forms yet they can all be retailed under the same name. Landscaping gravel can be sold as pea gravel, horticultural grit, decorative gravel, coarse-grade stone chippings, stone aggregate and even shingle. And as it ranges from different source materials so the colours available differ as well.

Depending on what application you have in mind and what has already been established within your garden setting so far, you are sure to find a landscaping gravel suitable. Rustic, earthy tones; dulcet hues of depressed greys to brighter, decorative gravels can transform your garden almost immediately.

Using landscaping gravel as a mulch

As a mulch, gravel can be quite ornate and fulfil a variety of functions. The best function of gravel mulch is its ability to allow moisture through to the plants that it surrounds. Many organic mulches that contain plant materials can often trap moisture and become impermeable. But gravel doesn't suffer from this and it still reduces the rate of evaporation, as a mulch should.

However, landscaping gravel often fails to suppress weeds when used as a mulch due to its coarseness. So, to make it more effective, a semi-permeable weed-suppressing membrane such as perforated plastic or shade cloth needs to be layed underneath. This is even more important if you are using horticultural grit as its fine grains can eventually seep into your soil.

Another downside of using gravel as a mulch is that it can become quite hot in the summer months and really hurt some of your plants. So be mindful which plants you use gravel to mulch around.

Using landscaping gravel for a pathway

And why wouldn't you? Gravel is a great medium for constructing paths throughout your garden. It offers rigidity yet flexibility that you don't get from paving or concrete and it's more long lasting than sawdust or lawn paths.

Gravel even has a great sound to it when you walk or wheel items over it. The 'crunch' comes from the individual stones being able to move, accommodating your step pattern - much like walking along a pebbled beach.

If you use landscaping gravel for a pathway you need to consider how other areas of the garden join with this medium. If the pathway runs between garden beds then you should have no problems with it. But, if it borders a lawn you may need to consider edging the gravel so that it doesn't become a projectile when you're mowing.

Surfacing large areas with gravel

Many non-gardeners find this an attractive landscaping feature because of its low-maintenance qualities. Even these days more gardeners are being attracted to it for their water-wise or xersicape gardens. And as a surface medium it has plenty to offer.

At it's most basic level landscaping gravels in large areas look fantastic. They're immediate and take very little effort to install and maintain. They also have the ability to create a mood within your garden that can only come with using a stone cover such as gravel.

If you want to keep the weeds from growing through these then underlaying the gravel with a weed-suppressing membrane is still a helpful idea.

For gardeners who have little children, landscaping with gravel may not be the best choice as they provide very little protection for their hands and knees and can be quite awkward for young feet to walk across.

So, maybe it's time to reconsider using gravel in your landscape.

Posted by Stuart at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The nominations are in and voting lines are now open for the Inaugural Mouse & Trowel Gardening Awards.

I was a little shocked to see Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas feature for not only one, but two categories;

• Most Innovative Blog; and


• Best International Blog

especially amidst such a strong field of contenders. Congrats to Pam from Digging for her whopping 6 nominations and the GardenRant team for their 4.

You have until Friday May 11 to get your votes in and Colleen is allowing you to vote each day so take advantage of your voting voice.

Posted by Stuart at 5:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

A friend sent me this email last week and seeing as I benefited greatly from its wisdom I thought you too might be able to enjoy its in-depth look in to our personal psyche.

It's a one-question survey that can tell you more about yourself than anything Myers-Briggs, or even a complete study of Freud, could throw at you. Here it is, (let me know how you go and whether it opened a whole new window into your soul for you);

In the middle of the table is a round food tray with five kinds of fruits on it.

They are:

a. Apple

b. Banana

c. Strawberry

d. Peach

e. Orange

Which fruit will you choose? Please think VERY carefully and don't rush into it. This is great, I was astounded! Your choice reveals a lot about you!

Test results: Please SCROLL DOWN

If you have chosen:

a. Apple: That means you are a person who loves to eat apples

b. Banana: That means you are a person who loves to eat bananas

c. Strawberry: That means you are a person who loves to eat strawberries

d. Peach: That means you are a person who loves to eat peaches

e. Orange: That means you are a person who loves to eat oranges

I hope you find fulfillment in this new insight about yourself. May it bring you peace and understanding, tranquility and all that other profound stuff.

Also I bet that right now you would like to find me and kick my tail. Well, I'm still on holidays so don't lynch me until I get back...

Posted by Stuart at 5:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a great Australian site offering women their own gardening and DIY tools. And it got me thinking...what is it that women want in a gardening tool that they're not getting at the moment?

Are gardening tool manufacturers specifically designing equipment aimed at the male market? If so, what would their reasons be for doing this. Surely there are more women gardeners than men - even though I couldn't find a conclusive finding on the matter one could ascertain this purely from the ratio of women to male gardening bloggers.

Firstly, who uses gardening tools? In our garden the predominant tool user is me. I do most of the lifting, the digging, the raking, the mowing and the cultivating - and I'm male. But I'm not sure that I represent the vast majority of gardeners. Certainly most of my male friends (with security issues) frown on my fanatical passion for growing plants and flowers.

And, do I use gardening tools the most because they've been manufactured to male specifications? Would my wife use more tools in the garden if they were fashioned to her physical requirements?

According to this press release here are some of the features that manufacturers are incorporating into gardening tools and equipment to try and seduce the female market;

-- Easy to start - Avoid the aggravation by purchasing products that offer an advanced starting system and take less muscle to get the engines roaring. For example, there are lawn mowers that start with a push of a button and trimmers that have spring-starting assistance that reduces pulling resistance by up to 55 percent.

-- Lightweight - Whether you're planting new flowers or treating the lawn for weeds, gardening can be an exhausting task. To ease the pain, manufacturers are introducing smaller or portable versions of their most popular products that are often less than half the weight of their counterparts. For example, this year, Troy-Bilt introduced an edger weighing less than 25 lbs., making it simple to maneuver and easy to store.

-- Versatile - Research shows women today are multi-taskers and are seeking innovation plus convenience to meet their busy schedules. To meet this demand, many products have interchangeable parts that allow gardeners to tackle more than one task. For example, a full-line of Troy-Bilt's string trimmers, including the TB575SS, has the ability to accept eight interchangeable attachments, making it a snap to edge, cut, trim and blow.

-- Environmentally friendly - Most outdoor power equipment features a two-cycle engine that requires the hassle of mixing oil and gas. Many products are now offering a four-cycle engine. It eliminates the need to mix gas and oil, cuts emissions by 50 percent and offers 30 percent greater fuel efficiency.

Well, that might be all okay when it comes to power equipment but what about the standard hoe, garden fork or digging spade. What advances have been made to make them better for the women who use them?

To be honest, I'm not sure there has been much progress in this area. Most manufacturers have opted for products that are beneficial to gardeners alike but have never really plumbed the depths of suiting women specifically.

If you take the garden spade, as an example, the size of the shaft is aimed at a man's height. The mass required to plunge it into the soil is more effective if it's above the average weight for a woman. And, the handle is easier to hold if you have bigger hands.

So, for those inventors who are looking for a new challenge I think the next frontier in gardening equipment is going to be developing tools that are aimed at women specifically.

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

Purple would have to be one of the most common flower colours growing in most gardens. Shades of violet, mauve and lilac can make up a large part of our garden colour scheme.

So, as to start a meme - or you can comment here - name 10 purple flowers that are currently blooming in your garden or that will over the next few months.

Here's my ten;

1. Hydrangeas


2. Tibouchina "Jazzie"


3. Lavatera Tree Mallow


4. English Lavender


5. Alyogyne Hueglii - Native Tree Hibiscus


6. Agapanthus - that have just finished blooming recently


7. Native Violets


8. Buddleia Davidii


9. Hellebores


10. Borage

If you have another colour that's prevalent in your flower garden, try creating a similar list with that colour.

Posted by Stuart at 6:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I've been trying to lay low for the past couple months and stay out of the media glare. But when you're running a popular blog that every celebrity Tom, Dick and Harry wants to be interviewed on, inevitably it all comes unstuck.

This was the case when I went to hear a speech by the presidential candidate Hilary Clinton. Someone had tipped her off that I would be attending and it didn't take her long to recognise my face in the crowd. Thanks Val.

So, after some polite banter and the formalities were over I agreed to interview her here on Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas.

Before I commence the interview let me first make a disclaimer. This interview in no way, shape or form agrees with Mrs Clinton's political views. Heck, I live in Australia - what do I care!

Here's the interview;

GTNI: There was a lot of discussion surrounding the bust that was sculpted from your profile. Some said that it made you look too sexy. Others justified it as being a picture of a powerful woman. And while that debate has raged, it's been reported you've been quite opportunistic and formulated a deal with Home Depot to start a new garden sculpture range.

Hilary: Yes, that's true.

GTNI: Do you really think consumers are ready to have a 'Hilary Bust' sculpture in their gardens yet?

Hilary: Oh, sure. The timing's perfect really. People are tired of garden gnomes and need something else to embellish their boring flowers and plants. The designers...(laughing) even joked about putting my bust on a little Buddha's body for those tropical gardeners down south. That would be funny, wouldn't it?

GTNI: Hilarious, I'm sure. Now back to your gardening exploits. How did you react when you heard the news that your petunias had all been trampled by CIA agents on a training exercise.

Hilary: I think I took it quite well - considering. The CIA are a great organisation and what's my little garden in the scheme of security for the world's greatest nation? I'm going to replant them with marigold's anyway - they should be able to see bright orange next time they train in my backyard.

GTNI: Hilary, when the opinion polls were showing voters preferences some of your advisers were recommending that you go after the Big Apple. Do you feel that you have achieved that?

GTNI: Show what?

Hilary: As I was saying, it just goes to show what a gardener I am. I don't think voters have a problem with my policies, they're basically the same as Bill's anyway. I believe the American public is more interested in global warming and whether they're Zone 4 garden is going to be a Zone 2 before I quit politics.

GTNI: And how do you propose to change that?

Hilary: Well...I'm planning to rent Al's "An Inconvenient Truth" this weekend which should get me on the same page. Then, I'm going to start closing down golf courses - do we really need all that lawn?

GTNI: And you think voters are going to be happy with this?

Hilary: Of course. People are tired with the expectation of having to grow a lawn and golf courses are just perpetuating that expectation. People should grow more water wise plants anyway.

GTNI: On that note, we might have to leave our interview there and cross over to our sponsor "Tiger Woods Office Putt-Putt." Thank you Hilary.

Hilary: My pleasure and I hope your readers can lessen global warming with their gardening practices as well.

Posted by Stuart at 6:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's school holiday's again so we're back off to Honeymoon Pool with the kids for the next week. The weather forecast is for sun, sun, sun with mild to hot temperatures so we'll spare you a thought while we're lolling around in the beautiful cool water.

This will be our last chance to enjoy the sunshine before we start heading into recreational hibernation so we're hoping to make the most of it. Who knows, we may even head off on a day trip and check out some new nurseries.

While I'm away I've prepped some posts that will keep you entertained and amused while we're gone (providing the server does as it's supposed to). Tomorrow, we meet up with Hilary Clinton and find out her views on gardening - the lengths I go to to bring you a story! Wednesday I have a new meme for you to participate in. Thursday we take a look at what women want when it comes to gardening tools and Friday is a survey that will give you incredible insight into your gardening soul.

It's so action packed I think I might stick around except my wife's shaking her head at me.

See you soon.

BTW - that's not me on the canoe. It's a friend who has a few less brain cells and far too much time on his hands.

Posted by Stuart at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Landscaping is an art form. If you don't believe me, check out Rick Anderson's awesome blog.

Yet, it seems that the most common mistakes become perpetually accepted in the same way the proverbial Emperor trusted his tailor.

New houses spring up at an alarming rate and before you can say "Wow! That didn't take long" their front yard has been transformed into a postage stamp paddock of green. A row of plants around the perimeter scream 'Boring!' louder than a rooster can crow when you have a thumping migraine and to top it off, an out-of-the-box water feature sits right in the middle of the yard.

Can we become any less imaginative?

To beat the rush on how-NOT-to landscape your garden, Christopher Solomon wrote a great article on landscaping sins. He lists seven faux pas' of garden design that he encounters when driving past many homes.

#1. Meatball Shrub - basically this is topiary gone stupid. Dwarf plants are pruned into ridiculous shapes (hence the term "meatball shrub") that have no beneficial aesthetic value to the garden. Triangles, silly animals, and obscure shapes all add to that tacky effect.

Tip: Unless you're trying to create a Parterre garden, leave topiary alone. It doesn't become you.

#2. Marching Flowers How many times have we seen rows of plants set in line like a battalion waiting for a dress check? This is so unnatural and shows signs that either the gardener got a great deal on crotons this week or they lack any form of creativity. My bets are on the latter.

Tip: Imitate nature's planting style. Clumps and random patterns look normal and are what people expect to see in gardens.

#3. Dyed Mulch Hear, Hear. Dyed mulch is for gardeners wanting to plumb the depths of boredom. It shows an ineptitude to make your plants and flowers the stars of your garden and the focus becomes the coloured rubber bits that do nothing to improve your soil.

Tip: Mulch is for the benefit of your plants - not the other way 'round. It's like the archaic golden rule for children - it should be seen and not heard!

#4. Too much - of everything As a gardener this is the easiest landscaping sin to commit. What's to stop you picking up that new season potted annual for that space that won't be occupied for another month until the bulbs spring up? Nothing. Unless of course you don't enjoy clutter.

Making your garden too random and full of plants that don't fit - or worse still, they clash - is like dressing a room with patterned wallpaper, a paisley carpet and spotty furniture. Your eyes will be screaming for assistance.

Tip: Try to avoid spontaneous purchases and realise that your garden is not as big as you think it is. Stick to the planting styles you've already established and continue to build that design instead.

#5. Bad proportions If your garden beds are only 2m wide don't grow plants that will exceed those boundaries. The classic case is growing crocus next to a flowering viburnum. The bulbs will get lost in the shrub and will be missed not only by yourself but also your visitors.

Tip: Use your plant heights to create an effect of more room rather than less.

#6. Skinny Sidewalks It's supposed to be a pathway but it's effectively useless for moving around the garden because it's only wide enough to carry a child's toy cart. Many builders add these in to their houseplans yet you don't have to accept them.

Tip: If you are going to have garden paths, make them wide enough that are useful and use materials that blend in with your landscape. Concrete is probably not going to work for many garden styles so change it to bricks, pebbles, paved timber or any other resource that fits.

#7. House hugging plants and their bad beds. Ugh! U-G-L-Y! Who do we have to blame for this landscaping monstrosity? There's nothing wrong with having plants near you house but when they're planted to the contour of your house it looks very bad indeed. Many homeowners make these garden beds their complete gardening picture, and it's not a very pretty one.

TIP: Widen your garden beds and shape them so that they look more natural. A garden bed should never be a rectangle.

Posted by Stuart at 6:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Anyone can call themselves a gardener. It doesn't take much skill to purchase a few plants or potted annuals and decorate your garden beds. In fact, if I was clever enough, I think I could train my dog to accomplish this (as soon as I get a dog, that is).

But, the litmus test of a true gardener is whether you can propagate your own plants or not. Taking cuttings, germinating seeds and grafting some of your favourite trees is all part of plant propagation. It's the art - ok, science - of reproducing your garden.

So where does a gardener, or at least someone who desires to be a gardener, start with plant propagation? And, how do you achieve success by propagating the plants you love and enjoy?

To understand plant propagation one has to at least acknowledge the basic needs of a plant. They need light, water, air and minerals. Too much, and they will die. Too little, and they will die. Too much of one need to the detriment of the others, and your plant will deform. That's it. Basic Plant Needs 101 has concluded.

So, now that you understand a plant's needs, you now need to learn the basic structure of a plant.

The two main components of a plant (and this is very basic stuff) are the stem and the roots. The stem holds the leaves, stems, buds, fruits and flowers which captures the air and the light requirements. The roots hold the plant in its growing medium and sources the water and minerals.

When it comes to plant propagation then and being successful at it we only have to ensure that the needs of the plant are maintained and the structure is encouraged.

Understanding all of this, it's now time to learn a few propagation techniques.

Propagating by division is by far the easiest form of plant propagation for the home gardener. It allows you to divide many of your tuberous, bulbous or rhizomous plants such as daylilys, irises, gladioli and agapanthus simply by dividing the clump. You don't even have to be really gentle about the operation. More details...

Collecting garden seed is the next on the list of least difficult plant propagation techniques. Many annuals, natives and perennials produce their own seed which can be harvested and later grown to reproduce the parent plant. More details...

Propagation by plant cuttings is my preferred method of choice although it can't be used on all plants. I enjoy taking a cutting, potting it up and then watching it grow over the next few months. There is a sense of satisfaction that only comes from this type of plant propagation and until you've achieved it, you won't understand - so give it a go. More details...

Using leaves to propagate plants isn't as silly as it sounds. In fact, if you're trying to propagate begonias and african violets it's probably the most successful method you could possibly use. This technique will grow small plants straight from the veins of your leaf and it likes quite weird. More details...

Soil layering is a great technique that you can employ on a plant which happens on site. Rather than taking a cutting and growing it through some plant medium, a branch is scored and then repositioned in its own soil. A short time later it produces its own root structure and you have a whole new plant. More details...

Air layering is similar except that you don't need the branch to connect with the soil - a great advantage if the stem you're using is far away from the soil. A compress of nutrients and growing medium is wrapped around the scarred tissue and held in place until this too produces its own plant. More details...

Finally, grafting is another plant propagation technique. It can be quite complex so I won't discuss it much in this post only to state that slow growing shrubs and plants can easily be grafted to produce much faster results. Grafting is also used to combine the best characteristics from two or more plants so that the chance of plant survival or aesthetic value is easily realised.

The world of plant propagation is incredible and if you haven't tried it yet then maybe it's time to take your gardening hobby to the next level. Have a go. Learn from your mistakes and celebrate your successes.

You can call yourself a 'real' gardener now.

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

The gardening blogosphere is such a dynamic concept. Blink, and you could miss the most amazing post or a photo of the most beautiful flower goes begging.

Even more tragic is when a garden blogger with amazing experience posts a gardening tip for us to use and it doesn't get read. Therefore, the "Gardening blog's helpful posts of the week" is aimed at making sure this knowledge doesn't get lost.

Take a look at this week's offerings;

• Nancy from My Garden Spot offers some good advice to those who find their way to her blog but may not get then answers they were looking for. If only we could reach into our reader's worlds when they coming knocking!
• Garden-Helper posts a great article on learning from your weeds. As disgruntled as we get from having to weed our gardens, they may actually be telling us something that we need to know about our garden's health.
• And, what about 'vegan' gardeners? Trey from The Golden Gecko was confronted with a customer seeking organic fertilisers that don't consist of pulped fish or animal manures. What does he recommend? Check it out.
• Ilona, star of the Ilona's Garden Journal shares a few pointers when it comes time to prune some of your plants. Why we need to prune and what tools to use are just some of the great advice that she's offering.
• Carol from May Dreams Gardens has been formulating some good potting soil recipes and even challenging her own concepts of what should and shouldn't be part of the mix.
• And finally, it seems that GardenRant has pulled out of the deal with GardenWeb. Great news for us garden bloggers who love to have a rant or at least read one. Freedom of speech remains - I hope you all had fun with the April 1 thingy

And, in the immortal words of Peter Cundall, a great gardening guru, "That's your bloomin' lot for the week."

Posted by Stuart at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Arguably the most important day on the Christian calendar is Good Friday followed closely by Easter Sunday. Sure, everyone thinks that Christmas is the biggie but really it couldn't hold a candle to these two days - unless, of course, you're in retail.

For me, it's a sobering day as I reflect on my own mortality, life after death and all that jazz. It's a celebratory day that's mixed with remorse and heartfelt appreciation in some ways like saying good-bye to a loved one that's been battling cancer. Sad for the loss. Grateful that they're free from the pain.

I'm thankful for this day and the sacrifice that was made. And as I was reflecting this morning I came upon a great Psalm that summed it up;

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered -
how fleeting life is.
You have made my life no longer than the
width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.

We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
not knowing who will spend it.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.

Psalm 39: 4-6 NLT

Put's it in perspective a little, doesn't it?

Posted by Stuart at 7:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If you've ever loitered around gardening forums, Yahoo! Answers Garden & Landscape section or read comments on some of the gardening blogs you will notice that flower identification is a common thread.

It usually displays like "Can someone please tell me what plant this is? My MIL gave it to me for Christmas 3 years ago and I have no idea how to care for it. Any suggestions would be appreciated."

The questions usually come from novice gardeners looking for a quick answer. They don't want to scroll through reams of pictures in an image gallery hoping that they might get lucky. They want an answer, NOW.

However, the problem with identifying flowers and plants is that there are millions of possibilities. If I challenged you to come up with 10 purple flowers within a minute I'm sure the challenge wouldn't be too difficult. In fact, you probably have at least that many growing in your garden.

So, flower identification can be an almost impossible undertaking, even - or should I say, especially - on the web.

Here are a few resources that might make the job of flower identification a little easier;

Dave's Garden (paid subscription needed) - this is possibly one of the best flower and plant databases around and with the search facility constructed the way that it is, you should find it incredibly helpful.

My only misgiving with Dave's Garden is that you need a paid subscription to access it. With all the advertising that this site is pushing, there shouldn't be a need to charge the consumer as well. And, it's a big disadvantage for novice gardeners who may only want to access this resource once or twice.

University of Texas in Austin's Native Plant Database [No longer available] is one of many wildflower databases available. Others are PlantNet - the Botanic Gardens Trust of Sydney's database and CALM's Florabase which lists West Australian wildflowers.

And while these are good and very helpful for specific flowers they aren't terribly useful when it comes to identifying flowers that grow in most people's gardens.

Homestead Garden Forums - forums are always a good place to fall back on when you can't get any satisfaction elsewhere. Most forum users are only too happy to help you identify your flower and if you can find a local gardener then your chances of success are even better.

If you know of any flower identification tools that exist please add them in the comments and I shall endeavour to update this post.

UPDATE:

Annie at the Transplantable Rose has offered this great site as well - Kemper Centre for Home Gardening.

Posted by Stuart at 5:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Have you ever wondered what goes into that bag of Blood n Bone? Or, how they make fish fertiliser smell so good?

Well...wonder no more. This great resource will answer all your questions from which fish are used, how they are pulped into emulsion and bonemeal and even some of the more controversial questions.

One Q&A I enjoyed was the response given by Bill Ginn, Marketing Coordinator of Alaska Fish Fertilizer, when asked how they could call their product organic when they added synthetic additives.

Because of the unique properties of Fish Emulsion, the states- who handle the certification of both fertilizers and organic farming- have decided that if less than 1% by weight of fish emulsion is synthetic, then it can pass muster as Natural Organic (the proper term for non-chemical fertilizers). Without this additive, the emulsion creates fermented gases, which can cause rupturing or exploding (with glass bottles like we once used) bottles on the store shelves, or on your workshop bench.

Could you imagine shopping in store or nursery and having a bottle of fish emulsion explode over you? Hardly a pretty sight...and, ohh...that smell!

I'm sure we can allow 1%.

Posted by Stuart at 6:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The future of gardening is a debate that has waged again and again throughout the blogosphere and also via online gardening sites and media sources. In each argument and rebuttal the same point is made that gardening as a hobby is slowing down and gardeners are getting older.

Depending on your viewpoint we could argue ad nauseum the factors causing this disturbing trend and suggest possible remedies. While that dialog would be fun and possibly amusing from a blogging stance I think the discussion may not be needed.

Why?

Because our schools are taking up the slack and offering horticulture courses.

While I was in Tasmania recently we were hosted by a local school Principal who, after discovering my addiction for gardening, was only too keen to display his school's horticultural program (a course that we never had the luxury of studying while I was at school).

This course of study was highly maintained and a sizable portion of land was dedicated to the program. It included individual vegetable beds for students, propagating areas (outdoor and within a shadehouse) and a garden that the students themselves had created.

This garden featured a lake pond with many plants that were either local or had been grown by the students. Walkways, structural features, plantings and systems to encourage bio-diversity were all part of the schema and this horticulture course had educated these students to create and manage it.

I was even fortunate enough to meet up with a couple of ex-students, one of whom now works in a nursery and the other who has a keen interest in home gardening. Their enthusiasm for their hobby was contagious and they paid tribute to the school's horticultural program and it's zealous teacher.

As more school's offer horticulture courses, and they seem to be springing up quicker than alfalfa sprouts on a warm window sill, the future of gardening will be safeguarded. When young people are equipped with the skills and knowledge to continue their craft they are more likely to return to it when they have homes of their own.

Hopefully, we may even see better home gardens as a result.

Posted by Stuart at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now, here's the mark of a good gardener - the ability to grow winter flowers. Anyone can grow plants that flower through spring and summer. Even autumn (fall) flowering plants aren't incredibly difficult. But it seems that many gardeners don't grow plants that flower through winter.

It's not a fair statement - really - that a good gardener can grow winter flowers, because most of the world's gardens are covered by snow or susceptible to frosts. And most winter flowers are found on tropical plants that are native to Africa, Asia or South America - areas that never experience either dilemma.

However, if you live in an area that doesn't suffer from these extreme climates - you have no excuse!

A well-rounded garden is one that can inspire and look beautiful throughout each season. There always seems to be some plant blooming it's head off throughout the landscape.

Here's a list of plants that you may be able to grow in your gardens to produce winter flowers;

• Grevilleas


• Strelitzia Reginae - Bird of Paradise


• Proteas - there are many varieties of this genus that will flower throughout winter


• Kniphofia - Red Hot Pokers


• Acacias - a good, hardy Australian genus that comes in many different forms from prostrates, shrubs and trees


• Hellebores - these are great because they can even tolerate some frost and cold growing conditions


• Camellias


• Azaleas


• Viburnums


• Heather


• Daphne

And then there's a heap of winter flowering annuals;

• Cyclamen


• Iceland Poppies


• Primulas


• Cineraria


• Poinsettias


• Allysum

Considering all the different colours that winter flowers will bring to your garden it's not hard to imagine how a drab, grey season can easily be transformed into a season we desire as much as the others.

Growing winter flowers doesn't take any more effort than growing plants that flower through other seasons, it merely comes down to planning. Plan to grow some plants that will give you a great flower show in winter and you won't be disappointed.

Posted by Stuart at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation..." Henry David Thoreau - "...the rest of us blog!" Stuart Robinson.

One of the most influential philosophers of the 19th Century is blogging! That's right. You heard correctly. Henry David Thoreau is blogging...

Well, almost. Via diary entries posted by a guy called Greg, Thoreau is actually blogging his memoirs.

It's a fascinating insight into the life of a philosopher - and gardener - who shares some of the highlights of his thinking and the activities that occupy him. The blog even keeps the sequence of dates in order, albeit the years are a little mixed up. Great reading.

Link found via All the Dirt on Gardening

Posted by Stuart at 5:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In yesterday's post, Collecting Garden Seeds I discussed how a gardener could go about collecting their own seed and then later propagating plants from them. It's an easy enough process but what happens when a few seasons have passed you by before you get to use them? Will they still grow?

Well, there's an easy test that any gardener can do with their seeds, whether they collected their own or have some bought ones still sitting on the shelf. And, it's going to save you plenty of heartache waiting for seedlings to appear from dead seeds.

Betty Jakum, an Adams County Master Gardener, has a great article on testing seeds. The test is not much different to the science tests you ran in primary school with alfalfa sprouts. Laying the seeds on wetted paper towel and leaving on the window sill will soon determine whether your seeds are viable or not.

The good ones will have germinated while the bad ones won't. Fairly straight forward, Yes!

Posted by Stuart at 5:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Imagine coming up with your own list of the "10 Most Magnificent Trees of the World". Well, that's exactly what Neatorama did even going so far as to rank them in descending order.

Now my humble 4 Incredible Trees post pails in comparison but I have discussed some of Neatorama's list before - see my posts on the Baobab and the Sequoia.

Whenever a list of this magnitude is compiled there are many dissenters willing to propose their own Top 10 so I'm keen to hear what trees you would have added, had you been producing the list.

Link via Treehugger

Posted by Stuart at 7:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Collecting seeds from your own garden, and then growing them, must be one of the most rewarding activities a gardener can experience. More invigorating than buying masses of potted colour from your local nursery at a 50% OFF Sale, even.

However, collecting garden seeds does not come in a one-size-fits-all type program. Garden seeds are as different as the plants that produce them and so ways to collect and harvest them are just as diverse.

Now, before I start going into any detail, my disclaimer is that this is not a research page on collecting garden seeds and their propagation techniques. It's merely a post featuring some of the basics that I've learned over the past years as I've enjoyed my hobby. So, if you feel I've missed some important piece of data please share it in the comments section.

Ok. Let's move on.

How to collect garden seeds from annuals

Starting with the basics, let's take a look at Basil.

Many flowering annuals will produce seeds if you allow them to - unless it's coriander and they'll bolt to seed quicker than a stallion in a paddock of mares. What's more they are fairly easy to collect and propagate in future seasons.

Here's how you do it.

1. Allow the seed cases to turn brown and die.


2. Remove the seed cases from the plant and place them on a tray with some baking paper underneath. Leave the tray in a cool place to dry out. (The paper is to help you find the seeds after they've been evicted from their casings).


3. Once the pods or casings are completely dry, it's just a matter of gently shaking them onto the paper. Remove any husks and superfluous dry foliage from the seed and pour into an envelope. It's best to use paper envelopes rather than small plastic bags for if the seed is not completely dry they can begin to rot in a plastic bag or container.


4. Label and date the seeds and store for the next season.

It's a fairly easy process and one that should reward your gardening habits the more you do it.

How to collect seeds from perennial plants

Collecting garden seed from your perennials is no more difficult but the art of germinating them may be a little harder. As most plants produce seed in some form, perennials are no different but it's usually not as readily available as annual garden seeds.

In the case of this Camellia sasanqua "Yuletide", the seeds are produced within little apple-like pods and are ready only when they pop open. They can be picked prior to opening and left to dry out but your timing needs to be impeccable for if you pick them too early the seeds won't have matured enough in order to germinate. The best practice is to check the plant regularly and pick the seed as soon as they have opened up.

Many people ask whether garden seed can be collected from fruit trees and then propagated to grow another tree. Much like a child asking if they can grow an apple tree from the seeds in their apple core. The answer is definitely 'Yes' however because many fruit trees have been grafted the seed that you plant most probably won't produce the apple that you just ate. It will always revert back to the original plant.

Also, some fruit trees are better grown from cuttings or other forms of propagation that to plant from seed. Avocado trees are a classic example. For an avocado tree to fruit from a seed it could take 14-20 years before you will rewarded for your efforts whereas if it's propagated from a cutting you could enjoy some avocados within seven years.

As you did with the annual garden seeds, label and store perennial seeds in a dry place until you're ready to begin germinating them.

How to collect seeds from native plants

Collecting seeds from native plants can be a little more tricky - especially Australian natives. These two different Banksia seed pods are almost impenetrable and will require a different tact to make them give up their cargo.

Each nob (not sure of the Latin technical name for these) contains a seed and they are only released at the right time when grown in their natural habitat. The seeds fall to the ground or are carried through the air and dispersed throughout their local environment.

The trick with harvesting seed from these plants is to apply a little heat. Placing them in a 100°C (212°F) oven for an hour will usually be enough to crack them open and secure the garden seeds. Once harvested they too can be stored in a dry place and germinated at a later date.

With most garden seeds their shelf-life is usually a few seasons. However, germinating them when they're fresh is usually your best option and will give you better results.

Posted by Stuart at 6:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just when we thought the gardening blogosphere couldn't get any more shaken up, GardenRant today announced the sale of their popular blog to online gardening giant, GardenWeb for a reported US$1.3m.

GardenWeb, in their desire to regain market share, have identified some popular blogs in their recent shopping list buying up some of the gardening blogosphere's hottest property. Part of the deal will see the GardenRanter's continue in an editorial role, for an undisclosed sum of money, in an attempt to keep content in a similar format.

GardenRant's Susan Harris was expectedly excited about the news however offering a vote of confidence to GardenRant's new owners and assuring readers that it's business as usual. Harris has also made comments airing her disappointment with the final price suggesting that $1.8m may have been a more realistic figure.

New gun, Elizabeth Licata, will most likely bow out of the GardenRant weblog and take a much needed rest with family and friends. Licata stated, "Working with the other ladies [Susan Harris, Michelle Owens and Amy Stewart] has been fun but incredibly taxing. Most mornings I would find myself making my own coffee." With her quarter share of the profits she's not likely to have that problem any more and is heading to Florida for a well-deserved rest.

Amy Stewart, fresh from her recent book tour, was the only one of the ranters disappointed with the sale. "I got back in the office last Monday and the girls told me the news. It all happened while I was away and I can't say I'm impressed. The girls were happy and I could see it wasn't going to work without me, so I signed." Rumours of her new book Flower Ranters are running amok but Stewart wouldn't give any more details.

Michelle Owens wasn't available for comment but sources close to the ranter say she's happily spending most of her share at Trey' nursery.

Source: Just another one of those April Fool Day jokes!!

Posted by Stuart at 4:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)