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 TV show
7.30pm
Friday

February 2020 h

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Seed saving
KEEP THE BEST PRACTICAL IDEAS
FOR LATER TO KEEP ON
GARDENING

tales of resilience
E ce ‘SUMMER DORMANCY’
DRAGON FRUIT & OTHER STRATEGIES
ROCKET IN POTS
MAIDENHAIR FERN love the lawn
CORDYLINES or let it go?
FRUITS THAT
STILL CROP IN
THE DRY

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Sophie Thomson Jane Edmanson

Build a bed & Grow Michaelmas
breakfast hotel daisies for a splash
for native bees of summer colour
 Growing Australian
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 EDITOR’S LETTER

welc
O
ver the last few issues, we’ve run a series Elsewhere, Jackie French talks about fruit
of stories about using water wisely. This ees that can still crop through dry times, and
issue is about gardening when you have e visit a peaceful garden in rural Victoria that
very little – or none at all – of the wet stuf axes and wanes in line with periods of drought,
It has been a depressing summer. Our TV screens undation, frost, and raids by hungry wildlife.
pulsate with the orange of bushfires and footage of Finally, who doesn’t love seeing what Sophie
drought – dairy cows being sent to slaughter because farmers Thomson is building? She shows how to make a hotel for solitary
can no longer feed them; people playing cricket on the brown native bees – one that doesn’t just look good, but also meets their
base of what was once a river. specific needs. Add flowers to the surrounding garden and your
In tough times, maintaining ‘a little patch of green’ can be the bee B&B is ready for business. I hope you have a full house!
difference between sanity and despair. This was a recurring
theme among the rural gardeners Jennifer Stackhouse spoke
BELOW
with for her story on how to keep gardening through drought. Even when all is brown, having a spot
What emerges is a resilience, a sense of community and the to sit, like on this property ‘Cooliabah’,
power of kindnesses between gardeners. Turn to page 30 for an keeps you connected to the outdoors.
inspiring read and a list of ways to keep the gardening spirit alive,
even when there’s not much going on in the way of plants.
If you’re watching your garden die, one of the proactive things
you can do is save seeds as favourite or best-performing plants
finish flowering. Seed saving is always worth doing, as you are
basically developing a stockpile of plants that you love and which
have adapted to your climate. Over time, this is a valuable thing
for any gardener to have – and a great boon to someone starting
over again after extended drought. See page 42 for ideas.
And what about water restrictions? The recurring image used
in media to illustrate water wastage in the home is a gardener
watering their garden. While there’s no doubt there are still
people using water thoughtlessly, most gardeners are judicious
about watering, and this demonisation of gardeners is frust
and counterproductive. Doesn’t the planet need more green
not less? I asked Tim Entwisle, director of Royal Botanic
Gardens Victoria, to pick away at the nuances of gardening
in a time of water scarcity, starting with the matter of lawn.
PHOTOS ALLY JACKSON, KIM WOODS RABBIDGE, ISTOCK

Turn to page 38 for Tim’s thoughtful discussion.

TO UC
N
H
S TAY I

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G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 3
 A FASTER WAY

SCAN FOR VIDEOS

www.wagneraustralia.com.au
FreeCall 1800 924 637
 FEBRUARY 2020

CONTENTS
20
For all your top jobs in
the garden this month,
turn to page 64

E
22
COV R COVER STORIES
E COMPETITIONS +
14 Cordylines
ON TH

18 Michaelmas daisies
READER OFFERS
20 Maidenhair fern 62 Subscribe now for your
chance to win one of 100
22 Drought: summer dormancy
double movie passes to
30 Drought: practical ideas see The Professor and the
30 Drought: tales of resilience Madman, valued at $40
38 Drought: lawn for each double pass
42 Seed saving 85 Win one of two Gardena
prizes comprising a hose
50 Fruits that still crop in the dry
trolley, hose and nozzle,
53 Build a native bee hotel worth $267.99 each

Saving seeds (page 42) is a great way

to build up a store of plants that
75 Rocket in pots
78 Dragon fruit 18 88 Solve the crossword and
go into the draw to win
one of 10 Seasol hampers,
perform well in your garden, and is each valued at $50
one way a gardener in drought can
save something for better times.
Photo: GAP Photos/Robert Mabic

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 5
FEBRUARY
38
30 14
42
53
76
FEATURES 38 Browned off REGULARS
14 Colourful cordylines The rights and wrongs of gardening 8 Marketplace Plants, products, books
Easy-care shrubs with striking foliage in a time of water scarcity 12 Calendar Shows and open gardens
for year-round interest in the garden 42 Save it for a rainy day 50 At home with Jackie Fruit trees that
18 Fresh as a daisy The benefits of saving seed, especially still crop with little water
Perennial Michaelmas daisies, also during dry times, with anecdotes from 64 Action planner What to do in your
called asters, produce masses of Gardening Australia TV presenters garden in February
blooms from summer to autumn 53 Bed & breakfast 73 In the patch
20 Drop-dead gorgeous How to build a native bee B&B in your • Plant kale
The secrets to keeping maidenhair garden, and plants that feed the bees • Pick cucumber
ferns from dropping their fronds, 58 The gardener’s bucket list • Grow rocket in pots
and how to revive them if they do Nezu Museum, Japan • Step-by-step for thinning
22 Taking the bad with the good
Plants on a property in Victoria’s
Macedon Ranges survive climate
78 banana clumps
• How to grow dragon fruit
80 Backyard visitors
extremes with minimal help 82 Mailbox Your letters, photos, questions
30 When the going gets tough 88 Crossword
Tips and strategies for gardening 90 TV & radio guide Your ABC
during periods of drought, and how 91 The directory
gardeners can support one another 98 The big picture

6 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 FROM JUST

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magazine, created to help our members achieve
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by visiting three of Australia’s finest gardens with
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We trial and grow more food plants and summer
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and subtropical fruit trees, as well as rare edibles
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Your membership includes six magazines per year,
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MARKETPLACE

SHELF
HE

PLANTS
ON T

This month’s pick of the bunch

for garden lovers nationwide

Many roses available in

Australia have won medals
overseas, but it’s even better
if they’ve won awards here,
as you know they’re suited
to local growing conditions.
At the 2019 National Rose Trial
Garden of Australia Awards,
the Kordes-bred Black Forest
Rose won the Gold Medal and
was named Australian Rose
of the Year, Best Rose of the
Trial and Best Floribunda of
the Trial. Its medium, double
flowers are a standout red with
a wavy edge. This Floribunda
rose flowers in terminal
clusters from spring through
to autumn. Growth is a tidy
70–90cm high by 60–80cm
wide, making it suitable for
containers or the garden.
www.treloarroses.com.au

Shady spots in the garden can

be difficult to fill if you want
flowers as well as foliage, but Plants that have adapted to
this newly released Australian harsh climates often have small,
native libertia, Libertia grey foliage that reflects sunlight,
paniculata ‘Shadow Star’, is making them very tolerant of dry
able to handle light to heavy conditions. A sprawling perennial,
shade. This clumping the grey-leafed, aromatic Russian
perennial produces sage is also available as a small
white, starry flowers sub-shrub, Perovskia atriplicifolia
in spring above ‘Little Spire’, that can cope with
arching foliage that’s full sun. Masses of mauve flowers
wider and darker appear throughout summer and
than the common autumn. It’s dormant in winter,
variety. It tolerates so prune it back after flowering.
light frost and moderate Growing to 60cm high by
drought, and grows 30–40cm 60cm wide, it works well as a
high by 40–50cm wide. garden border or potted plant.
ozbreed.com.au planterspatch.com.au

8 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 The only pink variety of pincushion flower available in
Australia, the new Lomelosia cretica (syn. Scabiosa
cretica) ‘Aphrodite’ is a splash of colour among the
many grey-leafed, drought-tolerant plants. It grows
60cm high by 70cm wide, tolerates drought and frost,
and flowers late spring through summer. The papery
seed heads are ideal for dried flower arrangements.
perennialle.com.au
TEXT MARIANNE CANNON
 How can you keep your indoor
plants and under-cover balcony
pots alive when you’re away?
Filling pot saucers with
water is only a short-term fix,
EDITOR Jenny Baldwin whereas the Aqualux 8062
HORTICULTURAL EDITOR Phil Dudman
ART DIRECTOR Rachel Henderson
watering system offers a more
CHIEF SUBEDITOR Liani Solari substantial solution. Powered
SUBEDITORS Gina Hetherington, Kirsten Colvin
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Carole Gridley by rechargeable batteries or
HORTICULTURAL CONSULTANT Marianne Cannon
ABC TV HOST Costa Georgiadis
mains electricity, the 30L tank,
PRESENTERS Josh Byrne, Tino Carnevale, timer and pump create
Jerry Coleby-Williams, Jane Edmanson,
Millie Ross, Clarence Slockee, Sophie Thomson a drip-irrigation system
CONTRIBUTORS that waters up to 20
Steve Ball, Karyn Couper-Smith, Leonard Cronin, Tim Entwisle,
Steve Falcioni, Jackie French, Simon Griffiths, Judy Horton,
plants for up to 28 days.
Michael McCoy, Jessie Prince, Martyn Robinson, Luke Simon,
Jennifer Stackhouse, Kim Woods Rabbidge
watermyplants.com.au
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

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MANAGER PUBLISHING AND LICENSING,
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SUBSCRIPTION SALES AND ENQUIRIES

1300 361 146, gardeningaustralia.com.au

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES ‘Feed the soil first’ is the

yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au
Phone (02) 9901 6325
gardener’s mantra, as it helps
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Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590 uptake and boost growth.
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MANAGING DIRECTOR Hamish Bayliss
PUBLISHER Carole Jones is a new soil conditioner
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ISSN: 1325-1465 and humic acids that help to
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The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or part, without
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be used to provide the products or services that you have requested and to improve watering in short bursts up to
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 MARKETPLACE

HELF
ES

BOOKS
TH
THE SECRETS OF GREAT
BOTANISTS AND WHAT THEY
TEACH US ABOUT GARDENING
Matthew Biggs
Exisle Publishing
History buffs and plant lovers will enjoy
this beautifully illustrated presentation
of stories about 35 plant collectors and
gardening pioneers. Included are Joseph
Banks, who was James Cook’s botanist on HMS Endeavour, and Georgiana Molloy,
one of the first botanists in Western Australia. Organised chronologically, each botanist
COOKING WITH THE OLDEST
is profiled with their life story, specialty, discoveries and secrets, providing inspiration
FOODS ON EARTH
and practical guidance to gardeners of all levels.
AUSTRALIAN NATIVE FOODS:
RECIPES AND SOURCES
John Newton
NewSouth Publishing AUSTRALIAN RAINFOREST SEEDS
Demand for native foods is growing A GUIDE TO COLLECTING, PROCESSING
as their flavours become more AND PROPAGATION
known and appreciated. This Mark Dunphy, Steve McAlpin,
compact book is a companion Paul Nelson and Michelle Chapman,
guide to the author’s award-winning with photographs by Hugh Nicholson
book, The Oldest Foods on Earth, CSIRO Publishing
published four years ago. Organised Based on 30 years of research in northern
by ingredient, each chapter provides New South Wales, this book is an A-to-Z
a brief history, nutritional profile illustrated guide on how to sustainably collect,
and recipes. Whether you have process and germinate the seeds of 300
already experienced the taste of subtropical rainforest species. With the impact
local foods or are yet to try them, of widespread deforestation on our environment,
this is a handy resource that aims planting more trees will support a growing
to encourage more commonplace movement of rainforest restoration. The book’s
use of Australia’s delicious and straightforward instructions on propagation are helpful in all situations, including
healthy native produce. commercial nurseries and backyard gardens. Available in February.

BOTANICAL REVELATION
EUROPEAN ENCOUNTERS WITH AUSTRALIAN PLANTS BEFORE DARWIN
David J Mabberley
NewSouth Publishing
This visually beautiful book with many illustrations, including exquisite botanical
drawings, provides a comprehensive analysis of international understanding and
appreciation of Australia’s native flora before English naturalist Charles Darwin arrived
here in 1836. Combining science, horticulture, art and economics, the book reveals
the motives and complex networks that led to our native plants being cultivated in
Europe and elsewhere in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The author, a botanist,
educator and writer, focuses his narrative almost exclusively on information from the
Peter Crossing Collection of antiquarian books and paintings.

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 11
 O N IN
FEBRUARY
’S
WHAT
Your guide to garden shows and events
around the country this month
VICTORIA
1ST–29TH Sustainable Living Festival
Various times and venues. info@slf.org.au.
Up to 300 events across Melbourne
and Victoria exploring sustainability and
climate change. slf.org.au
17 TH Feb–17 TH Apr
Australian Plants Revealed
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm (not Labour Day), Sat
noon–4pm. Maroondah Federation Estate
Gallery, 32 Greenwood Ave, Ringwood.
(03) 9707 5275. Free. This exhibition about
traditional plant use and science features
images and six specimens collected by
Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander in 1770
on the Endeavour voyage. apsvic.org.au
12 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
22ND–23RD Beautiful Begonias
Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 10am–3pm.
Moorabbin Senior Citizens Club, 964
Nepean Hwy, Moorabbin. 0404 817 449.
$5. Begonias on display and for sale at
the Melbourne Begonia Society Show.
23RD Feb Secret Life of Birds
9.30–11am. Royal Botanic Gardens
Victoria, Melbourne Gardens, Birdwood
Ave, South Yarra. (03) 9252 2429. $18
adult, $9 child. Spot diverse birdlife on this
tour. Bookings essential. rbg.vic.gov.au
29TH Feb–1ST Mar Victorian State
Dahlia Show
Sat 12.30–5pm, Sun 10am–3pm. Mount
Waverley Community Centre, 47 Miller Cres,
Mount Waverley. 0419 221 200. $5. About
1100 dahlias on display. Plants for sale.
TASMANIA
1ST–2ND Sheffield FlowerFEST
10am–3pm. Sheffield Town Hall, High St,
Sheffield. 0407 112 090. $3. Summer show
with roses, dahlias, hydrangeas, begonias
and more from local gardens. Produce and
plants for sale. kentishgardenclub.com.au
23RD Plan a Native Garden
1.30–4pm. Inverawe Native Gardens,
1565 Channel Hwy, Margate. (03) 6267
2020. $30. Learn how to create a native
PHOTO ISTOCK
garden with the head gardener. Bookings
essential. inverawe.com.au
 WA Owned & Operated

29TH Koonya Garlic Festival

10.30am–4pm. Koonya Hall and Grounds, 564 Nubeena
Rd, Koonya. koonyagarlicfestival@gmail.com. $10 adult, 2020 Autumn & Spring
Bulb Catalogue
children free. Talks and masterclasses by culinary and
gardening experts. Food stalls, music, children’s activities.
Gourmet produce for sale. koonyagarlicfestival.org

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
350
Bulb
15TH–16TH Open Garden: Joe’s Connected Garden
10am–4.30pm. 6 Argent St, Elizabeth Grove. 0402 140 219.
$8 (proceeds donated to charities). Permaculture garden
and five adjoining gardens (linked by gates), with more than
V ar i e t ie s
500 varieties of fruit, vegetables, herbs, and subtropical
and unusual plants. Talks and demonstrations on edible
crops and sustainability. Refreshments. Plants for sale.

NEW SOUTH WALES Tulips

15TH–16TH Tomato Festival Sydney Nerines
Daffodils
Sat 10am–7pm, Sun 10am–4pm. The Royal Botanic Garden
Sydney, Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney. (02) 9231 8111.

Freesias
Free; some ticketed events. A food festival celebrating
the tomato’s pride of place in the kitchen garden. Keep

Dutch Iris
an eye out for festival ambassador Costa Georgiadis.
Events include tomato-inspired still-life art classes,
the longest tomato lunch, cooking demonstrations and
nu ncu li
gardening talks. Food stalls. rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/tomato
Ra
22ND–23RD Begonia and Frangipani Weekend
Sat 10am–4pm, Sun 10am–3pm. Bloomin’ Greenery Allums
Daylilies
Nursery, 226 Annangrove Rd, Annangrove. Gold coin
donation. (02) 9679 1386. Displays and talks by the

t Vou ch e rs
f
NSW Begonia Society and the Frangipani Society of
Australia. Expert advice, plants for sale, on-site parking. Gi
QUEENSLAND
plus ...
15TH–16TH Aspley Orchid Society Summer Show

Free Mail Order Catalogue

Sat 8am–3.30pm, Sun 9am–3pm. Auditorium, Brisbane
Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha, Mt Coot-tha Rd, Toowong.
0402 252 264. $4. Flowering orchids, ferns and foliage on
display. Plants and orchid-growing requirements for sale.
Demonstrations and advice. aspleyorchidsociety.com Kevan & Lyn
Chambers
tell us about your event 294 Chambers Road
Email shows@gardeningaustralia.com.au
BOYUP BROOK
Post to Shows, Gardening Australia, nextmedia, WA 6244
Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590
Include the date, event name, opening times,
Tel/Fax (08) 9767 3069
address, phone number, entry fee and description.
Deadline for May issue: February 3, 2020
Mobile Lyn 0427 673 069
Email lyn@wabulbs.com
Website www.wabulbs.com
 GREAT
FOLIAGE
PLANT

colourful
CORDYLINES
These lush-looking shrubs bring year-round colour and interest,
and demand little of the gardener, writes STEVE FALCIONI
 PLANTS

W
ith their dazzling foliage
colours and patterns,
tropical cordylines are
perfect for injecting a dash
of lushness and ‘holiday vibe’ to a garden
or balcony. Grow them as understorey
plants beneath large trees, as a backdrop
for a garden bed, or as feature plants
in their own right. They look great with
plants that share that tropical feel, such
as gingers, bromeliads, liriopes and
gardenias, but you can mix and match
them with anything you like, really.
Despite their name, tropical cordylines
(Cordyline fruticosa) live quite happily
outside the tropics, although growth is
slower. What sets them apart from other
cordylines is their significantly broader
leaves, which range in colour from green to
pink to red and bronze, with many exhibiting
beautiful variegation. The foliage grows
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE PAGE

at a glance
clustered around a central trunk, and often Use cordylines such as this pink-edged variety to add
it’s the new leaves that are most vibrant, subtle colour to your garden; alternatively, amp it up
ageing to softer colours. Small white to with brighter cultivars, such as the brilliant pinky-red
Cordyline ‘Rubra’ planted here with bromeliads and
purplish-red flowers develop at the top pink impatiens in a tropical garden; the flamboyant common names
of the plant, usually in summer, and are stripy foliage of C. ‘Burlesque’.
cordyline, palm lily,
followed by red berries. The plants range
cabbage palm, ti plant
in size, with dwarf forms reaching about
1m tall, and regular types 3m unpruned. botanic name
Cordyline fruticosa
getting started plant type
Tropical cordylines need protection from multi-cane shrub
frost, and grow best in regions with some 1–3m
humidity and winter temperatures above 1–1.5m
10°C. They prefer rich, fertile soil that full sun
is free draining. Add compost and aged (in humid zones),
manure to poorer soils beforehand for semi-shade, shade
better growth. Boost that with some
PHOTOS ALAMY, HERVEY BAY NURSERIES

year-round
organic fertiliser pellets every 2–3 months.
✿ summer
If you want faster growth, also apply a
liquid organic fertiliser every 2–3 weeks.
Position them in bright shade or a spot
that receives morning sun. Some can be
grown in all-day sun, but only in quite
humid environments, otherwise the leaves
become lacklustre and brown. Avoid windy
suitable
locations, which can split the leaves.

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 15
PLANTS
pest watch
Tropical cordylines can suffer
from sap-sucking scale and
mealy bugs. Distorted growth
and white patches in the growing
tips are a sure sign of mealy
bugs. Spray with horticultural
oil or neem oil. Grasshoppers
also love cordylines.
Spray with neem oil for
organic control.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE
The extraordinary range of colours and patterns of tropical cordylines can
be seen in varieties such as ‘Kiwi’, ‘Willy’s Gold’, ‘Pink Diamond’ and ‘Ruby’.
16 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
In humid regions, during a typical
summer, cordylines rarely need
watering once established. In the dry
season, they stop growing but continue
to look good. In areas where summers
are hot and dry, they need extra water to
keep their foliage looking lush. If you can’t
supply regular water in the drought, it’s
likely that established plants will survive
with occasional watering, but they’re
unlikely to put on further growth until
more regular moisture becomes available.
pruning & propagating
As tropical cordylines get older, they
naturally drop their lower foliage, which
exposes the trunk. This can leave them
looking a bit leggy, so periodic pruning is
recommended. It’s best to do this during
the warmer months when plants are
actively growing. Cut the stem back – as
hard as you like – at the point where you
want new growth to start, and within a
few weeks, one or two new shoots should
appear. Don’t throw away the cut stem,
as it can be used to grow new plants.
Stem cuttings strike easily during the
warmer months. Cut lengths of bare stems
15–20cm long, and place in a jar of water
or a pot filled with regular potting mix. Place
in the shade, keep moist or topped up with
water, and in a few weeks roots and shoots
should develop. The leafy top of a stem
can be struck the same way, too.
It’s also easy to grow tropical cordylines
from seed during the warmer months.
Seeds are ripe when the berries have
softened. Remove the flesh, sow seed
1–2cm deep into regular potting mix, and
keep it moist. Seedlings appear in about
four weeks. They are likely to be different
to the parent – many will be green, but
you could also get something new and
special. Be patient, as young plants may
not show their full colour potential for
about two years. GA
 Pet Poo
Worm Farm
189.00
Worm Farm
Conditioner

top PICKS
‘Kiwi’ – striking variegated green and yellow
leaves with a stripe of bright pink. 1–2m
‘Miss Andrea’ – broader creamy-yellow and green
leaves, with purple tinges in new foliage. 1m
‘Negra’ – green new growth, which ages to
almost black foliage. 2m
‘Pink Diamond’ – taller-growing, with lime-green
foliage with white and pink edges. 2–3m
‘Purple Prince’ – pinky-purple new foliage, which
changes to green but retains a purple edge. 1.5m
‘Rubra’ – taller-growing, with pinky-red new
foliage and burgundy mature foliage. 2.5m

Easy Pet Waste

‘Ruby’ – two-toned leaves of burgundy and
a rich ruby-red. 1.2m
‘Stacey’ – green foliage with flushes of bright
pink new growth. 1m

Composting
MIX IT UP IN POTS
PHOTOS HERVEY BAY NURSERIES, AUSTRALIAN PLANTS ONLINE

Compost your Pet Poo with

Cordylines grow happily in outdoor containers filled with
premium potting mix. They need more regular watering an in-ground worm farm
and feeding than those in the ground. Their narrow,
upright form makes them a great addition to a potted
plant arrangement. Select a large pot that has enough Australian designed, the Pet Poo Worm Farm is
space for the cordyline roots and some filler plants an in-ground composter designed to recycle
your pet waste and return nutrients back into
around the base. For many years I’ve grown ‘Rubra’ in a the surrounding soil.
50cm-wide pot with lime-green elephant ears, burgundy
bromeliads and green peperomias. It’s a potted jungle! An easy-care, odour-free way to divert your
Pet Waste from landfill in a sustainable system
Although cordylines are often labelled as indoor plants, at home.
they usually aren’t successful if grown inside long term.
If you’re still keen to try, they’ll need a very bright spot, @tumbleweedgardening
www.tumbleweed.com.au
or the lower leaves will drop prematurely. Alternatively,
you could grow them on a protected verandah or patio.

Worm Farm Pet Poo

Conditioner Worm Farm
PLANTS
fresh as a
Michaelmas daisies are easy-care, come
daisy
in short and tall forms, and give you a
gorgeous pop of colour from summer
through autumn, writes JANE EDMANSON
I
have a penchant for simple flowers
such as daisies, and Michaelmas
daisies are high on the list. They are
easy to grow, forming a sprawling
mass of foliage and flowers that I would
describe as loose and frothy. This suits
my purpose for a cottage-style garden,
and bees and butterflies adore them.
Also called asters or Easter daisies,
at a glance Michaelmas daisies (Symphyotrichum
novi-belgii syn. Aster novi-belgii) were
popular in the heyday of large perennial
common names borders, then went into a bit of a decline
Michaelmas daisy, aster, when straight lines and neatness came
Easter daisy, New York aster into vogue. However, with new breeding
botanic name of colours, and better disease resistance,
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii
(syn. Aster novi-belgii)
they are now making a comeback.
The old favourite has blue flowers, but
plant type they are now also available in lavender,
flowering perennial deep purple, pink, white and cerise-red,
15cm–1.5m with single, semi-double and full-double
30cm–1m blooms. They flower profusely on upright
stems in late summer through to autumn
full sun, semi-shade
and make good cut flowers.
autumn to spring
✿ summer to autumn GROWING TIPS
Michaelmas daisies thrive with minimal
maintenance and are ideal for filling gaps
with colour. They grow best in temperate
zones, up to just north of Brisbane, and
are happy in most soils, preferably well
drained. Choose a position in full sun or
suitable
semi-shade, and add compost when
18 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
planting to aid moisture retention. New
plants need to be kept moist, but they
rarely need watering once established.
Some grow well over 1m tall and need a
stake or hoop for support. Dwarf forms
are self-supporting and look great planted
en masse at the front of a bed or in a pot.
In winter, cut plants right back, nearly
to the ground. When new shoots appear
in spring, mulch with compost and apply
organic fertiliser. Remove spent flower
stems to keep bushes tidy. This may also
encourage another flush of blooms.
Dig up and divide crowded clumps every
few years in winter or early spring to tidy
the display and increase stock. Spring is
also a good time to strike cuttings.
Some older cultivars can develop mildew
problems on foliage. Spray with an organic
fungicide if you notice any symptoms. GA
where
PHOTOS ISTOCK, ALAMY, LAMBLEY NURSERY, MATT REED, PLANTERS PATCH
toBUY
Look for them in garden centres
and online nurseries, including:
Clover Hill Rare Plants (02) 4782
9225, cloverhillrareplants.com.au
Lambley Nursery (03) 5343 4303,
lambley.com.au
Nutshell Nursery 0408 692 773,
nutshellnursery.com.au
Planters Patch (02) 9653 3933,
planterspatch.com.au
Tesselaar 1300 428 527,
tesselaar.net.au
Trigg Plants belinda@triggplants.
com.au, triggplants.com.au
LOOKING
GOOD
NOW

top PICKS
‘Bahamas Pink’ Bright pink single
blooms on a compact bush.
35–40cm 35–40cm
‘Crimson Glory’ Large heads of deep
crimson blooms. 65cm 40cm
‘Eventide’ Lavender-blue, semi-double
flowers. 60–90cm 50–60cm
‘Orpheus’ Large mauve-blue flowers
on stems featuring a red blush.
90cm–1.5m 40–60cm
‘Otis’ Purple flowers. Australian-
bred. 1m 80cm
‘Ruby Buttons’ Ruby-pink, full-double
flowers. 1m 40cm
‘Starletta White’ White blooms on a
compact bush. 40–50cm 40cm

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT

Michaelmas daisy cultivars ‘Eventide’,
‘Ruby Buttons’, ‘Orpheus’, ‘Starletta
White’ and ‘Bahamas Pink’.
CONTAINERS

drop-dead
gorgeous Maidenhair ferns have a reputation for
being divas, and failing at the slightest
provocation. PHIL DUDMAN describes
how to keep yours from throwing a hissy fit

Y
ou haven’t really lived as a
gardener until you’ve killed
a potted maidenhair fern. I’ve
been guilty, or at least I thought
I was. After I chopped off the dead leaves
and moved it to the emergency ward, where
all our suffering house plants go (or lay)
to rest, it miraculously came back to life. In
fact, it has died and risen many times. Our
maidenhair has had more lives than our cat!
what went wrong?
There are many species of maidenhair
fern, but the one most commonly grown
is Adiantum raddianum ‘Fragrans’.
This beauty features lacy tufts of soft,
lime-green foliage and smooth, black
stalks. It’s native to tropical and subtropical
South America, where it is found in moist
pockets on sheltered forest floors and
semi-shaded rock crevices where water
mists and drips from high above.
take advantage of the warm, moist air,
but you can provide humidity in any room
with a regular misting of the leaves.
While these ferns like it bright, direct
sunlight will burn their foliage, and too
little light will lead to weak, leggy growth.
Breezes and other airflow will dry and
brown the foliage. If you see the fronds
moving, or you need to open a window
or turn on a fan, move your plant.
They must be kept moist. Even if the
mix dries out for a day, the fern will drop
its leaves. Give your pot regular dunks
in a bucket of water to soak the mix, and
consider planting in a self-watering pot if
you’re not good at the watering thing. Top
that with a fortnightly feed of liquid fertiliser
and you’ll have one happy house plant. GA
PERFORMING CPR
Don’t worry if your maidenhair fern drops its fronds in the dry. Forest floors
GAP PHOTOS/FRIEDRICH STRAUSS

This gives us a pretty good idea of what it

PHOTOS JESSIE PRINCE, ISTOCK,

likes: a warm, moist, humid environment in
a bright but shaded position that’s protected
from draughts. Get this combination right
and you’ll grow the perfect maidenhair fern.
A spot indoors offers the shelter that
maidenhair ferns need, and many people
choose to grow them in a bathroom to
dry out, too, so maidenhair ferns are programmed to come back to life when
good conditions return. Your plant just needs a little help. Cut off the fronds
at the base, and plunge the pot into a bucket of water to saturate the mix.
Check the roots and, if needed, re-pot the plant in a larger container, then
place it in a moist, protected, bright yet shady spot outside until fresh foliage
appears. This can take a few months, so be patient and keep watering!

20 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
CLASSIC
INDOOR
PLANT
 taking the
with the
See more on
Friday, Feb 14
GOOD
The owners of this property in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges
at 7.30pm have accepted climate extremes and fluctuating rainfall to
on ABC TV create a garden that says ‘live in me’ rather than ‘look at me’
words MARIANNE CANNON photography SIMON GRIFFITHS

22 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
EXTRA TEXT JENNY BALDWIN

GARDEN
GARDEN
T
he rural town of Malmsbury
is a historic bluestone village
in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges,
95km north-west of Melbourne.
The town boasts a historically significant
botanic garden and a bluestone railway
viaduct over the Coliban River, both
established in the mid 19th century.
Not far out of town is the home of
keen gardener Elise Zouck, a short-listed
entrant in the 2018 Gardener of the Year
competition. She and her partner, sculptor
George Lianos, used to run an 8ha herb
farm, where they tilled and gardened for
10 years before deciding to downsize to
their current 1.2ha property. And here they
have the garden they weren’t going to have.
BLANK CANVAS
When Elise and George bought the land
in 2003, it was a cow paddock used for
pasture and grazing. Apart from a lone
24 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
mulberry tree and some willows growing
along a seasonal watercourse, there was
no significant vegetation on the property.
They had to build a house, and organise
water, before moving in. There was no
existing connection to the town water, and
they preferred to be self-sufficient anyway,
relying on rainfall. In went four 22,000L
water tanks, which was later bolstered to
five after they ran low one summer.
Elise says they didn’t really plan to have
a garden – they didn’t want the work – but
once the house and water tanks were in
place, the bare soil beckoned, and resisting
the urge to garden proved impossible.
Part of what turned Elise around was the
fact that the block has a seasonal creek
and is gently undulating. These factors,
she says, make building, gardening and
growing older a bit easier.
With a blank canvas, the first thought
was to attract local wildlife with Australian
natives, local and non-local. Elise planted
hundreds of tubestock, hoping that at
least some would survive the fluctuating
extremes of frost, water inundation from
heavy rain, and drought. Also, the soil
was heavy clay in parts, and some areas
were wetter than others, so tubestock
plants were the ideal way to experiment
to see what worked. Plants included
bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.), grevilleas,
Melaleuca linariifolia, hakeas, wattles
(Acacia spp.) and eucalypts.
In Elise’s garden, new plants receive
water in the first year, then they have to
manage on whatever rainfall they receive.
The standout survivors of those early
plantings have been the bottlebrushes.
WORKING WITH NATURE
Elise decided she wanted the garden to
flow into the surrounding landscape, rather
than finish abruptly at the fence line.
 CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE
Elise Zouck designed the garden to
be in sympathy with the surrounding
landscape; a stone sculpture nestled
among hebes and lavender; a natural
path meanders through a section of
the garden with pink and purple
accents of salvia and Cerinthe major;
lavender is tough and reliable; a large
pot planted with Japanese box; the
house is equipped with solar heating,
and is designed to maximise the
sun’s warmth in winter, and shade
from tree canopies in summer; Elise
with her partner, George Lianos.
PREVIOUS PAGE
Elise has mixed Australian natives
with Mediterranean toughies such as
silver thyme, planting more of what
works, and weeding out what doesn’t.
Wallabies like to munch on the
wax flower behind the lavender,
pruning it in topiary fashion.
Beyond the fence is pasture, so to
achieve a casual, country feel, she left
some areas looking natural, with bare
grass and a few trees. For the remainder,
she took inspiration from Malmsbury
Botanic Gardens, which features a large
collection of exotic trees and shrubs.
Deciduous plants are really important
in the garden scheme because the house
is passively solar heated. There’s double
glazing on all windows, black stone floors,
and thermal mass in the form of a huge
internal solid-rock wall. The eaves have
been designed to allow the sun through
during winter so the house retains heat,
and excluded in summer to keep it cool.
Elise chose ornamental pear species,
including snow pear (Pyrus nivalis) and
birch-leaf pear (P. betulifolia), as well
as the fast-growing claret ash (Fraxinus
oxycarpa), several mop-top robinias
(Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Inermis’) and
26 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
crabapple standards (Malus ioensis) for
year-round interest and colour.
Being so close to the bush, Elise also
considered whether the plants she chose
were fire retardant. Around the house
she grows sweetly perfumed honeysuckle
(Lonicera spp.) and ornamental Japanese
maple (Acer palmatum).
WATER & WALLABIES
With no bore or mains water, the garden
relies on rainwater, which is erratic. Some
years, such as 2011, bring excessive rain,
causing plants to fail. In a good year, the
lowest average rainfall is 20mm a month,
with a high of about 120mm in the colder,
wetter months. Autumn is usually dry.
In some years, the average rainfall over
autumn is only a few millimetres, and last
autumn was the driest on record.
Rainfall is collected in the tanks, but the
only plants Elise waters are her vegies,
and sometimes the area right around the
house at the height of summer, if she
really feels like it. Elise takes the view that
gardens don’t have to be beautiful all the
time. She refuses to enter into a battle
with what nature supplies, preferring to
accept the bad with the good.
Elise also accommodates local wallabies
– to some extent. While she fences off her
vegie patch, and new plants are protected
with rings of wire, prompting some to call
her garden ‘the wire patch’, she is happy
to share what she has with visiting wildlife.
As she wrote in her 2018 Gardener of
the Year entry, “I can’t deny the wallabies
a drink in summer, rose leaves for three
seasons, or the satisfaction of thinking they
are our masters year-round.”
Elise’s philosophy about a garden being
more ‘live in me’ than ‘look at me’ has
lessons for us all. Following are some
ways she manages climate extremes.
 CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT
In this part of the garden, which
requires virtually no work and is
rarely watered, a sculpture by
George provides a strong vertical
accent, and a Cercis canadensis
‘Forest Pansy’ tree has been raised
so it won’t be inundated during
heavy rainfall; globe artichokes pop
up voluntarily, offering something
for the plate as well as the garden;
this decorative seat under a gum
tree in a wild area is the perfect
spot to sit and reflect at the end of a
busy day; another sculpture by
George has pride of place in one of
the more open areas of the garden;
English lavender and grey-leafed
partridge feather (Tanacetum
densum) mingle with creeping
thyme and plants of different
heights, creating a layered view.
GARDEN
‘SUMMER DORMANCY’ & other survival tips
Elise has a few tricks up her sleeve to
help plants survive climate extremes:
I manage a lack of water with
something I call ‘summer dormancy’.
It means no fiddling or fussing with
the plants. Don’t prune or fertilise
them, as this promotes fresh growth.
Just let them be through summer.
Accept a solid failure rate as you
decide which plants work in your
district. Either jot down the names
in a diary or file the plant labels.
Plants with small, thin, grey leaves
that hail from arid regions are good
choices for a summer-dry garden.
Blue flowers with silver or grey
foliage seem to be perfect partners.
Try germander (Teucrium fruticans),
28 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia),
catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) and the
lavenders (Lavandula spp.).
For variation in height, leaf texture
and colour, as well as frost and drought
tolerance, I mix in salvias (Salvia spp.),
tall bearded iris (Iris x germanica), a
few of the sedums, including Sedum
spectabile ‘Matrona’ and ‘Autumn Joy’,
and rock roses (Cistus spp.).
Climbing plants that can cope with
the conditions include Chinese star
jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
and banksia rose (Rosa banksiae).
I fertilise only once, in spring. The
vegetable garden and fruit trees receive
manures, wood ash and rock minerals
as an extra boost. The other areas are
fed with locally sourced manures,
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Loops of steel serve as a handrail for steps
softened by catmint (Nepeta x faassenii);
the scene is set for an alfresco meal at a table
flanked by the gently weeping branches
of Pyrus betulaefolia ‘Southworth Dancer’,
yellow yarrow and the purple spires of
Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia);
creeping thyme softens the edges of a path.
homemade compost and biodynamic
commercial pelletised fertilisers.
In winter, I take advantage of any
crops that spring up, such as rocket
and broad beans, and work them into
the soil as green manure.
Nothing is removed from the garden
except hardwood prunings. Mulch from
local tree-cutting is used on most of
the landscaped garden, and organic
straw goes on the vegie patch. GA
 ®

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 WHEN
THE
going
GETS
tough...
Drought is hitting hard in many parts of the
country. JENNIFER STACKHOUSE reports on
how gardeners in eastern Australia are keeping
the gardening spirit alive while water is scarce

W
hen I was in primary school,
I spent Christmas holidays
with my aunt and uncle,
Judith and Henry Hobbs, on
their property, ‘Birkdale’, near Longreach
in Central Queensland. It was hot and dry,
but my brother and I loved every minute
of our escape from the city. It was where
I learnt to ride, and muster sheep. It was
also my first taste of real drought and
dryness. Like everyone in my family, my
aunt is a gardener, and a lack of water
wasn’t enough to stop her making a
garden. Outside the gauzed-in living room,
she created a lush, green square of lawn
with a cheerful border of heat-tolerant
zinnias. This patch of green was where
we sat at the end of the day, and it
made everything seem just a bit cooler.
The grass and flowers were kept going
with bore water, but the rest of the
garden was given over to shady trees
and drought-tolerant shrubs that took
their chances with whatever rain fell.

30 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 DROUGHT

TOP TO BOTTOM
Keeping even a small area of
lawn alive is good for the soul;
Sarah Parkinson, Emily Grieve
and Kirsten Todd (left to right).

A PATCH OF GREEN
The benefits of having a patch of lawn are
something that Kirsten Todd, a gardener
at Bell, near Dalby, in the drought-stricken
Darling Downs region of South East
Queensland, also values. “We’ve had no
crops in our fields for two years, but we
keep a little patch of green lawn beside
the house (above), where the kids can play
and we can sit and unwind at the end of
the day,” she says. “The bare paddocks
just bring worry, but when I step outside
to do a little bit of work in the garden, all
PHOTOS ISTOCK, KAYDE JAYNE PHOTOGRAPHY

those concerns slip away.”

Kirsten is one of three gardening friends
who started an Instagram page called
Grassroot Gardeners. Kirsten and her
cousins, Emily Grieve and Sarah Parkinson,
grew up together in Roma, but are now
scattered across Queensland. They
started the page as a way to keep in touch,
but also to encourage new gardeners
by sharing their experiences as novices,

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 31
DROUGHT
especially as they face the reality of
gardening in drought. They now have
a virtual gardening community of about
1000 gardeners who follow their regular
posts and add their own comments.
Emily says she’s the luckiest of the
three, as she has access to water for
her garden near Bundaberg, but the
day-to-day reality of drought is still very
depressing. “A wander in the garden
to watch things grow is such a mood
changer,” she says. “I’m a pharmacist, and
I’d rather be dispensing prescriptions for
people to garden than for antidepressants.”
LONG-TERM STRATEGY
Garden designer Clint Kenny lives in the
Warwick region of the Darling Downs,
where drought has been entrenched
for three years, but where long periods
of dry interspersed with the occasional
wet season is the norm. He agrees that
gardens are a vital resource to keep
spirits up during dry times.
“We’re one of the lucky few to have a
good, reliable bore,” says Clint. Bore water
means he can keep his garden alive, but
the downside has been hungry wallabies.
“We started letting them chew off the
rose leaves in late autumn, thinking we’d
be pruning the roses in winter anyway,
but the garden has become a buffet!”
The garden he built for his parents
on their property, ‘Rivoli Farm’, at nearby
Deuchar, featured in the first series of
Dream Gardens on ABC TV. Clint designed
and built a productive garden made up
of 12 raised garden beds, each 2.4m2.
With climatic constraints in mind, he used
lots of gravel around the beds, rather
than lawn that needs watering. “I wanted
to create consistency in the landscape,
regardless of whether the season was wet
or dry, and ensure good access,” he says.
While Clint has always worked within
the climatic constraints of any area with
32 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
Clint Kenny designed this
walled edible garden at ‘Rivoli
Farm’, his parents’ property at
Deuchar on the Darling Downs,
using gravel instead of lawn
around the raised beds.
his designs, he says this recent drought
has been particularly testing. “This is
a good time to take stock of what really
is droughtproof, and plan for the drought
breaking,” he says. “A lot of my work
at the moment is preparing for future
planting when we have water again.”
He is also keen to protect valuable
heritage landscapes, such as the garden
at Canning Downs. Dating back to 1847,
the homestead on this property is the
oldest on the Darling Downs. Clint waters
the trees every few weeks, using water
from a small stock and domestic bore, and
makes sure they are monitored. “What’s
here at Canning Downs is a garden legacy
that we must maintain,” he explains.
Clint says the drought is a burden that
is hard to escape: “It’s there every day,
and it’s disheartening, but it’s something
we have to ride out.” He believes it is vital
to set boundaries and keep an area going,
even if other parts of the garden wither
or die. “And take plenty of cuttings, so
you have something to replant and share
with friends when the rain returns.”
FORCES OF CHANGE
If drought and heat aren’t making gardening
tough enough for much of Australia, many
communities have had bushfire added to
the mix. The fires that burnt through parts
of the Manning Valley on the North Coast
of New South Wales in November 2019
engulfed the tiny town that’s home to
George Hoad, president of The Garden
Clubs of Australia.
George had to evacuate as the fire
approached his village of Killabakh.
Although his garden was spared, close
PHOTO KIM WOODS RABBIDGE
neighbours lost everything. “Drought was
already impacting this usually lush, green
region, so it was tinder-dry when the fires
arrived,” George recalls, adding there has
still been little rain, and much of the area is
on the highest level of water restrictions,
DROUGHT
banning the use of any water (except
greywater) outside the house.
Even before the drought took hold,
George had decided to make his garden
more waterwise in the face of climate
change. A part of his garden known
as the cottage garden, which was filled
with colourful annuals and perennials
that needed regular watering, has been
replanted with waterwise succulents
and drought-hardy perennials.
“Pots of salvia are placed among the
succulents, providing bursts of colour
throughout the year, and they are also
attractive for beneficial insects,” says
George of his new-look dry garden.
RESILIENCE & COMMUNITY
George travels extensively to visit other
gardeners throughout Australia. What
began as a way of making contact with
the 718 garden clubs under the umbrella
of The Garden Clubs of Australia has
become an important part of helping
to boost morale in regional Australia.
“Over the past few years I’ve travelled
the country, visiting clubs and attending
garden events, and I continue to marvel at
the perseverance, resilience and resolve of
these gardeners in the face of such trying
conditions,” says George. “To watch your
green lawns and colourful borders brown
off, and shrubs and trees die before your
eyes, is heartbreaking. I know this from
first-hand experience, but gardeners are
eternal optimists – it will rain again and
our gardens will bloom once more!”
During a recent visit to the Werris
Creek Garden Club at Werris Creek in
north-eastern New South Wales, George
met up with gardeners from across the
region who have all been struggling to
maintain a garden, and hoping for rain.
“One member, Ken Lawrence, has
had no rain for four years,” says George.
“His garden is a dust bowl, but not only
34 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT
George Hoad’s cottage garden
border in wetter times; today, the
same border is fi lled with succulents
and tough perennials; George with
Before
Sandra Holmes, the president of
Tamworth Cottage Gardeners, who
offered plants to people with fi re-ravaged
gardens; gums and bougainvillea doing well
on Belinda Perkins’ property in outback
Queensland; Werris Creek has had no rain
for four years; Jan and Tony Hetherington
replaced most of their lawn with gravel,
and this bridge spans gravel, not water.
does he still come to the garden meetings,
he is club president!” He adds that there’s
lots of goodwill flowing among the garden
clubs, with positive comments on social
media, but he would like to see garden
clubs and gardeners in areas that have
water think about positive ways they can
help drought-stricken gardeners.
One idea is for garden clubs affected by
drought to become ‘buddies’ with groups
not currently in drought, and perhaps
arrange to visit their gardens. The ‘buddy’
club could also offer to look after precious
plants, nurture cuttings, or grow plants
to give to gardeners whose gardens have
PHOTOS GEORGE HOAD, BELINDA PERKINS, KEN LAWRENCE, KIM WOODS RABBIDGE
been wiped out by drought or fire, once
rain returns. George says he would like the
initiative to come from within the clubs that
aren’t experiencing drought, and for them
to reach out to other groups of gardeners,
as well as friends, family or other
connections, who are struggling.
In Dirranbandi, in outback Queensland,
where they’ve had only 200mm of rain in
the past two years, artist Belinda Perkins
has been doing it tough, and can vouch
for the kindness of family and friends. In
the last big dry, her mother-in-law helped
to keep Belinda’s garden alive by looking
after some of her more valuable plants in
town, where water was still available.
Belinda now has a bore, but she says
that not everything in the garden likes
bore water. She’s enjoying the plants
After
DROUGHT

that are continuing to grow despite the

drought. “The bougainvilleas and white
gums are thriving,” she says.
Further north, past Longreach, avid
gardeners Jan and Tony Hetherington
have added interest to their garden at
‘Darriveen’ by replacing lawn with red
gravel. They even have an ornamental
bridge that spans gravel instead of a river.
They make great use of drought-hardy
plants, especially bougainvillea, which
has been repeated throughout the garden,
including being used as hedging.

PLANNING FOR
THE FUTURE
While all of these gardeners are looking
forward to the rain when it does come,
they warn that it’s important to not forget
the lessons of the drought.
“We all look forward to that elation of
receiving the rain, but we can’t forget the

HOW TO KEEP GARDENING

drought when good times return,” says
Clint. He stresses that, even when it does

through the drought

rain, gardeners, designers, planners and
all tiers of government must continue to
plan for our changing climate, knowing
that we will always have to face long
hot, dry periods with a scarcity of water.
Thank you to Kim Woods Rabbidge for
her assistance in researching this story.
MORE INFORMATION
Connect with gardeners in your
area through these organisations:
The Garden Clubs of Australia
An umbrella organisation for
718 garden clubs throughout the
country. gardenclubs.org.au
The Royal Horticultural Society
of Victoria More than 550 affiliated
clubs, societies and groups across
Australia. rhsv.org.au
We can’t make it rain, but we can
still garden, even when there’s a
drought. Here are practical ideas
to help get you and your garden
through the dry times.
Be resilient Some plants will die,
but use what water you have, including
greywater, to keep the framework of
the garden going. Save trees, hedges,
mature shrubs and any plants with
high sentimental or historic value.
Don’t give up Avoid making any
rash decisions, such as bulldozing
the garden or ripping out established
shrubs. Many plants will recover and
regrow when the rain returns. Plants
that have been growing for years
have weathered droughts before.
Make a splash While all around is
drab, brighten up your surroundings
with something colourful – even if it
isn’t a plant. Paint the fence or even
a dead plant, make a mosaic garden
bench, create a colourful garden
sculpture, fence or gate, or put up
coloured lights to enjoy after sunset.
Animal-proof plants Any plants
that are still green will be on the menu
for native animals and birds. Protect
the plants you’re nurturing so they are
not eaten to the ground by a hungry
wallaby or passing possum.
Propagate Save seeds and take
cuttings to ensure you have plenty to
replant once you can start gardening
again. Keep the new plants alive with
wastewater until real rain returns.

36 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A

PHOTOS KIM WOODS RABBIDGE
Add potted colour Plant a few flower
seedlings, such as nasturtium, native daisy,
salvia or dwarf snapdragon, into pots for a
boost. Place them where they welcome you
home, or where you can easily see them.
Water daily with wastewater from indoors.
Dig up and pot Transplant any of your
valuable or highly sentimental plants that
are under threat. Move them into pots so
you can nurture them with wastewater, or
pass them on to a gardening friend who
still has some water to spare.
G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
TOP TO BOTTOM
A spot to sit and enjoy the view at
‘Cooliabah’, on Gowrie Little Plain,
north of Toowoomba; features such
as this decorative gate at ‘Scotchman
Hill’ in Warwick, Queensland, add
interest to drought-affected gardens.
Use containers If a full vegetable
garden needs too much water to keep
it going, scale back to just a few of your
favourite vegies, or some fragrant herbs,
in pots. Use clean recycled water, not
greywater, for edible plants.
Green the indoors As your garden
outside shuts down, you can bring the
garden inside by filling your home with
indoor plants to create a lush, green oasis.
Install seating in the shade Find a
cool, shaded spot, such as under a tree,
where you can relax. Set up a table and
chairs, or position a bench to draw you
outdoors, even when it’s hot and dry.
Get together with other gardeners
Join your local garden club or community
garden, or follow an online garden group,
so you don’t feel so alone or overwhelmed.
This will also help you discover how other
gardeners are coping in the dry conditions
(see ‘More information’ box, opposite).
Plant a bit of shade Growing more
trees can help make your garden a nicer
place to be in when it’s hot and dry by
providing shade and keeping you cool.
During dry times, look for the best shade
trees to grow in your garden when the
next planting opportunity appears.
Mulch One of the few benefits of
drought is that even the weeds struggle.
They’ll come back fast, though, so cover
any bare soil with mulch to help keep
the soil cool, and to deter weed regrowth
when the rain comes. Colourful gravel
mulches can also add interest to a dry
garden while they keep moisture in.
Plan a green break Visiting somewhere
that is lush and green can be a good way
to recharge your batteries. GA
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 37
 Keep the lawn going or
let it die? What about
flowers and vegetables?
off
Trees? As gardeners feel
the heat around their use of resources,
TIM ENTWISLE delves into the
complex subject of gardening in
a time of water scarcity

I
f you like brown grass and a scraggly
gum tree or two, you are in luck.
Your time has come. As we navigate
our way through water-challenged
times, a parched scrap of native
grassland and a few remnant eucalypts
should provide a guilt-free garden.
On the other hand, if you favour an
exquisitely manicured green lawn with a
lush border of annuals, be prepared to be
marginalised by your gardening comrades
as excessively extravagant and wilfully
indifferent to the plight of our planet.
That’s one perspective. As with much
in this world, such a didactic response
is inadequate for what is a complicated
and deeply nuanced issue. I think you can
have your green lawn and enjoy it, too.
For starters, if you don’t mind a bit of
summer brown-off, in southern Australia
you can maintain an established green
lawn for up to 10 months a year without
additional water, fertiliser or any toxic
chemicals. Your environmental footprint
will be shaped more by your mower
fuel: electricity, petrol, hands, or perhaps
rabbits (as Jackie French suggested in
the December 2019 issue).
It’s true there is generally little
biodiversity associated with your typical
lawn, so letting the grass grow a bit
longer and allowing a few adventives to
take root would be a good thing. As would
keeping the lawn rather small in area, and
enclosed by a richly planted garden bed.
If you decide to irrigate over summer,
perhaps from tank or recycled water,
there are some extra benefits (see
‘Planting for the environment’, right).
Lawns keep us cool. Grasses, like all
plants, absorb air pollutants and noise.
And we feel happy and relaxed on a soft,
green expanse of grass.
Compared with many garden plants
PHOTO ISTOCK
– and home vegetables fall into this
category – a lawn needs less water to
DROUGHT
survive, and even flourish. You can also the garden, although this might require
water your garden indirectly by watering some negotiation with your local authority.
the lawn, assuming the lawn is relatively Water restrictions are a blunt
small in relation to the garden. instrument, which is understandable
You might also consider a lawn of given the complexity in enforcing them.
native grass, which tends to require less Constraining outdoor water use before
water and fertiliser (see ‘The best grasses indoor use might work for many people,
to grow’, overpage). If you interplant but not necessarily a keen gardener,
with local wildflowers, you’ll encourage who, incidentally, might be willing to
even more wildlife. Don’t mow too often pay for the privilege of using more water
or too low, so that whatever grass you’ve on their garden. The funds could be
chosen will need less water. returned to offset other water-saving
So, don’t be ambivalent about your initiatives, such as tree planting or (more
lawn. Think it through, then make it work controversially, perhaps) a sustainably
for you and the environment. The same powered desalination plant.
goes for the garden around that lawn.
You might hanker for a border of lush finding solutions
plants from the wetter parts of Australia If you can, use some kind of watering
or overseas. Perhaps annuals are your system to give an even, more disciplined
thing. Again, be confident and considered. spread of water to the lawn or garden.
Gather all your water-hungry plants Drip irrigation gets water closer to the
together and, if you can, collect rainwater roots, with less evaporation and run-off,
or re-use greywater. You might even but it’s slow. Also, outlets can clog easily
wish to wash yourself and your clothes and, in some soils, water may not soak
less, and use that ‘water allocation’ for through to where plants need it most.
PLANTING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
The green roof on Parliament House in Canberra keeps surface
temperatures 22°C cooler than nearby granite paths, which helps to
cool the building itself.
In Adelaide, SA Water encourages smart use of water to green lawns
and gardens, as it cools buildings and reduces reliance on air conditioners.
(See Gardening Australia on ABC TV on Friday, February 14 at 7.30pm.)
On a 30°C day in Melbourne, the surface of the turf at Royal Botanic
Gardens Victoria, Melbourne Gardens is about 24°C, while the nearby
bitumen path is 40°C.
In Melbourne Gardens, the combination of large trees and lawns on the
Oak Lawn makes this area as cool in summer as the nearby Fern Gully
with its running water and lush vegetation. Both are up to 6°C cooler than
the surrounding city when temperatures rise above 30°C.
Plant more trees – not only for shade, but also as evaporative coolers
for our planet. One moderately sized tree can transport 100L of water
per day from its roots to the air above, which is equivalent to the cooling
capacity of two residential air conditioners.
G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 39
DROUGHT

CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP
Growing your own vegies uses extra Warm-season grasses
potable water, but it also reduces the cost such as ‘Sir Walter’ buffalo
to our environment of mass farming and need less water; Poa species
are a rustic option if you
transport. Take care, though. ‘Food mile’ like a less manicured
calculations are complex: a tomato shipped look; ‘Eureka’ kikuyu is
in from where it’s growing in season may a drought-tolerant
grass.
use less water and energy than one
grown in a local heated glasshouse.
If, when the calculations are done and
your priorities weighed up, you decide to
grow more drought-tolerant plants and
decommission your lawn (or let it brown
off completely in summer), what would
you like us to do in parks and gardens?
We can either follow suit, sharing
our experiences of how to garden in a
water-stressed world, or we can provide
oases of green for the entire community
to enjoy. Some places, such as botanic
gardens, also hold valuable collections of
plants for conservation, education and
science, which complicates that decision.
Generally, I’ve found people want
to keep their parks inviting and green,
and their botanic gardens alive and
functioning. This comes at a relatively
low environmental cost: irrigating all the
lawns and gardens at Melbourne Gardens
takes, on average, a cup of water per
visitor per day (and we continue to reduce
our water use while sourcing more from
sustainable, non-potable sources).
In all cases and all places, we must
plant wisely and adapt to a changing
climate. At Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria,
our Landscape Succession Strategy is our THE BEST GRASSES TO GROW
guide to managing Melbourne Gardens In the southern states, to reduce water use, grow warm-season
through to a hotter, drier 2090. With grasses such as kikuyu or buffalo. Kikuyu may brown off a little in
careful plant selection and placement, summer but will recover. It’s also weedy, so control it carefully if you
we can preserve the botanical landscape live near bushland or value grass-free beds in your garden.
and most of the specialised collections. A good drought-tolerant Australian grass for shady areas is weeping
At home, choose trees that will survive grass (Microlaena stipoides). It also browns off in the dry season but
in the climate predicted for 50–100 years will spring back after decent rains. It’s not great with heavy foot traffic.
PHOTOS ISTOCK, LAWN SOLUTIONS

hence. Group together plants with similar
water and other needs. Water infrequently,
and allow it to seep deep into the soil.
Above all, think about what is important
for you and the planet, then plant. GA
Tim Entwisle is director and chief executive
of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.
At Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Cranbourne Gardens, we are
trialling Australian mat grass, which is a bit like kikuyu but requires
a lot of weeding to keep it looking good.
Taller Australian grasses, such as wallaby grass, kangaroo grass or
Poa species, give a rustic and more natural look, although you can mow
some of them down to 4cm or so. Redgrass, which may not require any
mowing, is another option.

40 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 Garden tours around the world
GARDENS OF PROVENCE
From the Côte d’Azur to Avignon
with Julie Kinney | 05–20 May 2020 (16 days)
Venture beyond the rolling lavender fields of France
during the glorious Mediterranean springtime
and discover the gardens of Provence’s famed châteaux
along with enchanting private gardens and homes.
VILLAS AND GARDENS OF CENTRAL ITALY
From Vicenza to Frascati
with Julie Kinney | 13–28 September 2020 (16 days)
Wander through the private grounds of majestic estates
in Italy’s centre from Vicenza to Latina and unearth the
rich history of some of Italy’s most romantic gardens.
For detailed information visit renaissancetours.com.au, call 1300 727 095 or contact your travel agent.
PHOTOS: Jardin exotique d’Eze, Côte d’Azur; Villa Ephrussi Rothschild © Pierre BEHAR Balloïde; Peterhof, St Petersburg; Giardini di Giusti in Verona; Hasedera temple, Kamakura
PALACES, ESTATES AND DACHAS
OF IMPERIAL RUSSIA
St Petersburg, Moscow and the Golden Ring
with Genevieve Jacobs | 19 Jun – 02 Jul 2020 (14 days)
Revel in the mid-year summer bloom at Imperial Russia’s
most magnificent palaces, estates and gardens in a journey
through Moscow and St Petersburg’s most celebrated
and lesser known cultural treasures.
AUTUMN COLOURS OF JAPAN
with Helen Young & John McBride
05–20 October 2020 (16 days)
Delight in autumn’s colourful panorama of traditional
Japanese gardens and contemporary designs with
horticulturist Helen Young and Japanophile John McBride
through a unique tour of Hokkaido and northern Honshu.
 VE it
for a rainy day!

ABOVE
It’s easy to save the
seed of giant sunflower
(Helianthus annuus).
Cover the dying flower
head with a paper bag
and tie with string. The
seeds are ready when
the flower head turns
brown and seeds have
fallen into the bag. Rub
the seeds into the bag,
then store in a dry place
for planting next season.
 SEED SAVING

Your favourite or high-performing plants can live another day when

you collect seed and store it for the future. It’s a good way to build
up stock that you know does well in your conditions. It also allows
you to save a bit of the garden when hard times hit and the garden
can’t be kept alive, or when you move house and want to take a piece of your past
with you. MICHAEL McCOY outlines the benefits of seed saving and kicks off
some ideas and anecdotes from presenters and contributors who love to save seed

S
eeds are micro-packaged
miracles. Tiny, wizened parcels
of organic coding. They’re worth
growing for this wonder value
alone, when you consider that this dry,
brown fleck on your fingertip holds the
potential for an enormous tree or a flower
of exquisite, fleeting beauty. All the more
so when you’ve collected that seed
yourself, partnering with the parent plant
to launch a whole new generation.
I can barely pass by a seed pod without
dashing off and sowing it. It can be
irritating when I’m in the middle of doing
something else, but the moment to collect
ripe seed is when you see it! And if, like
me, you have no faith in yourself to store
it correctly and sow it at the right time,
it’s likely to be the best time to sow it as
well. While there’s always a danger I’ll be
irretrievably distracted from the task that
I’ve set out to do as I collect and sow, I’m
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/TIM GAINEY, ISTOCK, VIRGINIA CUMMINS
provide yourself with such numbers of
plants is to grow them from seed.
If you’ve collected the seeds yourself,
you know where the parent was growing,
so you’ll be able to make an immediate
rough assessment about its suitability
to your climate, or to the microclimate of
the location you’re planting the seeds in.
All the better if you’ve collected them
from your own garden, where the parent
plants have succeeded before. And on
the assumption that the most successful
plants will produce the most flowers and,
therefore, seeds, by collecting from these
plants, there’s likely to be a slow selection
towards plants more fully adapted to your
climate with each generation.
SELECTIVE SAVING
This slow generational shift happens
because seeds resulting from sexual
reproduction, via pollination of a flower,
trickier with edibles where you pick the
whole plant, such as root vegetables or
hearting lettuces. The difficulty is that
you need to eat them to discern the best
forms, thus making it impossible for them
to bear seed. But for those plants from
which you eat the fruit-bearing organ,
such as pumpkins, beans or tomatoes,
it’s simply a matter of allowing some of
the fruit on a superior plant to ripen fully
so you can collect the seed.
Many commercial flower and vegetable
seeds are classed as F1 hybrids, grown
under controlled conditions with two
known parent plants, which results in
totally predictable characteristics in the
next generation, but not the generation
after that. If you collect seeds from
such plants, the results can be widely
divergent from the parent, and mostly
inferior. When seed is described as
‘open pollinated’, it refers to the lack of

always grateful for nature’s generosity.
Loads of flowers, vegetables, trees and
shrubs produce seeds that you can collect
and grow yourself, and the best course of
action is to simply give them a go.
The most obvious benefit of growing
from seed is the money saved. I’m the
type of gardener who doesn’t want one
of anything. If it’s a small tree I’m after,
I’ll want at least three to echo around the
garden. If it’s a perennial, I’ll want at least
30 to create several sweeps of the one
thing. If it’s a bulb or an annual, I’ll probably
want about 300. The only way to affordably
don’t give rise to offspring that are identical
to the parents. The sexual process always
involves a genetic remix, which is nature’s
way of ensuring diversity and, therefore,
survival of the species. This can be
frustrating if you’re hoping for an exact
repeat performance, but there’s always
a chance that the offspring will be an
improvement on the parent.
It also means that if you collect seed
from the prettiest, most floriferous, most
fruitful or tastiest parent plant, you’ll be
contributing to a slow improvement in
the quality of the plants you grow. This is
this deliberate interference, and involves
plants sufficiently genetically stable that the
offspring will be very similar to the parent.
The greatest benefit of growing your own
plants from seed is the incredible sense
of connection and reward you derive from
it. I hover over my home-grown seedlings
like a grandparent or a footy coach,
cheering them along and attending to their
every need in order to achieve the best
performance. Every collection and sowing
is loaded with promise... and uncertainty.
You may never be entirely confident of the
outcome, but what have you got to lose?

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 43
SEED SAVING
MICHAEL McCOY
I’m never as good at remembering
to sow seeds as I am at saving them.
But so what? I’ve lost nothing but
the minute or two it took to collect
them – minutes that are always
loaded with visions of the hundreds
of free plants, in full bloom, I may
one day have as a consequence.
The simplest form of seed saving
occurs with flowers and vegetables
that produce loose, dry seed that isn’t
encased in a pulpy fruit. I regularly
cut flower stems with ripening seeds
and up-end them in brown paper bags,
labelled and dated, scrunching the
bag closed around the stems, which
invariably (and quite decoratively, I must
add) stick out of the open end of the bag.
When Leo Schofield was at Bronte
House in Sydney, I remember such bags,
with his lovely loopy handwriting on them,
tied with jute twine and hanging around
the charming mid-19th-century verandahs.
There’s no such picturesque outcomes
at my place, but the bags end up shoved
in some dry spot where the seeds can
freely fall to the bottom. Eventually, I’ll tip
the contents onto a sheet of paper or into
my open hand, and with gentle blowing,
separate the seeds from the dried detritus
that has gathered with them. Then the
seeds get sown, or are placed in paper
envelopes, with name and date of
collection, and put back into the dry spot.
44 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
SOPHIE THOMSON
I love saving seed. In fact, many
parts of my garden depend on the
seed I collect… and freely disperse!
When annual flowers finish, especially
calendula, cerinthe and California poppy,
I just pull them up and scatter the mature
seed where I want them to grow next
season. These are perfect flowers for
mums on the run!
Then there are the self-seeding
vegetables and herbs that grow almost
permanently around the perimeter of
my vegie garden and along the edges of
paths – plants such as lettuce, mustard,
red Russian kale, chicory, endive and
coriander. I simply grab the seed stalks
and throw them about.
I have to get a little more organised
with my caigua and New Guinea beans.
These are members of the cucumber
family, which can be quite promiscuous
(they cross pollinate easily), so if I want
to preserve their original traits,
I need to grow them in
isolation from other
cucurbits such
as pumpkin
and squash.
MILLIE ROSS
I always save the seed of my favourite
climbing bean, which I’ve grown in
half a dozen gardens in the 15 years
we’ve been together. One season, my
stored seed was destroyed by bean
weevils. Luckily, I’d shared some with
friends, so I could source healthy
seeds from them. Sharing seed is a
great way to secure your own supply!
I’m becoming an avid saver of
native seed collected from my garden.
Murnong (Microseris spp.), bulbine lilies
PHOTOS ISTOCK, VINCENT LONG, LUKE SIMON, JIM MCFARLANE, GAP PHOTOS, VIRGINIA CUMMINS
(Bulbine bulbosa) and the local nicotine
(Nicotiana suaveolens) are great garden
plants, and I intend to grow thousands!
For fun, I saved the seeds of an F1
hybrid carrot with beautiful pink flowers.
I knew they were unlikely to yield reliable
carrots, but their progeny produced
gorgeous flowers!
Each generation of saved seed adapts
to the local conditions. Every year, my
Cosmos sulphureus performs stronger in
my cool climate – and hopefully so do I!
LEFT, AND OPPOSITE
Cosmos seed is ready
to harvest after all the
petals have fallen off and
the flower head dries; the
multiple dry seed heads
of Queen Anne’s lace
(Ammi majus) in Michael
McCoy’s garden continue
to add interest well after
the flowers have finished.
SEED SAVING
TINO CARNEVALE
I just love the idea of saving seed.
It’s a smart way to garden, and I love
the chance of getting a surprise plant
from the seed.
I love the process… it’s slow gardening…
spending the whole season watching a
crop and looking for the best plant, the one
that has proved its worth, to save seed
from. Every plant has its own nuances.
You’re always learning as a gardener, and
always learning when collecting seed.
I’ve been saving seed from Mama Mia
tomatoes for 10–15 years, and I think
they’ve gone around the entire Italian
community of Tasmania. My dad gave
me my first seed, and I’ll be giving them
to my daughters. It’s become a true family
heirloom. The fruit still resemble the original
variety, but being open pollinated, they’ve
developed characteristics of their own.
46 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
JACKIE FRENCH
I was taught to garden by an elderly woman with a large,
grubby handbag, who took seeds or cuttings on every Senior
Citizens outing. Consequently, pretty much everything in my
garden, from the dahlias to the hellebores, is seed grown.
Most of my 800 fruit trees are grown from seed, and this is
probably the area where I’m most expert – or, at least, there are
few other experts, as it’s so long term. I’ve grown every vegetable
you can think of that was available for temperate Australia between
1970 and 2010, and all of those varieties have at some stage been
seed saved for at least a decade. A lot of experimenting!
I do buy new varieties to trial, as well as grafted fruits to
compare with the seed-grown fruits, but I also deliberately cross
pollinate to get new varieties. Some of these have been a wild
success, such as the Wedding Day avocado (pictured) and the
fire-engine-red double dahlia. Others, including an early
watermelon that was frost resistant, have been a complete
failure – it had no flavour or sweetness whatsoever.
My grandfather began collecting native seed and propagating
from it in the 1920s, and I’ve spent the odd decade collecting
endangered-species seed to establish other colonies. It has all
been an enormous amount of fun, even with the failures!
PHOTOS ISTOCK, BRYAN SULLIVAN, FIONA WALSH, GAP PHOTOS/TORIE CHUGG, GAP PHOTOS/ROBERT MABIC, GAP PHOTOS
LEFT
For Jackie, years of trying to breed ‘the perfect avocado’ paid
off with the Wedding Day variety, which is “big, pear-shaped,
with a small stone, and the creamiest flesh you’ve ever eaten”.
I save a lot of bean seeds, and
have been doing so since I was
a kid. They are so easy to save,
and I love that you can grow them,
pick a few to eat, and leave a few
to dry on the plant to store for
next year’s crop.
My partner, Joi, loves growing
sweet peas, and has been saving
seed from the first sowing she did
at a rental property we lived in seven
years ago. Our new garden is the
third garden she’s grown them in.
I love plants that seed heavily
– parsley, coriander, calendula –
and I just grab the seeds off the plant variety, which has just the right amount
and throw them around. It feels very of heat for me. I love the ease of selecting
tribal. I love it when these plants pop a fruit, tying a piece of string to it, and
up and fill the gaps, especially parsley. hanging it in the window to dry. Later,
Then there are sweet peppers and I bust it open to collect the seed, and then
chillies. I save seed from the Hot Hot Hot eat the dried skin… it’s win, win, win!
 CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT
Most seed saving requires
nothing fancier than a paper bag
and some string; collecting seeds
from French marigold (Tagetes
patula); harvesting sunflower seeds
from Helianthus ‘Black Magic’;
as sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
self-pollinates, the seed collected
from a crimson-flowering vine
will likely produce a plant
with crimson flowers.
SEED SAVING

STEP-BY-STEP
COLLECT AND GROW CLIVIA SEED
If you grow clivias, or know someone
who does, why not gather some seed
from the plants, and use them to create
a stack of new clivia plants to fill shady
spots in the garden, or to share with
friends? JUDY HORTON demonstrates
a simple and effective method for
germinating the seed.
1 COLLECT the ripened berries that
develop after flowering. Berries are ripe
when they’ve changed colour from green
to red, but sometimes they can be yellow.
They should also be soft to pressure. Be
patient – it can take about 6–12 months
for the fruit to ripen.
2 REMOVE the skin and pulp surrounding
the seed. To remove excess pulp, wash
seeds in lukewarm water with a drop of
dishwashing liquid added.
3 PLACE some moistened sphagnum
moss in a plastic bag and add the seed.
Distribute the seeds evenly so they all have
good contact with the moist moss. Close or
seal the bag, and place it in a warm spot,
out of the sun, to stimulate germination.
4 CHECK the bag regularly, and if the
sphagnum moss is dry, spray some water
in the bag with an atomiser. Kept moist,
the seed should germinate in about a
month or two.
5 PLANT each of the germinated seeds
into individual pots; 50–75mm tubes are
an ideal size for getting the seedlings
started. Use a good quality potting mix
that has fertiliser added.
6 POSITION the pots in a warm, shady
spot, and keep moist. Once the roots
have filled the container, plant the clivias
in the garden or pot them up in a larger
container. Seed-grown clivias start
flowering about four years after sowing.
Note: Judy recommends this seed
germination technique for palms and
cycads, too, but they can take a lot longer
to sprout. GA

1 2 3

4 6

5
PHOTOS JUDY HORTON, ISTOCK

48 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
Slasher ®

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REE E

Av from Bunn ngs, Mitre 10, Home Timber & Hardware,

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Woolworths, nurseries and www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au
 Fruits of the
Few food crops carry fruit to harvest in a true drought,
but a handful can provide juicy fruit with just a little water
or, in some cases, none at all, writes JACKIE FRENCH

S
ummer, 2003: bushfires and
blowflies, and all the fruit had
fallen from the apple, peach,
pear and plum trees. But we still
had baskets of juicy, sweet, orange fruit…
and they weren’t apricots, although they
looked like them. They were kei apples.
There’s immeasurable comfort in having
a lavish crop to harvest when all around is
wilted, brown and smoky. Luckily, there are
fruits like kei apple (Dovyalis caffra) that
are beautifully adapted to harsh seasons.
Kei apples are native to south-eastern
Africa. Most years they don’t fruit in our
temperate valley – they like life hot and
dry, just like the deserts they come from.
But when we do have a desert-like year,
they are covered in fruit, impossibly juicy
despite no watering or rain. They’re sweet
and fragrant, too. Their one drawback is
their skin, a bit like a tomato’s but tougher,
and best removed, which is hard, as they
are such a lush fruit. That’s probably why
you won’t see them in supermarkets – an
apricot does the job as well, no peeling
required. But if you have a patio where the
sun glares off the concrete, or you want
a backyard harvest for the hottest, driest
times, kei apple is an attractive big shrub
to small tree, and excellent in pots. You
need a male and a female to set fruit, but
they can be grown next to each other and
hard-pruned into a prickly but pretty bush.
Kei apples grow easily and are potentially
weedy. They can’t be grown in the Greater
Sydney and North Coast regions of New
South Wales for this reason. In other areas,
cover trees with fruit fly netting (birds, bats
and snakes may get caught in bird netting)
to stop birds taking fruit and spreading
seed, and don’t put seeds in your compost.
Of the native food plants that grow in
Australia’s vast desert areas, and are
cultivated and harvested by First Nations
peoples, I adore the seeds of fast-growing,
edible wattles. Dry the seeds, roast until
the colour just turns, then grind to make
a nutty flour. Warning: some wattles are
extremely toxic, so make sure you use only
the right ones, prepare them the right way,
and buy your plants from a reliable source.
These are safe to eat: mulga wattle (Acacia
aneura), golden wattle (A. pycnantha) and
silver wattle (A. retinodes). They need
watering to establish (like a sudden storm
in the desert), but then they survive on
what may, or may not, fall from the sky.
Australian desert limes, and the plants
crossed and selected from them, also need
initial watering before becoming long-term
heat and drought survivors. When about
1.5m high, they flower and fruit in soil that
appears to be completely dry, and give
a flush of fruit after a brief rainstorm.
There are new varieties of desert
quandong (Santalum acuminatum)

50 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A

available if you hunt online. Quandong has
thin-skinned, juicy fruit, and won’t survive
heavy frost. As it’s a semi-parasitic plant,
it needs host plants grown with it, so buy
well-established plants from a nursery that
will provide the hosts and growing advice.
Possibly the most gorgeous desert fruit
is the exotic pitaya, or dragon fruit, which
PHOTOS ISTOCK, ALAMY
is extremely fashionable on the plate
because of its brightly coloured skin and
red or white flesh dotted with black seeds.
It’s a cactus (a delicious one), and loves
the sun and heat (read more on page 78).
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT
Kei apple (Dovyalis caff ra)
can survive times of drought
to produce juicy fruit; once
well established, fig trees,
watermelon vines and
pomegranate trees can
yield fruit even in
hot, dry years.
My favourite desert fruit is the good
old watermelon. I’ve seen vines growing
on Queensland sandhills. They were
domesticated in South African deserts
as a way to transport water – or, rather,
sweet watermelon juice. Once again,
they need watering to germinate and
begin growing, just as you might get
a rare shower of rain in the desert, but
once the vines are established, they’ll
fruit, even under harsh conditions.
Pomegranate, date, carob, fig and giant
bunya nut trees will also give you a crop
G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
AT HOME WITH JACKIE
in harsh, hot, dry years, although they too
need watering and feeding to grow large
enough to fruit. Many other trees survive
heat and drought well once they have a
good root system, even if they drop their
fruit as a survival mechanism in hard
years – pears, plums, medlars, grapes,
mulberries, persimmons, crabapples and
other apples all do this. They may lose
their leaves in late summer, too, instead
of waiting for late autumn, but this is
also a survival mechanism.
Like days of rain, they will return. GA
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 51
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 HABITAT

See more on
Friday, Feb 7
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B&
breakfast
photography LUKE SIMON
Put out the welcome
mat for native bees with a
B&B that doesn’t just look
good, but meets their needs.
SOPHIE THOMSON shows
you how to build a hotel that
enjoys full occupancy
throughout the year
N
ative bees are a huge group
of vital pollinators that, until
recently, have been largely
ignored. They play an important
role in pollinating Australian native plants,
are great pollinators for many of our
agricultural crops, vegies and fruit trees,
and are often significantly more effective
than honeybees at pollinating flowers.
We now know much more about native
bees, thanks to research into their exotic
cousin, the European honeybee, which
is under threat from pests and disease,
drought and insecticide use.
There are more than 1700 confirmed
native bee species across Australia,
although many estimate the number is
closer to 2000 species. They come in a
range of shapes and sizes, from about
2mm to 25mm long, and can be brightly
coloured, or black and brown. They are
often confused with other insects, such as
hoverflies, however, bees have two pairs
of wings (two on each side) and flies have
just one pair of wings (two wings in total).
Of these many species, only 11 are
colony-forming and live in a hive – these
THE BLUE-BANDED BEE
One of the prettiest native bees is the blue-banded bee.
It sports black stripes on a gorgeous teal-blue body,
and has a loud, low buzz like a blowfly. On a warm day
from November to May, I hear them in my garden before
54 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
are called stingless honeybees – while the end of a nest, leave some nectar and
rest are solitary. The hive-forming native pollen for their young when they hatch,
bees survive, thrive and produce honey in then seal off the nest. Nests can have
warm temperate, subtropical and tropical several eggs laid in them, so multiple
areas. They do well in Sydney and further bees can emerge from one hollow.
north up through Queensland. (For more on It is how the bees seal off this nest that
colony-forming native bees, see page 80.) often determines what type of bee it is.
Solitary native bees, which are by far Leafcutter bees, for example, protect their
the majority, can still live together, despite offspring in the nest by cutting pieces
being ‘solitary’, and that’s why there is such of leaves, often from rosebushes, and
interest in creating habitats – colourfully making a leaf ‘sleeping bag’ inside a wood
known as native bee hotels or B&Bs – hollow. Resin bees lay their eggs in holes
for them. I am no native bee expert, but in dead hardwood or hollow stems, then
I have been involved in a big community use resin to seal up every cell to protect
engagement exercise, called the Native their young. When these offspring grow
Bee BnB Project. What we’re doing is into adults, they use their huge jaw to bite
building bee hotels along Adelaide’s River through the resin to get out. Masked bees
Torrens, from the Adelaide Hills to the sea, lick the side of their nest to coat it with
to increase awareness of these native a cellophane-like substance to seal it.
pollinators. During this process I have Following is a guide to making a B&B
learnt how native bees lay an egg at the for these three types of native bees.
Solitary native bees, which are by far the majority, can
still live together, despite being ‘solitary’, and that’s why
there is such interest in creating habitats – colourfully
known as native bee hotels or B&Bs – for them.
I see them. In warmer climates up north, they are present
year-round. Blue-banded bees love purple and blue flowers.
They are buzz pollinators, which is preferred by crops
such as tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant, chillies, blueberries
and kiwifruit. These bees are sort of nature’s headbangers,
as they beat their head 350 times a second to achieve
this buzz pollination.
The female blue-banded bees lay their eggs in the earth,
or in soft, crumbly mortar on old stone buildings, while the
fellas go off to roost. Look out for them – I was ‘buzzing
with excitement’ when I saw a blue-banded bee roost in
my garden for the first time! The boys roost each evening
by holding onto a stem, stalk or twig with their jaws.
Once you spot the blue-banded bee and start to see
PHOTO ISTOCK (BLUE-BANDED BEE)
healthy populations in your garden, look out for the neon
cuckoo bee, which is metallic blue with black stripes
and wings and, like the cuckoo bird, is a parasite. It lays
its egg in the nest of the blue-banded bee, its offspring
emerging first to eat the host bee’s larvae and then food
store. If you’re lucky enough to see one, its presence
indicates a healthy population of blue-banded bees.
 HABITAT

the BED
Native bees are quite particular about
where they lay their head, with different
species preferring different types of
homes. About half of our native bees
are earth-dwelling insects and need
access to undisturbed, unmulched soil.
(Yes, I know, I’m usually telling you to
mulch, mulch, mulch. Just leave some
patches of bare soil for the bees.)
Other native bee species live in borer
holes, and some in pithy hollow stems.
In a bee B&B, you can combine all
these elements and provide the habitat
needs of a range of native bee species.
They’re easy to build, you don’t need
much room, and they make a fabulous
garden feature. We show you how it’s
done below. Some of the specifications
may seem pedantic, however, if you’re
looking for full occupancy, it’s worth
going that extra yard to accommodate
the different bees’ preferences. Once
you have their dining (flowers) and
lodging sorted, you just need to be
patient and wait for them to check in.

START WITH THE FRAME

There are many custom-built or recycled
containers that can be used to house a bee
hotel. Here at Sophie’s Patch, my husband,
Richard, has created purpose-built gabion
cages, which can be used as habitat by

different animals, including lizards. You CREATE CLAY CONDOS

could also use wooden boxes, cupboards
and shelves, and even old box TVs or
computer monitors with the innards
removed. Whatever you use, it should be
open to provide ventilation from the front,
but sheltered from above and the back
for protection and warmth. You could
also position your bee hotel against a
wall to provide the back with protection.
The frame needs to be deep enough
to house materials that will have holes
about 10–15cm deep.
Species such as blue-banded bees dig
nests in clay-rich soils. You can make small
clay nesting blocks by mixing seven parts
brickie’s loam to one part garden clay.
Pulverise lumps of clay into tiny particles
– say, with a lump of wood – then sift to
remove rocks or sticks (there must be no
lumps). I use a paint stirrer on a drill to
pulverise clay in a plasterer’s bucket, then
to mix in sand before adding and mixing in
the water. The consistency should be firm
enough to set into open-ended containers
such as PVC pipes, besser bricks or old
terracotta pipes. Let it dry, and just before
it sets hard, use a pencil to poke 8mm
holes into the clay, 10–15cm deep.

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 55
DRILL SOME BORER BUNGALOWS
Another native bee habitat can be created
by using lengths of untreated hardwood,
or tree branches, and drilling some holes
into it. These holes need to be specific
dimensions and are favoured by leafcutter
bees, among others. To attract different
56 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
bee species, drill holes of various sizes,
3–8mm in diameter and 8–15cm deep.
Space them about 2cm apart. The holes
must be blocked at one end to make good
nests for the bees, so don’t drill all the
way through the timber. They also need
to have smooth sides with no burrs, so
use a sharp drill bit and a rounded file
(if necessary) and knock all the sawdust
from the hole after drilling.
MAKE
SOME
HOLLOW
BUNDLES
Some native bee
species, including carpenter bees,
choose to make their nests in the centre
of dead plant stems and twigs. For
these bees, make a bundle of pruned
twigs with pithy centres, such as
grapevine offcuts. Thin bamboo stalks
can also be bundled together. Cut them
just below a joint so there is a hollow
section of stem 10–15cm in length. Use
a knitting needle or something similar to
push away the pith and make the stem
hollow. Paper straws can be made by
rolling recycled paper around pencils,
and securing with masking tape.
 HABITAT

the
BREAKFAST
Native bees rely entirely on pollen
and nectar for food, so plant flowering
natives that bloom from early spring
to late autumn. Good choices include
guinea flower (Hibbertia spp., below),
Christmas bush (Bursaria spinosa),
emu bush (Eremophila spp.), native
bluebell (Wahlenbergia spp.), flax lily
(Dianella spp.), gum tree (Eucalyptus
spp.), tea-tree (Leptospermum spp.),
fan-flower (Scaevola aemula), wattle
(Acacia spp.), cassia (Senna spp.) and
boobialla (Myoporum insulare). Unlike
European honeybees, native bees don’t
require a water source, although you
might like to provide one for the other
bees and backyard visitors. GA

PLACE IT SOMEWHERE PROTECTED

Shelter your bee hotel from the elements. Face the entry in the opposite
PHOTO ISTOCK (HIBBERTIA)

direction to bad weather. To keep them dry, the rooms should be about 1–2m
off the ground and shielded from rain by an overhanging roof (if using tin, add
insulation). Some native bees like sun and others prefer shade or semi-shade,
so place the hotel in a spot with morning sun and protection from afternoon sun.
You could also separate some of the individual nesting elements, which could
be as simple as strapping a bundle of bamboo to the underside of a tree branch.

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 57
 the
dener’s
NEZU MUSEUM
in Japan
A
In fast-paced Tokyo, find serene oasis in the middle
of Tokyo, Nezu Museum’s
your zen in this tranquil intimate garden offers a quiet
retreat from the bustling
museum garden designed energy of Japan’s capital. Only 1.5km from
to be enjoyed by all the pedestrian scramble and overwhelming
neon of Shibuya Crossing, this shinzan-
yukoku garden, which evokes the tranquillity
words & photography of Japan’s deep mountains and mysterious
KIM WOODS RABBIDGE valleys, transports you to another world.
Entering the museum via a striking
corridor lined with bamboo, you start to
get a sense of being enveloped by nature.
58 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G ARDENING AUSTR ALIA
Then, as you step into the garden, you find
yourself wrapped in its verdant cloak, even
before it has begun to reveal its secrets.
Time seems to slow in the moment as
you meander along narrow cobblestoned
paths in the shade of magnificent trees
that create ethereal arbors. But time
never stands still, and each season in
the garden brings its own virtues. In late
spring, for instance, fresh lime-green
foliage illuminates the canopy, while
swathes of flowering iris by the ponds
add a scattering of purple. Other lovely

vistas feature cloud-pruned pine trees,
Japanese tea houses, and the sweetest
traditional houseboat reflected in the
pond’s glassy surface.
Nezu Museum’s superb collection of
pre-modern Japanese and East Asian
PHOTO ALAMY (HOUSEBOAT)
art was begun by Japanese businessman
Nezu Kaichiro (1860–1940) when he
was in his 20s. He wanted the fine works
he had acquired to be accessible to the
public, so when he died suddenly, his
son established a foundation and opened
Nezu Museum in 1941 on the site where
the family once resided. The collection
includes paintings, calligraphy, sculptures,
metalwork, ceramics, lacquerware, timber
and bamboo crafts, textiles, armour and
archaeological specimens. Nezu was
also an enthusiastic practitioner of the
way of tea, which is reflected in the tea
wares he collected.
Fortunately, many of the museum’s
precious pieces were transferred to a safe
location during World War II, where they
survived the devastating firebombing of
Tokyo in 1945. The galleries, tea house
G ARDENING AUSTR ALIA
TRAVEL
CLOCKWISE FROM MAIN
In Nezu Museum’s enchanting
garden, each season has its standouts,
such as flowering iris that contribute
to the tapestry of colour and texture
in late spring; a quaint Japanese
houseboat is a fixture of the garden;
the simple yet striking bamboo-lined
walkway at the entrance.
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 59
TRAVEL
and garden were destroyed, but rebuilding
began and exhibitions resumed in 1946.
The museum’s facilities continued
to expand, and today there are four
tea houses nestled in the garden, along
with two large ponds, stone sculptures
and a small shrine.
When travelling, I often find that art,
gardens and culture are intrinsically linked.
Nezu Museum is the perfect example
of this convergence, as both its galleries
and garden reflect the spirit of place.
Allow a few hours to immerse yourself
in the garden, soak up the atmosphere
and, of course, take tea in the airy on-site
cafe while you enjoy floor-to-ceiling
views of the garden’s luxuriant plantings.
60 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G ARDENING AUSTR ALIA
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT
One of the four tea
houses that are intrinsic
to the garden; carefully
placed stone lanterns
and statuary reflect the
aesthetic relationship
between the garden’s
manmade and natural
elements; in a corner
of the garden, a shrine
offering quietude is a
contrast to the bustle of
the city outside the walls.
NEED TO KNOW
Nezu Museum is a short walk from Exit A5
or Exit B3 of Omotesando Station (Ginza,
Hanzomon and Chiyoda subway lines), or
from Minami Aoyama 6-chome bus stop
on Metropolitan Bus Shibu 88 that runs
between Shibuya and Shimbashi Station.
The museum and garden open 10am to
5pm (last entry 4.30pm) from Tuesday
to Sunday (check website for exceptions).
Entry is about $15, and special exhibitions
may attract a separate fee. Tea, coffee and
light meals are available at the museum’s
Nezucafé overlooking the garden. GA
For more information, visit
nezu-muse.or.jp/en/
WHILE YOU ARE THERE
Toyosu Market
Rise early to see fresh tuna being
auctioned from about 5.30am to
6.30am at the world-famous Tsukiji
fish market’s new location in Toyosu.
shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/english/
Ginza Six
Tokyo has extraordinary shopping
precincts worth visiting for the
architecture alone. Ginza Six,
complete with a rooftop garden
and a traditional Noh theatre, is a
contemporary version of historic
commercial district Ginza.
ginza6.tokyo
Sensoji Temple
Soak up Tokyo’s history in Asakusa,
where you can visit the city’s oldest
temple, which is dedicated to Kannon,
a Bodhisattva of compassion.
www.japan.travel/en/spot/1691/
Imperial Palace East Gardens
In central Tokyo, wander through
the Imperial Palace gardens
established on the ruins of Edo
Castle, the former seat of the
shoguns. Now overlooked by
skyscrapers, the gardens contain
trees donated by every prefecture.
www.japan.travel/en/spot/1726/
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 month in the
RY
UA
FEBR

ARDEN
More than 50 jobs to do in your action planner
words JUDY HORTON

TOP JOB
PREPARE FOR WINTER VEGIES
Choose an area where you can start
preparing the ground for planting winter
vegies. Clean out summer crops that
have finished, and if you’ve been clever
enough to grow a green manure crop,
dig it in to enrich the soil. Do the same
with spent bean plants, which will add
their nitrogen-rich goodness to the
bed as they break down. Mix in mature
compost or well-aged manure and, in all
but areas with lime-rich soil, add some
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/FRIEDRICH STRAUSS, FIONA WALSH, ISTOCK
CHECK CITRUS COLLARS
Regularly inspect the trunk and
branches of citrus for signs of
collar rot, especially near ground
level. Collar rot shows up as a soft,
oozing wet patch with loose, flaking
bark. It’s particularly problematic in
warm, wet weather. Clear away organic
matter or soil in contact with the trunk,
cut away loose bark, and paint with
an appropriate copper-based fungicide.
YOUR
PLANNER
dolomite (a generous handful per square
metre is a good rule). It’s still too hot
in most areas to plant out winter vegies,
but start seeds of broccoli, cabbage,
cauliflower and silverbeet in pots in a cool
spot that’s shaded from the midday and
afternoon sun. If you’re in a cold area, be
prepared to plant out as soon as the bite
of the summer sun has gone – say, late
It ’s time to...
February to March – so the seedlings get
a good start while the soil is still warm.
Check azaleas (above) for silvery
marks on new leaves (a telltale sign of
lacebug attack), and spray fortnightly
with neem or horticultural oil
Trim gardenias, fertilise and water
well, then top the soil with mulch
Divide clumps of mondo grass,
and remove any pieces that are
invading garden beds
Turn compost regularly to take
advantage of the summer warmth
that will hasten its breakdown
Ensure camellias don’t dry out
now that their buds are forming
Trim and fertilise roses to prepare
them for their autumn flowering
Prune off burnt and discoloured
hydrangea heads
Lift and divide clumps of lilium bulbs
once all the leaves have turned yellow
Pick up fallen frangipani leaves
to help prevent the spread of rust
Cut down any leggy stems on
Top
yuccas, cordylines (below left),
and dracaenas (below right),
tip
then use the pruned
sections to
propagate
l t
 START
spring bulbs
TOP JOB
PLANNING FOR
This month, when all those enticing catalogues appear, you can dream big while

Do it now you pick and choose from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, jonquils,
bluebells and grape hyacinths. Many growers have catalogues available online,
or paper ones to post out on request. Early bulb stock starts to appear in shops,
Mist-spray tender fronds of potted so buy now if the bulbs look to be in good condition, and store them in a cool,
ferns (above) two or three times a day airy spot until autumn planting time. Meanwhile, design your colour display, buy
during the hot weather pots if needed, and prepare well-drained planting beds by mixing in organic
Sprinkle soil wetter over the lawn, matter and a slow-release organic fertiliser such as blood and bone. In relatively
which will encourage better water warm climates, bluebells, jonquils and freesias (below, left to right) do well, as
penetration to the roots do babianas. Tulips, hyacinths and crocuses prefer it cooler. You can grow them
Keep belladonna lilies (naked ladies) as one-year wonders in warmer areas – if they come back, it’s a bonus!
as dry as possible until the new leaves
have emerged
Tie tall dahlias to stakes with soft
ties as the plants grow
Seek out and plant new cultivars
of colourful, waterwise native fan
flower (Scaevola spp.)
Install a water tank to collect any
run-off from the roofs of your house
and outbuildings
Remove side ‘pups’ from agaves,
and pot up in a sandy mix
Pick sprays of mature seed heads
from honesty, and peel off the outer layer PERFECT YOUR CUT
to expose the long-lasting, silvery discs If your lawn looks uneven after
Trim summer-flowering shrubs mowing, it’s likely the blades of
after their blooms have faded your mower are blunt. Tak
Leave burnt patches on plants’
extremities to provide protection for
the machine to a service
centre to have the blades
Top
lower foliage until heatwaves are over sharpened or replaced.
tip
66 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 YOUR
PLANNER

Freeze excess fruit

Make the most of abundant summer fruit
crops by freezing for later use. You can cu
most fruit into chunks and pre-freeze on
so w & a sheet of baking paper on a tray, before

plant… storing in a plastic bag. Before freezing,

paint lemon juice onto cut surfaces of
fruit that discolour after cutting (such as
IN FEBRUARY apples and avocados). Small fruit such
asian greens ● ●● as berries, strawberries, finger limes,
basil ● ●●● grapes and cumquats can be frozen
beans (french climbing) ●● whole. Remember that defrosted fruit
beans (snake) ● ● loses its firm texture but still tastes great,
beetroot ●●●● especially in desserts and smoothies.
broccoli ●●●●
brussels sprouts ●●●
cabbage ●●●●
capsicum/chilli ● ●
carrot ●●● choose and plant
cauliflower ●●●● CREPE MYRTLES
celery ● ●●●● These flowering beauties are at their
chives ●● glorious best in late summer, and
cucumber ● ●● these days the choice is so wide that
eggplant ● ● there’s a crepe myrtle to suit most
kale
kohlrabi
● ●●●●
●●●●
gardens. Crepe myrtles range in size
from small shrubs to medium trees. Pest
leek
lettuce
okra ●
●●●
●●●●
●
Visit garden suppliers now for the
best choice, and look for newer
varieties with improved resistance
alert
parsnip to powdery mildew. Flower colour
●● Yellow and black European wasps
varies from white through to pinks,
radish ●●●● are very active in late summer,
lilacs and red, and some crepe
silverbeet ●●●● especially in cooler parts of the
myrtles have plum-coloured foliage.
spring onion ●●●● country. The wasps can chew
New plants need watering in the
squash/zucchini ●●● holes in soft summer fruit, but
first year, but they are remarkably
swede ●●●● they’re at their most annoying
drought tolerant once established.
sweet potato ● when they attack and sting
sweetcorn ●●● gardeners who disturb them.
Wariness, respect, prevention
tomato ●●
and avoidance are the best ways
turnip ●●
to deal with these aggressive,
introduced pests. Keep food, sweet
PHOTOS PAUL DRURY, ISTOCK

KEY drinks and compost bins covered,

tropical ● pick up all fallen fruit, and make
subtropical ● sure you have screens on all
arid/semi-arid ● windows. European wasp nests
warm temperate ● should be reported to the national
cold temperate ● hotline (02) 6258 5551 or at
ewasp.com.au/contact-us

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 67
STEP-BY-STEP
MAKE A HANGING KOKEDAMA
WHAT YOU NEED
small-growing plant
good quality potting mix
coir peat (pre-moistened)
damp sphagnum moss
decorative natural string
The kokedama (literally ‘moss ball’)
has its origins in Japan, but this popular
way to grow plants in a ball of soil has
taken off worldwide. It’s easy to make,
and a great project for kids. The key is
to choose a suitable plant, such as the
small-growing spider plant (Chlorophytum
comosum ‘Vittatum’) used here. It’s tough,
and sends out arching shoots as it grows.
1 2
3 4
1 REMOVE the plant from its pot and
wash most of the soil from the roots.
2 BLEND good quality potting mix with
pre-moistened coir peat. The peat holds
extra water, which keeps the roots moist
while the kokedama is hanging in the air.
3 WRAP a ball of the soil mix firmly
around the roots of the plant, then cover
the ball with damp sphagnum moss, or
moss growing in your garden.
4 WIND decorative natural string (such
as jute) around the ball, crisscrossing it
and making sure you wind it in a number
of different directions.
5 TIE string to the top of the ball, then
hang the kokedama in a brightly lit position
indoors, or in a sheltered spot outside.
5
Watering tip
The kokedama will dry out
quickly because it is exposed to
the air. Every day, check its weight
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/FHF GREENMEDIA, ISTOCK
by lifting it from below with your hands.
If the kokedama feels very light, and
the sphagnum moss looks dry, it needs
watering. The best way to water is to
submerge the root ball in a container
of water until it has had a
thorough soaking, then
allow it to drain.
 YOUR
PLANNER

In the tropics
Seek out a beautiful, highly fragrant
native daphne (Phaleria clerodendron,
above) to add to your rainforest garden
Harvest jackfruit when the spines
flatten and the skin turns brownish-
yellow in colour
Feed and mulch galangal, ginger
and turmeric
Take cuttings from acalyphas, also
known as Fijian fire plant, to add colour
to the garden
Trim and tidy storm-damaged
branches as quickly as possible to
allow new growth to emerge
Sow another crop of snake beans
into a well-drained mound of moist soil
Make a weekly date to keep on top
of the weeds that grow rapidly during
wet, warm weather
Plant pawpaw seedlings, and feed
established pawpaw plants with a
fruit tree fertiliser
Pick good-sized avocados, and
hasten ripening by putting them into
a paper bag with a ripe banana
Tie a flapped-over bag or old towel
around the trunk of white cedar trees
(Melia azedarach) to trap migrating
hairy caterpillars

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 69
 Edible garden
Prune blackcurrants (above) while
you pick the fruit, cutting back one-third
of the oldest stems
Collect mature seed heads of basil,
and store them for sowing next spring TOP JOB

Pinch off the tips of spreading
pumpkin plants before the vines start
taking over your garden
Cut globe artichokes to the ground
to encourage fresh shoots to emerge
Sow beetroot seeds after soaking
them overnight in tepid water
Spray citrus with an oil-based spray
to help reduce citrus leafminer damage,
and set up a leafminer trap to reduce
the pest population
Mix radish and carrot seed, and
sow together so the fast-germinating
radish can open up the soil for the
slower-germinating carrots
Prune stone fruit trees, especially
apricots and cherries, before the
weather starts to cool
Sow onion seeds into trays filled
with seed-raising mix so they will be
tidy up buddlejas
By late summer, many buddlejas have put on a lot of growth, some reaching
3m high and 2m wide. A little tidy-up now will help to keep the bush in check
until it’s time to give it a harder prune in late winter to early spring.
Remove any long stems that are restricting your movement, or encroaching
on neighbouring plants that need more space. Follow the offending stems down
and cut them off at their base. Also, go over the entire bush and remove spent
flowers. Trim some of the outer growth, where necessary, to help shape the
bush. This will encourage a nice flush of new growth and, hopefully, a lovely
show of autumn blooms.
It’s worth making use of the prunings to strike cuttings. Choose some firm
tip material 10–15cm long, and remove the lower leaves and any flower buds.
Put the cuttings into some moistened potting mix, place in a bright spot out
of direct sunlight, and keep moist. They should develop roots in 4–6 weeks.

create an EDIBLE HEDGE

ready for autumn planting
Knock almonds from the trees
as soon as the husk splits (below),
otherwise the birds will get them
If you need to screen off part of your
garden, why not grow something that is
not only attractive, but also useful and
productive? Tea plant (Camellia sinensis)
has pretty white flowers, and shiny tip
growth that can be plucked and steeped
to make green tea. Pruned coffee bushes
(right) make a dense, glossy-leafed
hedge in warmer areas. Coffee can
myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) can be
kept to a manageable height, and its
leaves add lemon flavour to food and
beverages. Clipped cumquats form a
dense barrier, and their sweet-sour fruit
is useful and attractive. Feijoa (Acca
sellowiana) fruits well in cooler areas,
especially if two varieties are grown to
enhance pollination. Bay trees (Laurus
PHOTOS ISTOCK

be weedy, so net plants when fruit are nobilis) are suited to Mediterranean-type
ripening to stop birds spreading seed. climates, but must be clipped regularly,
The native rainforest lemon-scented otherwise they can reach 10m high.

70 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 YOUR
PLANNER

Watch
out
SPIDER MITES
During hot, dry weather, these minute sap-suckers
can be especially troublesome. They’re so small that
they’re almost impossible to see, but they can be very
damaging to plants. The adults have eight legs, which
explains the term ‘spider’. The common two-spotted
mite thrives in hot summer conditions and attacks
a range of ornamental and fruiting plants. Spider
mites are mostly noticed by the damage they cause –
dried-out, discoloured leaves, and distorted flowers
– and the fine webbing (above) they hide under.
They don’t like being wet, so it’s worth spraying water
under affected leaves. Natural predators such as
mite-eating ladybirds and lacewings do a good job of
cleaning up infestations, so check for their presence
before using registered sprays or chemical organic
controls. Commercial growers often employ predatory
mites, which is an option for home gardeners, too.

Durable
Check online for companies that supply them.

The GARDENA AquaRoll Metal Hose Trolley

is built to last, and comes pre-assembled ready-to-use.

Its 60 metre capacity (13mm) makes it perfect

for reaching far off corners of the garden.
Made in Germany and backed by a 5-year warranty.

Now that’s clever watering!

gardena.com
NEXT MONTH

On
sale
February
17
March issue
TRILLIUMS
plus
G
FAIL-SAFE BULBS
for WARM CLIMATES
PALMS IN POTS
& PLANTING UP
A HERB TABLE
 PATCH
IN THE
PHOTOS ISTOCK, PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATSKY

Horticultural editor and devoted food grower

PHIL DUDMAN shows you what to plant,
pick and tend in the edible garden this month

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 73
 PLANT
it NOW
Over the years, kale has proven to be
the perfect backup crop in my patch.
One planting can generally give me up to
12 months of continuous cropping. When
I’m waiting for something else to come on
– cabbage or cauliflower, some silverbeet
or English spinach – I always have a cluster
of kale ready to offer a few nutrient-dense
leaves to toss into a soup, salad or slaw.
It’s also a beautiful plant to have in the
garden, and there are so many different leaf
types to choose from. Some are curly and
crinkled like Dwarf Blue Scotch, some are
KALE
colourful and frilly like the deep purple
Red Bore, and some are long and wrinkly
like the ever-popular Cavolo Nero.
I always start a crop in late summer
to early autumn. Like most plants in the
cabbage family, the seed will germinate
readily. I sow in multicell punnets filled with
a quality seed-raising mix, planting 2 seeds
per cell, 5mm deep. Once they come up,
I thin to one healthy seedling per cell. The
mix needs to be kept moist, and the young
seedlings need sun, but not too much when
it’s hot. A shadehouse is a good place to
nurse tiny seedlings through the heat, or put
your punnets in a shallow polystyrene box,
place it in a spot that gets 4–5 hours of
morning sun, and cover it with shadecloth
when the temperatures soar.
Alternatively, buy seedlings at your local
garden centre. Established seedlings can
be planted in the ground near the end of
the month in cool areas, but where it’s hot,
first grow them in small pots in a position
that gets morning sun. Liquid-fertilise once
a week, and plant out in late March when
the worst of the heat has passed.

PICK it NOW
CUCUMBER
Timing is everything when harvesting
cucumbers. Leave them on the vine for too
long and the flesh becomes bitter, the skin
tough, and the seeds large. Instead, pick them
just as they are approaching, or when they
reach, the typical size for the variety you’re
growing, and snip them off with scissors to
avoid damaging the vine. As some cucumbers
are prickly, wear gloves to protect your hands.

74 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 IN THE PATCH

CROPS
IN POTS
ROCKET
Like many salad greens, rocket (Eruca
vesicaria subsp. sativa) is easy to grow
in containers. It’s a quick grower, too, and
with regular love and attention, you can
start enjoying its peppery punch on your
plate in just 4–6 weeks from sowing.
Rocket has shallow roots, so a shallow
pot is fine, but it needs to be at least 30cm
wide to accommodate six or so plants at a
time, which should give you plenty of leaves
to pick a few times a week. If you need
more, choose a larger container, or plant
up more than one pot. As your plants start
to flower, establish new plantings to take
over and provide a successional harvest.
Fill your container with a good quality
potting mix with fertiliser added. For a quick
start, pick up established seedlings from a
garden centre, but if you’re serious about
successional cropping, buy seed so you
have it on hand. Rocket seed germinates
readily. Moisten the potting mix and scatter
seed over the surface, then cover with an
additional 3mm layer of potting mix. Gently
water in and keep the surface moist until
the seeds germinate, which takes about
five days. You can thin excess seedlings if
you like, but there’s no need to. The object
is to produce lots of leaves in the shortest
time frame, so the more plants the merrier.
Place your pot in a position that gets
plenty of sun, but shade the plants from
PHOTOS ISTOCK, GAP PHOTOS/NICOLA STOCKEN

the midday sun when the weather is hot.

Water often to maintain even moisture, and
give your rocket a liquid feed once a week
to keep it growing at supersonic speed.
Start harvesting as soon as the plants
look big enough to lose a few leaves. Pick
the outer leaves first, gently snapping them
near the base. Leave at least six leaves so
the plant can keep growing. Young plants
produce sweet and tender leaves, then
the harvest heats up as the plants mature.

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 75
IN THE PATCH

STEP-BY-STEP
THIN BANANA CLUMPS
Banana plants produce a lot of suckers, and if you let every
one of them grow, the clumps become congested and the
fruit loses quality. PHIL DUDMAN demonstrates how to
thin an overcrowded thicket to restore optimal production.

1 CHOOSE which suckers to keep. Aim to maintain a clump

with three pseudostems (suckers): one in fruit (the fat central
stem in the picture), a medium to large follower (stem at left)
and a small follower (stem at centre front). This focuses the
plant’s energy on producing bigger and better fruit.
2 CUT down surplus suckers with a pruning saw. If they
are large, remove them in small, easy-to-handle sections.
3 DIG out each of the sawn suckers with a sharp spade.
This stops them reshooting, and reduces the risk of banana
weevil burrowing into the plant. For large suckers that are
PHOTOS JESSIE PRINCE

more difficult to remove, cut them neat with the ground,

then dig them out in small sections, slicing through the base
vertically with a spade or mattock.
4 PLAN to check clumps more regularly in future to remove
surplus suckers while they’re small – it’s much easier!

76 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
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 curious
tus

Vibrantly coloured and delicately flavoured, dragon fruit deserves a place PHOTOS PICONE ORCHARDS, ISTOCK, KARYN COUPER-SMITH

in everyone’s garden and fruit bowl, writes KARYN COUPER-SMITH

A
popular treat in many parts of
the world, dragon fruit (also
known as pitaya) has finally
found its way into grocers and
kitchens across Australia. It can be eaten
au naturel, or used in sorbets, jams and
jellies. The melon-to-tangy-lemon flavour
teams nicely with ginger or star-anise,
and the fruit are delicious juiced or in
smoothies. You pay in excess of $5 per
fruit in the shops, but the good news is
dragon fruit plants are easy to grow. They
are prolific producers, and you’ll have your
first crop within a year of planting.
The plants make a spectacular feature in
the garden when their thick, fleshy cactus
stems covered in oval or pear-shaped fruit
cascade from a frame or large container.
Different varieties have fruit with red, pink,
purple or yellow skin, and flesh in various
shades of red, purple or white, peppered
with masses of small, black, edible seeds.
The flowers look amazing, too, and have
a heady fragrance, but you must get up
early to enjoy them, as they open at night
and close soon after sunrise. The huge
blooms are mostly white, and sometimes
tinted red. They attract moths and bats in
the evening, and a flurry of bees in the early
morning, which is a magnificent sight.

78 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A

GETTING STARTED
Dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) thrives in
hot, humid conditions, from the tropics to
warm temperate regions. In colder areas,
grow plants in pots so they can be moved
to a protected spot during winter.
The plants like a sandy soil but grow
in most well-drained soil types. In their
natural environment, they climb trees and
only fruit when they are exposed to light
at the top, so choose a sunny position.
Being a cactus, dragon fruit is drought
resistant, but it produces better quality
crops if watered regularly when fruiting.
Feed with organic fertiliser monthly from
spring to autumn. In hot, arid areas, it will
need more water and may also need the
protection of shadecloth to avoid sunburn.
The plants are relatively trouble free, but
can be affected by aphids and mealy bug.
Use a horticultural oil spray if needed.
You can find potted dragon fruit plants
at local garden centres, and bare-rooted
cuttings online. Cuttings are easy to strike,
so if a friend has a variety you like, ask
for a piece. Select a long, healthy-looking
segment, mark the base (for planting) and
leave it in a dry, shady spot for a month
until the cut ends are dry. Then plant it
5cm deep directly in the soil, or in a pot
filled with potting mix. Be careful not to
overwater. It’s best to keep the cutting
on the drier side so it doesn’t rot.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR
DRAGON FRUIT
These plants can become a rambling pest
if left unsupervised, so train them onto a
strong support. Simple hardwood posts
work well. Set posts 40–50cm into the
ground with about 1.2–1.5m above ground.
IN THE PATCH
top
picks
Frankie’s Red Dwarf Orange-red skin with vibrant
pink-red flesh. Great flavour. Fruit very thorny.
More compact plant. Requires a pollinator.
Pearl Pink skin with bright white flesh. Self-pollinating
and a great pollinator for other varieties.
Purple Haze Red skin with magenta-coloured flesh.
Grape-like flavour. Self-pollinating.
Red Pink skin with deep red flesh. Melon-like flavour.
Requires a pollinator.
Yellow Yellow skin with white flesh. Delightful lemony
sherbet flavour. Has many tiny thorns covering the
fruit. Handle with care and remove thorns with a stiff
brush. Self-pollinating.
Plant at the base of the structure and
train a single stem upwards, loosely tying
it to the post and removing side shoots as it
grows. When it reaches the top, cut off the
at a glance
next segment to encourage branching. The common name
mass of mature stems that follows becomes dragon fruit
very heavy and needs support. Some people botanic name
bolt a solid timber crosspiece near the top. Hylocereus spp.
Others prop up stems with a bicycle rim or plant type
a four-square piece of 100mm reinforcing epiphytic cactus
mesh nailed to the top surface.
10m (unpruned)
Growing dragon fruit in a large pot (35L
or larger) eliminates the need for structural 5–8m (unpruned)
support, as it hangs over the pot. But you full sun
need something to raise the pots off the year-round
ground, such as blocks or tree stumps, and late spring to early
potted plants need more regular watering. autumn
THE HARVEST
Some varieties are self-pollinating, while
others need a compatible pollinator for
good crops. Plants flower and fruit from
late spring to early autumn in the tropics,
suitable
but may not start fruiting until summer in
cooler areas. Fruit is ready to pick when
it has developed its full colour.
Flowers and fruit develop on the new
season’s growth, so prune after harvesting where
to keep plants compact and manageable. toBUY
A word of caution: pruning waste is likely
to grow, so dispose of it thoughtfully by Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery
burning or drowning. In some places, order@daleysfruit.com.au,
dragon fruit has become a weed because daleysfruit.com.au
people have dumped foliage waste. GA El Arish Tropical Exotics
(07) 4068 5058,
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE PAGE elarishtropicalexotics.com
Dragon fruit plants need strong structural
support; the fruit has vibrant, spiky skin;
the fragrant flowers open in the evening.
G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 79
 DEN
R

GUESTS
GA

& PESTS

A small number of
native bee species
produce honey, and
these delightful
stingless insects are
easy to keep, says
LEONARD
CRONIN

I
f you’d like to keep bees but are daunted
by the cost and commitment of keeping
European honeybees, then Australian
native bees may be the answer.
While there are more than 1700 native
bee species in Australia, most go about
their lives largely unnoticed by gardeners.
don’t store honey, there are 11 species of
stingless social bees that do, and these
are a great addition to any garden.
The nests of Tetragonula (the most
commonly kept native bees) have a
spiral-shaped honeycomb centre made
from a waxy substance secreted by the
produce more honey than they need to
survive. Although a native bee colony
produces less than 1kg of honey per year,
it is delicious: tangy and aromatic, with a
unique blend of sweet and sour flavours.
Keeping native bees is easy. You can buy
rescued bee colonies in their original log
PHOTOS ERICA SIEGEL, ISTOCK

They are essential pollinators of native
plants and come in a range of colours and
sizes, from about 2mm to a whopping
25mm long. The vast majority of species
live alone, constructing tiny nests in grass
stems, underground burrows or cracks
and hollows. Although these solitary bees
workers, and resin collected from trees.
One nest can contain several thousand
black worker bees, a mere 3–5mm long,
that make and store small amounts of
‘sugarbag’ honey. In warmer areas (from
the Mid North Coast of New South Wales
to northern Queensland) the bees can
homes from native bee suppliers, but if
you want to try their honey, you should
buy a two-storey hive stocked with bees.
Stingless bee hives are much smaller
than traditional hives, and they have a
separate compartment that gives access
to the honey without damaging the rest

80 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A

Stingless bee
Tetragonula carbonaria
of the nest. This also allows the colony to be
propagated by splitting. The hive should be
sited in a warm place outside where it gets
morning sun, but is sheltered from extreme
afternoon heat and cold winds.
Native bees are virtually maintenance free.
They will spend the daylight hours darting
back and forth, pollinating your garden plants,
vegetables and fruit trees, and once a year
you may be rewarded with a taste of the
rarest and most delicious honey in the world.
Len gardens in the Northern Rivers,
New South Wales
BACKYARD VISITORS
tasting the waters
Ants stream into houses in dry
weather to access water, writes
MARTYN ROBINSON
W
hen the weather is really hot and dry, and your plants are
struggling or even dying, sometimes you also have to contend
with swarms of little black ants invading your kitchen. Why are
they making your life a misery? Well, they are not happy about
the situation either, but are making the best of what’s available.
The reason that ants invade a house is mostly to do with water. They are
either looking for a drink because there’s not enough water for them outside,
or seeking shelter because their nests have flooded. In hot, dry weather, the
scouts go in search of water and food, and it only takes one ant to locate
some in your house and it will go back and ‘tell’ the others. Most ant species
don’t have great vision, but their sense of smell and touch is very good, and
they have glands that produce chemicals and pheromones (scent signals)
that communicate different things to the other ants.
When an ant discovers water or food in your house, she (all the workers
are female!) swallows some, then heads back to the nest, regularly dabbing
the tip of her abdomen against the ground to leave a scent trail. If she meets
other ants from her nest along the way, she establishes contact with waving
antennae, then gives them a sample of what she has found. The ants follow
the well-marked trail until they reach the source (or sauce!) and soon there
is a stream of ants in your house. To see how this works, find a comfy spot in
the garden and put a small drop of honey near an ant. She’ll have a feed, then
hurry off, and soon you’ll see a horde of ants rushing to the spot of honey.
When there’s enough water outside, you’ll generally find the ants are happy
to move out and leave you alone. In the meantime, if ants have moved in with
you, wipe up any spilt water, fix dripping taps, and clean up scraps of food. GA
Martyn gardens mainly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches
Have you found something interesting in your
WHAT garden? Send us a photo and Martyn will ID it.
ON
EARTH? Email yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au
with ‘Creature’ in the subject line.
G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 81
 MAILBOX

I have been visiting my

granddaughters’ school
for nine years, and saw this
yesterday in the grounds, possibly
for the first time! I don’t think I’ve
ever seen one on all my travels.
The rainbow lorikeets love it. Can
you help with the name, please?
Janet Wood, via email

MARIANNE CANNON SAYS

This lovely tree is Schotia brachypetala,
affectionately known as drunken parrot
tree. Members of the parrot family love it
because of the abundant nectar found
in the bunches of deep red, waxy spring
flowers. The nectar reputedly ferments in
the heat of the day, causing the birds to
behave more raucously as they become
slightly intoxicated. Originating in southern
Africa, drunken parrot tree grows to a
height of 6–12m, with a wide-spreading
crown. It is an evergreen tree in warmer
areas, but loses its leaves for a short time
in cooler districts. It’s in the Fabaceae
(legume) family, and bean-like seed pods
containing flattened seeds with a prominent
yellow aril (partial seed covering) appear
in autumn. Another attractive feature is
the new leaf growth, which emerges as
coppery red before turning a glossy green.

Q I CAN SEE SOME BUGS CONCENTRATED ON THE FLOWERS

OF MY PEAR AND APPLE TREES. ARE THESE BENEFICIAL
INSECTS OR PESTS? I’VE BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM
ONLINE. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE A GREAT HELP.
Alvin Obsioma, Derrimut, Vic

MARTYN ROBINSON SAYS Your insects are one of the dermestid beetles. They
are eating the pollen on your flowers, but may be doing some accidental pollinating in the
process. Out in the garden they do little harm, but be careful not to bring them inside on
cut flowers. The dermestid family includes museum beetles (so-called because they can eat a
variety of things, such as leather, dried food, stuffed animals and insects) and carpet beetles
(yes, they eat woollen carpets!). They are certainly bad news in a natural history museum.

82 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 INSPIRED
PLANTING
I went to Floriade in Canberra
last spring and was inspired by
the tulips in pots. I was rewarded
with beautiful tulips, and amazed
at my success. I surrounded the pot
with violas to make a display when
the tulips were growing and after
they had died. I’m looking forward
to next year’s display.
Claire Kennedy,
Sydney, NSW

write and win!

Got something to say? Share your thoughts, ask a
question, slip us a tip and show us your best shots.
The pick of the crop each month wins a six-month
subscription to ABC Gardening Australia magazine
(current subscriptions will be extended).

Q In the December 2019 issue of the magazine,

on page 66, there’s a yellow poinciana named
as Peltophorum pterocarpum. Here’s a photo of my
flowering yellow poinciana – its botanic name is
Delonix regia, I thought. Which is correct?
Peter Danzer, Caboolture, Qld
PHIL DUDMAN SAYS
Thanks for your beautiful
picture, Peter. Many readers
would have seen the red
poinciana, Delonix regia, but
the yellow-flowering form,
D. regia var. flavida, is not
as well known. The plant
we featured, Peltophorum
pterocarpum, has the same
common name of yellow
poinciana due to its uncanny
likeness to the true poinciana.
It can be confusing, but such
are common names! It is also
referred to as golden or yellow
flame tree, yellow flamboyant,
soga and copperpod.
yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au (letters)
experts@gardeningaustralia.com.au (questions)
Your Say, Gardening Australia, nextmedia,
Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590
FACEBOOK
facebook.com/ABCGardeningAustraliamagazine
INSTAGRAM
@gardeningaustraliamag
#gardeningaustraliamag
Claire Kennedy from
Sydney has won a
six-month subscription
for her letter about
planting violas in her
pot of tulips, so they
could take over when
the tulips died (above).
Great idea, Claire, and
the flowers look lovely!

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 83
 HIPPIE
SURPRISE

Your Insta posts

I was out birdwatching
and turned around to discover,
out in the field, a hippie and
a hoppy. I’m used to hoppies,
but haven’t seen a hippeastrum
in that area in the eight
years we’ve been here.
Alwyn Campbell,
Mt McEuen, Qld
clockwise from top left This batch of freshly harvested potatoes
is from gatty_hobbyfarm, while jonhazelwood01 has spotted a
blue-banded bee enjoying his salvia. Meanwhile, thebillywheeler
says their roses are coming back after being destroyed by chickens,
and minipermaculture has discovered that curly mint has a strong,
fresh, spearmint taste and is a good companion plant for mandarins.

IN GOOD SHAPE
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS
PHOTO OF MY TOMATO.
I LIVE IN A UNIT AND HAVE
A SMALL VEGETABLE PATCH.
Celia Black, Nelson Bay, NSW
Q Can you please identify this plant,
which is growing in Edenhope in
Victoria? It’s a 2m-high bushy shrub with
leaves right to the ground. The flowers
smell like honey lemon-scented gum.
Suzanne Bull, via Facebook

AB BISHOP SAYS This is Portuguese laurel

(Prunus lusitanica), a tough shrub in the same
family as stone fruit, which includes cherries,
peaches and plums. Its glossy green foliage and
scented spikes of creamy-white flowers in spring
make it a popular screening plant. Growing about
50cm per year, it will eventually reach 5m high
and 3m wide if unpruned, but it can be clipped
to 1.5m high by 1.5m wide. The leaves of all 400
species in the Prunus genus contain cyanide, and
are poisonous to livestock and domestic animals,
causing nausea and vomiting if ingested.

84 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 MAILBOX

GONE BUT NOT

FORGOTTEN
I’m growing a Chatham Island
forget-me-not plant and letting
it reseed itself every few years.
My mum grew them, and when
she died a couple of years ago,
I wanted to keep them going.
They like morning sun but
semi-shade in summer, I think.
The new plants (right) take a
few years to grow and flower.
Katherine Crawford,
Scottsdale, Tas
NEXTMEDIA, LEVEL 8, 205 PACIFIC HWY, ST LEONARDS NSW 2065. TOTAL PRIZE POOL VALUE $535.98 (INC GST). THE JUDGES’ DECISION IS FINAL AND NO CORRESPONDENCE

win
COMPETITION OPEN TO AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY. STARTS 20/1/20 AT 00:01 (AEDT) AND CLOSES 16/2/20 AT 23:59 (AEDT). ENTRIES JUDGED ON 17/2/20 AT 2PM AT

dragons in my garden
WILL BE ENTERED INTO. FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT GARDENINGAUSTRALIA.COM.AU. PRIZES SENT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED ON THE ENTRY FORM.

Dracunculus vulgaris is often called

dragon lily or black dragon because
1 of 2 GARDENA the spadix is said to look like a
TROLLEY PRIZES hiding dragon. My two blooms were
each valued at spectacular in both colour and size,

$ 267.99
with the spathes measuring more
than 60cm long. The smell, though,
was something else – perhaps
more like a very dead dragon!
James Kilderry, Reservoir, Vic

READY TO ROLL
The Gardena AquaRoll M Metal
Hose Trolley has been designed
with a focus on stability, space
saving and ease of use. Its
extra-wide Kick&Stand feature
guarantees stability, which is
especially important when it’s
holding its capacity of 60m of
13mm hose (or 35m of 19mm
hose). With the smooth crank
mechanism and steady base,
winding and unwinding are
effortless, and the adjustable
handle can be positioned either
comfortably high for towing or
efficiently low for storage. The
trolley comes with a five-year
warranty and is available from
Bunnings Warehouse. For more
information, visit gardena.com

We have two Gardena trolley prizes, valued at $267.99 each, to give away. Each
prize includes one AquaRoll M Metal Hose Trolley, one Comfort HighFLEX 30m
Hose (13mm diameter) and one Premium Trigger Gun Nozzle. To enter, tell us in
25 words or less how you make a difficult gardening job easier. Write your name,
address, daytime contact number and entry on the back of an envelope, and send it
to Gardena Trolley Competition, Gardening Australia, nextmedia, Locked Bag 5555,
St Leonards NSW 1590, or email comp@gardeningaustralia.com.au, with ‘Gardena
Trolley’ in the subject line, by February 16.

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 85
built from scratch
My shed only cost about $60 to build. It’s made out of
things I found, or that someone was throwing away.
I found the door at the tip. The boards on the front are
old fence palings, and the window was given to me by
a friend who’d removed it from their house. The tin
I had lying around. Even the garden edging is offcuts
from the palings. Screws and hinges were the only
things I had to buy. I love
my little garden shed
because I built it from
re-used materials, it
holds all my gardening
things, and looks better
than a bought shed.
Glenn Turner,
Orbost, Vic

The rustic sheds

featured this month
have interesting uses,
and some are made

I love my from recycled

SHED
materials.

a year in the making

I call this ‘My Shack’, and it’s my favourite place to be. I’d been collecting bits for
this shed for quite a while. It’s built entirely from second-hand materials. The
timber is mostly ironbark, over 100 years old, and came from a friend’s paddock.
My builder friend and I built it over a year, working one day a week. I make soap
and skincare products in my shack, and also paint in there. The odd glass of wine
Tell us about has also been enjoyed on the verandah while we watch the birds in the garden!
Virginia Allen, Upper Tenthill, Qld
YOUR SHED…
Do you have a special shed? Rustic,
rose-covered, ramshackle... or perhaps
a Shed of Good Intentions that has turned
into a Shed of Shame? Whether your shed
is high-end or humble, we’d love to see it.
Send us a high-resolution photo and tell
us, in 100 words or less, what makes your
shed special. We’ll publish our favourites
in future issues of the magazine. Email
yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au with
‘My Shed’ in the subject line, or post to
My Shed, Gardening Australia, nextmedia,
Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590.
Include your name, street address, email
and daytime phone number.

86 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 MAILBOX

a shed quartet
I love our four wonderfully
rustic sheds, which were built
by my hardworking husband,
Ray. The first houses the usual
garden tools. The second has
a pinky rose trained from the
verandah, and an old mangle
covered in pots out the front.
We have a resident ring-tailed
possum living in old fruit boxes
in the roof. In the third, my
succulents grow happily in
many different containers. The
most recent shed is the chook
house, which has all the mod
cons, with great nesting boxes
and security from any fox that
thinks it might get a free meal. 1
Gay Rattray, Nairne, SA

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 87
 CROSSWORD

take a break!
Put the kettle on – it’s time to relax! Solve our puzzle
to be in the running to win a Seasol hamper
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 19 across A
10

11

12 13

14 15

16 17

18
WIN
a hamper
19 20

21 22 23
SEE OPPOSITE
24 25 26
1 down B
27
121 SOLUTION NEXT MONTH

28 29 30 31

32 33

34 35

36

37

38 6 down C

across
1. Plant-based poison responsible for
Socrates’ death (7)
8. The Western Australian tree
Eucalyptus erythrocorys (9)
10. Light, strong construction material (5,4)
11. South African president who
32. Severe (5)
33. Information of military or political
value (5)
34. Orange-like fruit used in preserves (7)
36. Variety of pumpkin (9)
37. Edible pale green seed (9)
8. A short description in verse or
prose of a pastoral scene (5)
9. Originate (7)
15. Forest tree with pale wood (3)
17. Colourless crystalline amide
used in fertilisers (4)
CROSSWORD COMPILED BY STEVE BALL PHOTOS ISTOCK

received the Nobel Peace Prize (7) 38. Attempt to outwit or deceive another 20. Tropical or subtropical tree
12. The hair on a nettle, for example (5) person (colloq.) (3,2,2) with large leaves (4)
13. Flower often associated with 21. Patella (7)
Holland (5) down 22. Water-soaked soil (3)
14. Small, pale raisin (7) 1. Subtropical shrub (8) (Picture B) 23. Red, plum-sized, South-East
16. Hesitant (6) 2. Most cloudy (of liquid) (8) Asian fruit (8)
18. Attempt; sample (3) 3. Cool-climate building for 24. Far-fetched, implausible (8)
19. Fragrant winter-flowering shrub (6) growing certain citrus trees (8) 25. Conopodium majus or … (8)
(Picture A) 4. Gnarled, rough (6) 26. Framework (8)
21. Sweet potato (6) 5. Clusters of plants (6) 29. Memorable, captivating (6)
24. A Central American rubber tree (3) 6. Tree with large scented flowers (8) 30. A soup thickened with okra pods (5)
27. Expose, reveal (6) (Picture C) 31. Six-piece musical ensemble (6)
28. Native to a region (7) 7. On the house (4) 35. Perfume fragrance (4)

88 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 WIN
1 of 10
Seasol
$50 EACH. TOTAL PRIZE VALUE IS $5OO. WINNERS DRAWN ON 10/2/2020 AT 14:00 (AEDT) AT 205 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, ST LEONARDS NSW 2065. WINNERS NOTIFIED BY TELEPHONE AND IN WRITING. PERMIT NUMBERS NSW LTPM/19/05228, ACT TP 19/04879.
CROSSWORD COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS: OPEN TO AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY. COMPETITION OPENS 20/1/2020 AT 00:01 (AEDT) AND CLOSES 9/2/2020 AT 23:59 (AEDT). TEN LUCKY WINNERS WILL RECEIVE A SEASOL HAMPER, WORTH

hampers
FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AVAILABLE AT GARDENINGAUSTRALIA.COM.AU. PRIVACY POLICY AVAILABLE AT NEXTMEDIA.COM.AU. PROMOTER IS NEXTMEDIA PTY LTD; ABN 84 128 805 970; 205 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, ST LEONARDS NSW 2065.

each valued at
$50
organically based plant solutions
Whether you’re starting a vegie patch, feeding all the well-loved
pot plants on your balcony, or topping up your garden beds to

how to enter
ensure your plants continue thriving, Seasol’s product range is
designed so you can grow your own food using environmentally
friendly solutions. From its signature seaweed concentrate We are giving away 10 Seasol
derived from a blend of brown kelps, such as King Island bull hampers, valued at $50 each.
kelp (Durvillaea potatorum), to organically based fertilisers and To enter, unscramble the highlighted
soil conditioners, and innovative water-saving soil treatments, letters in the crossword (opposite)
Seasol has products to help create a beautiful and well-nourished and then email your answer to
garden in the wet, the dry and everything in between. comp@gardeningaustralia.com.au
Each hamper includes: 500g PowerFeed Controlled by February 9. Put ‘Seasol Hamper’
1L PowerFeed concentrate Release Plant Food in the subject line and include
1L Seasol concentrate Tomatoes & Vegetables your name, street address, email
250ml Seasol Super Soil 800g Seasol Planting Gel and daytime phone number.
Wetter & Conditioner Seasol soap
250ml PowerFeed Seasol emery board
Plant Food Flowers & Fruit
Seasol Bucket
Seasol pen
Seasol gloves solution January 2020
crossword
C A S C A R A C L I M A T I C
A P D R O A H A
R A I T A C L O V E R I N N S

WINNERS
A R M O A A W N D
B L O S S O M I N G N K A L E
A G N N E A T U E
Fiskars PowerGear X Prize Pack (November 19) C Hepple, Coombs, O X Y G E N A S P E N S
ACT; L Lyell, Goolwa Beach, SA; K Sawford, Taroona, Tas; A Stenhouse, R E T U
L A N D S G R A F T
Geographe, WA; S Svensen, Sippy Downs, Qld. Koshi Bamboo Wind
E L I I
Chimes (November 19) C Harriman, Buderim, Qld; L Maxwell, Pottsville, S A U C E R S N A R E D
NSW; A Menzies, New Farm, Qld; R Miller, Fingal, Tas; J Toune, Silverton, F L H I P A G E I
SA. Gardening Australia 30th Anniversary Stamp Pack (November 19) Y M C A U E U C A L Y P T U S
M Armstrong, Lavington, NSW; H Baker, Wilmot, Tas; S Bishop, Parafield I S O B T R B H H
Gardens, SA; R Cantrell, Sunnybank Hills, Qld; K Pollard, Wangetti, Qld; A N T S A Z A L E A A D O B O
E E R L V R R U
S Radulovitch, West Chatswood, NSW; K Rendell, Kendenup, WA; C Ryan,
120

R O S E B U S H A L K A N E T
Concord West, NSW; K Ware, Warragul, Vic; L Williamson, Leith, Tas.
January’s unscrambled word: herbaceous

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 89
GARDENING ON YOUR

radio For details of programs on your

local ABC station, call 139 994
or visit abc.net.au/local

ACT SA
ABC Radio Canberra ABC Radio Adelaide; ABC
Saturday 8.30am North & West; ABC Eyre
Peninsula; ABC South
NSW East SA
ABC Radio Sydney Saturday 8.30am
Saturday 9am ABC Riverland
ABC Radio Central Coast Saturday 7am
Saturday 9am ABC Broken Hill
ABC Central West Saturday 9am
Saturday 8.30am Statewide; ABC Radio
ABC Illawarra Adelaide; ABC North
Saturday 8.30am & West; ABC Eyre
ABC Mid North Coast; ABC Peninsula; ABC South
Coffs Coast East; ABC Riverland;
Saturday 9.30am, Thursday 9.30am ABC Broken Hill
ABC Newcastle Sunday 11am

TV
Saturday 8.30am
ABC New England TAS
North West ABC Radio Hobart; ABC
Gardening Australia Saturday 8.30am, Thursday 9.30am Northern Tasmania
resumes Friday, ABC North Coast Saturday 9am, Tino Carnevale
February 7

THIS INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PRINTING BUT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PHOTOS SIMON WATTS, CHRISTAL GEORGE
Feb 7 at 7.30pm Saturday 8.30am and Joel Rheinberger
on ABC TV ABC Riverina
Costa Georgiadis visits
the home of permaculture Saturday 8.30am VIC
and learns how to grow mushrooms,
ABC South East ABC Radio Melbourne;
Wednesday 10am, Saturday 9am ABC Victoria
Millie Ross shares tips on keeping chooks
ABC Western Plains Saturday 9.30am
cool, Josh Byrne visits a seed-saving school, Thursday 9.35am fortnightly, 91.1 ABC Central Victoria
Jerry Coleby-Williams explains how different Saturday 8.30am Thursday 9.35am
bromeliads grow, Sophie Thomson helps set 100.7 ABC Gippsland
up a native bee B&B, Tino Carnevale prunes NT Monday 10am
stone fruit, Clarence Slockee reveals his own ABC Radio Darwin ABC Wimmera
path to gardening, and Jane Edmanson has Saturday 9am Tuesday 9.10am
some hints on trimming lavender. ABC Alice Springs; ABC Ballarat
106.1 ABC Tennant Creek Wednesday 10.20am fortnightly
February 14 Saturday 8.30am ABC Goulburn Murray
Tuesday 9.40am
Sophie Thomson demonstrates how to water
efficiently, Jane Edmanson creates a jar full of
QLD ABC Southwest Victoria;
ABC Radio Brisbane 1602 AM Warrnambool;
plants, Costa Georgiadis visits a plant-focused Saturday 6am 94.1 FM Hamilton; 96.9 FM
kids’ club, Jerry Coleby-Williams grows some ABC Southern Queensland Horsham
herbal teas, Tino Carnevale explores plants in Saturday 9am Thursday 7.35am
Tasmania’s intricate saltmarshes, Millie Ross ABC North Queensland
visits a garden that celebrates tough local Friday 10am WA
conditions, Josh Byrne propagates different ABC Tropical North; ABC ABC Radio Perth; ABC
succulents, and we meet a sustainable florist. Capricornia; ABC Wide Great Southern; ABC
Bay; ABC North West Qld; South West; ABC Goldfields
ABOVE, FROM TOP ABC Western Qld Esperance; ABC Kimberley;
Costa helps children from the Merri Merri Friday 10am ABC Pilbara; ABC
Kids Club build connections to our food supply
and natural ecology; Tino examines plants in ABC Far North Midwest and Wheatbelt
saltmarshes on the coast of Tasmania. Friday 10am, Saturday 8.30am Wednesday 2.45pm, Saturday 9.05am

Download the ABC listen app and listen to live radio

Visit iview.abc.net.au to watch previous
streams of gardening programs across Australia.
episodes of Gardening Australia

90 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 directory
To advertise please phone 02 9901 6101 Email: aedwards@nextmedia.com.au

GIFT GUIDE

Too busy Gardening

to worry about
sunscreen?
Too hot in long sleeves?
Made from
a special
cool-tech
fabric.
Fully
tested and
certified to
be 50+ UV
Protection.
ONE SIZE
$32.95 FITS ALL
Per pair

BETTER THAN SUNSCREEN…COOLER THAN LONG SLEEVES

Try new IceRays UV protective and cooling armsleeves, now being
worn by professional gardeners and landscapers. Made from a
hi-tech moisture activated cooling fabric. Comfortable, with no tight
bands and no seams, they cool you off as you warm up, they come
in many great colours and are the only sleeves on the market that
have been tested by the Australian government UV testing body
ARANSA to be 50+.
Get yours now at
www.icerays.com.au
Call 1300 025 939 enquiries@icerays.com.au

Grow Different Fruits on 1 Tree!

Clever self watering systems
Indoor and Balcony Outdoor and Greenhouse
Fruit Salad Trees
DRIP SYSTEM Ground or Pots
All Climates
Fruits Longer
3TreeTypes
• Ideal for outdoor & greenhouse
• Perfect watering 24/7
Stone Fruits • Citrus • A
• No timer/power required
• Better plant growth
BUY ONLINE ALL YEAR (02)65858115
Ph: 1300 137 881 www.blumat.com.au
FruitSaladTrees.com 1800FRUITS
G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 91
GIFT GUIDE

in imes us ra ia ©
wheeliewraps
PROUDLY MADE IN WA
Joy and Bliss...

High Quality & Hand Crafted Wind

Shop Online. Great gifts.
The Gifted Garden
Bring the joy of nature into
FREE Delivery on orders over $100 your home with beautiful
Ph Carol on (03) 5523 3410 botanical art prints
p
www.windchimesaustralia.com.au
g grovew
esley
design
art Museum quality limited edition prints,
w cards and gift boxed stationery.
Private botanical art tuition
EARTH FRIENDLY
CALICO & JUTE Contact Helena on 0498 055 617 or
VEGETABLE & FRUIT hkw8@bigpond.com
BAGS 20% of print profits will be donated to the
Motor Neurone Disease Research centre
PRINTED IN WA www.grovewesley.com and Clinic at Maquarie University

Dee Jackson
Australian artist, Dee Jackson, creates
beautiful watercolour portraits.
Commisions welcome.
Genuine French Enamel
House Numbers
Dee Jackson
Tel: 02 9416 2265 /
+612 9416 2265
Mob: 0439 986 452 /
+61 439 986 452
Email: deejackson@deejackson.com.au
www.deejackson.com.au

Australian made
SEAVIEW
Weathervanes & Artwork
ORTHOTICS
M: 0418 947 522

www.flipstickaustralia.com.au www.frenchhousenumber.com
0413 886 720

THE BROOM RE-INVENTED

• Less effort • More efficient
Concrete Decking

THE
INCREDIBLE
ALL SURFACE Pavers Lawns
BROOM

MADE IN GERMANY
Our range View Glenview’s Horizontal & Equatorial Sundials
RAKE & BROOM IN ONE Tiles

Germany’s favourite outdoor broom, thanks to its uniquely shaped bristles glenviewproducts.com.au
Ph: 1300 137 881 www.rakebroom.com.au For more information call Bob on 0411 732 950

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 GARDEN MARKET

High Quality Pruning and Gardening Tools

2 Year Warranty • Extensive Range of Spare Parts A revolution in glass cleaning
Secateurs TRIGGER NOZZLES
only $29 • Quick and Easy
2 styles, long lasting
• Streak free
Garden Kneeler
ONLY $57
• No messy drips
Hedging, edging,
topiary and
grass shears

Check out our full range online or ring for a bro e Patented / Made in Germany
www.cutabovetools.com.au
Mob: 0403 128 500 Ph/Fax: 02 9871 8841 Ph: 1300 137 881 www.aquablade.com.au

SHADE HOUSE & THE

GREEN HOUSE SPECIALISTS WORLD’S
EASIEST LOADING
AUSTRALIAN  OWNED  MANUFACTURED  MATERIALS TRIMMER
O P E R AT I N G S I N C E 1 9 8 6 • S H A D E A N D H O T H O U S E C O V E R S T O S U I T A L L C L I M AT E S HEAD
 SINGLE OR DOUBLE
L E V E L O F S H E LV I N G
FRUSTRATION-FREE
INCLUDED
TRIMMING
 E A S Y I N S TA L L AT I O N
* Reloads in seconds
 COMPETITIVE
* Fits all petrol machines
PRICING
* All fitting parts included
 L I F E E X P E C TA N C Y O F
* Quick and easy to assemble
FRAME 30 YEARS PLUS
* Simply insert line - No winding
 SIZES TO SUIT ALL

AUSSIE SHADE & HOT HOUSES

0400 342 268 Ph: 1300 137 881 www.sureload.com.au
WWW.AUSSIESHADEHOUSES.COM.AU

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 93
GARDEN MARKET

theclimbingfig.com.au
ONLINE GARDEN
STORE

FREE DELIVERY
Storewide
Premium Seeds
Propagation
FLEXIBLE STEEL GARDEN EDGING WHICH BENDS
Gardening TO VIRTUALLY ANY SHAPE FOR LAWNS, DRIVES,
Bonsai + More PATHS FLOWER AND VEGETABLE BEDS

www.therustygarden.com.au

AQUALUX 8062 IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Water distributor with integrated timer and pump to create
a drip irrigation system for up to 20 pots. Suitable for
house plants as well as for terraces and balconies.
The system can be powered electrically
by a USB adaptor (included), or 2
rechargeable AA 1.2V NiMH batteries,
min. 2000 mAh (not supplied). Foldable
water tank in thick PVC, 30-litre
capacity. Handy opening at the top for
filling. No tools required to assemble
EverEdge® is easy to install, suits all soil types and is
the upright supports. Four different Available in a variety of colous and depths. EverEdge
programmes (7, 14, 21, 28 days of is made from 1.6mm gauge mild steel galvanised and
autonomy), selected with a simple dial.
powder coated or with a Cor-Ten rusted finish.
Supplied with 20 metres of PVC feeding hose, 20 drippers,
20 hose stakes, 6 tees and 6 end-of-line plugs.

4 Lenna Court, Mt Warren Park, 4207 | 0407 593 980 | watermyplants.com.au www.everedge.com.au Tel: 0488 010 203

Garden Essentials!
Australia-wide delivery!

S T P WA T E R I N
Japanese Hori Hori Swiss Istor Sharpeners

Specialist
Tools

Urbalive Watering
Wands
Worm Farm & Nozzles

s, hanging baskets, seedlings.

Pots, v nhouse
egetable s, living walls, gree
Indoor
Use an Irrigatia kit instead! It’s more efficient, Planter
more consistent and more accurate!
Solar-powered, automatic, weather-sensitive irrigation
for gardens to 60sqm or vertical walls to 5m high.
Over 1800 products at PO Box 870
For more information or to order visit: Tel: 02 9417 7751
Willoughby
www.waterwand.com.au or call (03) 5964 3950 Fax: 02 9417 7426 www.forestrytools.com.au NSW 2068

94 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 FINEST NURSERIES

To advertise
please contact
(02) 9901 6101

Visit our website and see our world of

plants and expert growing information.
Perennials, Salvia, Herbs, Succulents
and lots more! Plants from $3.49

We are accredited
to ship to all states.

WALLIS CREEK WATERGARDEN

Retail nursery &

Online Shop
Find us at www.walliscreekwatergarden.com.au and follow us on facebook

For more tips and tricks from

ABC Gardening Australia magazine,
sign up to our e-newsletter
Visit: gardeningaustralia.com.au

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 95
GARDEn & BEYOnD

CLEVER COMPOSTER Drought-proof

Your Garden
Want an easy way to dispose of ALL your
kitchen waste - even doggie doo?
THEN TRY A COMPOT OR TWO!

GARDEN MATE
MICROBIAL MINERALS
100% Natural mineral and
microbe formula works as a
natural wetting agent improving
JUST FILL FORGET, REFILL WHEN READY
......................................... www.compot.com.au
moisture penetration and water
holding in even the driest soil.
07 3358 3716
.........................................
WORKS ON
To advertise ALL SOILS
please contact
FREE CALL 1800 819 003
(02) 9901 6101 www.earthlife.com.au

90 D ULTRASONIC
MONEY ACK
RANT T
R
THE ULTIMATE POSSUM CONTROL
Th m Deterrent has a maximum range of 14 metres.
Th ssum Repeller randomly and intermittently emits quiet
wit of 170 degrees in front of the device.
The Possum Repeller is easy to use, set up and maintain. We’re always at the end of a
phone or email to help you with any setup and best practice questions you may have.
SAVE 15 %
(07) 5443 6344 BY USING THE
COUPON CODE
birdgard@birdgard.com.au ABC15
www.birdgard.com.au EXPIRES APRIL 2020

For the love of wood

ORDER ONLINE OR For more specific information send 2 x $1 stamps,

please mention your problem, to:
FIND A STOCKIST
NEAR YOU
www.howardproducts.com.au
1800 672 646

96 F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A
 CLASSIFIEDS

Bulbs Frangipanis & Brugs SUNSHINE IRIS NURSERY

Van Diemen Quality Bulbs Plus Dessert Roses, Angel’s Over 600 varieties of bearded iris and

Specialty bulb growers.

trumpets and rare Sanseveria’s. daylilies, including rare vintage iris.
Grow spectacular fun colour
Australia’s biggest and Posts to all states in Australia.
Order your tulips, iris,
best selection. We mail order www.sunshineiris.com.au
liliums etc here.
Australia Wide! Ph: (07) 4097 0065 Call Mandy 0429 857 085
Send for your free catalogue to:

363 Table Cape Road, www.sacredgardenfrangipanis.com.au Margie 0422 672 112

Wynyard, TAS 7325

Ph: (03) 6442 2012

Irises Perennials
Fax: (03) 6442 2582
Ferndale Iris and Daylily Nursery Perennialle Plants Nursery
Email: manager@vdqbulbs.com.au
85 Caloola Road, Newbridge, NSW 2795 Specialising in frost and dry
www.vdqbulbs.com.au
Catalogue Available. No WA or TAS tolerant perennials by mail order

PH: (02) 6368 1058 perennialle.com.au  0427 077 798

Spring Bulbs!

For catalogue please send SASE to Email: kellycr@activ8.net.au

Club Creek Bulb Farm Roses

PO Box 114 Emerald, VIC 3782 NARROMINE IRIS FARM Ladybird Roses

Ph 03 5968 4316
Over 1500 different tall bearded www.ladybirdroses.com.au
www.clubcreekbulbfarm.com.au
Iris from $6 ea, Spuria and Water iris. Mail order roses and rare plants

Geranium cuttings 20 for Ph: 03 5904 3332

Cacti & Succulents
$30 (our choice) Plus Postage. e: sales@ladybirdroses.com.au
Excellent collection. 40 named varieties,
Free colour catalogue
separately labelled for only $45.

Post Free. Quality plants, good varieties, wide Also WA & TAS for iris. Seeds

range of types and colours, including Postage $14 NSW Australian Wildflower Seeds Nindethana

some echeverias. Sorry mail order only. Seed Service P/L - PO Box 2121, Albany
$16 interstate. Ph: (02) 6889 1885
Prompt delivery. 18 page list available
M: 0408 350 384 WA 6331. Ph: (08) 9844 3533
on request. Direct Debit now available.
Email: melroberts@bigpond.com Fax: (08) 9844 3573
Order and payment to:
Web: www.narromineirisfarm.com www.nindethana.net.au
Mildura Succulent Supplies

PO Box 756, Mildura VIC 3502 Post ‘Villa Nova 471 Tomingley Largest selection of native seed.

Ph: 03 5024 6653 Road, Narromine NSW 2821. Small packets to bulk quantities

G A R D E N I N G AU S T R A L I A F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 97
 the big picture
The very physical business of mowing
leads MICHAEL McCOY down a long
grassy strip of middle-aged musings
A
bout three years ago, my third-hand
ride-on mower died. I haven’t replaced
it. Each year, after a costly service and
the occasional change of expensive
tyres, I’d wonder about the economics of purchase
cost + maintenance costs + fuel costs + valuable
time taken mowing, and whether it made more
sense to get someone in to mow instead. Having
had a Depression-era Dad, I’m not used to
depending on others to do anything I can do for
myself, so psychological stress factors had to be
added to the economic equation as well.
Eventually, I realised I also had to factor in how
difficult it was going to be to find someone willing
to mow in the few months when it was required.
It says something about the challenge of gardening
here that grass only grows between October and
Christmas. But that happens to be when everyone
else’s grass is growing, too, and it’s hard to get
episodic attention from contractors. If I was a
regular customer, things might be different, but
the Depression-era Dad has his way here again.
One way or another, I’ve managed. The
combination of a push mower and a brush-cutter
(when patches of grass get too long for the former)
has kind of worked.
All these conflicting thoughts were composting in
my brain as I pushed – hard – on the mower back
in spring. Resenting the physical output, I worked
up an imaginary spreadsheet that tried, and failed,
to justify the expenditure on a new ride-on.
Spinning the mower around in ever-decreasing
concentric circles, I was suddenly struck by the
absurdity of paying my annual gym membership
while simultaneously trying to minimise the physical
effort of my day-to-day garden maintenance
activities. On the one hand, I was paying to get
out of physical work, while, on the other, I was
paying for the privilege of creating it.
It had me cogitating again on the curious truth
that as we get older, we automatically, and
without question, do what we can to minimise
any challenge to our physical comfort zones.
Sometimes it’s the decreasing capabilities that
lead the shift, but all too often it’s to do with
increasing wealth that allows us greater control
over our life circumstances. And it’s perfectly
natural – if physically unwise – to use that control
to make ‘life’ easier.
A chant that I’d dreamt up a few years earlier
came clanging back into my consciousness: Your
comforts will kill you. With this came a brain shift,
which had me grateful for the physical demands of
my garden. I recalled my 97-year-old grandfather
limping (only slightly) around the farm, having
been told that constantly using his troubled leg
was the only thing that was going to keep it usable.
So there and then, I made the decision to
keep up the gym membership and embrace the
machinery status quo, and I started to all but jog
behind the push mower. GA
Michael blogs at thegardenist.com.au
PHOTOS ISTOCK
 Get the leading edge call.... 13 11 37
RANGE • VALUE • DIY • STRONG • SAFE • DURABLE • SHAPEABLE • BESPOKE • ELEGANT

FormBoss® Steel Garden Edging can be supplied for most applications, select from a large range of stock gauges,
finishes and profile heights. FormBoss® saves time and money with fast and easy installation. Create a garden that’s
easy to maintain and adds lasting property value. Perfect for updating existing gardens or laying out the frame work
for a new garden. Available Australia wide, see our website for a full list of local stockists and a gallery of completed
projects to keep you informed and inspired!

FormBoss® is proudly handcrafted in Australia using BlueScope steel and is stronger than aluminium and traditional
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FormBoss® is precision made and engineered to create virtually seamless lines and joins. Special custom made
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