Stunning autumn weather and a light wintery chill for the south east.
Perfect gardening weather for planting, soil improvement, mulching and getting the winter veggie patch organised for the cooler months to come.
Log on to the Garden Clinic Facebook page
and show us what's going on in your garden. We'd love to see what you're up to this weekend.
It's Time To:
Admire the Dahlias
Autumn has given us a tremendous dahlia display and we are cutting new flowers for the table almost every day.
Spider dahlias are tall growing for the back of the border. Photo - Galina Gutarin/Shutterstock.com
In the sub-tropics
Deal with fungal and bacterial infections, which are encouraged by moist, humid still conditions. Many gardeners use a milk mix to eliminate infections
– one part full cream, organic milk to 10 parts water.
Plant the seeds and seedlings of winter vegetables and topdress with spoilt lucerne. Sow a small quantity each week. Traditionally cold climate (European)
vegetables are grown during the ‘A months’ (April to August).
Bush Garden
Swamp Banksia Banksia robur
A dramatic and handsome small tree 2 x 2m from coastal Queensland and NSW.
Large glossy green leaves display a huge flower spike coloured cream to rich brown. Suits moist soils and shady to full sun spots in well drained soils.
Appears to be resistant to root disease. May be suitable for a large pot or where a strong architectural or sculptural feature is wanted.
The swamp banksia, Banksia rubor. Photo - Graham Ross
Bugwatch
Avoiding ant super-colonies
Ants are attracted to sugary food, and sugary secretions produced by garden pests like aphids and mealy bug. Ants are often a sign of other plant pest
problems, so it's important to treat the souce of the problem and not just the ants.
Treating the ant problem is important nonetheless to avoid the emergence of an ant super-colony, which once established are very difficult to deal with.
A simple way to get rid of an ant’s nest is Ant-sand powder like Ant Killa from Richgro that you can pour into crevices and cracks or onto trails. You could also
spray the nest with liquid repellents or onto areas they might be attracted to, like garbage bins.
Nobody wants an ant super-colony in their garden. Move them on with 'Ant Killa' from Richgro
In the Vege Patch
Wormwood cuttings fighting the good fight in the vege patch
We're growing late autumn leaves in the vege patch like Kale, cabage, and spinach. We have also planted couliflower, and peas.
We usually net our crops over a bamboo tunnel to prevent the dreaded Cabage White Butterfly. But this year we have planted wormwood cuttings all through
the vege patch. So far it seems to be working well.
What's on
Open gardens near you
Plenty of open gardens to visit this weekend in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
In Queensland
Up north in the Scenic Rim Region of South East Queensland you'll find 'Viola's Patch', the garden of Viola Hamilton. It's a surprising hidden paradise
featuring a diverse range of tropical and cottage plants Viola has collected over many years. A rambling, extensive garden with many surprising features.
It has previously featured on Gardening Australia as well
Open this weekend only, 10am to 430pm, 280 Beaudesert Beenleigh Road Bahrs Scrub.
Nooroo in NSW
In the beautiful Blue Mountains west of Sydney the gorgeous 'Nooroo' will be open to the public from this weekend until May
Nooroo was built and planted in 1880 by William Hay and original plantings include English oaks, chestnuts, ash and cedars which are underplanted with
thousands of bulbs.
The property was owned by the Valder family from 1917 to 1992 at which time, Anthony and Lorraine Barrett bought the property.
Since 1992, the Barretts have maintained the existing formal garden and have also undertaken extensive work to create a number of new garden rooms.
Famous for its wisteria collection, Nooroo also has many rare maples which are at their autumn colour peak right now.
Find Nooroo Church Lane, Mount Wilson, about 10km off the Bell's Line of Road between Mt Tomah and Bell.
Fantastic autumn colour at Nooroo this weekend.
Open in Ballarat
Down south in good old Ballarat 'Cameron House' will be open to the public this weekend only
This is a much-loved garden filled with an eclectic mix of plants showing off the garden owner’s passion for form, texture and shape.
The garden comprises a large collection of orchids, ferns and bonsai, as well as sculptures created from left-over garden materials.
Nothing goes to waste in this quirky urban garden. Upon entry you walk through a forest of silver birches while enjoying the tranquility.
Thereafter you are left to meander through paths flanked by a mix of exotic plants and sculptures.
Find it at 514 Humffray Street South, Golden Point VIC
Come away with us
Bathurst NSW Spring Spectacular
The Bathurst and Orange region west of the Blue Mountains is superb in spring with cool climate gardens reaching a crescendo of colour. Our short break is based in Bathurst
to discover it’s Spring Spectacular.
To join Robin Powell and the group to see Spring at it's spectacular best go to the Ross Tours website,
or call Royce or Roslyn at Ross Tours on 1300 233 200.
Mayfield water garden in Oberon. Part of the Bathurst Spring Spectacular tour this October.
Garden News
More public space to be released within Barangaroo
The Barangaroo Delivery Authority, on behalf of the NSW Government, has released a proposal for the two hectares of public space that completes the design
of Barangaroo South, as part of the Authority’s commitment to delivering more than half of Barangaroo as open public space.
Craig van der Laan, Chief Executive Officer of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, said: “This is an exciting proposal for the creation of more beautiful
public spaces at Barangaroo, which will be of enormous benefit to the people of Sydney.
A Development Application will be lodged with the Department of Planning and Environment, and be available on public exhibition soon.
An artist's impression of part of the proposed public space to be incorporated within the next stage of Barangaroo. Photo - Barangaroo Delivery Authority