The soft clouds of hydrangea flowers are a promise of summer. Let’s take a closer look at growing these plants year-round.
In autumn this small, mallee (multi-branched) tree is a sight, with spectacular golden flowers exploding out of bright red buds.
Linda’s garden at Catherine Hill Bay had a few false starts as killer black frosts and maddening weeds wreaked their worst, but it now has a welcoming sense of place.
Mickey Robertson’s kitchen garden at Glenmore House is as beautiful as it is productive, experimental and instructive.
This large garden in Canberra’s Red Hill is a showcase of almost 1000 native plant species. Its owners, Ben and Ros Walcott are passionate plants people with a keen eye for design.
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s much-loved garden is on the brink of its big show as spring begins.Head gardener Mitch Burns takes us behind the scenes.
Summer is upon us now and our gardens need special attension to survive the heat and prolonged dry weather. Here are some jobs to help get the garden through this challenging time.
As spring melts into the first days of summer Highfields is filled with the fragrance of roses, masses of floral colour and the murmur of the waterfall tumbling into the ponds.
Hot and steamy with the odd torrential downpour is the order of business for the subtropical garden. Our resident tropical garden expert Arno King has all the tips and tricks, and the best thinks to plant this February in the subtropical garden.
Things are heating up in the subtropical garden, and the humidity is just around the corner. Our resident tropical garden expert Arno King has all the tips and tricks, and the best thinks to plant this Spetember in the subtropical garden.
Our mission? To make coming home a pleasure when we step inside the front door, and take a deep, calming breath.
Around 30 species of Iochroma hail from Central and South America. All produce fantastic tubular flowers and have slightly sticky, hairy leaves. I. grandiflorum features deep, purple-blue flowers that birds love. Orange, yellow and white species are also available.
Summer is gardenia season! Pick their blooms to enjoy delicious scent indoors. Watch out for scale and spray with eco-oil. Best to spray early in the evening to prevent leaves burning during the day.
Grab the gloves and hat and get out into the garden.
Japanese maples seem to have a sense of humility. Their weeping stature contrasts with the proud, erect trees around them.
This is one of the loveliest autumn perennials, with open single or double flowers standing tall on long stems, gently waving in the breeze and giving a woodland look to the garden.
Jim Fogarty has won a swag of international gold medals for garden design and Linda Ross finds that his private garden is just as lovely as you would expect.
Jonquils reliably pop up every August with a blast of perfume. They are the easiest to grow of all the garden bulbs, as can be seen in neglected gardens where hardy survivors still bloom in late winter.
Mid winter is a time to prune. But it doesn't have to be devoid of colour in the garden. Time to get busy with the mid-winter July jobs.
The key to a thriving herb garden is to give each plant the conditions it needs to prosper. The result is easy gardening, and delicious pickings. Here Linda Ross shows you her favourites and the conditions they need to thrive in spring.
Arno is a garden designer and writer whose garden in Brisbane is mostly edible. He is constantly testing the received garden wisdom for its relevance to subtropical gardeners, and trialing new products. Let's see what Arno's growing this spring
There’s inspiration here to help expand your vegetable repertoire – in the garden and on the plate!
Arno is a garden designer and writer whose garden in Brisbane is mostly edible. He is constantly testing the received garden wisdom for its relevance to subtropical gardeners, and trialling new products. Lets see what Arno's growing this winter
Plenty of summer herbs need the heat of the sun to intensify their flavour. Here Linda Ross lists her pick of the bunch.
Choose wisely and sunny daisies can be cheering up your garden all year. There are daisies for garden beds and for containers in warm colours and cool. Here are a handful of favourites.
The flamboyantly tropical members of the family are best known, but these chorus girls of summer are not the family’s only gems.
Blue and white hydrangeas decorate long lunches and fill Church vases in the floral countdown to Christmas. Here we unwrap more goodies from the hydrangea family. You’ll think all your Christmases have come at once!
The lavender must-haves are sun and well-drained soil. Start there then choose the lavender that suits your conditions - and desires.
The orchid family is so extensive, and so wonderful in the garden. Here we introduce just the essential exotics for your garden. The exciting native orchids we’ll save for another day.
When autumn leaves have fallen, elegant little floral petticoats burst from the soil in optimistic, spring-anticipating growth.
Add some summer dazzle to a sunny balcony with these pot-loving beauties.
Linda’s seven-year-old son has recently started collecting cactus and now has 73 displayed on a shelf on the veranda in morning sunshine. Here’s a brief introduction.
The members of this plant family are loved for as much for their madly attention-seeking forms, textures and colours, as for their ability to thrive in tough spots. One warning – that milky sap is an irritant, so wear gloves when pruning.
Many ferns have a soft feathery quality that makes a great contrast with other plants - in the garden or indoors.
Frangipani are familiar as the scent of summer but the range of species, colours, perfumes and leaf shapes might surprise you. Here Linda Ross tiptoes through a forest of frangi's and introduces us to some of her favourite varieties
Edible members of this family include ginger, cardamom, turmeric and galangal, but here we introduce the flowering ones, which offer so much more than a tropical splash of lush green foliage.
Inspired to get hedging? Choosing the right plant for your hedging plan is critical. Look for a height range and maintenance regime that suits your needs, as well as plants that will do well given the soil and position you can offer. Here are a handful of the hedging plants we think should be on your shortlist.
Plants make indoor spaces beautiful and people happy. Here are a few easy-care options to start - or enlarge! - your indoor garden.
When we say iris do you think Van Gogh blue iris, or romantic bearded iris in shades to perfectly match old roses? Or does iris suggest cheery yellow flowers lining the dam? No wonder we all conjure a different image - there are about 300 species in the iris family. Here are a handful of the best for gardeners.
Maples deliver magnificent autumn colour, especially after a dry summer, which crystallises the sugars in the leaf. Most at home in cooler climates, many colour up well in warm areas. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose what’s right for you.
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