Pest Repellent Plants
Every garden is sometimes afflicted with pests - grasshoppers, cabbage white butterfly caterpillars, scale and aphids being very common. Is it…
Native Lawns
It may surprise you to learn that not all native grasses are tall feature plants. In fact in parts of Australia, pasture is composed almost entirely…
Edible and Useful – Walking Stick Palm
With showy spikes of cream flowers and edible red berries, perfect to nibble whilst gardening, the Walking Stick Palm Linospadix monostachyos is a…
Native Ginger
Native ginger Alpinia caerulea/coerulea is an attractive, easy to grow feature plant and also a bushfood with a mild, tangy ginger flavour. A…
Artificial Tree Hollows for Animal Habitat
There are many benefits in keeping dead trees. However, in the modern age, trees are usually viewed in terms of amenity and safety, with unsafe…
A School’s Sustainable Gardening Adventure
One way to teach children about sustainable gardening practices is by developing a community garden on school grounds. An example of this comes from…
Non-invasive Alternatives to Weedy Plant Species
Weeds (invasive plant species) reduce biodiversity as well as having other have significant impacts such as loss of habitat, increased fire risk and…
The Things People do . . . . . . . . . . to Trees!!!
Given the splendour and usefulness of trees in the urban environment, it is really amazing what otherwise sensible and apparently sane people do to…
Sea Celery – an Indigenous Edible Plant
When we think about native foods, or bushfood we often miss the nuances of what each one means. Many (if not all) are inextricably linked to…
Are Plants Intelligent?
In the 1980’s, mentioning that plants could communicate or that they might be intelligent used to draw the response “Are you crazy?” when this was…
Indigenous Plants
What is an indigenous plant? Indigenous plants are not only native to Australia, but they are plants that occur naturally in your local area. Your…
Gift Ideas for Sustainable Gardeners
If you're like me, come the beginning of December, I'm scratching my head to think of suitable presents that might be appreciated by the recipients.…
New Book “Tomato”- All Your Questions Answered and More
Tomato – Know, Sow, Grow, Feast, 2018 This new book by Penny Woodward, Janice Sutton and Karen Sutherland makes a major contribution to providing…
Albany Woolly Bush – A Home Grown Christmas Tree
Adenanthos sericeus As the festive season approaches, many of you may be considering a Christmas tree for the occasion. Why not break from the…
Living Mulch: Waterwise, Firewise & Seriously Good Looking
Mulching the garden to cut-back on water-use is enshrined in garden lore. Protecting the soil from direct sunlight prevents it from getting hot and…