Choosing the right plant for the right place and knowing how to care for them is very important – it helps minimise materials and care needed to make them flourish and minimise the need to weed.
Hi, my…
Know Your Seeds
What’s in a seed? A seed contains the blueprint or instructions to produce a new plant. Traditionally all seeds were open-pollinated. That is, the…
Protecting Plants in Hot Weather
As our climate warms and the frequency of very hot days increases, the risk of plants being damaged increases too. It’s good to start thinking about…
Getting to Know Poisonous Plants
Do you like to spend time in the garden with your children or with pets? Do you like have vases with flowers to enliven your living areas? If so,…
Economic Value of Trees
Many people would take it as a given that parks, gardens and trees have their own aesthetic and intrinsic values. However, so often in capitalist…
An Inspiring Thornbury Garden
A garden created by Sharon and Craig Harris, recently opened to the public in Melbourne as part of SGA's Open Gardens and Tours program, attracted a…
Roses, Salvias and Sustainability
In Glen Waverley, Melbourne, a committed gardener has created what many might view as a fairly traditional garden – white picket fence and roses –…
Reducing Weed Spread
"Garden plants are the biggest source of weeds in this country totalling 70% of Australia’s combined agricultural, noxious and natural ecosystem…
Companion Planting in a Small Productive Urban Garden
Companion planting in a small productive urban garden of fruit and vegetables makes it possible to avoid using pesticides. Just plant densely with a…
Soil Blocks – Starting Seedlings Organically
Soil blocking is a sustainable way to start seedlings. Efficient, easy, fun and great for growing strong healthy seedlings, soil blocks are used in…
Green Roofs
Green roofs are rooftops equipped to grow gardens. This innovative infrastructure offers an excellent prospect for inner city gardening. Like any…
Fragrant Frangipani
I was surprised to find a stunning Frangipani tree growing near where I live in the dry, hot climate of South Australia, so of course I took lots of…
Crepe Myrtle – a Beautiful Shade Tree
Lagerstroemia indica, commonly known as Crepe Myrtle has been a classic favorite of gardeners for many years. It’s almost impossible to resist this…
More Sharon’s garden plants
Sharon's garden in Thornbury was massed with a variety of plants. Many visitors asked for their names. Here are some of them.