Homes

What a great feeling after a long winter to be able to throw open the windows, discard a few layers of clothing and catch a few rays of warm spring sunshine. Spring is a time that inspires most of us to wash the windows, clean the car, repaint the fence and give every room in […]

A few hundred years ago, you needed a fortune to fill your larder with spices. They were brought by sailing ship from the “spice islands”, and tasted of adventure and luxury. These days cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, etc, can be bought for a few dollars at the supermarket: tired, elderly spices months or, more likely, years […]

**”Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I’m half-crazy, all for the love of you” — ‘Daisy Bell’ by Harry Dacre.** If I were to choose one bush that would give flowers for most of the year, or even all year round in frost-free climates, tolerate drought and grow from a cutting stuck into the […]

For many years, the first thing I did when I came home was eat a passionfruit. When I was small, a passionfruit vine grew over our outdoor toilet, in the days before the last of the Brisbane suburbs were connected to the sewerage system. By the time I was in high school, our passionfruit vine […]

By the time your children reach Year 12, they will have spent nearly 14,500 hours at school (12 years of 40 weeks a year, five days a week, six hours a day), so it’s best to make sure their schoolyard is a stimulating environment, with flowers, grass, leaves and trees. Not only is gardening fun […]

Once upon a time gardeners believed that flowers and herbs had more power if gathered by moonlight – especially if you planted them for spells and potions. Maybe this was because some plants are more fragrant at night, as they try to attract night flying moths and other insects. Cool moist air also seems to […]

Time for tea Real hot chocolate Spiced tea punch Mint tea Chai tea Peach iced tea Kisses Little chocolate tarts Slice and bake biscuits Tangy lemon squares Gluten-free chocolate cake Sponge ricotta slice Homemade monte carlo biscuits Breakfast in bed Brunch, lunch or simple supper Recipes the kids can cook Scrumptious salads Family feasts Just […]

Brunch, lunch or simple supper Tropical fruit salad with lime syrup Creamed rice Bacon and egg fillo pies Easy cheese soufflès Skewered lemon prawns Breakfast in bed Time for tea Recipes the kids can cook Scrumptious salads Family feasts Just desserts

Recipes the kids can cook Macaroni cheese Baked bean jaffles Cheese twists Chicken salsa wraps Egg and bacon muffins Tomato, olive and rocket pasta Chicken pitta pockets White chocolate oat biscuits Rocky road slice Choc-chip blueberry muffins Breakfast in bed Time for tea Brunch, lunch or simple supper Scrumptious salads Family feasts Just desserts Still […]

Scrumptious salads Prosciutto, pear and blue cheese salad Light Caesar salad Roasted tomato salad Spicy eggplant salad Creamy potato salad Rocket, avocado and macadamia salad Mediterranean chicken salad Tomato, olive and herb salad Warm tuna salad with lemon dill dressing Salad nicoise Breakfast in bed Time for tea Brunch, lunch or simple supper Recipes the […]