Homes

I hated cabbage till the day I discovered they didn’t have to be boiled. Boiled cabbage looks like wet washing — and smells a lot worse. But stir—fried cabbage, with garlic and olive oil and a touch of soya sauce, is wonderful or, better still, broccoli or brocollini with olive oil and lemon juice, steamed […]

This is not a reason to pull out your paving, or not all of it. (I have paving around the house too – it’s also a great way to see the snakes before they see us.) Instead, try cooling your paving down so you gain all the great advantages of paving, minus the heat. Plant […]

Did you know that you’re a whopping five times more likely to be injured at home than in work – and car – related accidents combined? Here are 10 commonsense tips to reducing your risk over the holidays. 1 Don’t trip Secure carpet edges and put non-slip mats under rugs. Tie electrical cords together and […]

What do you get the person who has everything? A gift from the garden of course! Jackie French shares her favourite homemade Christmas presents. Christmas used to be a midwinter feast – a time to brighten up the darkest winter with all the good things from the harvest. And somehow – among all the other […]

Lighting a stick of incense might fill your home with fragrance, but research indicates that it could also harm your health. According to a study published in the medical journal Cancer, being frequently exposed to burning incense over long periods of time increases the risk of being diagnosed with upper respiratory tract cancers. In the […]

The question of whether plastics can harm human health has been debated for years. Pamela Allardice has the latest. According to chemical manufacturers, plastics industry associations and bodies like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), plastics are safe when used correctly. However, some experts are concerned by research which shows that certain compounds in […]

When your life is hectic it’s time to just sit and enjoy your garden — a place of serenity where the bustle of the outside world is stilled. Or at least that’s what a garden can be like. Too often, though, the thought of ‘time in the garden’ means weeding, watering, mowing — the very […]

According to new information released by The World Health Organisation, the air we breathe in our own homes could be more harmful to our health than the pollution we’re exposed to outdoors. The World Health Organisation believes indoor air pollution is one of the top 10 risks for global disease, with recent Australian studies continuing […]

Ever looked up at a block of flats, all bare and boring…and seen one that looked like a small piece of paradise among the concrete? Anyone can have a glorious balcony or patio. It just needs a bit of planning- and five minutes work a week. Choose the right plants. Balconies get hotter, colder, and […]

In old gardens- ones planted at least thirty years ago- you’ll often find a strange tall tree, with big leathery leaves and clumps of round orange fruit each spring, much loved by birds and flying foxes. Often new owners will cut the tree down and plant a nice gaudy azalea in its place, or at […]