Homes

Hanging baskets are a cheat’s way to get early flowers. Baskets heat up faster than soil in the ground and you can hang them over nice hot paving, beside brick walls or on warm patios too. In fact you can REALLY cheat and buy your flowers already blooming – just bung them in the basket […]

Chokoes are a no-fail veg. Starve them, forget them, and they’ll still give you an autumn filled with so much fruit you’ll be pestering the neighbors to take some and looking up recipes for choko chutney, choko pie, choko and ginger jam (which isn’t bad, actually). My favourite way of eating chokoes depends on growing […]

Mooch around your garden before breakfast and see where it’s coldest, where frost has gathered, or where there seems to be a sunny, sheltered patch. Most gardens have these “microclimates” – cold spots where bulbs may thrive, warm spots where heat-lovers will thrive. Warm yourself up with some heavy work in the garden – dig […]

Frost-free climates Plants for beauty: any ornamental shrub in the nursery; seeds or seedlings of alyssum, Californian poppy, calendula, cleome, coleus, gerbera, helichrysum, honesty, impatiens, kangaroo paw, marigold, pansy, petunias, phlox, salvia, sunflower, Swan River daisy, torenia, zinnia. Temperate Plants for beauty: Bare-rooted or potted roses and other deciduous shrubs; seeds of alyssum, calendula, heartsease, […]

Which variety? Grow at least two varieties, or three, for better pollination, and choose Hass as one of those, as it ripens much later than the others so you’ll get fruit for longer. Avocadoes are VERY easy to grow from seed – but you MAY need two varieties to cross-pollinate each other or you won’t […]

Wondering how to grow kiwi fruit in Australia? Look no further.

Mulberries can be delicious, if they’re perfectly ripe and from a good tree. They will also stain clothes, fingers and paving, but that’s no excuse for not growing them – just bung them down the backyard where the kids can climb the tree and eat the fruit – just make sure they’re wearing old clothes […]

Which variety? Eureka lemons give year round fruit – a thick skinned, tough cold and heat resistant lemon. Most other lemons give most of their fruit in winter. Lisbon has the most beautiful flavour and aroma. How to grow Lemons need sun, frost protection and dislike wind, relatively rich soils and a reasonably constant supply […]

Which variety Usually only Nelly Kelly is a available – a good, vigorous passionfruit. Avoid seedlings, as they don’t grow as strongly as grafted ones. Banana passionfruit are best for cooler areas, with long yellow fruit, not as sweet as the black ones. In tropical areas try Granadillas too. How to grow My favourite passionfruit […]

Frost-free climates Plants for beauty: alyssum, Californian poppy, calendula, cleome, coleus, gerbera, helichrysum, honesty, marigold, pansy, petunias, phlox, salvia, sunflower, sweet peas, torenia, zinnia. Temperate Plants for beauty: seeds of alyssum, calendula, English daisy (pictured), heartsease, lunaria; seedlings of evening primrose, gazanias, Iceland poppy, love-lies-bleeding, pansies, polyanthus, primulas, sweet peas, viola. Cold Plants for beauty: […]