Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

DESIGN ELEMENTS

So You Think You Need A Landscaper part 2

You may have seen two- dimensional garden designs and wanted something similar for your garden, but is that kind of thing totally necessary?

Could a free hand sketch be just as good as long as it was to scale?

Let’s find out.

I'm talking with Peter Nixon Project manager and landscape designer for Paradisus garden design. www.peternixon.com.au

Peter advises to choose a landscape or garden designer that provides availability lists and photos of the plants that are in the design.

To many people, plant names, whether common or scientific, just don't mean anything.

But, if they are provided with a photo of what the plant can look like in a particular situation, say a screening hedge of Magnolia grandiflora St Mary's, then they will have a better idea.

If you want more than just new garden beds and new plants, you may just want a garden designer.

But if you want more doing than just plants, you’ll need project manager who is also a garden or landscape designer.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

So You Think You Need A Landscaper part 2

You may have seen two- dimensional garden designs and wanted something similar for your garden, but is that kind of thing totally necessary?

Could a free hand sketch be just as good as long as it was to scale?

Let’s find out.

I'm talking with Peter Nixon Project manager and landscape designer for Paradisus garden design. www.peternixon.com.au

Peter advises to choose a landscape or garden designer that provides availability lists and photos of the plants that are in the design.

To many people, plant names, whether common or scientific, just don't mean anything.

But, if they are provided with a photo of what the plant can look like in a particular situation, say a screening hedge of Magnolia grandiflora St Mary's, then they will have a better idea.

If you want more than just new garden beds and new plants, you may just want a garden designer.

But if you want more doing than just plants, you’ll need project manager who is also a garden or landscape designer.

SPICE IT UP

Allspice vs Cloves

How well do you know your spices?

Would you think for instance, that allspice and mixed spice are the same?

Pimenta doica_allspice tree with berries.

Would cloves be a good substitute to save you running to the store, if you ran out?

Let’s find out.  I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au 

Even the Spaniards were confused with the allspice berry when they invaded Jamaica, thinking it was a type of pepper.  Probably why the allspice tree is Pimento doica.

 

The allspice berries  are picked when they're green and put out to dry in the sun.

 

 

Allspice and cloves

The heat of the sun activates the enzyme which turns the berries dark brown.

At night, the berries are heaped into a pile and covered with a tarpaulin.

The next day they are spread out in the sun again. 

This process is repeated over three to four days, by the end of which time, a volatile oil develops called eugenol.

It turns out that allspice and basil, also have a lot in common, because both contain the essential oil eugenol. 

That means both are perfect partners in tomato dishes.

But it also turns out you can use allspice instead of mixedspice but at 1/3 of the quantity because it’s much stronger. 

The clove tree is Syzygium aromaticum. The unopened flower bud is the clove.

If you have any questions, please write in to

[email protected] or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

SPICE IT UP

Allspice vs Cloves

How well do you know your spices?

Would you think for instance, that allspice and mixed spice are the same?

Pimenta doica_allspice tree with berries.

Would cloves be a good substitute to save you running to the store, if you ran out?

Let’s find out.  I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au 

Even the Spaniards were confused with the allspice berry when they invaded Jamaica, thinking it was a type of pepper.  Probably why the allspice tree is Pimento doica.

 

The allspice berries  are picked when they're green and put out to dry in the sun.

 

 

Allspice and cloves

The heat of the sun activates the enzyme which turns the berries dark brown.

At night, the berries are heaped into a pile and covered with a tarpaulin.

The next day they are spread out in the sun again. 

This process is repeated over three to four days, by the end of which time, a volatile oil develops called eugenol.

It turns out that allspice and basil, also have a lot in common, because both contain the essential oil eugenol. 

That means both are perfect partners in tomato dishes.

But it also turns out you can use allspice instead of mixedspice but at 1/3 of the quantity because it’s much stronger. 

The clove tree is Syzygium aromaticum. The unopened flower bud is the clove.

If you have any questions, please write in to

[email protected] or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

GROW YOUR HEALTH

Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

I’ve talked about weeds on this program, not just controlling weeds but eating weeds.

It’s not something that I’ve got my head around yet, but one weed that is being showcased today has been used in herbal medicine and nutrtition for quite a while.

Apparently it’s good for your liver.

 

Let’s find out what it is.

I'm talking with Simone Jeffries, naturopath, nutritionist and wellness coach of www.simonejeffriesnaturopath.com.au

 

The leaf has a serrated edge forming a basal rosette, with a strong taproot.

Dandelion flowers have only ray florets, and no disc florets, therefore no centre.

Milky sap comes from the stem.

It’s good though that dandelion coffee or tea has the same health benefits. 

Simone recommends eating the leaf because they are bitter. 

Bitterness is good for us, because it stimulates the appetite.

Dandelion leaves are best when young because they become more bitter with age.

Add to a salad, incorporate into a pesto or mix it in with a juice.

The dandelion root is beneficial also, being made into tea or dandelion coffee.

Contains high amounts of iron and calcium.

You can slow bake the root until its brittle, then you can grind it up to make your own tea or coffee.

As always, make sure you can identify the weed correctly before consuming it.

Also don’t collect the weeds on roadsides or nature strips, because you don’t know what animal has left its message on them or if they have been sprayed with herbicide. 

If you have any questions for me or for Simone please contact us or write in.

GROW YOUR HEALTH

Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

I’ve talked about weeds on this program, not just controlling weeds but eating weeds.

It’s not something that I’ve got my head around yet, but one weed that is being showcased today has been used in herbal medicine and nutrtition for quite a while.

Apparently it’s good for your liver.

 

Let’s find out what it is.

I'm talking with Simone Jeffries, naturopath, nutritionist and wellness coach of www.simonejeffriesnaturopath.com.au

 

The leaf has a serrated edge forming a basal rosette, with a strong taproot.

Dandelion flowers have only ray florets, and no disc florets, therefore no centre.

Milky sap comes from the stem.

It’s good though that dandelion coffee or tea has the same health benefits. 

Simone recommends eating the leaf because they are bitter. 

Bitterness is good for us, because it stimulates the appetite.

Dandelion leaves are best when young because they become more bitter with age.

Add to a salad, incorporate into a pesto or mix it in with a juice.

The dandelion root is beneficial also, being made into tea or dandelion coffee.

Contains high amounts of iron and calcium.

You can slow bake the root until its brittle, then you can grind it up to make your own tea or coffee.

As always, make sure you can identify the weed correctly before consuming it.

Also don’t collect the weeds on roadsides or nature strips, because you don’t know what animal has left its message on them or if they have been sprayed with herbicide. 

If you have any questions for me or for Simone please contact us or write in.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Banksia robur: Swamp Banksia

Here we have a small tree that’s gnarly and twisted but its scientific name suggests that it will grow into a strong upright tree, possibly an English oak.

Regardless of the fact that the tree is nothing like an English oak, even though it is robust, the botanical name still remains.

Banksia robur photo Adrian O'Malley

 

Which is strange, because botanists seem to like to change scientific names on a regular basis.

 

Let’s find out about it

 

I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, horticulturist and native plant expert.

The flower spikes appear in autumn and winter, perfect for providing food for nectar feeding birds when food is scarce.

Not grey leaves this time, but they’re really large, up to 30cm in length and quite leathery, with wonderful bluish green flowers.

 

As Adrian says, if you buy a small Banksia robur expecting it to grow into a shrub, it may just start going sideways and there’s no pruning that will make it go upwards.

 

 

Banksia robur photo Adrian O'Malley

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Banksia robur: Swamp Banksia

Here we have a small tree that’s gnarly and twisted but its scientific name suggests that it will grow into a strong upright tree, possibly an English oak.

Regardless of the fact that the tree is nothing like an English oak, even though it is robust, the botanical name still remains.

Banksia robur photo Adrian O'Malley

 

Which is strange, because botanists seem to like to change scientific names on a regular basis.

 

Let’s find out about it

 

I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, horticulturist and native plant expert.

The flower spikes appear in autumn and winter, perfect for providing food for nectar feeding birds when food is scarce.

Not grey leaves this time, but they’re really large, up to 30cm in length and quite leathery, with wonderful bluish green flowers.

 

As Adrian says, if you buy a small Banksia robur expecting it to grow into a shrub, it may just start going sideways and there’s no pruning that will make it go upwards.

 

 

Banksia robur photo Adrian O'Malley

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Pruning 101 After Care

You’ve pruned the branches on that tree so you can walk underneath it, but what do you need to be careful of?

Are there trees that don’t really need much pruning at all?

What care should be taken when you finished all that pruning?

All these questions answered and more.

I'm talking with Jason Cornish from www.urbanmeadows.com.au

Let’s find out.

 

For grafted trees, or shrubs, this includes roses, if there is a shoot below the graft, called a sucker, that must come off because it belongs to the vigorous understock.

If left there, this shoot will take over from the upper part of the tree or shrub, which may actually die off if you don’t remove the sucker.

Pruning a peach tree

Pruning fruiting trees is best carried out when buds have begun to swell but not fully open, if you want to do formative pruning.

Remove about one -third of growth each year, keeping in mind that peach trees fruit on one your old wood.

Unlike other fruit trees, peach trees need to be opened up in the centre so that the branches form a vase shape.

Removal of crossing or dead twigs or branches can be done at anytime, as seen in the photo.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Pruning 101 After Care

You’ve pruned the branches on that tree so you can walk underneath it, but what do you need to be careful of?

Are there trees that don’t really need much pruning at all?

What care should be taken when you finished all that pruning?

All these questions answered and more.

I'm talking with Jason Cornish from www.urbanmeadows.com.au

Let’s find out.

 

For grafted trees, or shrubs, this includes roses, if there is a shoot below the graft, called a sucker, that must come off because it belongs to the vigorous understock.

If left there, this shoot will take over from the upper part of the tree or shrub, which may actually die off if you don’t remove the sucker.

Pruning a peach tree

Pruning fruiting trees is best carried out when buds have begun to swell but not fully open, if you want to do formative pruning.

Remove about one -third of growth each year, keeping in mind that peach trees fruit on one your old wood.

Unlike other fruit trees, peach trees need to be opened up in the centre so that the branches form a vase shape.

Removal of crossing or dead twigs or branches can be done at anytime, as seen in the photo.