Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

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Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow episodes

  • Real World Gardener Great Garden Seating in Design Elements
    DESIGN ELEMENTS

    Great Garden Seating.


    What’s the last word in garden seating for you?


    Perhaps you can’t be bothered with garden benches, tables and chairs and an old milk crate or just perching on a step will do.


    However big or small your outside space and whatever your taste and budget, there is an alfresco seating option perfect for you. 


    But with so much choice, and we've certainly moved on from the good ole’ cast iron table and  two chair setting which is terribly cold on the bottom, not to mention hard. 


    Perhaps you’re looking for a spot for an evening drink, a place to lounge or an area that will accommodate the whole family for lunch?


    Things have moved on considerably in the last thirty of forty years though with new fabrics and materials that look like "rattan."


    Let’s find out what’s Peter’s last word in garden seating.


    I'm talking with Peter Nixon, principle of Paradisus Garden Design www.peternixon.com.au


     


    PLAY: Best garden seating-15th November 2017


     


     




     





    Anne Johnsons' Garden photo M Cannon



    Anne Johnsons' Garden photo M Cannon


    You can make a complete living room if you have the space with a couch, easy chairs, ottomans and attending side tables. 


    Make sure all the materials are long lasting and weather proof. 


    Peter's favourite on a hot summer day is loll about on a lazy hammock strung between two shady trees. 


    A garden with lots of places to sit is a user friendly garden. "Sitting places" don't have to just be just seats.


    You can sit on top of a wall, a grassy slope, the edge of a pond, on garden steps, or even a large rock


     


    Seating and lighting go together so rather than the awful floodlight stuck on the side of the garage, why not think about 12V lighting to compliment night time seating with your friends and family?


    If you want to know more or if you have any questions about garden seating, why not write in to [email protected] 

    9 min
  • Real World Gardener Citrus Pest Watch in Plant Doctor
    PLANT DOCTOR

    Citrus Pest Watch


    Hopefully you’ve finished your spring cleaning but now it’s time to check out that citrus tree you’ve got in your backyard.


    Our plants put on lots of fast growth in the garden but so do the bugs good and bad.




    Being pro-active is the best way to beat the pests that seem to plague citrus more than any other plant in the garden.  




    Some gardeners do this by spraying their citrus over the winter months with horticultural oil.


    For a lot of insect pests, sprays are effective if you’ve timed it correctly, because as the pests mature or evolve into the next stage, sprays may become ineffective.


     


    Let’s find out what to look out for. I'm talking with was Steve Falcioni from www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au


     


    PLAY Citrus Pest Watch_15th November 2017


     


    Two types of pests to watch out for and for some states, the extra pest of fruit fly.



    Group 1 is the sap suckers which include aphids, mites, mealybugs and the citrus stink bug.




    The best time to hit these pests in Spring, particularly the citrus stink bug. The reason being that coming out of winter, the juveniles are small, pale green and susceptible to the oil sprays such as Eco Oil.







    Citrus pests photo M Cannon




    Group 2 are the chewing pests. such as citrus leaf miner and caterpillars. The leaf miner pest is actually a very small moth that lays its eggs on new leaf growth.




    The hatching larvae then tunnel into the tissue causing the leaf disfigurement or curling and the silver trails.




    Leaf miner can be organically controlled with pheremone traps that are hung in the trees.




    As for the caterpillars, a lot of the will turn into beautiful butterflies, so decide what you would rather; a few chewed leaves or some orchard swallowtail butterflies?




    If you have any questions about citrus pests either for me or


     


    Steve, why not email us [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675



     
    11 min
  • Real World Gardener Australian Waratah in Talking Flowers
    TALKING FLOWERS

    Waratah




    Telopea speciosissima




    What does the botanical name mean?



    Speciosissima is the superlative of the Latin adjective 'speciosus', meaning 'beautiful' or 'handsome'. Telopea means seen from afar.



     


     


    Waratah (Telopea) is an Australian-endemic genus of five species of large shrubs or small trees, native to the southeastern parts of Australia (New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania). 




    The one we see walking in the bush is the red flowering version and is also the NSW state emblem.




    Grows to 3m tall. 




    Can be tricky to keep alive in the garden.




    If you've tried to grow a Waratah, make sure it has great drainage.




     




    Dreamings about the Waratah focus upon the tragic consequences of lost love. 




    Two Wonga pigeons live together in a rich, lush forest. One day the female bird notices her mate is no longer by her side, so she searches for him, calling out for him. She cannot find him, so in a panic she flies above the canopy of the forest where a hungry and ever-vigilant hawk sees her and, swooping down, grabs her and clutches her in his sharp talons. She manages to wriggle free and plummets down, finally falling onto a white Waratah blossom, her blood staining its petals to red. From then on, Waratahs are generally red; it is very rare to find one that is white.




     




    I'm talking with Mercedes Sarmini of www.flowersbymercedes.com.au


     
    10 min
  • Real World Gardener Great Garden Paths in Design Elements

    DESIGN ELEMENTS




    Creating a Great Garden Path




     





     


    You probably do have a garden path, in but does that path work for you?


    Is your path so dominant that you end up having a path with a garden rather than a garden with a path?


    Perhaps your garden path doesn’t dominate but it just doesn’t work for one reason or another.


    So what do you do?


    Let’s find out. 




    I'm talking with Peter Nixon, principle of Paradisus Garden Design


     


    Peter mentioned a few variations on the garden path. 




    Salt textured concrete is the favourite.




    You can press large leaves into the concrete before it's completely dry and weigh the leaf down with a brick overnight.





    The next day, peel off the leaf and you'll be left with an impression; not one that jumps out at you, but a subtle impression that you need to be almost on top of before you realise how marvellous the path really looks.




      If you want to know more or if you have any questions about garden paths, why not write in to [email protected]


    8 min
  • Real World Gardener High Reach Cleaning in Tool Time 2017

    TOOL TIME
    High Reach Cleaning Made Easy
    Do you Spring clean or have you put that task off for a little while?
    You might think cleaning is a bit of a stretch for a gardening show, but the house is in the garden and it needs to be clean too.

     
    Not to mention garden furniture and ornaments that could probably do with a clean.
    You might be temped to get up on a chair or a ladder, but why become another statistic of falls in the home or garden?

    Let's face it our reflexes may not be as good as they used to be?
    Getting up on ladders to prune is bad enough but for cleaning it’s even worse, because you tend to wave your arms about a bit more vigorously
    Let’s find out how to do it safely.…. 


    I'm talking withTony Mattson from www.cutabovetools.com.au
     
    The safest way to clean up high is to use a lightweight extension pole with your feet planted firmly on the ground. 



    Look for lightweight aluminium extension poles that extend from 2-6m, costing around $100.


    This should reach the eaves on a two-storey house if the house is on level ground.


    Taller than that you need a carbon fibre pole which is around $AUS400
    Something to remember


    If you are using a ladder you should always have 3 points of contact at any one time. 


    Shoulders should be near the top of an extension ladder, but no higher.


    If you’re carrying something then you’re in trouble.
     
    If you have any questions about high reach cleaning either for me or Tony, why not email us [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

     
    10 min
  • Real World Gardener Carnations for Love in Talking Flowers


    TALKING FLOWERS
    Carnations
    There are a lot of meanings for the carnation flower and each one varies with the different colours.
    The scientific name of the carnation is Dianthus caryophyllus.
    This translated means the "flower of love" or "flower of the gods" and one of the oldest cultivated flowers in the world.
    The carnation dates back to the Roman era.
    Carnations take up food dye very well so that the green carnations you see people wearing on St Patrick's Day is dyed that colour.
    Carnations are easily grown in the home garden preferring limey  or alkaline soil.
    Home grown carnations have a stronger scent than those grown in greenhouses.
     
    All the more reason to grow your own.
    I'm talking with floral therapist Mercedes Sarmini of Flowers by Mercedes
    11 min
  • Real World Gardener Create a Tactile and Sensory Garden in Design Elements

    DESIGN ELEMENTS

    Creating Tactile and Sensory Gardens

     
    For those gardens with just green leaves you need to zhoosh up the place with some touchy feely leaves.
    So that when you walk along the garden path, you can brush your hand along the leaves of the plants for a nice intoxicating scent of just for the feel of the leaf;peculiar, sensational or otherwise.
    But what else are gardens for?








    Chelsea Flower Show photo M Cannon



    Let’s find out. I'm talking with Peter Nixon, principle of Paradisus Garden Design
     
    PLAY: Tactile and Sensory gardens_25th October 2017



     
    Peter mentioned these two mostly
    Sinningia bullata is like a fibrous bowling ball.
    Kalanchoe beharensis-(pictured right) Madagascar felt plant has contorted silver grey leaves that looks wicked.
     
    The best place to get these succulents is at African Violet societies for the sinningia and Succulent societies for the Kalanchoe beharensis.
     

    Let’s not forget the textured aromatic leaves of Pelargoniums.


     


     

     
    8 min
  • Real World Gardener Lavender to Cook With in Spice it Up

    SPICE IT UP
    Lavender in Cooking

    Lavendula angustifolia
    Lavender was first used in Herbs du Provence which is dried herbs used in slow cooked dishes. 


    But the correct lavender to use in any cooking is important if you want the flavour to be pleasant and not reminiscent of camphor.


    Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula spica or the ones to use.








    English Lavender





    Commonly called English Lavender.
    But did you know that so much of this plant is grown in France that they called it French Lavender rather than English Lavender.


    The true French lavender is Lavandula dentata, which has serrated leaf margins and much larger almost woollier flowers. French lavender seems to flower for most of the year.


    This one has a high camphor content which is unpleasant to taste. 


    Lavandula angustifolia or English lavender has smooth sided leaves and a very slender flower and a long stalk.


    Confusing if you want to use the correct plant’s flowers in cooking.
    Let’s find out  more about Lavender in cooking.


    I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au
    PLAY : Lavender_1st November_2017
    For the lemon and Lavender cakes recipe go to this link Lavender and Lemon Cakes



    Remember:The  Lavender we should use in cooking is English lavender or Lavandula angustifolia, has a smooth leaf and the flower head is on a skinny long stem.
    Ian mentioned how Lavender bottles, a lost art. Just search the web on making instructions...there are plenty.
    If you have any questions about which Lavender to use in cooking then why not email us [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

    12 min
  • Real World Gardener Bird of Paradise in Talking Flowers

    TALKING FLOWERS
    Bird of Paradise
    Strelizia reginae
    Native to South Africa but naturalised in other parts of the world such as Madagascar and Mexico.
    The scientific name comes from Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
    Fun Fact
    They are pollinated by sunbirds, which use the spathe as a perch when visiting the flowers. 
    The weight of the bird when standing on the spathe opens it to release the pollen onto the bird's feet, which is then deposited on the next flower it visits.
    Strelitzia lack natural insect pollinators in areas without sunbirds.
    You can try to hand pollinate in order to try and get the plant to set seed.
    This has proved largely unsuccessful and better methods of propagation is to try and prize a section of the leaf and rhizome for transplanting.
    The plant as a whole does not successfully transplant either.
    I'm talking with flower therapist Mercedes Sarmini.
    Recorded live during Real World Gardener show, in the studios of 2rrr Sydney
    Fun Fact
    They are pollinated by sunbirds, which use the spathe as a perch when visiting the flowers. 
    The weight of the bird when standing on the spathe opens it to release the pollen onto the bird's feet, which is then deposited on the next flower it visits.
    Strelitzia lack natural insect pollinators in areas without sunbirds.
    You can try to hand pollinate in order to try and get the plant to set seed.
    This has proved largely unsuccessful and better methods of propagation is to try and prize a section of the leaf and rhizome for transplanting.
    The plant as a whole does not successfully transplant either.
    I'm talking with flower therapist Mercedes Sarmini.
    11 min
  • Real World Gardener What Makes a Therapeutic Garden in Design Elements.

    DESIGN ELEMENTS

    What Makes An Therapeutic Garden?

     
    Are you a relaxed gardener?
    By that I mean, do you go out in the garden to take a break or are you always out there thinking of what needs to be done, what needs to be raked, mulched, weeded or pruned, even planted.
    But what else are gardens for?








    Therapeutic Garden Chelsea Flower Show 2013




    Some gardens like this one in the photograph are designed to specifically show what it's like to have decreasing vision as experienced with macular degeneration.


     
    Let’s find out what we could be doing instead in our gardens.
     
     
     
    PLAY: Therapeutic gardens_25th October 2017
     
    That was Peter Nixon, principle of Paradisus Garden Design.
    Most gardeners would prefer to be busy in the garden, rather than think about how doing the weeding and growing plants affects the mind.
    Have you ever noticed though that when you’re doing these tasks, you often forget about any worries that you’ve had? 



     
    The background noise falls away and you can escape from other people's thoughts and judgments, so that within a garden there is, perhaps, more freedom to feel good about yourself.


    It helps if you have a nice relaxing space in which you can sit, relax, contemplate or meditate.


    Seating is so important in a therapeutic garden because it also lower you sight level and how you perceive your garden.

    7 min

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Radio program Sydney, Australia. Garden Design, Growing Vegetables Trees and Flowers, Garden Tools, Plant Care and Plant Health, Attracting Wildlife to your Garden.