Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

PLANT OF THE WEEK

NEW Gazania hybrids

Have you ever seen grey leaved daisy like flowers growing on someone’s nature strip.

They seem to take over the whole path and usually only come in bright colours or yellow and orange.

Showy flowers, which appear throughout the warmer months, are large, brightly coloured, often marked, and the ray florets tend to be darker at the base, with a contrastingly coloured central disc.

The species usually have yellow or orange flowers, but the newer hybrid garden forms are available in a wide colour range with more petals than ever before.

Plus they don't close at night.

So let’s find out more about the new kids on the block.

I'm talking with the plant panel:Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

 

New Gazania hybrids have doubles and anemone style flowers making them sterile

The clever thing the plant breeders have done is to replace the male parts of the flower with petals.

The flowers is so full of petals that these new Gazanias can't close up at night as the old fashioned singles are wont to do.

Gazania species are grown for the brilliant colour of their flower-heads which appear in the late spring and are often in flower throughout summer into autumn.

They prefer a sunny position and are tolerant of dryness and poor soils so all the more reason to plant some out soon.

 

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Scented Bulbs for Your Garden

Earlier this year Garden Designer Peter Nixon started a series on scent for your garden.

We now take it up again with a focus on scented bulbs.

 

Lucuila gratissima (pictured above)

So many plants are lovely, with beautiful blooms, but only a smaller section of these also include a wonderful fragrance.

When it comes to bulbs you probably know hyacinths and peonies and paperwhites as fragrant choices - but did you know there are bearded iris, daffodils, hostas and even tulip varieties with a luscious scent?

Let’s find out more.

PLAY: Scented plants-bulbs-9th November_2016

That was Peter Nixon, garden designer and project Manager of Paradisus Garden Design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au

So many gardens are planted without a thought to scent – perhaps because there has been such a shift to perennials, which are the least-scented group of plants.

They’re missing the third dimension – fragrance puts the whole garden onto another level.

Why not grow all of these plants so that you can turn your garden in to a perfumed paradise all year round.

You can hear that segment again on the website ww.realworldgardener.com

Sometimes, the first indication that you have that a plant is flowering is from the drifting perfume.

How much nicer to inhale the luscious waves of sweet smelling flowers than the exhaust fumes from our big cities.

Summertime should include the sweet scent of flowers, freshly mown grass or even that undefinable smell of a garden having just been watered.

Don’t hold back, plant more scent in your garden.

OOK REVIEW

The House and Garden at Glenmore

author Mickey Robertson.

Imagine a ramshackle set of buildings dating back to the 1850’s set way out on the outskirts of a big city.

No garden, but plenty of land.

Imagine also your partner or husband coming home and telling you that he’s just bought such a property.

What would you do?

Let’s find out ..'[m speaking with author of The House and Garden at Glenmore Robertson

Glenmore House was once a dairy farm and when Mickey's husband came across it 28 years ago, it was a collection of once dilapidated buildings.

These buildings took time to restore and in the book, Mickey describes the long process.

Mickey wrote the book in 1 month, working every day fro 10 hours.

Being an inveterate compiler of lists she was able to draw on them for the names of plant material and order of things.

 

Ideas for the garden came from notable famous gardens like Sissinghurst in England but the garden isn't entirely English.

 

 

 

 

Not only does Mickey provide heaps of plant information in this book but there are gardening tips along with 30 seasonal recipes, including that recipe for cumquat Ice-cream.

Next time there’s an open day at Glenmore, we should make an effort to go and visit. You won’t be disappointed.

You can catch up that segment by listening to the podcast www.realworldgardener.com

If you have any questions Glenmore house, drop us a line to [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW

1675.

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,

streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio

Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Gingko biloba Maidenhair Tree

This (gingko biloba) is an ancient tree that predates conifers or cone bearing plants, and is thought to be the link between cycads and those conifers.

These type of plants had the planet to themselves along with dinosaurs for over a 100 million years.

Dr Peter Valder in “The Garden Plants of China” (1999) refers to an 800-year-old ginkgo at Jianshan, Zhenjiang and “The King of Trees”, a ginkgo said to be 1,000 years old, which grows in a courtyard at Tanzhe Si (temple), southwest of Beijing.

So let’s find out what it is.

I'm talking with the plant panel: Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

In Australia, Ginkgo grows best in most places including Sydney and Perth.

In Adelaide there is a 100 year old tree in Kingston Terrace and a grand tree in Medole Court at the University of Adelaide.

Gingko biloba is decidiuous, with the leaves turning a buttery yellow before falling.

In Sydney’s Hyde Park is a ginkgo near St James Station planted c. 1900 and in the Sydney Botanic Gardens.

An old ginkgo grows at The Gorge, Launceston, in Tasmania.

There is a fine specimen in Albury Botanic Gardens,

 If you have any questions about growing  Maiden Hair tree, why not write in to [email protected]

 

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,

streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio

Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Scented Trees for your Garden

Earlier this year Garden Designer Peter Nixon started a series on scent for your garden.

We now take it up again with small trees to suit any size garden, but trees with some sort of scent.

Brugmansia sp.-Angel's Trumpet

Perfume adds that extra sensory dimension to gardens and some of the trees only turn on their perfume in the evening.

How mysterious is that?

Let’s find out more about them.

I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer and project Manager of Paradisus Garden Design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au

Sometimes, the first indication that you have that a plant is flowering is from the drifting perfume.H

Gardenia thunbergia

Peter mentioned the following trees:

Small Trees:

Brugmansia candida, versicolor, alba, suavaolens Plumeria acuminata, pudica, bahamiensis, obtusa, rubra,

P. caracasana ‘Angel of Love’

Plumeria caracasana x P. obtusa ‘Annie Prowse’ - Stephen Prowse at Sacred Frangipani

Pachypodium lamerii Gardenia thunbergia

Large Trees

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kaye Paris’, ‘Teddy Bear’, St. Marys’, Exmouth, Michellia alba, maudiae, champaca,

How much nicer to inhale the luscious waves of sweet smelling flowers than the exhaust fumes from our big cities.Summertime should include the sweet scent of flowers, freshly mown grass or even that undefinable smell of a garden having just been watered.

Don’t hold back, plant more scent in your garden.

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,

streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio

Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

SPICE IT UP

Fish Tamarind: Kokum Spice: Garcinia indica

Garcinia indica plums

The seed of the fruit of the plant Garcinia indica, contains enough oil (23–26% oil, so that it remains solid at room temperature.

The name Fish Tamarind refers not to the taste but to the fact that it's traditionally used in fish curries.

It’s used in the preparation of confectionery, medicines and cosmetics.

Let’s find out what else it can be used for.

I'm talking with Ian Hemphill, owner of Herbies Spices and author of the Herb and spice Bible.www.herbies.com.au

The tree is ornamental, growing 5-6 metres, with a dense canopy of green leaves and red-tinged, tender, young leaves.

The fruits look just like a plum.

The spice is mainly from the skin of the fruit, although sometimes it's the whole fruit.

When the whole fruit is sliced and dried it may be referred to as Kokum flowers.

Salt is used to assist in drying the skins and what you are left with is a leathery round fruit.

Quite tasty on its own but when added to cooking it adds acidity with a fruity background.

You can put 3 or 4 bits of Kokum in a curry.

The oily extract called kokum tel is used in foot massage, and to treat burns. You can catch up that segment by listening to the podcast www.realworldgardener.com

If you have any questions about Kokum or have some information to share, drop us a line to [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,

streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio

Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ONFACEBOOK

The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Black Bean Tree, Castanospermum australe

The seeds from this tree are a real novelty.

Not only do they come in large boat like pods, but nature has packed them in like large sardines, or perhaps rounds of cheese.

Would you believe this tree made it into the top 10 toxic plants according to interflora?

I'm talking with the plant panel:Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

The reason the black bean tree made it into the top 10 toxic plants is because those large seeds weighing about 30g each, that I mentioned earlier are actually toxic.

You’re not meant to eat them, but interestingly the Black Bean seeds are also used as food in some aboriginal communities after extensive preparation to remove the toxins, of course!

Not really for your garden because the tree is quite large growing to 15 + metres.

The roots are also water seeking and this tree should not be planted near drain pipes or buildings.



REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,

streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio

Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

BOOK REVIEW

With a plethora of gardening books being constantly published RWG has steered away from book reviews, until now that is.  

This following feature interview is sort of a book review because I’m talking with the author and her ideas about why she wrote the book in the first place.Let’s find out what it’s all about.

I'm talking with Sophie Manolas, nutritionist and author of The Essential Edible Pharmacy.

Sophie’s aim  was to quote from her book, “ to simplify the process of making the best dietary choices and to show you that whole foods in their own way, are superfoods.

Use it as bed time reading, a recipe book, or just advice on what nutrition you get from certain veggies, fruit or nuts.

But what you don’t get is how to exactly grow everything, there wasn’t enough room.

That’s where Vegetable Heroes fills the gap.

Maybe I need to write a gardening book.

 

 

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,

streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio

Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

WILDLIFE IN FOCUS

The Welcome Swallow is a native bird that makes a mixture of twittering and soft warbling notes.

The Welcome Swallow belongs to the family of Passerines which are Australia's songbirds.

Easily spotted flying low around sport’s fields and open grassy areas, it’s probably one you seen but probably not seen it still for long enough to make out its markings.

What is this bird?

Let’s find out .I'm talking with Dr Holly Parsons, Manager of www.birdsinbackyards.com.au

Welcome swallows belong to a group of songbirds and do have a lovely call if you ever hear them when they’re still.

They are mainly metallic blue black with a light grey chest but their characteristic feature is the lovely long forked tail, sometimes with spots.

They're on the wing the majority of the time catching their prey which is mainly insects.

They make mud nests on the sides of houses and buildings which can be a nuisance, however, they're only a short time in the nest, 2 - 3 weeks, so it's not that much of an inconvenience.

Remember that they are native and therefore a protected species.

Wait until the young swallows have fledged before removing the nest if it's in an awkward location.

The welcome swallow is found in most places of Australia and it’s only in Tasmania that they migrate across the Bass Strait for the winter.

Although there has been reports of young fledglings staying put in Tasmania for their first winter.

You can catch up that segment by listening to the podcast www.realworldgardener.com

If you have any questions about welcome swallows or have some information to share, drop us a line to [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,

streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio

Network. www.realworldgardener.com

REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Mecican Lily Beschorneria yuccoides

Fitting right into the modern garden or providing a backdrop for the perennial or cottage garden, this plant is a true standout.

Find out more with the plant panel :Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

Yes, who wouldn’t want contrasting grey-green foliage with a magnificent display of large, pink, bell shaped flower spikes held up high during Spring and Summer?

The Mexican Lily prefers full sun, but just as much success in a part shade position. Provided it is planted in a well-drained fertile soil and given room to grow.

Although one thing to be said for this plant is that it possess few of the annoying habits that spiky plants seem to possess, such as: Stabbing you.; Dying after flowering; Rotting in winter; Slow growth'

The plant panel were Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

Yes, who wouldn’t want contrasting grey-green foliage with a magnificent display of large, pink, bell shaped flower spikes held up high during Spring and Summer?

The Mexican Lily prefers full sun, but just as much success in a part shade position. Provided it is planted in a well-drained fertile soil and given room to grow.

Although one thing to be said for this plant is that it possess few of the annoying habits that spiky plants seem to possess, such as: Stabbing you.; Dying after flowering; Rotting in winter; Slow growth'