Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

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

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PLANT OF THE WEEK

DAVDISON PLUM Davidsonia pruriens, Davidsonia jerseyana.

Bush tucker plants are one of the hot trends in horticulture and this one is no exception.

The Davidson plum looks rather alien and Dr Seuss like the dark skinned fruit hang like bunches of large grapes from either the long narrow trunk or the branches and there’s a variety to suit most climates in Australia.

As for picking the fruit, they conveniently drop to the ground when they’re ripe.

Let’s find out about growing it.

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

Fruits are dark purple in colour, oval shaped and covered with fine almost indiscernable hairs.

Fruits contain two large seed cases with a single seed and are fibrous.

The fruit flesh is dark red when fully ripe.

D. pruriens fruits are produced in large pendulous clusters from the trunk, they are large deep purple, though the fruit flesh is slightly paler and contains more fibre than its NSW cousin..

Davidson plum trees have a narrow habit with branching on the top half to a third of the tree.

Davidsonia pruriens.  photo M Cannon Despite their tart taste Davidson plums are known as one of the best of the native plums.

Did you know that the Davidson plum has 100x the vitamin C found in oranges?

They also contain lutien, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese.

Store in the fridge for a couple of days or you can freeze them.

When making jams be sure to use twice the amount of sugar, but first cut the fruit in half and remove the two stones or seeds.

You don’t have to just make jam with this fruit.

You can make Davidson Plum Paste, Davidson Plum Chutney or even Davidson Plum and Ginger sauce.Davidson Plum Chutney

500g Spanish onions, sliced

1 garlic clove

butter for frying

200g Davidson’s plums, de-seeded and chopped

200g brown sugar

100g sultanas

100ml dry white wine

100ml white wine vinegar

a pinch of curry powder

1 clove

 

Saute' the onions and chopped garlic in a little butter until transparent. Add the remaining ingredients and boil for 1 to 2 hours or until thick stirring occasionally.

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

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Would you like a garden make-over but think, Nah, it’s too costly?

There are other ways of making over your garden without all that expense that you see on those televised garden renovation shows every week.

Over the next few weeks, Design Elements will explain different ways of updating your garden without all that expense, sweat and hard labour. Flowers to update your garden. Photo M.CannonWe’ll cover updating your garden in many different ways, including using existing plants, colour and shape of plants, and easy make-overs.

Today, we’re starting with updating your garden using flower colour.

I'm talking with was Louise McDaid  Landscape Designer.Heliotrope arborescens; Cherry Pie. photo M CannonOne of the great things about plants is the huge variety of colours available – both in their leaves, their flowers and their berries or fruit.

Flower: the blooming of flowers brings joy to the garden and seasonality through different flowering times.

As an example, take Perennials

Oriental lily, asiatic lily, hosta, Peruvian lily (alstroemeria), pink butterflies (gaura), statice (limonium), Christmas bells, gerbera, scabious (scabiosa), Mona lavender (plectranthus).

There should be plenty of ideas to get you started even if you’re a beginner gardener, and some tips for those of you who’ve been doing it for a while.

Plus there’s so many new flower cultivars coming out each season to tempt you.

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

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PLANT DOCTOR

For hundreds of years the rose has been widely recognized as a symbol of love, sympathy or sorrow, but did you know that the rose is not only England’s national flower but from 1986, America’s as well.

Few people dislike roseRoses for your garden photo M. Cannons, especially receiving or giving bunches of them.

Not everyone likes or can grow them successfully, but us gardeners still like to try.

Here’s some timely tips.

I'm talking with Steve Falcioni, General Manager of www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au

Roses need to be pruned if you want plenty of flowers because they flower on new growth.

Prune your roses mid winter or in August for those districts that receive late frosts.Quick Pruning Guide

Hybrid Teas:

For example:Papa Meilland, Peace, Sir Donald Bradman.

Prune to half of the bush and leave 3-4 canes cutting older greying canes back to the base.

If you only have 3-4 canes then leave them and hopefully you'll have new vigorous growth.

Modern Bush Roses:

For example: David Austen.

Prune by one-third but don't cut out any old canes. They need to be left like a bush.

Climbing Roses.

You should have a framework of 3-4 main canes, from which come shorter canes.

Only prune these to about 3-4 buds, about 10 cm.

Note: All pruning cuts should be sloping and about 1 cm above an outward facing bud.

Bare Rooted Roses:Old world roses photo M. CannonWhen you receive your bare rooted roses the two most important things that get your roses off to a great start are to make sure they're in the right growing conditions and to plant them properly.

Here’s something you mightn’t know.

We usually call the sharp spikes on the stem of a rose bush "thorns", but these are in fact technically prickles.

If you have any questions about rose care 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,

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PLANT OF THE WEEK

NEW Gypsophilla paniculata"Festival Star."

This plant is in the same family as

Carnations and is also known as chalk plant and soap root. 

Some (baby’s breath)

of the species have edible roots, and the plants and roots are also grown for

and used as a medical ingredient. 

Baby's breath.

Weird names aside the plant is very

decorative and is used as a cut flower to give a delicate look in arrangements

and bouquets. 

I'm talking with Karen Smith,

editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and

Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au 

The scientific name of Baby’s breath –

‘Gypsophila’ – comes from the words ‘gypsos’ and ‘philos’, meaning ‘gypsum’ and

‘loving’ respectively in Greek.

Festival Star is a compact but sturdy baby's breath that is covered with dense sprays of small

white flowers from late Spring.to late Summer.

Gypsophila Festival Star

These herbaceous perennial plants bear tall, airy

panicles covered with hundreds of tiny double white flowers, often blushed with

pink. 

They form a dense mound growing 30 - 45 cm tall and 45 - to 60 cm wide and is great on the sunny, well-drained border. 

Cut back the faded flower stems before they set seed as plants have a

tendency to lightly self-sow.

Baby’s breath is difficult to transplant because it has a deep tap

root, so plant it where it won’t be disturbed.

What could be more gorgeous than a combination of Gypsophila and red roses in a vase?

In the garden you could combine

it with balloon flowers, dwarf lilies and low growing sedum for a great floral

combination.

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

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DESIGN ELEMENTS

Climbing Plants for Cool Climate Gardens

Why is it that gardeners living in

warm climates hanker after climbing plants that only really do well in cooler

districts and those gardeners living in those frosty areas, want to grow

climbing plants with big leaves and big flowers that belong in warmer regions

of Australia?

 Sometimes we can’t help falling in

love with some plants and the desire can be overwhelming. This week’s offerings

are no exception. Clematis display at Chelsea Flower Show photo M Cannon

 

This week it’s about climbers that

are suited for a cool temperate climate, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t

grow them wherever you are. 

Let’s find out. I'm talking with Glenice Buck, Consulting

Arborist and Landscape Designer.

Deciduous climbers work well in cooler climates of Australia.

The Clematis display at the

Chelsea Flower show is so spectacular that you can’t help but want to grow

them. 

Did you know that Clematis

(KLEM-uh-tis) is a genus of flowering plants native to China and Japan

belonging to the Ranunculus family? 

There are other plants that are

also sometimes known as “Old Man’s Beard,” which in this case gets its name

from the long fluffy seed heads that look like an old man’s beard.

 They are known to be vigorous

growers, but there are a few shrubs that won’t grow more than 1 ½ metres. 

Some plants are deciduous, while

others are evergreen.

Clematis

normally has a soft

papery type leaf.

The size of the

flowers and leaves will vary amongst Cultivars. 

The flowers are in a wide range of colours.  shades of lilac,

pinks, purple, white…..amazing flowers. They do like a sheltered spot in full

sun with roots in cool and well-mulched soil.

 

 Glenice also recommends, 

Ornamental Grape

(Vitis vinifera) and

Wisteria (Wisteria

sinensis and Wisteria floribunda)

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

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PARSLEY Petroselinum crispum/Petroselinum neapolitana

There's

curly Parsley, flat leafed Parsley and even Hamburg Parsley which is

grown in Europe for it's root, then cooked as a vegetable.

In the UK, a poisonous version of Parsley, Fool's Parsley, that looks like flat leaf Parsley grows wild, like a weed so curly Parsley is the favourite over there.Flat leaved parsley. photo M Cannon

Parsley is used so much

in the kitchen that it should be growing in everyone’s garden.?xml:namespace prefix = "data-blogger-escaped-o" /

It’s in the same family as celery,

carrots and cumin and has been used as a herb for over 2,000 years.

Interestingly this herb (Parsley)

was used in ancient Rome as ingredient of salads, to eliminate effects of a hangover

and as ornament in the form of garlands for the head.

What’s so interesting about it?

Let’s find out . I'm talking with Ian Hemphill herb expert, book author and owner of Herbies Spices. www.herbis.com.au

Did you know that the taste of

parsley depends on the type of soil and climate conditions?

Parsley is one the most popular

spices in the world.

Parsley seeds take a long time to germinate and need darkness rather than light to get them going.

The dried version of Parsley is very similar to the fresh and can be easily substituted in cooking.

Other than that, parsley is used in

the cosmetic industry for the preparation of soaps and body lotions that are

especially good for dry skin.Parsley can pop up in all sorts of places if you let it self-seed.

Parsley is also used in the

pharmaceutical and medical industry. 

If you have any questions about Parsley

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,

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WILDLIFE IN FOCUS

Chestnut Crowned Babbler - An Australian Bird

Did you know that Australian birds are being studied by scientists overseas and the bird on today’s show has been found to be able communicate in a similar way to how humans use language?Chestnut Crowned Babbler, photo Graeme ChapmanChestnut Crowned Babblers have a distinct white stripe over their eye.

They also have a curved beak a bit like a honey eater which they use to search for food by probing amongst leaf litter and twigs on the ground. These Babblers are a bit bigger than your average Pee Wee to give you some gauge as to their size.  

So let’s find out I'm talking with  Dr Holly Parsons, Manager of Birds in Backyards. 

Babbler birds were found to combine two sounds (let’s call them sound A and sound B) to generate calls associated with specific behaviours.

In flight, they used an "A-B" call to make their whereabouts known, but when alerting chicks to food they combined the sounds differently to make "B-A-B".

The birds seemed to understand the meaning of the calls.Chestnut Crowned Babbler photo Trinity News DailyWhen the feeding call was played back to them, they looked at nests, while when they heard a flight call they looked at the sky.

How interesting is that?

If you have any questions about Chestnut crowned babblers or have a photo 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,

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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

Grass Trees Xanthorhhoea species

Grasses of all kinds are an essential design element in your garden.

You have grasses for your lawn of course, then there’s ornamental grasses that give you height and a different effect, but there’s also trees with grassy leaves that can act as a standout feature in your garden.Grass trees in Western Australia. photo M Cannon 

Let’s find out more. I'm talking with Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

Many, grass trees develop an above ground stem which is rough-surfaced, built from accumulated leaf-bases around the secondarily thickened trunk. Xanthorrhoeae species photo M. Cannon

The trunk is sometimes unbranched, or branched if the growing point is damaged, and others naturally grow numerous branches.

Flowers occur along a long spike above a bare section called a scape; the total length can be up to four metres long in some species.

Flowering is usually in Spring but can be stimulated by bushfire.

 

Xanthorrhoeae glauca only grows one to two centimetres a year and can take 30 years to get a significant trunk.

Grass trees are frost tolerant to -80 C.

 

When planting out into the garden be very careful how you handle the root ball.

Some recommend planting on top of a mound. DON’T DISTURB THE ROOTS.

 

In its natural environment

Many horticulturalists recommend cutting and slowly pulling away the plastic pot and carefully placing into a pre dug hole.

 

There were some great tips from Karen and Jeremy, particularly about looking for the tag or certificate that should be attached to each grass tree that’s for sale.

NPWS tags are required for all plants acquired from wild sources under wild harvester and approved harvester licences.

Growers definitely require NPWS tags for species, such as Xanthorrhoea, in larger size classes.

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

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DESIGN ELEMENTS

Climbing Plants for a Temperate Climate

Not all climbers take over your garden and not all climbers, hardly any really, are maintenance free.Stephanotis floribunda photo M CannonBut if you choose carefully, you can fit a number of climbers into your garden to give you maximum benefit of luxurious green foliage and scented or unscented flowers.

This week it’s about climbers that are suited for a temperate climate, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t grow them wherever you are.

Let’s find out. I'm talking with Glenice Buck, Consulting Arborist and Landscape Designer.

Glenice mentioned

Stephanotis or Madagascar Jasmine (Stephanotis floribunda)

This is a more moderated climber which has a delicious perfume.  The fragrance is a favourite of mine. The flowers are small star shaped waxy blooms which hang in bunches. It likes a sheltered position in full to partial sun and well-drained soil.  It tends to cope with a hotter spot as long as its roots are shaded.  This climber will grow in warmer climates also.  It is tendril climber.

Hardenbergia (Hardenbergia violacea)

It is a vigorous evergreen climber that can also be grown as a ground cover in full sun to dappled shade and well-drained soil.  It has few varieties such as happy wanderer which is a purple form.  Its leaves almost look like Eucalyptus leaves.Hardenbergia violaceae photo M Cannon

 

Hibbertia scandens or the Guinea Flower with bright yellow flowers and is native to Australia,

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

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PLANT OF THE WEEK

Coffea arabica Coffee Tree

 Would you like to grow a relatively

problem free large shrub  or small tree

that grows well in sub-tropical and cooler climates? Coffea arabica

Not only that, but in as little as

three years the ( coffee) tree will be covered with white, jasmine-scented

flower clusters.  

Then is followed by masses of green

berries that mature to a beautiful cherry-red?What could this plant be?

Let’s find out. 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

Coffea arabica is a small understorey tree, 2 to 8 m tall, with unusual

horizontal branching, and jasmine scented white star-shaped flowers that appear all along the branches. Its leaves are evergreen and usually shiny.

When Jeremy was living in Tanzania coffee plantations were under-planting nut trees.

In

Laos, the trees were trimmed to 3 - 4 metres in height in plantations

to make it easier for mechanical harvesting. These were also an

understorey plant.

So, what sort of micro climate do you need to grow

coffee? 

Coffee prefers temperatures between 15 and 24 degrees C, although if

it’s within the range of 7-30 degrees C, it will still grow quite well. 

Choose

a shady spot, sheltered from cold or hot winds.Coffee berries on Coffea arabica

Frost is the big enemy in

cooler climates, and below -2 degrees C 

will probably kill the plant. 

The good news is that home-grown coffee

doesn’t get any pests or diseases.

Did you know that coffee has been

grown in Australia for over 200 years?

Why it stopped for a while was because labour

costs made it unviable but with mechanical harvesting, the interest and growth

of plantations saw a resurgence from the 1980’s.