SEE INSIDE FOR GARDENER OF THE YEAR ENTRY FORM

7.30pm
Friday

July 2018

EXPERT
ADVICE
• Daphne
• Winter iris
• Giant bromeliads
• Tricky vegies
• Outdoor heating

C
ONLY $7.20
suti
07

9 312966 128997

Tino Carnevale Phil Dudman

Pears for garden An easy way to
beds, courtyards protect against
& warmer areas frost & drought
Growing Australian gardens
for over 70 years.
At Tesselaar we only send plants that are
garden worthy, plants that we have trialled
and tested to ensure they meet our high
standards and yours. We are so sure of
our products, we offer a full money back
guarantee on everything we sell. We search
v>À>`Ü`iÌw`ÌiLiÃÌ«>ÌÃvÀÞÕÀ
garden, then we package them with care
so they arrive safely at your door, no matter
where you live in Australia.

We send seven seasonal, full colour, free

catalogues each year. We also offer additional
online specials and limited release rare
plants. Our friendly staff are always happy
to help out with your garden questions. All
our products are accompanied by detailed
growing instructions and tips to help you
along your way to creating the most beautiful
garden for your home.

SIGN UP NOW, CALL 1300 428 527

FOR YOUR FREE TESSELAAR
CATALOGUE OR VISIT
www.tesselaar.net.au
20 ng

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7

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Mail order gardening at its best.

357 Monbulk Rd, Silvan, Vic 3795. Ph: 1300 428 527 Fax: 03 9737 7798 Email: info@tesselaar.net.au
 A
ustralians love growing citrus at
editor’s letter
home, and this is the time of year
when the spoils hang heavy on the
tree. But if your lemon, lime or orange
tree is more spoiled than spoils, you might ind
the answer to your woes in our special citrus
clinic. here are 12 meaty Q&As to dig into
(page 42), plus Jane Edmanson’s wrap up of
pests, diseases and other irritants.
Winter also ushers in the fragrant and
sometimes ickle daphne – we have a terriic
growing guide on page 12, with a selection of
cultivars to look for. If daphne is not for you,
how about giant bromeliads, (Alcanterea spp.,
page 16), dainty winter iris (page 18) or the
curious silk tassel bush (page 20)? Or maybe
you’re thinking shade, fruit and something for t
future? Tino Carnevale talks ‘pears for your heirs’ on page 58, and
now is a perfect time to plant one bare-rooted. And I adore the PRICKLY ENCOUNTER
breaking-all-the-rules mix of camellias and grevilleas (and many On a recent visit to
Camden, NSW, Jenny
more plants) in the feature garden on page 24 – a product of passion, came across a silk loss
expertise and good instincts. tree (Ceiba speciosa syn.
Passion is one of the key qualities we’re looking for in our Gardener Chorisia speciosa), the
of the Year competition. Entries are coming in, and we’re delighted lower of which featured
to announce that this year, the ive state inalists chosen by the on our August 2017 cover.
h is beautiful but super
magazine and TV teams will be featured on the TV show, as well as prickly tree is in the
in the magazine. Once the TV segments have been broadcast, public grounds of historic
voting will commence. Yes, you get to choose this year’s winner! Glenmore House, owned
Find your entry coupon on page 49 of this issue, and visit by interior designer and
gardeningaustralia.com.au/awards for more details or to lodge an passionate gardener,
Mickey Robertson.
online entry. If you’re still unsure whether or not to enter, turn to
page 50 where we catch up with the 2016 winner, Shirley Johnson.
Shirley says she didn’t imagine for a second she would take out the
title (and the fabulous overseas trip), but decided to share her story
anyway. Just as well she did! We hope her holiday report and photos
inspire you to share your own story with us.
PHOTO ELIZABETH SWANE

Contact on Facebook at facebook.com/

ABCGardeningAustraliamagazine
Us and Instagram @gardeningaustraliamag to
keep up to date with the latest gardening news
and to see some great photos.
Share your stories, tips, photos and
opinions with us. Write to Your Say,
Gardening Australia, nextmedia, Locked
Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590 or email
yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 3

 JULY
EDITOR Jenny Baldwin
ART DIRECTOR Sarah Suttle
HORTICULTURAL EDITOR Phil Dudman
HORTICULTURAL CONSULTANT Elizabeth Swane
SUBEDITORS Gina Hetherington, Kerrie Lee
ABC TV HOST Costa Georgiadis
PRESENTERS Josh Byrne, Tino Carnevale,
Jerry Coleby-Williams, Jane Edmanson,
Millie Ross, Sophie Thomson
contents
CONTRIBUTORS
Steve Ball, Jason Chongue, Leonard Cronin, Virginia
Cummins, Sandra Eterovic, Jackie French, Robert Frith,
SEE INSIDE FOR GARDENER OF THE YEAR ENTRY FORM
31
Lauren Hampson, Judy Horton, Shirley Johnson,
Arno King, Dr Peter Kirkpatrick, Michael McCoy,
Martyn Robinson, Justin Russell, Jennifer Stackhouse, 7.30pm
Friday
Deryn Thorpe, Ian Tolley, Kim Woods Rabbidge July 2018

NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER

Anabel Tweedale, atweedale@nextmedia.com.au EXPERT
Phone (02) 9901 6371 ADVICE
• Daphne
DIRECTORIES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
• Winter iris
Alora Edwards, aedwards@nextmedia.com.au • Giant bromeliads
Phone (02) 9901 6101 • Tricky vegies
• Outdoor heating
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Annya Azzopardi, aazzopardi@nextmedia.com.au
Phone (02) 9901 6320
C
suti
PRODUCTION MANAGER Peter Ryman
PRODUCTION AND DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER
Jonathan Bishop
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Carole Jones
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ABC TV Gill Lomas Tino Carnevale Phil Dudman
SERIES PRODUCER ABC TV Chris Paterson Pears for garden An easy way to
beds, courtyards protect against
EDITOR ABC MAGAZINES Kate McMahon & warmer areas frost & drought
MAGAZINE COORDINATOR ABC COMMERCIAL
Jacqueline Forster
SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 361 146, gardeningaustralia.com.au
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES
on the cover
yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au Oranges, mandarins, lemons and
Phone (02) 9901 6325
limes… Aussies love growing citrus,
NEXT MEDIA PTY LTD
Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590 and the special Q&A clinic starting
Phone (02) 9901 6100 on page 42, and simple problem
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Gardiner
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Bruce Duncan solver on page 46, will help you get
ISSN: 1325-1465 the most from your backyard tree.
ABC Gardening Australia magazine is published by nextmedia Photo: Alamy
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Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and is subject to

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PRIVACY POLICY We value the integrity of your personal

information. If you provide personal information through your
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66 24
4 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
 42
ON THE COVER 66 Action planner What to do
in your garden this month
12 Daphne
16 Giant bromeliads
74 Backyard visitors Butterflies
and bromeliad residents
18 Winter iris
76 Feathers & fur Treating
31 Outdoor heating canine cough and cat flu
18 41 Phil Dudman: An easy way to 78 Mailbox Your letters,
protect against frost & drought photos and questions
42 Citrus solutions: your 86 TV & radio guide Your ABC
questions answered
87 The directory
48 Gardener of the Year entry form
58 Tino Carnevale: Pears for garden 98 The big picture
beds, courtyards and warmer areas
62 Tricky vegies KITCHEN GARDEN
56 The harvest Broccoli
FEATURES 58 Sweet sensations Versatile
12 Darling daphne pears and how to grow them
64 A favourite for winter fragrance
62 5 tricky vegies Dealing with
16 Regal splendour popular but problematic crops
The charm of imperial bromeliads
64 Cooking with broccoli Ways
18 Hidden jewels to use our star ingredient
Blooms of winter iris bring a splash
of gorgeous colour to the garden
20 A touch of silk
Flowers cascade like elegant strings 58
of pearls from the silk tassel bush
24 Serene haven
Natives and exotics blend beautifully
in a tranquil Brisbane garden
31 Winter cosy
Create a warm, inviting outdoor nook
for enjoying the cooler weather
competitions +
38 Prune to bloom reader offers
Keep your clematis in good shape 47 Win 1 of 5 Stone Fruit
to encourage masses of flowers
Salad Trees, valued at
41 Plant protector $100 each
Spray-on anti-transpirants provide 48 Enter the Gardener of
a barrier against moisture loss
12 42 Super citrus solutions
the Year competition
for your share of some
Special Q&A deals with many of the wonderful prizes
problems that plague home growers 54 Subscribe and receive
a gift card and bonus
pair of gloves from
REGULARS Power Planter
6 On the grapevine Latest news 81 Win 1 of 2 Fleming’s
8 Marketplace Plants and books tree vouchers, worth
$250 each
10 Out & about What’s on 85 Solve the crossword
22 The inside story to win 1 of 5 Gardena
Growing easy-care air plants pruning kits
74 52 At home with Jackie
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 5
GARDEN NEWS

on the Grapeve
We keep you up to date with all the latest headlines,
happenings and events in the gardening world
citrus canker alert
Citrus canker has been detected in
Western Australia and the Northern
Territory. This is a serious, highly
contagious disease that can spread
quickly, causing widespread damage
to all citrus plants. Gardeners in these
areas need to be on the lookout for
pinpoint blemishes on leaves, stems,
thorns or fruit, which develop into
wart-like lesions. Damage to leaves
caused by citrus leaf miner can make
trees more vulnerable. If you suspect
a case of citrus canker, it’s important
to report it immediately and to not
disturb the plant while waiting for
confirmation. Call the Exotic Plant
Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 or visit
agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-
what’s this daisy? weeds/plant/citrus-canker for more
Gardeners can easily identify all 618 of Victoria’s native and introduced daisies from the information. This is a timely reminder
Asteraceae family using a new feature of VicFlora – a free plant identification tool to not take fruit, trees or cuttings
created by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. A multi-access key allows users to select across state or territory borders if

PHOTOS ISTOCK, GEOFF CARLE, QUEENSLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, SIMON HOLLOWAY
up to 49 features of each plant to help with identification. Created by botanist Daniel they present a danger. Check this
Ohlsen from the National Herbarium of Victoria, the key has been designed to minimise on the Interstate Quarantine website,
mismatches, speeding up the process. VicFlora provides comprehensive information, interstatequarantine.org.au
including images, illustrations and distribution maps. vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au

bee immunisation London calling

Viruses spread by varroa mites are the world’s leading The home-grown Vegepod
cause of honey bee deaths, but they may have met self-watering garden bed
their match, thanks to research conducted by molecular has been on display in the
geneticist Dr Emily Remnant from The University of Discovery Hall at this year’s
Sydney. Dr Remnant and her team have been injecting RHS Chelsea Flower Show,
the bacteria Wolbachia into where it drew attention
queen bees to increase from international visitors.
resistance to the viruses The invitation to exhibit at
throughout the colony, this iconic event followed
with promising results. success at home, with the
Last year, Dr Remnant business winning Australian
received the Agriculture Business Awards last year
Minister’s Science and for Product Innovation and
Innovation Award for her Product Excellence. Here
work, which has enabled are some members of the
her to continue with this Vegepod team, enjoying
important research. their time at the show.

6 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 JUST
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We are Australia’s most popular garden magazine and
our club has more members than our leading AFL club.
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Eight magazines a year
Innovative, informative and provocative ideas about how
to be self-suicient in a tiny mini-plot space or country
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Eight free packets of seeds
he vegetable parterre at Heronswood, Dromana
Members receive four packets of seed in spring and autumn.

Over 40 heirloom tomatoes Over 30 different berries Biggest citrus range

“Just 5 hours gardening a week is all it takes to grow your tomatoes, avocados, citrus and
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supermarket produce. All plants are sent directly to your door from our mail order nursery.”
3 easy ways to join! Call 03 5984 7900, visit diggers.com.au/ga07 or use this coupon!

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Code: PG07
MARKETPLACE
1

what’s
Take a look at what’s h ants,
e
with
a beautiful new book st yo ver
some great ideas for your garden

1 Abundant lime green flower heads

in spring are an appealing feature
of compact Euphorbia ‘Ascot Liliput’.
Coupled with bronze-red new foliage,
a neat rounded habit to 30cm high and
tolerance for hot, dry conditions, it is
an ideal choice for patio containers,
rockeries and low borders. pma.com.au
as 40 flowers open on candelabra-like
stems. This impressive tree-lily requires
support stakes or a tripod, and protection
from strong wind. tesselaar.net.au
4 Aloe ‘Little Lemon’ is an elegant,
compact container plant that
3
provides lasting autumn and winter
colour. It combines well with potted

2 A low, compact habit and striking

patterned leaves make Fittonia
‘White Angel’ an attractive tabletop
house plant. The white-veined, dark
green foliage creates interest in
terrariums or small pots. It is lovely
combined with contrasting F. ‘Fire’,
which features thick red veining on
green leaves. ballaustralia.com
succulents on a sunny balcony or in
a massed low border display. Aloes
are tough, long-lived plants that tolerate
extremes of heat or cold, as well as
moderate frosts. gardenexpress.com.au
5 Double Oriental lily ‘Twinkling Star’
is a dazzler for pots and garden
beds. Heavily fragrant double white
flowers have no stamens, so no mess

3 For a towering display, the hybrid

Lilium ‘Miss Feya’ grows to 2.5m
tall, featuring richly coloured, reflexed
blooms up to 20cm across. As many
or allergens. Petals are slow to unfurl,
resulting in blooms that last up to three
weeks. Partner with ‘Magic Star’ for a
show of pink and white. tesselaar.net.au

on the shelf
1. Add a touch of elegance to your
home with reef-inspired Sea Urchin
1 Mirrors. An intricate, hand-welded
wire construction, painted in antique
white, supports the mirror. Although
this wall art can be installed outdoors,
it lasts longer when kept undercover.
Available in four sizes, from 50cm to
110cm in diameter, individually or as
a set of three. entanglements.com.au
2. Handcrafted using reclaimed truck
inner tubes, Rubber Planters are a
stylish, earth-friendly choice for your
plants. The planters are available in
a range of sizes and styles, including
plain round planters (pictured), small
hanging planters, a barrel-shaped
design and one with handles, which
makes it easy to move your plant
around. upcyclestudio.com.au
3. Flourish Cacti & Succulent
Soluble Plant Food provides
fast-acting nutrients to promote 2
strong growth, healthy roots and
flowering. Containing balanced
NPK fertiliser and chelated trace
elements suited to year-round
feeding through leaves and roots,
the 500g pack with resealable
bag makes up to 900L of liquid
fertiliser. searlesgardening.com.au
4. The award-winning Cup o Flora
self-watering pot is ideal for African
violets, which prefer being watered
from below and suffer when they are
overwatered. A wick allows the plant
to absorb water as needed from the
glass pot, and it’s easy to see when
it needs to be topped up. Available in
a range of sizes. cupoflora.com

8 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 books
Commonsense Citrus
by Ian Tolley
Ihabi Publications
Global citrus expert Ian Tolley shares
a lifetime of knowledge and experience
in this comprehensive volume. Written
for students, home gardeners and
commercial growers alike, the guide
offers advice on such matters as
propagation, planting and sustainable
management, and features more than
2 500 photographs and illustrations.

4 5 Olive Pink: Artist,

Activist & Gardener
by Gillian Ward
Hardie Grant
Evocatively illustrated with historical
photographs and Olive Pink’s superb
original paintings of the flowers of
the Central Australian region, this
fascinating biography documents the
life and work of an unconventional
woman way ahead of her time.

Secret Gardens
by Matthew Cantwell
New Holland
A feast of residential contemporary
landscaping, this coffee-table book
showcases gardens designed and
constructed by Matthew Cantwell and
his award-winning landscape team.
Covering country and city, native and
3 exotic, compact and rambling gardens,
it offers inspiration for all gardeners.

Picardy
by Marian Somes
Echo Publishing
Charming memoir of a rustic house
and garden, which pay homage to
COMPILED BY ELIZABETH SWANE

the owners’ love of all things French.

Complete with Monet-inspired picking
garden, Picardy sits perfectly in its
Australian landscape. With sumptuous
photography by Sue Stubbs and a
host of country recipes, it’s a lovely
4 book to curl up with on a wintry day.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 9

OUT & ABOUT

what’s on in Jy
Victoria National Tree Day
7th–8th Victorian Country Orchid
Clubs Challenge
Sat 12–5pm, Sun 9am–3pm. Leopold Primary School,
1 Kensington Rd, Leopold (cnr Bellarine Hwy). 0438 722 349.
$5. See judged displays from 11 orchid clubs, including rare
and unusual species. Clive Halls, who is well known for his
masdevallias and cool-climate orchids, will speak on Sunday
afternoon. Plants for sale and light refreshments available.

New South Wales

20th–22nd Orchids in the Foothills
Fri & Sat 9am–4pm, Sun 9am–3pm. Hawkesbury Indoor
Stadium, 16 Stewart St, South Windsor. (02) 4754 5480. $10.
The 21st Australian Orchid Council Conference & Show will
feature a blue orchid, Phalaenopsis ‘Wedding Parade’, not
previously seen outside Japan. International speakers will share
scientific expertise and insights into the art of orchid growing,
and local experts will offer advice to orchid hobbyists.
29th Tree Day Trail

27th he Inside Dig: Succulent
Garden Workshop
6–7.30pm. The Calyx, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney,
Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney. (02) 9231 8182. $65 ($60
ALL EVENT INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PRINTING. DETAILS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Visitor Centre, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.
(02) 4634 7900. Free. Bring your family on this sensory
adventure, where you will use sight, smell and touch to visit
specially chosen trees. This fun, educational trail includes

PHOTOS MARK DONALDSON PHOTOGRAPHY, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY.

for Foundation & Friends members). Learn how to grow
succulents, including styling a group of different varieties,
and have fun designing and making your own mini-succulent
garden to take home. Materials and refreshments provided.
Succulent Garden Workshop
challenges along the way. Available for school bookings.
Queensland
21st–22nd Toowoomba Camellia
Show & Garden Expo
9am–4pm. TAFE Quadrangle, Campbell St, Toowoomba.
(07) 4659 8500. $8. Enjoy being surrounded by hundreds of
camellias. There will be competitions, inspirational speakers,
food stalls, local produce, plants for sale, entertainment and
a special traditional Japanese tea ceremony. All proceeds
will go to support the Toowoomba Hospice.

28th Creswick Garden Club Learning Day

9.30am–3.30pm. RACV Goldfields Resort, 1500 Midland Hwy,
Creswick. (07) 5345 2514. $60. Join Gardening Australia
presenter Jerry Coleby-Williams at this exciting event, which
includes morning tea and a two-course luncheon. Jerry will
share his expert gardening advice and answer your questions.

10 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 tell us about your event
he October calendar deadline is July 4,
2018. Send event details (date, event name,
opening times, address, phone number,
entry fee and description) to Shows,
Gardening Australia, nextmedia, Locked
Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590 or email
shows@gardeningaustralia.com.au

28th–29th Winter Orchid Show

Sat 8.30am–4pm, Sun 9am–3pm.
Auditorium, Brisbane Botanic Gardens
Mt Coot-tha, Mt Coot-tha Rd, Toowong.
(07) 3277 5825. $4. The auditorium
will be bursting with potted orchids in
flower at the John Oxley District Orchid
Society annual winter show. See potting
demonstrations at 10am and 1pm both
days, and receive cultural advice. Lots of
plants and growing accessories for sale.

ACT
30th June–29th July Warm Trees
at the National Arboretum
7am–5.30pm. National Arboretum
Canberra, Forest Drive, Molonglo Valley.
(02) 6207 8484. Free. Each year, the
National Arboretum brightens up winter
with a colourful knitted installation. This
year features New Zealand flora and fauna, including a knitted
silver fern, a giant kiwi and groves of pohutukawa flowers.
The combined efforts of hundreds of knitters of all ages, from
the ACT, around Australia and overseas, has created Warm
Trees, which is the largest knitted installation in the world.

South Australia
8th Rose-pruning Demonstration
1.30–4pm. 3 Para Rd, Evanston. 0409 096 369. Free. Bring
your gloves and secateurs to this demonstration, and get
all the tips and ideas you need to prune your roses. This is
also a great opportunity for gardeners who would like to
refresh their skills. Light refreshments will be available.

National
29th National Tree Day
A range of venues and times across Australia. This annual
tree-planting event is a great way to join your community with
the common goal of supporting the natural environment and
beautifying your neighbourhood. Visit treeday.planetark.org
to find out about the many ways you can get involved at
home, school, work or through community organisations.
PLANTS IN FOCUS
dg
DAPHNE
Fragrant and fickle and oh-so-worth-the-trouble… the scent of
just one sprig of daphne is all it takes to hook a gardener on this
popular winter-flowering shrub, writes ELIZABETH SWANE
M
y enduring love for daphne began in my
grandmother’s garden. To this day, just
one whiff of the heady perfume triggers a
sensory memory of the fragrance carried
on a cool, clear winter’s day. The scent of daphne
(Daphne odora) is unlike any other – sweet, citrusy and
intense. Add to that the pretty, waxy, pink and white
blooms, glossy evergreen foliage and rounded bushy
habit, and you have a much-loved winter garden plant.
However, daphne does have a reputation for being
fickle and tricky to maintain long-term.
The secrets to success are great drainage, slightly
acid soil and a morning-sun aspect. Get these right,
and your plant may last for years… until one day, for
no apparent reason, it might just turn up its toes!
care & cultivation
Daphne grows best in warm temperate to cool
temperate areas. It tolerates light frost but needs
protection from heavy frost. An east-facing spot
with plenty of bright light and protection from hot
afternoon sun is ideal. Choose a position close
to a pathway, window, doorway or entrance, so
you can enjoy the fragrance as you pass by.
The soil must be rich, friable, well-drained and
slightly acidic. Incorporate some compost or manure
prior to planting your daphne. To help water drain
away from the root zone, plant into a raised bed or
a generous mound of improved soil.
Adding sulfur will help to lower the pH for neutral
or slightly alkaline soils. If your soil is heavy or too
alkaline, large pots filled with quality potting mix are
your best option for growing daphne (see box on
12 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
in
lower
now
page 14). Organic mulch spread over the root zone,
but away from the stem, helps maintain a cool root run.
Waterlogging or overwatering means certain death
for daphne, so let the soil dry out between waterings.
However, during summer, water more frequently
so the plant doesn’t wilt or become water-stressed.
Apply a controlled-release, organically based fertiliser
formulated for acid-loving plants – azalea and camellia
food, for example – in spring, summer and autumn.
Monthly applications of liquid seaweed act as a tonic
and boost root growth by conditioning the soil.
Daphne’s natural habit is open and shrubby, with
angular stems. Picking short flowering stems to bring
indoors acts as light pruning and is all that’s needed
to keep the plant tidy. Otherwise, give the bush a light
trim when flowering finishes.
propagation
Propagate daphne from semi-hardwood cuttings taken
PHOTOS KEVIN AIRS, GAP PHOTOS/MARTIN HUGHES-JONES
in mid-summer when new spring growth has hardened
off. Choose stems that are beginning to change from
green to light brown and use the small side shoots
that grow off the main stems. Remove these, leaving
a little ‘heel’ of bark at the base. Trim the tops to make
cuttings about 10–12cm long, then remove all but three
or four top leaves. Cut large leaves in half to reduce
transpiration (loss of water through leaves).
Dip the base of cuttings into hormone gel to increase
your chances of root formation, then insert them into
pots of moist propagating mix. Place in a protected
spot and keep moist. Slipping a plastic bottle over the
top and misting regularly helps maintain high humidity.
Cuttings can take 3–4 months to form roots.
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 13
PLANTS IN FOCUS

HEAVEN SCENTED
Left A compact growth habit
makes Daphne odora x bholua
‘Perfume Princess’ perfect for
pots. Below D. ‘Spring Pink
Eternal Fragrance’ has clusters
of lowers at the tips of foliage.
Previous page D. odora ‘Rubra’

growing in pots
Daphne does well in pots. Choose large ones,
45cm in diameter and depth, then fill with
premium potting mix or one formulated for
acid-loving plants, such as camellia and azalea
mix. Ensure the pot has more than one drainage
hole, and raise it up on pot feet or stand it on a
couple of low pavers to allow water to drain away
freely. Never let the pot stand in water – this will
surely be the death of your daphne – and check
drainage holes regularly to make sure they are not
blocked. Position the pot in a partially shaded
spot, so the plant receives morning sun but is
protected from the hot afternoon sun, then move
it to a prominent spot close to the door in winter
to maximise your enjoyment of the flowers and
delicious scent. Daphne can tolerate winter sun.

problem solver can you transplant a daphne?

Established daphne plants resent having their roots disturbed, so

PHOTOS TESSELAAR, PLANTS MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA, ALAMY, GAP PHOTOS/MARTIN HUGHES-JONES

GAP PHOTOS/NEIL HOLMES, GAP PHOTOS/HEATHER EDWARDS, GAP PHOTOS/MARTIN STAFFLER ISTOCK
Your daphne will soon tell you if it’s not
only move an older plant as a last resort, and make sure you have
completely happy. Here are the signs:
taken cuttings as insurance against the plant’s failure to thrive.
Yellow or drooping leaves, browning
stems from the tip down, death of stems
or the whole plant This is a result of root
rot caused by poor drainage and soggy soils.
Perfect drainage is a must. Early efforts to
improve drainage, and treatment with a
systemic fungicide such as phosphorous
acid, may revive an unhappy plant.
Poor, spindly growth or lack of flowers
This results from insufficient light. Trim
surrounding plants to let in more light or,
if in a pot, move to a morning-sun position.
Fluffy white insects (mealy bug) These
sap-sucking insects will reduce flowering
ability and general health. Treat with
horticultural oil or neem oil.
Twisted, mottled or yellowing leaves
This is a sign of viral infection. Take care
when you’re purchasing plants – select those
with uniform, dark-green glossy foliage – and
control insects, such as aphids, which can
spread viruses to your plants.

14 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

8 top picks
There are different types of daphnes
to choose from, including varieties
with large flowers or variegated leaves,
and smaller ones that can be used as a
groundcover. Here are some favourites.

• D. odora ‘Alba’ Pure white flowers

on this daphne have a scent that is more
citrusy than ‘Rubra’. The foliage is glossy
green. 1.5m 1m D. odora ‘Alba’ D. odora ‘Rubra’
• D. odora ‘Rubra’ This is a traditional
winter-flowering daphne with tight clusters
of waxy pink and white flowers, mostly at
the tips. 1.5m 1m
• D. odora ‘Aureomarginata’ This
daphne’s flowers are pink and white, and
the leaves have a lovely creamy-yellow
border. 1–1.5m 1m
• D. odora x bholua ‘Perfume Princess’
Profuse blush-pink flowers, fading to white,
are up to four times larger than D. odora
and are repeated down the branches.
This is the earliest and longest-flowering D. odora x bholua
daphne, with an intense perfume, glossy D. odora ‘Aureomarginata’ ‘Perfume Princess’
green foliage and compact growth habit.
It is more sun-tolerant than D. odora and
was awarded 2016 Plant of the Year by
Nursery & Garden Industry Australia.
1.2m 1m
• D. x transatlantica ‘Eternal
Fragrance’ This has pink buds opening
to white. 60cm 80cm
• D. ‘Spring Pink Eternal Fragrance’
Deep pink buds open to pink flowers and
fade to white. Tight clusters of flowers
at tips of foliage, mostly in spring, with
spot flowers repeatedly through the year. D. x transatlantica D. ‘Spring Pink
Deep green, narrow leaves resemble English ‘Eternal Fragrance’ Eternal Fragrance’
box, with a dense, compact habit. Tolerates
a range of soils and climate conditions.
Frost-hardy and more sun-tolerant than
D. odora. 60cm 80cm
• D. x burkwoodii A densely foliaged
evergreen or semi-evergreen in cooler
zones. Its small star-shaped spring
flowers are pale pink, fading to white.
Frost-tolerant. 1.5m 1.5m
• D. cneorum Known as rock daphne,
this dense evergreen low shrub has warm
pink buds and pink flowers. It suits a cool
climate. 20cm 60cm GA D. x burkwoodii D. cneorum

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 15

PLANTS IN FOCUS
REGAL
splendour
Imperial bromeliads look majestic in the garden, and these royal
beauties are easy to grow and maintain, writes ARNO KING
I
f you are looking for a jaw-dropping focal plant
for that special spot in your garden, the imperial
bromeliad (Alcantarea imperialis) could fit the bill.
These giants of the bromeliad family, with their
rosettes of perfectly arranged shiny leaves, 1.5–2.5m
wide, stop visitors to my garden in their tracks. When
they produce their long-lasting candelabra of flowers
that reaches 3–4m tall, visitors are amazed. While they
may look delicate, these plants are quite robust and
require minimal maintenance once established.
collectors’ favourites
The imperial bromeliad was an uncommon collectors’
plant in Australia until the late 1990s, when Bruce
Dunstan and a few other nursery professionals started
growing seed of the imperial and related species in
commercial quantities. They are now firm favourites.
Growers soon spotted special plants with differently
coloured leaves among their seedlings, and other
clones of the species were selected from the wild.
Today, gardeners can grow some of the many
outstanding A. imperialis cultivars, including ‘Hellfire’
(reddish leaves), ‘Purple Skotak’ (broad, slightly pleated
leaves), ‘Silver Plum’ (deep maroon with white waxy
dusting), ‘Landsendt Blue Grey’, ‘Whyanbeel’ (bright
green with unusual darker reticulation) and ‘Arno’
(leaves pinkish above and plum below).*
growing tips
Native to the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, where
it grows on steep rock faces, A. imperialis are happiest
in tropical, subtropical and sheltered warm temperate
gardens, but certain clones tolerate cooler conditions.
16 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
lo ok s
good a
year l
l
Plants grow best in full sun to bright semi-shade;
however, some of the darker-leafed cultivars may
occasionally get leaf-burn during hot, dry weather, with
low humidity. Keeping plants moist and their tanks (leaf
rosettes) full of water reduces potential for burning.
Unlike most other bromeliads, alcantareas are greedy
feeders and like a large root run. The best specimens
I’ve seen are grown in beds in free-draining soils. They
look great tucked in among large rocks. To encourage
rapid early growth and impressive specimens, feed
every two months in the growing season (September
to March), using an organic fertiliser that contains
balanced ground rock minerals. Many growers ease
off on the fertiliser once plants are established.
Alcantareas can also be grown in pots, however
ensure they are large enough, as nothing looks worse
than a bonsai alcantarea. Mature plants require a pot
at least 40cm in diameter. The advantage of growing
plants in pots in cooler areas is that you can tuck them
away under shelter when it gets chilly.
A flowering specimen is spectacular and will put on
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/BRENT WILSON, ARNO KING
a display for almost a year. However, this announces
the demise of the mother plant. Following flowering,
most plants quickly produce pups or suckers that can
be removed and replanted. Take care removing these
pups, as they are brittle. I wait for about six months
or up to a year, until they are quite large, then I gently
rock them backwards and forwards, perpendicular to
‘mum’, holding them close to their base. Some of the
darker clones of A. imperialis, such as ‘Silver Plum’,
do not produce pups and must be grown from seed.
*Ed’s note: Although he’s too modest to mention it, the
cultivar ‘Arno’ is named after our writer Arno King! GA
 where to buy
Dilling’s Bromeliads, (02) 6684 9276,
dillingsbromeliads.com.au; Forest Drive
Nursery, (02) 6655 4130, bromeliads.com.au;
Grange View Gardens Nursery, 0427 428
793, grangeviewgardensnursery.epage.at;
Pinegrove Bromeliad Nursery, (02) 6683 4188;
The Olive Branch Bromeliad Nursery, 0422
550 262, olivebranchbromeliads.net; Wholesale
Bromeliads of Australia, (02) 6684 5374,
ausbroms.com.au; Wildfire Garden Bromeliad
Nursery, 0403 193 069, wildfiregarden.com

MAKE A STATEMENT
more big broms
Clockwise, from above The genus Alcantarea includes
h is large, red-leafed some 30 described species, but
A. imperialis ‘Rubra’ is many undescribed species, as
surrounded by a crowd well as cultivars and hybrids, are
of richly coloured and
variegated smaller also widely grown in Australia.
bromeliads; rosette of Generally, these large bromeliads
A. imperialis ‘Landsendt have similar cultural requirements.
Blue Grey’ can reach My favourites include A. extensa
more than 1.5m in ‘Blue’, A. vinicolor ‘Hawaiian
diameter; the leaves
of A. imperialis ‘Arno’ Red’, A. glaziouana, A. nahoumii,
are pinkish on top and A. patriae and A. odorata.
plum on the underside.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 17

PLANTS IN FOCUS

hidd
pretty
winter
lowers

JEWELS
While much of the garden is sleeping during the cold,
beautiful winter iris blooms can be found hiding among
their strappy foliage, writes JENNIFER STACKHOUSE

W
inter iris is given almost mythical status
in gardening books and articles from
the UK as an evergreen iris that, wait
for it, flowers in winter! And it surely
does. Among the clump of green strappy leaves appear
exquisite blue-purple flowers, which are totally unfazed
by even the wildest weather.
There are just two drawbacks to this much-vaunted
perennial: it is a small iris and its flowers hide among
the leaves. A clump is generally only 30cm high and up
to 40cm wide, so it, and its short-lived, short-stemmed
flowers, could well go unregarded.
In our often-warm winter gardens, this little iris is
likely to bloom unnoticed in the chilly air, outranked
by all the other more obvious winter-flowering plants,
from flamboyant camellias to showy hellebores.
For gardeners in colder climates, this iris is one of
the delightful plants to discover on a walk around the
garden on a winter’s day. A glimpse of blue among
the green will make you pause, bend down and push
aside the leaves to admire the perfect iris flower in
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/HOWARD RICE, GAP PHOTOS/JOHN GLOVER
miniature. Each flower has six petals – three ‘falls’
and three ‘standards’ – like other iris. Each fall is
marked with a yellow-and-white fringed ‘beard’.
The blooms are also scented – faintly, to my nose.
To better enjoy the fragrance and the flower itself,
pick a stem and bring it indoors to place in a vase.
growing tips
Winter iris is native to the Mediterranean region and
it is found growing wild in Greece, Turkey, Tunisia
and Algeria (this one is often known as Algerian iris).
In our gardens, it thrives from the chilly south of the
continent to the warm temperate zones, and grows
happily in sun or part shade.
It copes well with dry conditions, which is probably
its true claim to fame. It is usually planted near trees
PERENNIAL PLEASURE
Left ‘Alba’, also known as the white Algerian iris,
enjoys a long lowering season. Opposite he
drought-tolerant winter iris grows in sun or part
shade and withstands cold, bringing a welcome
burst of colour and fragrance to winter gardens.
At a glance
common name
winter iris, Algerian iris
botanic name
Iris unguicularis
(syn. I. stylosa)
plant type perennial suitable
30cm anytime
40cm winter to
full sun/ early spring
semi-shade
or at the base of a hedge, where the soil is often dry,
especially in summer. Winter iris can also be planted
at the base of a wall or grown in a container.
These are low-maintenance plants. Indeed, once
established, they rarely need any attention at all. In dry
conditions, they appreciate an extra drink, especially
during autumn as they form their winter flowers.
If flowers or leaves appear chewed, check among
the leaves and squash any snails or slugs you find.
Over time, the clump of winter iris will increase in
size and can be divided to make new clumps. Divide
in spring, which is also the time to tidy up the clump,
removing dead leaves. By cutting back the leaves in
autumn, you make the flowers easier to see in winter.
As well as the common blue-purple flowers of the
species, there are several named varieties available.
‘Alba’ has white flowers, ‘Mary Barnard’ has dark,
almost violet-blue blooms, and flowers of ‘Starkers
Pink’ (also known as Iris unguicularis spp. cretensis)
are a mauve-pink colour. GA
where to buy
This isn’t a plant that’s usually seen in garden
centres but it is available from some specialist
perennial nurseries, who may also stock named
cultivars. Try Lambley Nursery, (03) 5343
4303, lambley.com.au or Daylilies in Australia,
(02) 6035 0529, dayliliesinaustralia.com.au
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 19
PLANTS IN FOCUS

something
a bit
diferent

The silk tassel bush, with its pendulous

clusters of pearl-like flowers, is tougher
than it looks, writes SOPHIE THOMSON

20 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 STRINGS OF PEARLS
Below Blooms of the silk tassel bush hang from the stems
in elegant clusters. Left he plant is quite a slow grower,
but it’s worth the wait when you see it covered in lowers.

I
f you live in a cool to warm temperate or southern
arid part of Australia and are looking for an unusual,
eye-catching plant, the silk tassel bush (Garrya elliptica)
could be for you. Its flowers have an elegant, ethereal
quality, with long creamy tassels of beautiful pale green
blooms appearing from midwinter to spring, adding valuable
seasonal interest. When the flowers age and die, they turn
pale silver-grey and continue to look good on the plant.
Also known as catkin bush, silk tassel bush is a tough
evergreen shrub from the coastal ranges of California and
southern Oregon. It has wavy-edged, leathery leaves that
are dark green and shiny on top, with a soft, woolly, pale
green underside. This aids the plant’s tolerance of harsh
conditions, including salty winds.
PHOTOS LUKE SIMON, GAP PHOTOS/CAROLE DRAKE, GAP PHOTOS/HEATHER EDWARDS

Each plant produces either male or female flowers. The

male tassels are longer and showier, which makes them
a good choice. Look for ‘James Roof’, which is an improved
form, with longer flower tassels reaching 20–30cm. Indoors,
sprays of the dark foliage and pale-coloured flowers in a
vase make an attractive decorating feature.

growing tips
Silk tassel bush is slow-growing, eventually forming a large,
rounded, dense shrub 2–5m tall and wide, depending on
conditions. You could train it to form a small tree, or espalier
one against a wall to show off its beautiful pendant flowers.
It is also a spectacular plant for bonsai. If you need to prune,
do so straight after flowering, before new growth appears.
Silk tassel bush doesn’t need a lot of feeding and will grow
in full sun or semi-shade. It must have well-drained soil, so
mound and improve heavy clay with plenty of gypsum. If plants
are grown in a spot with poor air circulation or too much
shade, they could suffer from mildew. Once established, the
plants are drought-tolerant, although summer drought can
reduce flowering the following winter. GA
PLANTS IN FOCUS

the
inside storyThis month, JASON CHONGUE takes us into the weird and
wonderful world of air plants, which virtually look after themselves

air plant
botanic name Tillandsia spp.
These tropical plants are related to bromeliads and survive without soil, absorbing nutrients and water through
tiny scales on their leaves, making them easy-care plants for hanging, mounting on boards or growing in your
choice of vessels. As long as you provide plenty of humidity, they are pretty well set-and-forget indoor plants.

TIP
Humidity is the
key to happy
air plants.
WATER FOOD WHERE
Mist or dunk plants every Add a weak liquid Grow air plants in a position
three days or so in the fertiliser to the water with bright or filtered light.
warmer months. Gradually every couple of weeks Avoid placing them close to
reduce watering to once during the warmer fans, air-conditioning outlets or
a month in the coolest months to promote artificial heating, or in strong
weather. When dunking, healthy growth. draughts, which dry them out.
submerge plants in water
for 10–20 minutes, then
shake off excess. Let plants
dry out completely
between each watering.
TRY THIS
Air plants can be
worked into your
decor in many
different ways.
Try mounting
them on boards,
LOOK FOR hanging them
PHOTO VIRGINIA CUMMINS

With a large variety ranging on wires, gluing

from pretty to peculiar, you some to branches,
can never have enough air corks or shells, or
plants. Look for different leaf grouping them in
forms and colours to layer attractive vessels.
into your collection.

22 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 Garden Discoveries with Renaissance Tours

GARDENS OF NEW ZEALAND
Christchurch, Blenheim, Taranaki, Hamilton
with Helen Young | 19 Oct –02 Nov 2018 (15 days)
New Zealand is a hidden gem of garden design.
Join garden writer Helen Young to explore the
best of New Zealand’s springtime gardens,
including the annual Taranaki Garden Festival.
PHOTOS: © Stephen Goodenough Photography; © Old Wesley Dale Gardens; Tea plantation in up country near Nuwara Eliya; Waterperry Gardens © Mark Lloyd
GARDENS OF TASMANIA
Meander Valley–Bay of Fires–Derwent and Huon Valleys
with Jennifer Stackhouse | 28 Oct – 05 Nov 2018 (9 days)
Traverse the Island State with Jennifer Stackhouse
(ex-editor ABC Gardening Australia) to explore springtime
gardens from the Meander Valley and Bay of Fires in the
north to the Derwent and Huon Valleys in the south.

GARDENS OF SRI LANKA GLORIOUS GARDENS OF GREAT BRITAIN

Landscape Gardens, Tea Plantations and Colonial Heritage
with Helen Young | 20 Feb – 06 Mar 2019 (15 days)
From the coast to the highlands, the fabled
‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ reveals exquisite treasures
of garden design, stunning natural scenery and
fragrant spice and tea plantations.
Chelsea Flower Show, Salisbury, Gloucestershire, Oxford
with Julie Kinney | 20 May – 04 Jun 2019 (16 days)
Delight in the springtime bloom at the best of Great Britain’s
flower exhibitions, country estates and private gardens in the
company of gardening author Julie Kinney. Includes a special
day of members-only access into the Chelsea Flower Show.

For detailed information visit renaissancetours.com.au, call 1300 727 095 or contact your travel agent.
GREAT GARDENS

serene
HAVEN
words & photography Kim Woods Rabbidge

A diverse Brisbane garden is brimming with

a thoughtful mix of plantings that create a
feeling of harmony and gentle unfolding
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 25
GREAT GARDENS
W
alking into the large, established
garden of horticulturist Helen
Henningham feels instantly
welcoming and serene. Beautiful
old trees at Chetwynd, in the Brisbane suburb of
Corinda, tower over ferns and a feast of foliage
and flowers. The front garden is filled with shrubs,
low-growing perennials and bulbs, and Helen’s
skill is evident in the perfectly balanced mix of
plantings – old and new, native and exotic.
A character-filled Queenslander home, with
wraparound verandah, sits comfortably to one side
of the 1200m2 block, allowing for space to garden
at the front, the back and along the western border.
A winding sawdust path leading to the house is
edged with ferns and fragrant French lavender.
On the eastern side of the house, there’s just
enough room for a path shrouded in greenery,
including maidenhair ferns, wandering hoya and
Adiantum hispidulum. Helen calls this her ‘Shade
Gallery’, a place her grandchildren find mystical.
Exploring the garden with Helen is like being
introduced to lots of lovely friends. Some of her
plants are cultivars with special attributes, some
are fragile but perform with encouragement,
and others are simply reliable old favourites.
Among these are wispy white cat’s whiskers
(Orthosiphon aristatus) and several types of
plectranthus – Helen’s signature plant – including
the native P. argentatus with silvery felted leaves.
Plectranthus are found mainly in warmer areas
26 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
MAGICAL SPACE
Clockwise from left Helen Henningham with her japonica camellia ‘Laurie Bray’;
native Barklya syringifolia arches over a path; a Grevillea ’Starire’ underplanted with
gardenias; Camellia ‘Black Tie’; a lovely Phillip Island hibiscus; Helen’s grandchildren
love this shady path. Previous page A beautiful balance of natives and exotics.
of the Southern Hemisphere, but some have been
hybridised for better performance. They make a
good groundcover, as they are drought-hardy and
don’t mind dry shade, and respond well to pruning.
The lavender tends to naturally get regular trims,
as Helen often gives bunches to friends. When she
cuts it back seriously, she takes about a third, and
also takes cuttings for replacements. “When our
children were little, I’d often make posies for their
teachers using lavender and lemon-coloured paper
daisies (Xerochrysum bracteatum), and I’d add a
fringe of fragrant pelargonium. The paper daisies
are best when replaced every couple of years.”
Graptophyllum spinigerum, growing as a low,
informal hedge, corrals plants in the front beds.
In other sections, Helen uses Graptophyllum
excelsum, sometimes known as Queensland holly.
“It wants to grow tall, but I clip it loosely, and it
spot-flowers all the time.”
naturally evolving
When Helen and her husband John moved here
30 years ago, a mature poinciana was growing in
the front garden. “We should have taken it out then,
as it was a bit lopsided, but we’d always admired
old timber houses with large trees,” Helen says.
Beneath its canopy, which spanned half the front
garden, she amassed a host of shade-loving plants.
Finally, four years ago, threatening branches and
hollow limbs saw the poinciana removed. As many
gardeners know, the head sometimes needs to rule
over the heart, and renewal is important. Helen
embraced the opportunity and made changes.
Now, just inside the front picket fence, a native
gardenia (Atractocarpus fitzalanii) has taken the
limelight. “We’ve always kept it topped, so it’s
thickened, and it’s quite a feature tree,” Helen says.
Initially, she had planned to grow an expanse of
lawn in the new sunny area – an idea that lasted
only until she started dreaming about paper daisies,
lavender and other favourites. “The red soil is so
nice that it seemed a pity to waste it.”
For the first year, camellias that were once
protected by the poinciana’s shade were in shock
and suffered sunburn. Now, Helen says, they are
growing like crazy. A few blooms still get burnt
but they enjoy some protection from the native
gardenia and a big rangy grevillea. Grevilleas
are not often grown next to acid-loving camellias,
but Helen explains how grafted forms are much
tougher and better able to cope with rich soil.
Once her plants are established, she doesn’t water
much, although a few Gardenia ‘Florida’ bushes
are watered more frequently to prolong flowering.

inspired plantings
Two years spent in Japan with John in the late ’70s
had a profound influence on Helen. “I really like a
green garden. I like working with foliage and I love
the atmosphere created by leaf movement, and to
see plants waving – to hear the breeze. It gives
a sense of coolness,” she says. “I like to try and

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 27

GREAT GARDENS

28 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA


RELAXED SETTING
Clockwise from above
Lavender softens nearby
strappy-leafed plants; a parrot
feasting on Grevillea ‘Starire’;
hardy Grevillea ‘Moonlight’; a
grassed area is the perfect place
to relax and play; deep glossy
leaves of a native gardenia tree
contrast with cat’s whiskers
and Plectranthus argentatus.
balance things, and repeat themes around the
garden. These are classic garden principles,
but the Japanese are brilliant at them.”
By the corner of the house, an elegant,
weeping native, Barklya syringifolia, has been
trained to arch over the path. Its yellow racemes
and ruffled, heart-shaped leaves are a delight.
Along the west, a strip of lawn creates a quiet
void between beds – until the grandkids visit
and it morphs into a playing field.
Exotics are happily mixed with natives here.
Two camellias are glad to be beneath the crepe
myrtle, and in the north-west corner, a beautiful
Magnolia grandiflora flowers for months. There
are lovely Australian trees along the western
border – a brachychiton hybrid has salmon-pink,
bell-shaped flowers, and in September the
Queensland tree waratah (Alloxylon flammeum)
reveals its stunning red flowers.
Helen says the Elaeocarpus eumundii, with
its green-bronze foliage, is a good boundary
tree. She has also used several lemon myrtles
(Backhousia citriodora) around the garden and
says they are one of the best screening plants.
Keeping them rounded makes them thicker and
gives more definition. “If you lop them at ground
level, they take off again. They’re very tolerant,”
she says. “I love mowing over the lemon myrtle
leaves and smelling that scent. Sometimes I use
their leaves for tea and just add a bit of honey,
and when I cook fish, I place it on a bed of the
lemon myrtle leaves and bake it.”
Two shades of shrimp plants (Justicia spp.)
look effective massed along borders beneath
trees, and grass trees (Xanthorrhoea glauca)
serve as striking textural accents among clivea
and spider lilies. There’s a vegie patch at the
back, and tropical touches by the pool include a
clump of golden cane palms and hibiscus, plus
vigorous Heliconia rostrata, which provides
copious red blooms for gifts at Christmas.
Japanese sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica)
– which is not actually a bamboo – is another
plant that is repeated, and neat grey myrtle trees
(Backhousia myrtifolia) are Helen’s ‘chorus
line’. “They are great in flower arrangements,
and I like the pretty new growth,” she says.
“If I prune carefully, not in the winter months,
I’ll get good flowers, and bracts that follow.”
Helen’s decision to limit the plant palette
means that there’s a real harmony pervading
Chetwynd. “I like to create that sense of unfolding
as I wander around the garden,” she says. GA
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 29
 Stay Safe this Winter

Know the Fire and Carbon Monoxide risks during cold weather

Winter months are a peak time for house

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Families can better protect themselves by

having working smoke alarms and carbon
monoxide alarms on every level of the home
and in sleeping areas.

)RUͤUHVDIHW\WLSVGXULQJWKLVZLQWHUVHDVRQYLVLWwww.quell.com.au.
 OUTDOOR LIVING

Wtev COSY
PHOTO GAP PHOTO/FRIEDRICH STRAUSS

There’s no need to huddle inside on those chilly

days. Take a leaf out of DERYN THORPE’s book and
create a snug outdoor nook for seasonal relaxation
OUTDOOR LIVING

O
ne of my great winter
pleasures is snuggling
up with a garden book,
a rug and a cup of tea
on the corner of the verandah
that hosts our outdoor lounge.
To make a winter nook that
is an extension of your home,
block wind and rain with blinds
or louvres, then install comfy
furniture, heating and decorative
elements, such as cushions,
throws, rugs and potted plants.
Add some candles, lamps and
twinkling lights for a warm
and welcoming glow at night.
If you have space, create a
spot for relaxing in the garden,
where you can soak up the sun
on those glorious, crisp days.

cus
ushions
Add sooftness and a touch of colour or
A grab a
xtu with some long-lasting cushions.
texture
You’ll find a limited variety in shops but
cushion and
many online outdoor-fabric companies get comfy
have an extensive range of patterns and
plains, and some offer a cushion-making
service. The best fabric for outdoor
cushions is made from 100 per cent
acrylic fibres, dyed in colour solution
before they are woven. These fabrics
are water-resistant, do not promote
mildew growth, and are soft and
durable. They are sold as ‘outdoor
fabric’ and most take about 2000
hours of direct sun before fading.
You can also use 100 per cent spun
polyester, which is more durable
than indoor fabric, but it still fades.

32 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 CREATE A
BOLD
STATE M E NT
rugs
A rug transforms the patio
into an inviting area and acts as
an anchor to visually unify the
elements. The most durable are
made from polypropylene, an
inexpensive synthetic. I can
attest to its claim for stain, water
and fade resistance, as the one
on my verandah looks the same
as when I bought it 18 months
ago. Acrylic rugs are also
suitable; they’re softer to the
touch but not as durable.
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/FRIEDRICH STRAUSS, ZANUI.COM.AU,
FABOUTDOORFABRICS.COM.AU, ISTOCK

The Décofire Accendo fire pit is perfect for creating a bold

statement or focal point in contemporary outdoor spaces.

decofireheating.com.au
OUTDOOR LIVING

furniture
If you have the space, a lounge setting with a coffee
table transforms a patio into an outdoor room, but even
one chair, a tiny folding table and a potted plant can make
a balcony inviting. Choose a setting that suits your style, sit down
whether it’s modern-look aluminium, polymer, plastic,
resin or steel, or more traditional wicker, rattan, timber and relax in
or wrought iron. Before purchasing, consider how much the garden
weather the furniture will be exposed to, as some ‘outdoor
settings’ are only suitable for totally enclosed spaces.

PHOTOS ALAMY, KIM WOODS RABBIDGE, LOUVRETEC, ISTOCK, ENTANGLEMENTS

blinds & louvres
Clear outdoor PVC blinds, also known as café blinds, allow
you to appreciate the garden view, while blocking draughts
and rain. Off-the-shelf blinds, operated by a rope pulley, are
the most inexpensive option. You can also order custom-made
blinds with rope pulleys, and more expensive versions with
manually cranked geared screens on stainless-steel guide
wires, or motorised blinds. Adjustable external louvres are
a more permanent option. These can be tilted to allow breezes
and light into a space, and closed for privacy and draught
control. Custom-made from steel or powder-coated aluminium,
they can be fixed vertically or horizontally to create a sharp
modern ambience, and are popular for providing privacy on
the sides of patios or balconies adjoining neighbours.

34 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

heati
ting
Differ
erent types of heaters for outdoor areas are powered by
wood, bbriquettes, propane gas (LPG), natural gas or electricity.

GAS FIRE PITS

Combining the convenience of gas with the
ambience of fire, these upmarket heaters are
statement pieces and are priced accordingly,
with some models costing thousands of dollars,
although there are more modest versions. Units
shaped like a tall bar table are also available.

from $500

keep warm around a fire pit

on chill y winter evenings

FIRE PITS
Creating the mood of a campfire, fire pits burn timber in a cast-iron or
powder-coated steel container, in a variety of styles and sizes. They can
be smoky and dangerous for children, so shouldn’t be near the house.

from $30 for steel or $250 for iron

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 35

OUTDOOR LIVING

CHIMENEAS
These handcrafted, wood-burning fireplaces add a rustic ambience to an outdoor
living space. Made from volcanic clay and balanced on a wrought-iron stand, this
style of outdoor fireplace originated in Mexico. Even the best-quality ones are unlikely
to last for more than five years, as they can crack if the fire is allowed to become too
hot, or if they’re struck by kids’ bikes or balls. Cast-iron chimeneas are longer-lasting
and can be used with briquettes or other high-heat-output fuels, and they come with
attachable hotplates for cooking. The smoke from a chimenea goes up the chimney GAS HEATERS
but, unlike indoor fireplaces, the exterior gets very hot, so this form of outdoor heating These freestanding heaters are
is not suitable for families with young children or areas with timber decking. portable, efficient and affordable.
They provide a steady stream
from $150 for cast iron or $200 for clay of radiant heat and are generally
powered by bottled propane gas
(also known as LPG), although
some can be hooked up to a
natural-gas line. Big units can be
ELECTRIC HEATERS taller than 2m. Popular styles
Affordable portable electric models resembling include a narrow ‘pole’ on a base,
column heaters are plugged into electrical outlets. topped with a heating element,
PHOTOS DECOFIREHEATING.COM.AU, ALAMY

Wall- or ceiling-mounted heaters, also known as with a metal ‘umbrella’ cover;

heat strips, are slim, space-saving panels that fit a pyramid shape with a flame,
flush with the wall or ceiling and are wired into covered by a cylindrical tube; and
the home’s electrical system (this must be done a column design with the heating
by an electrician). They don’t emit light or glow element on top. The big units are
but they are cheaper to run than gas. A bank of heavy, making them awkward
heaters can be installed to warm big spaces. to move around, so you might
prefer a smaller tabletop model.
from $80 for portable or
$500 for fixed, plus installation from $160, or $130 for
tabletop models GA

36 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

O U T D O O R H E A T E R S

OUTDOOR HEATING
NEVER LOOKED
SO GOOD

g Classic Intense Max Portable Portable Wall Mounted

Intense LPG Natural Gas

HEATSTRIP® available in electric and gas models, DIY, portable or mains connected.

heatstrip.com.au
EXPERT ADVICE

prune to
BLOOM
Clematis can be grouped into three
main categories. PHIL DUDMAN
explains the different types, and
how and when to prune them

A
ll clematis need regular pruning to keep vines in good
shape, and remove any dead and unwanted material.
Most importantly, pruning encourages lots of fresh,
healthy growth, and masses of gorgeous blooms at
a height where you can enjoy them most, rather than up high
and out of sight. Proper pruning starts with knowing what type
of clematis you have. The many different species, hybrids and
cultivars are divided into three main groups, based on the time
they flower and the type of growth that produces the blooms.

group 1
Flowering in early spring on last season’s growth, this group
includes the well-known Clematis montana, along with C. alpina,
C. armandii, C. cartmanii and C. macropetala. Don’t prune these
now; wait until they have finished their spring show. When the last
PHOTOS PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATSKY, ISTOCK, GAP PHOTOS/MARK WINWOOD

flower drops, hop straight in and give them a light trim to tidy them
up. If they are a bit overgrown and congested, go a little harder.

group 2
This is a group of large-flowered clematis that bloom in spring on
short shoots that develop from last year’s growth, then continue
flowering through summer and autumn on new growth. It includes
C. henryi, C. florida var. sieboldiana and popular hybrids C. ‘Nelly
Moser’, C. ‘Rebecca’ and C. ‘Snow Queen’.
Pruning starts in late winter, but it must be light. You don’t want
to remove too much of last season’s growth, as this is where the
spring blooms are generated. Follow each stem down from the tip,
and trim just above a pair of plump, healthy buds. To promote a
second flush, tidy up immediately after flowering, cutting just below
spent blooms. Continue this through the season to encourage repeat
flowering. If your vines are overgrown, prune them harder after
the initial spring flowers, cutting them back by about half. The
vigorous new growth produces flowers in summer and autumn.

38 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

STAR QUALITY
Left he large, star-shaped blooms of C. ‘Nelly Moser’
have made it a favourite with clematis growers. Below
Late-lowering species such as C. viticella and C. texensis
beneit from a hard prune towards the end of winter.

group 3
These flower in late spring/early summer on new
season’s growth, and include showy, large-flowered
C. viticella and C. texensis. Prune in the latter half of
winter. Vines are generally cut back hard to about 30cm
above ground level, leaving at least two pairs of good,
strong-looking buds on each stem. This encourages
an upsurge of new growth in spring, followed by a
profusion of blooms in summer. Chopping them back
hard again straight after flowering often encourages
another flush of blooms in late summer/autumn. GA

after care
When you have finished pruning your clematis,
give the roots a good soaking, then apply some
fertiliser, preferably one formulated for flowering
plants, and water it in. Cover the ground with a
thick layer of mulch to hold in the moisture and
keep soil cool. They like a cool, moist root run.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 39

 KNOW-HOW

plant
protector Anti-transpirants act like all-weather coats
for plants, protecting them from climatic
extremes and, most importantly, limiting
moisture loss, as PHIL DUDMAN explains

Y
ou may have heard the
term ‘anti-transpirant’
being bandied about
at gardening events or
on talkback radio shows. It’s often
recommended when relocating
plants or for protecting them from
frost or heat. But what exactly is an
anti-transpirant, how does it work
PHOTOS PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATSKY, ISTOCK
protective coating also acts as a
shield against such climatic extremes
as cold and heat, fierce sun, strong
wind and salt spray. Manufacturers
claim the substance breaks down in
sunlight over a 3–4 month period,
and is biodegradable.
how do you use it?

and how can you make best use of it?
what is it?
An anti-transpirant is a polymer
concentrate that can be mixed with
water and sprayed onto plants to
reduce transpiration (water loss), as
the name suggests. If you were to
look at leaves under a microscope,
you would see lots of tiny openings
called stomata. This is where water
is released, and oxygen and carbon
dioxide are transferred during
photosynthesis. An anti-transpirant
spray forms a flexible and permeable
coating over the leaf, mechanically
limiting its moisture loss by up to
50 per cent but allowing regular
exchange of gases, so the plants
continue growing as normal. The
If you’re relocating a plant, spray an
anti-transpirant on the foliage before
digging it up to significantly reduce
transplant shock caused by severed
roots and moisture loss. When taking
cuttings, coating the foliage and stems
will help to conserve moisture in the
cuttings and increase your strike rate.
To protect plants that are prone
to scald and other damage during
heat spikes, windy conditions,
and extended drought and water
restrictions, spray them with an
anti-transpirant before conditions
begin. Similarly, an application to
plants prior to a frosty period helps
to protect them from light frost.
Anti-transpirants are sticky, so
wash the sprayer and nozzle with
warm soapy water and rinse well. GA

what to buy
The most common products available to home gardeners are WiltNot
and Envy, which are concentrates, and a premixed, ready-to-use
product called DroughtShield. Always follow manufacturers’ directions
and precautions when preparing and applying these products.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 41

Q&A SPECIAL

Super
S
SOLUTIONS
Aussies love growing citrus, and questions about lemons, limes and
other juicy delights dominate the airwaves on gardening talkback. Here’s
a selection of reader queries. If your problem isn’t covered, send it in!

42 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 e have lots of fruit on our 15-year-old
mandarin tree but it’s all very dry and woody
and it was the same last year. The tree has a good
water supply. Do you have any suggestions?
Don and Hazel Barrett, Wodonga, Vic
Phil Dudman says There are a number of factors
that can cause dry pulp in citrus fruit, including hot, dry
conditions while fruit are forming. Although your tree
has good water, when conditions are warm to hot, and
there is no rain, be sure to give it a deep soaking every
7–10 days. This is better than regular light watering.
Even if it’s done daily, light watering barely penetrates
the soil. At the other end of the scale is frost. Extremely
cold temperatures can freeze the juice, rupturing the tiny
vesicles inside. The juice is drawn to the rind, where it
evaporates, resulting in dry pulp. Leaving ripened citrus
on the tree too long can also cause woodiness at the
stem end. Citrus are greedy plants and often bear dry
fruit when undernourished, so remember to feed them
with citrus food every three months or so. Also, the
spined citrus bug feeds on fruit, causing dry brown
staining of the pulp. Pick off or spray with pyrethrum.
One of the fruits on our espaliered Valencia
orange looks rather unusual (below). I guess
we could call it a lemorange. Is this a common
occurrence? I wonder what it will taste like.
Gisela McMichael, Upper Sturt, SA
Ian Tolley says The odd-shaped Valencia mutation
is an effect of ultraviolet light on one flower bud at the
time of setting. Random mutations like this are relatively
common but they are usually varied in shape, size and
colour. The fruit is quite edible, and you will find that
it has normal fruit characteristics internally.
misshapen
Valencia orange
PHOTOS ALAMY, ISTOCK
affec ted by
ultraviolet light
We have had a potted lime tree for about five
years. Each season, it has plenty of flowers but
most don’t produce fruit, and those that do appear
don’t grow bigger than 1cm and are too small to use.
Michelle Weir, Marrickville, NSW
Elizabeth Swane says After five years in the
same pot, it’s time to re-pot the tree into fresh premium
potting mix. Make sure it is in full sun, and water and
feed it regularly with small amounts of an organically
based fertiliser for flowers and fruit.
I’d like to try my hand at espalier. Which type
of citrus tree would you recommend?
Joy Sorenson, via email
Phil Dudman says All citrus are suitable for
espalier, but I find mandarins are the best. They are
generally compact in their growth and are also prolific
bearers. A mandarin tree trained in a fan shape over
a wall space 2.5m wide and high should produce all
the fruit you need. Limes are another good choice.
My neighbour’s lemon tree, which has a couple
of branches on my side of the fence, is infected
with citrus gall wasp. I’ve found four gall-wasp sites
on my four-year-old Eureka lemon, which is 1.5m tall
and about 20m from the fence. I bought insect traps
from a garden centre, and they told me to put them on
my tree at the end of August. My gardener suggested
I replace them in February or March, and annually at
the end of August. I understand there’s no spray for
citrus gall wasps. Can you please enlighten me?
Jan Killen, Mitcham, SA
Elizabeth Swane says If not managed, citrus gall
wasps will stunt your tree’s development. They are a
major pest of the citrus industry, so it is important that
gardeners do their bit to manage populations. Currently,
the best treatment is to prune off the gall and destroy
it (see Jane Edmanson’s troubleshooter on page 46).
The yellow cylindrical traps you are using are a useful
indicator that gall wasps are about, but there is concern
that they also trap beneficial insects, including bees and
butterflies. Better to stick with physical controls, and
have a chat with your neighbours to encourage them
to manage their gall wasps, too. Every bit you do helps
reduce the population and spread of this pest.
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 43
Q&A SPECIAL

s are discoloured.
n and the leaf surface
ee is also dropping the
be wrong with it?
SW

I have a Mey
ays This condition, known
f iron deficiency. Citrus trees
returned from a ho
line soils have an inability to
taken over, destroying most o
. Treat your tree with liquid iron
don’t look fully ripe. Someone sugg
e absorbed through the leaves and
my chooks under the tree to eat the grubs,
the soil, add a layer of compost or
don’t seem to like it there. It was also suggested
ck. Citrus trees are gross feeders,
to freeze fruit that’s not too damaged, as this kills
fertiliser every three months or so.
the bugs inside, leaving fruit that can be juiced.
On is looking greener, it should be able
Is it too late to put traps in the trees? Also, how
to hold th mmature fruit. Regular watering is a
should I dispose of the damaged fruit?
key to maintaining fruit production.
Barbara Golden, Laidley, Qld
Phil Dudman says Meyer lemons have thin skin We have just harvested our first crop from our
and tend to be more susceptible to fruit fly damage majestic Tahitian lime tree. Most of the limes
than other popular varieties for your area, such as have a scaly mark on the peel (below), and the inner
the thicker-skinned Eureka, so you might consider fruit is golden rather than green, which is not what
planting one of those. In the meantime, there’s a range we expected. Are you able to provide some advice?
of strategies for dealing with your fruit-fly issue. The Helen Taylor, via email
first is hygiene. Collect all fruit that has been stung,
both fallen and on the tree. Put these into a black
Phil Dudman says It looks like citrus scab, which
is a fungal disease that causes raised wart-like scabs
plastic bag and leave it in the hot sun for 3–4 days.
on the skin, although the fruit inside is unaffected. The
The heat will kill the larvae. Next, dig a deep hole
disease may also be present on the tree’s leaves and
and bury the damaged fruit. Freezing would indeed
stems. Pick and prune off all the affected fruit, foliage
kill the larvae, but the quality of the juice would be
and stems, and spray with a copper fungicide, making

PHOTOS ISTOCK
questionable. Commercial traps, available at garden
sure you cover all remaining plant material, including
centres, are quite effective in attracting male and
the trunk. Follow up with another application shortly
female fruit flies. Two traps set up adjacent to your
after flowering, just as next season’s fruit are formed.
lemon tree should significantly reduce damage. The
When they are picked young, Tahitian limes are dark
liquid attractant in the trap needs to be replenished
green outside and greenish inside. As the fruit ages
every three months or so. I would also consider putting
on the tree, the skin and flesh become more yellow.
exclusion bags over at least half the crop. Buy these
This may explain the golden flesh, or you could have
readymade or make them from remnant fabric. Once
a Rangpur lime, which is distinctly golden inside.
fruit reaches about a third of its mature size, slip bags
over them to keep the egg-laying females off the fruit.
Bagging half the crop will give you some indication
of how effective the traps are and may help you decide
whether to bag more or less fruit in future.

My beautiful lime tree fruits prolifically but

I’ve noticed something has been eating the
bark off the branches. Any idea what it might be?
citrus
Alison Neilly, Forster, NSW scab on
Phil Dudman says The culprits are rats. You’ll limes
need to net or screen the tree to prevent the pests
getting to it, or use rat baits in a pet-safe container.

44 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 I’ve been growing a finger lime bush
in a pot for about three years, giving it
the proper treatment, and it looks healthy and
green. Last year, it was covered with flowers,
but it didn’t produce any fruit. Could you please
advise what I should do?
Maryse Nemorin, via email
Elizabeth Swane says There are some
seed-grown and cutting-grown finger limes
available for sale but, for reliable fruit production,
a grafted tree is your best option, as the fruit will
be true to type, and grafted trees have better vigour
and reach maturity earlier. The graft union will be
noticeable at the base of the tree. Finger lime trees
take about 2–3 years to settle into their spot in the sucker visible
ground or a pot, often putting on good growth before
flowering and fruiting. It’s a positive sign that your
behind main stem
tree flowered well last year. Flowers can drop if
the tree is water-stressed, so make sure to water well I was given this mandarin tree (above) by my
and don’t let it dry out while in flower. Use a wetting boys on Mother’s Day last year. While we were
agent regularly to help potting soil retain moisture, and looking after my mum’s Border Collie puppy, the top
apply a slow-release citrus food. You should see fruit section (above the graft) was destroyed. With lots
forming this year. As the tree grows, re-pot into a larger of TLC, the base of the tree has since taken over
container, using fresh potting mix. Most people grow and seems to be doing well. Will the tree still fruit?
their finger limes in a sunny spot, but they are actually Tess Doyle, via email
an understorey plant and prefer early-morning sun or Elizabeth Swane says Lucky escape for your
dappled light. Full sun in a pot might be too stressful. young mandarin tree! It appears to have recovered well
and the graft is undamaged. There’s a small sucker
coming from below the graft (the foliage looks smaller
and stems are thorny). Remove this by rubbing it off
or cutting it off flush with the trunk. The tree looks like
could do with an application of slow-release citrus
the leaves are not as green as they could be.

We have a four-year-old mandarin tree, planted

n granitic soil, that is watered by dripper three
s a week and fertilised with citrus fertiliser. It is
tall and a very healthy specimen, but has never
wered or fruited. What do we need to do?
ax and Coral Cox, Longwood, Vic
hil Dudman says Is it a grafted specimen? If not,
t may take seven or more years before you start seeing
flowers. Is it getting plenty of sunshine? To flower, all
citrus need four or more hours of direct sun daily, and
demand at least six hours a day to fruit well. Have you
done any pruning? If so, you may have cut off flowering
wood. Are you irrigating in winter, as well? It might pay
you to reduce watering in winter. A little water stress
in winter may help to bring on flowers in spring.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 45

 CITRUS TROUBLESHOOTER
JANE EDMANSON has citrus-growing in
her blood, and gives a fast wrap-up here
of common problems, pests and diseases
Aphids and scale Aphids are tiny sap-sucking
insects that congregate on new growth, especially
during spring. Squash or hose them off. Several
scale insects attack citrus trees and fruit, and they
can be an indication of tree stress. Improve care,
particularly watering and fertilising, and apply
a spray of horticultural oil to smother the pests.
Sooty mould Aphids and scale insects feeding
on citrus shoots and leaves exude honeydew, which
feeds a mould, causing a black sooty appearance
on the stems and leaves. Spray to eradicate aphids
and scale, as described above, and the sooty mould
will dry up and disappear.
Birds, rats and possums Birds, especially
cockatoos, as well as rats and the ever-present
possum, all have their eyes on your citrus tree.
If fruit has been pecked, skinned, pulled from the
tree or had its contents eaten, it has probably been
attacked by one of these. Covering the tree with
nets or a permanent fruit cage, to prevent access,
is the best way to deal with bird and animal pests.
juvenile
bronze
orange bug
on citrus
46 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
Citrus leaf miner This problem is seen mainly
along the east coast. Predominantly a summer pest,
it causes new growth to become distorted. Larvae
burrow under the surface of the leaf, causing silvery
lines and leaf puckers to form. Eventually, the larvae
curl the edge of the leaf, where they pupate before
emerging as adult moths. Spray with horticultural
oil in early summer when the new growth appears
(this stops the adult moth laying eggs on the leaves).
Ultimately, this shouldn’t affect the tree’s overall
health. Prune away the worst damage, if unsightly.
Gall wasps Swellings on the branches are a sign
of citrus gall wasp attack. The wasp lays eggs under
the bark, and the branch develops an ugly lump. Cut
off affected branches in August before the larvae
hatch and reinfect your tree. Holes in the gall indicate
that the wasp has hatched and gone, so pruning at
PHOTOS JENNIFER SOO, ALAMY, ISTOCK
this stage won’t control the pest.
Bronze orange bug This large bronze stink bug
can often be seen on citrus trees through spring
and summer, particularly along the east coast. They
suck sap from the tiny stems attached to the fruit,
causing the fruit to fall prematurely. During winter
and early spring, when these insects are in their
pink juvenile stage, they are vulnerable to a spray
of horticultural oil, which smothers them. As they
mature, they turn a more familiar orange colour,
then finally bronze at adult stage, and need to be
destroyed by other means. Pick them off with tongs
or use a stick to flick them into a shallow bucket
of water, where they will drown, or hit them with
a sharp spray of pyrethrum. Always wear skin and
eye protection when you’re dealing with bronze
orange bugs, as the adults emit a caustic spray when
disturbed, which can cause serious eye damage.
 COMPETITION

WIN
1 of 5 FRUIT
SALAD TREES
each worth
gall wasp on
the branch of
$100
a lemon tree

Fruit drop Small fruit may drop occasionally but

if lots fall, it could be due to lack of water, windy
conditions or a sudden hot spell. Applications of
high-nitrogen fertiliser when fruit are forming can
also cause fruit fall, so feed trees in late winter
before flowering, and water them consistently.

Fruit split This can occur with heavy rain or

watering after a dry period. Secondary rots enter
split fruit. When there is no rain, water citrus trees
regularly and evenly as fruit is forming.

Leaf drop This is usually caused by lack of water,

but overwatering or poor drainage can also cause
leaf drop. Correct the watering levels and drainage.

Root and collar rot If leaves yellow, dry and fall,

and twigs start dying back, check the lower trunk
for peeling bark and gum oozes. These are signs of
root and collar rot diseases caused by wet soils and
poor drainage. Clear leaves and mulch away from
trunk and prune lower branches to about 1m above
soil to increase airflow. Also, treat the foliage and
trunk with phosphorous acid (check label for best
time to apply). If the tree dies as a result of the
disease, don’t replant in the same area. Choose
a spot with better drainage, preferably uphill, as
the disease can spread downhill in the soil. GA
Did you know you can pick fresh fruit all summer
from just one tree? he Stone Fruit Salad Tree
comes with various combinations of grafted
peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and peachcots.
Each tree produces the same family of fruits, all
ripening at diferent times. hese space savers can
be planted in a pot or in the ground, and they are
available Australia-wide throughout the year. Visit
fruitsaladtrees.com for more information.

We have five Stone Fruit Salad Trees to give away, each

worth $100, with free delivery. To enter, tell us in
25 words or less what you would name your fruit salad
tree and why. Write your name, address, daytime phone
number and entry on the back of an envelope, and send
to Fruit Salad Tree, Gardening Australia, nextmedia,
Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590, or email
comp@gardeningaustralia.com.au with ‘Fruit Salad Tree’
in the subject line. Closing date is July 8.
GARDENER OF THE YEAR

W
a
I N
Collette
trip for t
w
worth o
calling all $15, 000

PASSIONATE
GARDENERS!
Do you love gardening? Enter the 2018 Gardener of the Year
competition and put yourself in the running for some exciting
prizes, including an overseas trip for two worth $15,000

WHAT’S ON OFFER?
THIS YEAR, WE WILL CHOOSE FIVE STATE FINALISTS
New South Wales & ACT South Australia & Northern Territory
Victoria & Tasmania Western Australia Queensland

EACH STATE FINALIST WINS

4 A prize pack of gardening and fire safety equipment from Gardena, Quell
and Fleming’s Nurseries, worth $900 each
4 A silver trowel from Digadoo
4 A 12-month subscription to ABC Gardening Australia magazine
4 The chance to have your story and garden featured in the November issue Croatia
of ABC Gardening Australia magazine
4 Your own filmed segment on Gardening Australia on ABC TV

The Gardener of the Year wins all this

us an overseas trip for two worth $15,000!

Japan

48 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA


Italy
YOU decide the winner!
Five finalists will be chosen by the magazine and TV teams,
but it's you – the reader and audience – who gets to decide
which of them takes out the title of 2018 Gardener of the
Year. Look out for the November issue of ABC Gardening
Australia magazine, on sale October 8, to see the finalists
featured, and tune in to Gardening Australia on ABC TV
to see them each talk about their passion for gardening.
Voting will open after the episode has aired. For full details,
including which episode to look for, and how to cast your
vote, pick up the November issue of the magazine.
how to enter
To enter, you need photos of your garden, a simple sketch of the
garden layout, and a written piece, up to 300 words long, that
outlines your great passion for gardening. Tell us what you do,
why you love it, and how you have solved problems and managed
resources in your garden. Regardless of the size or location of
your garden, if you are a passionate gardener, we want to hear
from you! We're looking for someone who demonstrates creativity
and inventiveness, and who is committed to making a gorgeous
garden for themselves or the use of others.
For a full list of judging criteria, visit
gardeningaustralia.com.au/awards
oicial entry form
entrant ’s details
Ms/Mrs/Miss/Mr/Other
Name
Address
State Postcode
Daytime phone
After hours phone
Email
WHAT TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR ENTRY
In 300 words or less, tell us about your passion
for gardening. Provide a sketch of your garden’s
layout, a completed entry form and recent photos
of the whole garden, including one or two ‘before’
shots to show how your garden has grown.
Entries close August 6, 2018
ENTER ONLINE OR BY POST
gardeningaustralia.com.au/awards
Gardener of the Year, ABC Gardening Australia
magazine, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW,
1590. If you would like your entry returned,
enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
entry checklist
†Completed coupon*
†300 words about your passion for gardening
†Up to 12 photos of your garden and a photo
of you (prints, jpegs or USB)
†Sketch of the garden’s layout
* If applying online, scan the completed coupon
and upload with your photos
Terms & conditions: Competition open to Australian
residents aged 18 and over. Competition starts April 16,
2018, 00:01 AEST and ends August 6, 2018, 23:59 AEST.
One winner will receive a voucher for $15,000 for travel
with Collette. Five state finalists will receive prizes from
Gardena, Fleming’s Nurseries and Quell. Entrants consent
to the use of their name, state of residence, photos and
entry for promotional and marketing purposes, and agree
to participate in reasonable promotional activities as
requested by the promoter. Finalists and their gardens
will be photographed and filmed. For full terms and
conditions, visit gardeningaustralia.com.au/awards.
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 49
GARDENER OF THE YEAR
a dream
COME TRUE
The 2016 Gardener of the Year SHIRLEY JOHNSON shares a few
highlights from her prize trip to the Chelsea Flower Show in London
S
hirley Johnson maintains
a pretty cottage garden at
her home in Melbourne,
but it was her ‘guerilla
gardening’ that won her the title
of 2016 Gardener of the Year.
She turned the dead, junk-ridden
triangles and verges installed as
traffic measures in her street into
gorgeous, colourful mini gardens.
She still cares for them, 11 in
total, planting, pruning, watering,
weeding, and cleaning up the
rubbish. She is an inspiration!
The night before she and her
husband David embarked on their
overseas trip, she wrote, “I have
woken up many times these last
few months, thinking I have had
the most amazing dream. Well,
our bags are now packed and the
dream will become a reality when
we fly out tomorrow. We have
10 days in Paris before going
to London, so we’ll visit lots of
French gardens along the way.
Thanks to John Patrick, we have
organised a ‘behind-the-scenes’
visit to Kew Gardens as well as
all the gardens the tour includes.
“Meanwhile, I’ve worked hard
to leave all my street gardens
happy and we’ve had wonderful
rain these last few weeks, which
makes everything sparkle. My
bulbs are planted and my sweet
peas have sprouted so I can
leave feeling very relaxed.”
50 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
See more on
Friday, June 29
at 7.30pm
on ABC TV
a letter home
Our trip was utterly wonderful! It was
quite literally a dream come true, as
everything went very smoothly and
(despite not being as young as we once
were!) we managed to pack a lot in.
We made gardens the focus of our
trip. Our 10 days in Paris were spent
exploring some amazing gardens, and
travelling further to others, such as
Monet’s garden at Giverny. We caught
the train to London and on to Cornwall,
where we visited The Lost Gardens
of Heligan and the Eden Project.
On our return to London, we joined
our Collette ‘Spotlight on London’ tour,
which included the Chelsea Flower
Show. Everything at Chelsea is on a
huge scale. We saw many amazing
garden displays and masses of plants in
the large pavilion. Our favourite garden,
by the Horse Rescue Society, featured
an overgrown garden with a ‘just built’,
aged shed and a horse sculpture made
entirely out of horse shoes, including
some from the Queen’s horses.
On our free day of the tour, we
caught the train to Sissinghurst Castle
Garden in Kent, where we explored
the many beautiful garden ‘rooms’,
including the famous White Garden.
Other gardens visited included Kew
Gardens, Wisley, The Savill Garden in
Windsor Great Park, Kensington Palace
Gardens, Chelsea Physic Garden and
Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
Even though my gardens in Melbourne
are on a much smaller scale, I found
these visits inspirational, especially
the plant and colour combinations.
Our whole trip was so very special.
To any keen gardeners wondering
whether or not to enter the competition,
I say don’t hesitate! I never imagined
in my wildest dreams that I could win
Gardener of the Year, but decided to
go ahead and share my story.
Every garden, no matter how small,
makes the world a better place, and
by sharing your love and passion for
gardening you will inspire others. GA
 TRIP OF A LIFETIME
Clockwise from top left In he
Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall,
a protected gully provides a beautiful
PHOTO VIRGINIA CUMMINS ILLUSTRATIONS ISTOCK

vista from the house as well as ideal

conditions for plants from warmer
parts of the world; this little guerilla
garden containing alyssum, brassica
weed, nasturtiums and wall lowers
near Notre-Dame de Paris was an
exciting discovery for Shirley; small
pines featured in some of the many
colourful gardens at London’s Chelsea
Flower Show; a scarecrow and netting
protect seedlings in a foggy vegetable
garden at he Lost Gardens of Heligan;
in the Horse Rescue Society’s garden at
the Chelsea Flower Show, an ‘old’ garden
shed and rambling garden were a nod to
Britain’s popular wildlower meadows; a
whimsical woven cane garden structure
on display at Chelsea. Opposite Shirley
tending her street gardens in Melbourne.

See previous page for how to enter the

2018 Gardener of the Year competition.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 51

 At he
withJackie
tough
TOMATOES Who says you can’t grow tomatoes in freezing temperatures?
JACKIE FRENCH reveals her secrets for defying the odds
T
hirty years ago, a friend worked out a way to
grow tomatoes all winter, despite our valley
going down to –9°C. He chose a north-facing
slope, carved out terraces, then paved them
with concrete that absorbed and reflected heat, except
for a narrow strip to plant. With stakes and a plastic
covering added, he was set for a cold-weather crop.
It looked hideous, of course. And possibly caused
back strain. Which may be one of the reasons why
my friend gave up that garden altogether.
Back then, it was a truism that, around here, you ate
garden-fresh tomatoes from late December to the first
frost, then ripened green ones on newspaper indoors
for the next couple of months. The rest of the time, you
used bottled tomatoes or homemade kasundi, or bought
tasteless tomatoes that had travelled a long, long way.
These days, farmers’ markets sell local tomatoes,
ripened in heated greenhouses, all year. But if a heated
greenhouse is a luxury, there are other ways.
My favourite tomato bushes live in a friend’s sunroom,
which is heated during the winter – for the humans,
not the tomatoes, but the tomatoes benefit, too.
Another option is a movable cold frame that can be
placed over tomato seedlings in spring to get an earlier
crop or to protect fruiting tomatoes.
The trick with winter tomatoes is to choose the right
varieties. The many varieties of cherry tomatoes are
cold-hardy and ripen faster than larger ones. I’ve found
that yellow pear cherry tomatoes do best in cold
weather, but others do well, too. If you can find the
52 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
seed of Siberian tomatoes, you’ll discover they love
long, cool autumns and will fruit even when the
temperature gets down to 5°C. After that, a bit of
help is needed. They don’t seem to do well in our
hot summers, so plant them in late summer.
That’s the other trick for winter tomatoes: young
plants are more vigorous, disease-resistant and
cold-tolerant. I sometimes bury a branch of an
especially vigorous tomato in early March. Roots
form on the branch, which can then be snipped
off and replanted in a spot where I can put tomato
stakes around it, then drape over clear plastic.
If you only get mild frosts, a water-filled frost
protector, available commercially, may be all you
need to have ripe fruit over winter.
Last year, we had the easiest winter tomatoes of
all. A seedling grew in the paving by our front door,
presumably from a dropping left by a passing bird.
The heat retained and reflected from the paving and
from our sunny stone walls meant the bush survived
and fruited small, prolific cherry tomatoes.
Actually, they tasted… okay. No rich, mouthwatering
tomato aroma – about the same as the ones bought
in a supermarket. But they were enough to convince
me to call cherry tomatoes ‘ornamental indoor plants’
PHOTOS ISTOCK, ALAMY
and grow them by the sunny windows of the living
room this winter. They look gorgeous, with their
red berries and green foliage. And a tomato plant,
in a suitably attractive pot, is a lot more generous
than a begonia or potted fern. GA
 “The trick is to choose the right varieties… I’ve
found that yellow pear cherry tomatoes do best ”

COOL CROPS
Clockwise from top
left Cherry tomatoes
are often easier to
grow in winter than
other varieties;
yellow pear cherry
tomatoes are good
cold-weather options;
grown on a sunny
windowsill, cherry
tomatoes make
lovely ornamentals.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 53

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54 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
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GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 55
KITCHEN GARDEN

t he
Hvсt
broccoli

PHOTO ISTOCK

56 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA


did you know?
Broccoli originated in Italy and
was relished by the ancient Romans
as early as the 6th century BC.
Botanical name
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Broccoli is a member of the cabbage
family (Brassicaceae), with long, lobed,
grey-green leaves and a large, dense,
branching flower head, usually green
but sometimes lime-green or purple.
Varieties
Green Sprouting, Waltham, Purple Sprouting,
Di Ciccio, Green Magic, Romanesco, Shogun,
Summer Green, Broccolini
Planting & care
Broccoli is a cool-season crop that can be sown
from late summer to autumn in most areas, except
the coldest districts, where it is commonly sown
in summer and spring. The seed is best started in
punnets in individual cells and transplanted when
seedlings are 7–10cm tall. Space plants 35–50cm
apart. They like lots of sunshine, although a spot
that gets four hours of direct sun is adequate.
Add plenty of compost and well-rotted manure
when preparing the soil, as broccoli is a heavy
feeder. Keep plants moist, and follow up with an
application of organic fertiliser every 6–8 weeks.
Like most plants in the cabbage family, broccoli is
very susceptible to grub and caterpillar damage,
particularly the larvae of cabbage white butterfly.
Cover crops with exclusion netting to keep adults
from laying their eggs on the foliage, or spray with
an organic deterrent such as Dipel. Alternatively,
remove the caterpillars and eggs by hand and
squash them. Aphids can also be a problem,
and you can control these with soap spray.
Harvesting
Depending on the variety and conditions, it takes
10–16 weeks for the central head to be ready for
harvesting. Cut it off using a sharp knife. Many
varieties produce smaller side-shoots after the
main flower head is removed. Continue watering,
feeding and picking to enjoy an extended harvest.
Turn to page 64 for broccoli recipes.
KITCHEN GARDEN

sweet
sensations Pears are known as big trees for cool climates,
but some varieties have low chill requirements,
and many are right at home in a pot or rambling
along a fence, writes TINO CARNEVALE

58 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA


W
hen talking about pears, it’s tempting
to compare them with other members
of the pome family, but they have their
own personality. They’re not as vanilla
as apples, for example, or as eccentric as quinces.
Although pears are large, slow-growing trees (the
adage ‘pears for your heirs’ sums it up well) they are
certainly worth the endeavour. Because they can be
grafted onto dwarf stock, pears are extremely versatile,
with varieties available that are suitable for a courtyard
pot or a majestic climbing feature.
Pears are generally a cool-climate fruit, as they
require many hours of cold overnight temperatures
in autumn and winter to bring about dormancy and
stimulate even development of leaves and flowers in
spring, which leads to good fruit set. This directly
affects fruit quality and the amount and duration of your
harvest. There is hope, though, for gardeners in warmer
climes, as varieties such as Corella and Tropical set
quite happily in a warmer winter. If your area is on
the margin for pears, planting near the south face of
a wall can help to increase the required winter chill.
getting started
An open, sunny position helps to produce a healthy,
vigorous tree. Pears compete well when planted in
crowded conditions, but I think they are deserving of
space, if you have it to give. In my garden, they play the
role of shade-givers, providers of autumn colour and
generous producers of fresh fruit, season after season.
PHOTOS FIONA WALSH, ISTOCK, ALAMY
Many pears are partially self-fertile, meaning they
bear fruit in solitude, but they always bear better with
company, so plant a suitable pollinator, if there’s room.
Pears prefer a fertile, well-drained soil to start but,
once established, they grow quite happily in anything
from heavy, wet clay to dry, loose sand. In short, they
have a broad tolerance for a variety of soil conditions.
As with any new baby, a good start is key. When
planting a sapling, I go a little overboard with the love,
PICK OF THE CROP
Left While the open vase structure is still popular,
some growers prefer to train their trees in a conical
shape, which mimics the natural pear-tree form.
Opposite page Williams pears ripening on the tree.
because, when it comes to permanent fixtures, such
as trees, this can be your only chance to effect change.
Although they can struggle through with minimal
food and water, the difference in development and
production in a tree that has adequate amounts of
these necessities is distinct. Regular watering is most
important during spring growth and as fruit develops
in summer, and essential when nursing young trees
to maturity. I start laying down food for my trees in
winter, with a top-dressing of compost or cow manure
– or both, depending on how excited I get. In spring,
I throw around some complete organic fertiliser, and
then again in summer, but I also mix a bit of potash
in for the fruit. Autumn is always the lime season – a
couple of handfuls of dolomite lime mixed with garden
lime means good amounts of calcium are available in
spring, resulting in better fruit and stronger trees.
pruning tips
I love playing around with the shape of my pear trees,
as I find them very malleable and responsive. After
planting your young tree, prune it straightaway. You
might look at your collection of diminutive twigs and
feel it’s too drastic, but be strong! If you have chosen
a tree with a strong stem and good root system, it
will have enough stored energy to put on impressive
amounts of growth come spring.
Train your tree well from the beginning. I like
an open shape, like a vase, because pears tend to
produce quite a bit of upright wood, and I find this
makes it easier to control the height when the tree
has reached maturity. Pears bear their fruit on
second-year spur wood, which, as the name implies,
looks like spurs. You can leave spur wood on a
young tree, but when it’s in about its fifth year, it’s
advisable to start to thin it out, so the tree doesn’t
overcrop. The resulting fruit will be far superior.
pest problems
There are many pests that attack pome fruit, but the
good news is that pears are far less prone to these
problems than their cousins. Many problems can
be prevented by training your tree with a nice open
habit, and ensuring it is well fed and watered.
My most notable pest is pear and cherry slug, which
can make a tree go from a lush, verdant specimen full
of promise to a grotty brown mess. Although these
pests won’t kill your poor tree, it will struggle to thrive.
If you have an open fire, throw cold ash over the tree
when you see the slugs. This will control the larvae
and help your tree regain its self-esteem.
GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 59
KITCHEN GARDEN

top 6 pear picks

Try one or more of these pear varieties
(left to right) in your garden for a supply
of delicious home-grown fruit

COMICE
An all-time favourite.
Smooth, mildly russetted
skin covers a pale, juicy
flesh that smells as good
as it tastes.
BEURRE HARDY
This late-cropping and
heavy-bearing variety
produces medium-sized
fruit with a great flavour.

RED ANJOU
Everything about this
variety is appealing.
Reddish-purple skin,
firm yellow flesh and
a sweet, sweet taste.
WILLIAMS
Also known as Bartlett
Williams, this popular
variety has a classic pear
shape. Its smooth green
fruit ripens to yellow.

PHOTOS ALAMY, ISTOCK, WOODBRIDGE FRUIT TREES

NASHI HOSUI
Bronze-skinned and
low in acid, this large,
sweet fruit is suited
to warm climates.
WINTER COLE
Small, round, green
fruit with some
russetting and good
taste. Stores well. GA

60 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

For every ki
of gardene
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July 2018
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EXPERT
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ADVICE • Winter iris
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• Tricky vegies
• Outdoor heating

C
C suti
suti Tino Carnevale
Pears for garden
beds, courtyards
Phil Dudman
An easy way to
protect against
& warmer areas frost & drought
Tino Carnevale Phil Dudma
Pears for garden An easy way
beds, courtyards protect aga
& warmer areas frost & drou

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KITCHEN GARDEN
5 vegies
Some of our favourite crops in the home garden come with a few quirks
N RUSSELL explains how to manage their little foibles
carrots
These can be difficult little beasts. The
problem isn’t so much in the growing – that
part is relatively easy. The main issues lie in
the soil and seed. Carrots love deep, well-dug
soil that’s free of rocks, otherwise the roots
end up stunted or forked. Turn the soil with
a fork prior to planting, working it to a fine,
crumbly tilth. Don’t worry too much about
fertility. While carrots struggle in very poor
soil, they’re fine in moderate to rich ground.
For good germination, use the freshest
seed possible – old seed can be hit and miss
– and because carrots transplant poorly, sow
directly into the garden bed. Make shallow
furrows, no more than 1cm deep, scatter seed
generously, backfill lightly and water well.
For excellent germination, you must ensure
the bed is kept moist until seedlings appear
in 2–3 weeks. Letting it dry out will have a
detrimental effect on your germination rate.
To keep the ground moist, cover the surface
with a piece of shadecloth or hessian. Check
it every day and water if necessary. Once
seedlings appear, remove the cover, water
the plants regularly, and you’ll be harvesting
lovely fat carrots in about three months.
62 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
TR ICKY
celery
I have to admit to being something
of a celery loser. Although I have
grown the plants reasonably well,
I’ve never managed to harvest the
kind of crisp, plump, apple-green
stalks that you can find at shops
and farmers’ markets.
In the wild, celery grows in
marshland, with a constant water
supply. Some of the commercial
growers replicate these conditions
by growing celery hydroponically,
but the easiest home garden solution
is to grow it in fertile, well-drained
soil, with a daily supply of water.
Don’t allow your plants to dry out,
or the stalks will be dry and stringy.
ILLUSTRATIONS ISTOCK, ALAMY
Celery prefers mild temperatures,
so timing is everything. In cold areas,
start celery in either late summer
or early spring. In warm, frost-free
areas, sow your seed in autumn so
it grows through winter.
 brussels sprouts
The humble brussels sprout is notoriou
the dinner plate and equally so in the ga
While its unsavoury reputation on the p
a bit unfair, its reputation for being diffi
in the garden is well-deserved.
Brussels sprouts are very finicky abo
climate. They are commonly grown in w
and a hint of warm weather in spring c
those lovely tight sprouts to become loo
and blowsy, effectively ruining the crop
It’s helpful to know that brussels sprouts
grow best in temperate areas, particularly
where it’s frosty. You would struggle to grow
them well in the subtropics. Also, you should
start the plants early; don’t wait for autumn.
In most areas, seed should be sown around
Christmas. That way, they are forming their
sprouts when conditions are cool.
When starting them in summer, you may
encounter the leaf-munching larvae of
cabbage white butterfly. To protect crops,
cover ith fi tti
or sp
appro
g g g , ,
this fascinating plant does present a challenge.
Common wisdom says that wasabi requires
a very cold climate, plenty of moisture and a shady
position to do well – think Tasmania, hydroponics
and climate-controlled greenhouses. In reality,
however, wasabi is somewhat more adaptable.
Cool to cold winters and reasonably mild
summers are important for success with wasabi,
indicating that any temperate to cool subtropical
climate is suitable. As for moisture, a regular supply
is necessary but the plant is fine when grown in
reasonably fertile, well-drained soil or potting mix.
Mulch helps keep moisture levels even. A growing
position with dappled shade is ideal.
The main issues I’ve encountered are summer
fungal diseases, especially mildew, and cabbage
white butterflies. I’ve also yet to get my plants to
produce a stem, the part that’s grated to make true
wasabi paste. That might happen next spring, but
until then, I’m happy to harvest winter leaves and
spring flowers for a taste of that amazing flavour!

onions
It took me years to crack the onion-growing code. I’m not one to give up easily, but
considering the miserable crops I was producing and the cheap price of onions in
the shops, I came very close. I’m glad I persevered. Onions are a delicious staple
in my family’s kitchen, and I now confidently grow everything from torpedo-shaped
Italian heirlooms to traditional brown keeping onions.
The main secret to success is choosing the right variety for your location. Onions
form bulbs in response to increasing day length. Short-day (early) varieties form bulbs
when days increase from 10 to 12 hours. These can be grown in latitudinal areas
between Coffs Harbour and Bundaberg, when planted in autumn. Intermediate varieties,
sown May to August, need 13–14 summer daylight hours, and suit latitudes south of
Port Macquarie. Long-day (late) varieties, planted from June to July, need 15 hours
or more to form decent bulbs, so are generally restricted to southernmost parts of the
Next month: five tricky fruits
country. Fresh seed and a fortnight’s worth of patience ensures good germination. GA

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 63

KITCHEN GARDEN
cokg with...
broccoli
Eating your greens is easy with these delicious
recipes, featuring broccoli as the star ingredient
spaghetti with broccoli pesto
serves 4
2 medium heads broccoli, broken
into lorets (about 8 cups)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
⅓ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
⅓ cup inely grated parmesan, plus
extra 2 tablespoons, to serve
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
300g wholemeal spaghetti
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium green capsicum, diced
¾ cup frozen peas
⅓ cup semi-dried tomatoes, chopped
⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra,
to garnish
64 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
HIGH LOW VEGE
FIBRE KJ
broccoli & pea soup
with mint sour cream
serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, inely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 large potatoes, peeled, chopped
2 cups reduced-salt vegetable stock
350g broccoli, trimmed, chopped
2 cups frozen peas
¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves,
plus extra leaves, to serve
2 tablespoons pistachio kernels, chopped
4 slices toasted grainy sourdough, to serve
1 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Saute onion for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic
and lemon zest, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
2 Add potatoes, stock and 2 cups of water, and bring
to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for
5 minutes. Add broccoli and peas. Simmer, partially
covered, for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Set aside to cool slightly.
3 Blend soup in batches until smooth. Return to clean
saucepan and reheat. Season with black pepper.
4 Combine sour cream and chopped mint in a bowl.
Divide soup among serving bowls. Top with a dollop
of mint sour cream, and sprinkle with pistachios and extra
mint leaves. Serve with slices of toasted sourdough.
HIGH HIGH LOW VEGE HIGH
FIBRE IRON SODIUM PROTEIN
1 Blitz half the broccoli florets with garlic,
pine nuts, parmesan, lemon zest, lemon
juice and olive oil in a food processor until
mixture forms a chunky pesto, then season
with cracked black pepper.
2 Cook the pasta in a large saucepan
according to packet instructions. Drain
and return to pan, reserving ½ cup pasta
water. Add broccoli pesto with reserved
pasta water. Toss well to coat pasta.
3 Boil remaining broccoli with zucchini,
capsicum and peas for 2 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
Add greens to pasta saucepan with semi-dried tomatoes and basil.
Toss lightly to heat through, and season with black pepper.
4 Divide pasta among 4 plates and scatter with extra parmesan.
Garnish with basil and serve.
 DIABETES HIGH HIGH LOW
FIBRE PROTEIN KJ

Pick me n

• English spinach This is a

cut-and-come-again crop. Once
the plants have developed six

quinoa, tuna & broccoli fritters or seven leaves, pick the outside
leaves as needed. Use a sharp
PHOTOS MARK O'MEARA, DEVIN HART, ISTOCK RECIPES CHRISSY FREER, SARAH SWAIN STYLING JULZ BERESFORD, SARAH SWAIN

with lemon & herb yoghurt knife to cut off the leaves rather
than pulling, which can disturb
serves 4 the roots. Keep a few of the
inner leaves on the plant to
½ cup quinoa, rinsed, drained 2 tablespoons chopped mint, support continued growth.
300g broccoli, cut into lorets plus extra 2 teaspoons
3 eggs 2 teaspoons lemon zest, • Grapefruit Change of colour
is the first indicator of ripeness.
½ cup wholemeal self-raising lour plus extra 1 teaspoon
When half the peel has turned
185g can tuna in spring water, 2 Lebanese cucumbers, yellow or pink, taste one. If it’s
drained, laked halved, sliced to your liking, pick as needed.
60g reduced-fat feta, 80g mixed salad leaves Remove fruit with a twist and
crumbled 4 radishes, thinly sliced sharp pull. Those left on the
2 tablespoons chopped ½ cup reduced-fat tree will continue to sweeten.
chives, plus extra
2 teaspoons
Greek-style yoghurt
lemon wedges, to serve • Parsnip These mature about
four months after sowing. Use a
garden fork or spade to loosen
1 Place quinoa and 1 cup of cold water in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes,
or until the water has evaporated and quinoa is al dente. Set aside to cool.
up surrounding soil and make it
easier to pull out parsnips (above).
Dig deeper if you feel resistance.
2 Cook broccoli in a saucepan of boiling water until just tender. Drain. Refresh
under cold running water. Drain and coarsely chop.
Take what you need for now and
leave the rest for future harvests.
3 Whisk eggs and flour in a large bowl until smooth. Add quinoa, broccoli, tuna,
feta, chives, mint and lemon zest. Season the mixture with cracked black pepper Also in season
••• •• •
and stir until it is well combined. avocado banana beans
4 Spray a big, non-stick frying pan with oil and set over medium-high heat. Add beetroot brussels sprouts

••• ••• •
4 x ¼-cupfuls of mixture to pan, and cook fritters for 2–3 minutes each side, cabbage carrot celeriac
or until golden and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter to make 16 fritters.
•
celery fennel jerusalem
5 Meanwhile, combine cucumber, salad leaves and radish in a salad bowl. Mix the artichoke kale leek lemon

••• •• • •
yoghurt with extra chives, mint and lemon zest. Serve quinoa fritters with salad, lettuce mandarin olive
lemon and herb yoghurt, and lemon wedges. orange peas pomelo

hese recipes come from previous issues of Healthy Food Guide, and are •• •• •
potato pumpkin radish
silverbeet spring onions
developed in consultation with a dietitian. healthyfoodguide.com.au •
sweet potato swede
 50 jobs
to do in
your action

a month
in the
Gd
July
 your planner

top job
grow your own mushrooms

M
ushrooms really love the cooler months.
Their favourite temperature range is
15–25°C, so they are a good choice for
growing on a verandah or in a well-lit
shed at this time of year. They can even be grown in
the house if they’re kept well away from artificial heat.
Ready-to-grow kits make mushrooms one of the
easiest vegies, with everything you need in one neat
box. Start by watering the supplied compost until it’s
just damp, then sprinkle over the enclosed mushroom
spores. After that, you just need to spray lightly with
water every few days. Eventually, you’ll see a white
bloom developing on the surface and, in about two IT’S TIME TO...
weeks, tiny pinhead mushrooms will start to appear.
Plant lily-of-the-valley pips (rhizomes)
You will probably be astonished at how quickly they under deciduous trees in cool-climate areas
grow – they can double their size in 24 hours. You and they will form a groundcover (above)
can pick and use them at any stage.
When the kit stops producing, tip the contents into Trim of old, tattered leaves from your
the garden as a mulch, or add to the compost. The strappy-leafed cordylines, dracaenas and
mix can be quite alkaline, so keep it well away from
yuccas – scissors are handy for this job
acid-loving plants, such as azaleas. Spread garden lime around sweet peas,
olive trees and lavender in acid-soil areas
Handweed bindii from lawn while still in
the ferny-leaf stage, or if widespread, use a
bindii herbicide suitable for your turf variety
Dig compost and gypsum into garden beds,
so that the soil is ready for spring planting
HELLEBORE PHOTO ALAMY; OTHER PHOTOS ISTOCK, GAP PHOTOS/JOHN GLOVER

Use stakes and shadecloth as temporary

windbreaks on exposed sides of newly planted
trees, then remove at the end of winter
Brighten up indoors
with a cyclamen (right)
or allergy-free variety
of German primrose
(Primula obconica)
Prune crabapples to
control shape and size
top tip Dig bright green,
upright winter grass
If you need two varieties of fruit trees for cross (Poa annua) from the
pollination but are short of space, plant them lawn before it seeds
both in the same hole. Pay special attention to Rejuvenate outdoor
the more vigorous grower. It may need harder or furniture by cleaning of
regular pruning to ensure it doesn’t take over. algae, moss and lichen

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 67

 your planner

DO IT NOW
Plant a red-lowering poinsettia to brighten
up a frost-free garden in mid-winter
Trim and shape the outer perimeter of
conifers, without cutting into their bare wood,
and wear elbow-length gloves to reach into the
centre of the plant and shake out dead foliage
Pinch back lowering annuals (above) and add
replacements to ill gaps from earlier plantings
Disinfect rose bushes with a lime sulfur
spray immediately after pruning, while their
stems are still lealess
Knock of the irst ‘pufy’ brussels sprouts that
form, so those that follow are tighter and tastier
Watch your ornamental and fruiting
peaches carefully and be prepared to apply
a copper-based spray for fungal leaf curl as
soon as the buds begin to show colour
Continue planting and transplanting
deciduous trees and shrubs before they
burst into new growth
Visit nurseries and camellia shows
to choose new plants while they
are in lower (right)
Check your shrubs
for dead twigs, and
completely remove top tip
any brown sections Check that your worm
Divide and then plant farm isn’t too cold for the
out dormant lowering inhabitants. Consider moving
perennials, such as it into a slightly sunnier spot
hostas and sedums or covering it with an old
blanket for insulation.

68 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 top job
do some winter pruning
uly is an important month for pruning, especially for your
deciduous shrubs and trees. A word of caution, though:
don’t prune plants that will flower in spring, unless they
are the type that form their blooms on new spring growth,
such as roses. July, or later in cold areas, is a great month for
pruning most roses, which produce new growth in spring, quickly
followed by a flush of blooms. But some roses flower in one great
massed spring show on last season’s growth, and if you prune
them now, you’ll remove the flowering wood. This means you
won’t have any spring blooms. Many old-fashioned and heritage
roses fall into this category. It’s safest, too, to delay pruning
most climbing roses until after their major spring flush.
The main aim of rose pruning is to encourage healthy, new,
bloom-bearing growth. Do this by removing dead wood, any old
unproductive shoots, weak and spindly growth, and any wayward
stems that are cluttering up the centre of the bush. Don’t worry
too much about getting it exactly right. After all, if the plant were
keep these in the dark
Some winter bloomers, such as poinsettia,
growing in the wild, it would have to survive without pruning!
zygocactus and flaming Katy (Kalanchoe
Crepe myrtles can be pruned in winter, if you want to manage
blossfeldiana, above), are short-day plants
their height. Pruning isn’t essential, though. Some people prefer
that only flower if they receive the required
to leave their crepe myrtles to grow into small to medium trees
number of hours of darkness. When you’re
that show off their beautiful mature bark and branch structure.
choosing a spot for them in the garden, keep
If you haven’t already done so, hydrangea pruning should be
them well away from sources of artificial
finished this month. In most years, this will mean pruning just
light, such as living-room windows, garden
those stems that flowered last summer, but in some cases the
lamps and street lights. If you’re growing
plant has grown so large that you will have no option but to
them indoors, place near a window in a room
attack the lot and shorten every stem. Doing this will encourage
where you don’t turn on the lights at night.
plenty of healthy, vigorous growth in spring, but you may have
to wait a while for the next flowering.

lok t!
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/JONATHAN BUCKLEY – DEMONSTRATED BY ALAN TITCHMARSH,

Suckers appearing from below the graft of fruit

trees, such as plum, peach, cherry and apple,
can quickly take over, so cut them off as low

care for fruiting igs

Mid-winter is the best time to prune fruiting fig trees,
especially if you want to restrict their size so you can net
ISTOCK, ROB FRITH/ACORN PHOTO

them when they’re cropping. Prunings can be used to

grow new plants, and they root easily at this time of year.
After pruning, spray with a horticultural oil to clean up
scale and other insect pests, and sprinkle some dolomite
around the base of the tree. Lastly, make a note to
yourself to apply fruiting fertiliser in early spring.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 69

 your planner

IN THE TROPICS
Use old umbrellas to make temporary
shadehouses that protect soft-leafed plants
from the midday sun, and remove them in
the afternoon, as the heat fades
Prune ixora (above), ruellia and angel’s
trumpets if they are becoming leggy
Feed bananas with a fruit-tree fertiliser,
adding an extra boost of sulfate of potash
Pick okra when small, cut of the bases so w & plant…
and add the okra whole to casseroles and IN JULY
curries, so they thicken the dish slightly
without becoming too glutinous asian greens O O O O
Use a garden fork to push vertical holes asparagus crowns O O O O O
into compacted lawns, to allow more oxygen beetroot O O O
to reach the grass roots broccoli O O KEY
Build a frog pond so it will be ready before cabbage O O O O tropical O
the wet arrives, ensuring it has overhanging carrot O O O
subtropical O
rocks and other places for the frogs to hide celery/celeriac O O
arid/semi-arid O
Feed Asian greens fortnightly with a liquid coriander O O O O
fertiliser, and occasionally give them a dose english spinach O O O O warm temperate O
of liquid seaweed to make leaves stronger globe artichoke O O O O cold temperate O
Catch leaf-munching grasshoppers jerusalem artichoke O O O O O
early in the morning whe kale OOO O O
they are slow-moving lettuce O O O O 
Plant chives, dill, peas  O O O 
mint, lemongrass and radish O O O O O
Mexican coriander rocket O O  
in the herb garden silverbeet O O O 
Clip low-hanging snow pea  O O O
branches on citrus and spring onion O O O O O
other fruit trees to keep tomato O O  
them well clear of the so

70 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 top job
propagate plants for
your home orchard
M any deciduous fruit trees and vines grow easily
from hardwood cuttings at this time of year.
Among the most likely to succeed are grapes,
mulberries and figs (left). Here’s how to go about it.
With a pair of sharp secateurs, cut pencil-thick pieces
Split it.
about 10–15cm long. The top cut should be made on
a slant, so that it reminds you which way is up – your
cutting won’t grow if it’s upside down. Trim the bottom
so that it finishes just below a node, which is the place
where there’s a bud or growth ring on the bark.
Dip the bottom of the cutting into rooting powder,
hormone gel or a small amount of honey, then fill a
container with potting mix and use a pencil to make
vertical holes. Push one cutting into each hole and
use your fingers to firm the mix around its base.
Several cuttings can go into the one pot.
Water gently to settle the cuttings in, and move the
containers to a lightly shaded spot. When you see new
leaves starting to grow, you can carefully separate
the young plants. Be patient, as it might take several
months for the new roots to develop.
PHOTOS ISTOCK, ALAMY, PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATSKY

lok t!
If you see white scale on the main stems and
branches of your roses, spray with horticultural
oil, or dislodge them by gently scrubbing with
an old toothbrush dipped in soapy water.

EDIBLE GARDEN
Cut back yellowed ferny asparagus
leaves and add to the compost, then put
a fresh layer of organic mulch on the bed
Grow climbing snow peas (above) in a
large pot with a simple tripod for support
Mound soil around leeks carefully so
their bases stay white – don’t add it from
above as it will settle between the leaves
Manage slugs and snails with early
morning raids to pick them of plants
Sow tomato seeds into punnets on an
indoor windowsill, to plant out in spring
Tie up broad beans to support the
tall plants as they grow
Continue planting English spinach
in all but the coldest climates
Divide clumps of globe artichokes and
spread them to other parts of the garden
Prune citrus stems to remove sections
afected by lumpy galls, but don’t worry
about any old lumps with emergence
holes as these indicate that the wasps
in that gall have already departed
Plant horseradish roots
into a well-contained
garden bed – don’t
let it loose in the
garden or it will
try to take over
Finish harvesting
quinces (right) and
use them to make
quince paste
72 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
top tip
Use a bulb planter to dig out onion weed, then
sieve the roots to collect the bulbs. Wrap the
bulbs and the plant in plastic and bin the lot.
fly the green & gold
If you’re feeling patriotic, you might
like to think about planting a wattle.
There are approximately 1000 native
species, including many that are
suitable for even the tiniest gardens.
The river wattle (Acacia cognata)
has given birth to dozens of dwarf
cultivars, with names such as ‘Mini
Cog’, ‘Lime Magik’, ‘Curvaceous’ and
‘Fettuccini’ that are as descriptive
as they are creative. These all do
best in moist, well-drained soil in
areas with relatively low summer
humidity. The shrubby knife-leaf
wattle (A. cultriformis, right) is also
available in a groundcover form.
The sunshine wattle (A. terminalis)
is so called because it makes such a
cheery display in the cooler months,
and the coast myall (A. binervia) is
an incredibly tough small tree that
survives in very difficult situations.
Blue bush (A. covenyi), while rare
in its native habitat of south-eastern
New South Wales, is now being grown in gardens all
over the world. It has attractive powdery-blue leaf
colouring and good frost tolerance.
 step-by-step

1
PHOTOS GAP PHOTOS/JO WHITWORTH, ISTOCK, ALAMY, FIONA WALSH

plant french shallots

TINO CARNEVALE shows how to ensure a good crop

1 LOOSEN the soil to a spade’s depth and incorporate a little

compost (not manure, as it’s too rich). French shallots, which
are also known as golden shallots or eschallots, will thrive in
a sunny spot in your garden. You can grow them from small
cloves purchased at garden centres or saved from last year’s
crop. Choose firm, healthy, undamaged cloves for planting.
Each clove should multiply into 6–12 cloves.
2 DRAG your spade through the prepared soil to create
a number of shallow channels, 30–40cm apart. Place your
cloves along the channels, 15–20cm apart, pointy ends up.
3 BACKFILL with just enough soil to cover the cloves,
leaving the tops showing above the surface. Water them
in, then water sparingly until the shoots are about 10cm
long. After that, keep the plants moist for rapid growth.
garden
guests&pests
As insect populations are in
decline, LEONARD CRONIN
explains how you can help by
creating habitat for butterflies

O
ur long summer evenings are usually filled with
serenading cicadas, yet this year they were
barely heard. Entomologists have noted a crash
in insect populations, pointing to insecticides,
monocultures, loss of habitat and wild swings in weather
patterns. With this worrying scenario in mind, I was
heartened to see our garden hosting plenty of butterflies
this year. Swallowtails, whites and grass yellows kept
us company throughout autumn, and on sunny winter
days common jezebels flit languidly through the foliage,
alighting briefly to sip nectar from flowering shrubs.
From Cape York to south-eastern Victoria, jezebels are
among the few butterflies active in winter months. They
are often seen in urban areas, where gardens provide
food and shelter from cold, windy weather. Jezebels
breed throughout the year, laying their eggs on mistletoe
plants, whose leaves contain particular essential oils
fundamental to the development of jezebel caterpillars.
With declines of more than 75 per cent in flying insect
populations in many parts of the world, biologists are
deeply concerned about the health of our ecosystems.
Insects pollinate flowers, and provide food for birds,
bats, frogs and a host of other animals. They also play
a fundamental role in the recycling of nutrients.
Gardeners can help to restore the balance by creating
insect-friendly backyards – piling clippings, logs and
branches in undisturbed corners and leaving them to
decompose. We can attract butterflies by supplying food
plants for caterpillars (milkweeds, hibiscus, citrus and
native grasses), tolerating their partly eaten leaves, and
PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES, ISTOCK

providing flat rocks for them to bask on and mud puddles

to sip from. Butterflies seek brightly coloured flowers,
such as lavender, abelia, buddleja and callistemon. Plant
in groups and select ones that flower at different times
of the year. While we must rely on politicians to take
action to protect our fragile ecosystems, gardeners can
make a difference with these simple, local measures.

Len gardens in the Northern Rivers, New South Wales

 BACKYARD VISITORS

home & hosed

Creatures make the most of water
and shelter offered by bromeliads,
writes MARTYN ROBINSON

A
nimals, like plants, are pretty adaptable. While plants from tall
mountains or rainforests in South America will happily grow in
suburban Australian gardens, local animals adapt to make use
of the exotic plants they find in your backyard. Bromeliads are
a case in point. The foliage offers safe hiding places for small creatures
and the middle section holds a fairly reliable water supply. Little wonder
frogs like to take up residence in bromeliads, often spending the day in the
water well. Mosquitoes sometimes make use of this water source to raise
their wrigglers, but these can be kept in check by giving the plants a good
flush out periodically. Other animals passing through, including skinks,
spiders and small snakes, might visit the plants for a drink.
The foliage of bromeliads can often become a permanent home for one
or more of the net-casting spiders, as the leaves provide good support for
a web, as well as cover for the spider, and the humidity stops them drying
out. The St Andrew’s Cross spider (Argiope keyserlingi) also likes to build
webs in bromeliads, but that’s probably due to small flying insect visitors.
Some air plants (Tillandsia spp.), which are related to bromeliads but
don’t have a water source in the centre, are also used by creatures that
have not evolved alongside them. In their native South America, species
with swollen but hollow bases are inhabited by ants. In return for this free
lodging, the ants protect the plant from foliage eaters, such as caterpillars.
Unrelated ant species in Australia recognise this beneficial relationship
and do the same, even though this is not natural behaviour for them.
So when you’re admiring your bromeliads, large and small, keep an eye
out for other residents that may be enjoying them even more than you! GA

Martyn gardens mainly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches

Have you found something interesting in your

at garden? Send us a photo and Martyn will ID
Common jezebel butterly о it. Email yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au
Delias nigrina eth ? with ‘Creature’ in the subject line.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 75

FEATHERS & FUR
sick as a dog...
or a cat!
We all know how miserable colds,
flu and other viruses make us feel,
and it’s no different for our pets, as
DR PETER KIRKPATRICK explains
W
hile dogs and cats don’t experience
quite the same flu as we do, they can
suffer from debilitating symptoms
of coughing, wheezing and lethargy,
just like us. Here’s how to recognise when your pet
is feeling poorly and what you can do about it.
canine cough
Dogs can catch this highly contagious condition at any
time of year. It used to be called kennel cough, because
dogs often came down with it after being in a kennel
environment, but it doesn’t just occur after they have
been on holiday. Research shows that most dogs will
contract canine cough at some point in their lives.
The main strains are bordetella and parainfluenza,
and these cause a dry hacking cough that sounds like
the dog is trying to bring up something caught in his
throat. Thankfully, these two components are included
in most vaccinations. While your dog may still contract
canine cough, his symptoms will be far less severe.
Owners who consult us often describe some or all of
these symptoms in dogs presenting with canine cough:
Retching, as though trying to bring something up
Coughing
Wheezing
Nasal discharge
76 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
Puppies, senior dogs and those with existing health
problems are more predisposed to contracting canine
cough. And dogs with compromised respiratory
systems, such as pugs and bulldogs, will be worse
off if they do become infected.
Surprisingly, most infected dogs still eat, drink and
play normally. The cough usually goes away of its own
accord, but if you’re concerned that it’s not clearing
up, take your dog to a vet, who may prescribe some
medication to relieve the symptoms.
cat lu
This is a particularly nasty disease that can have
a devastating effect on our furry friends. A number
of different viruses are responsible for cat flu, but the
most common are calicivirus and herpesvirus, both
of which can result in severe respiratory problems.
Symptoms depend on which virus has caused
the infection, but common signs in cats are:
Sneezing and nasal discharge
Discharge from the eyes
ILLUSTRATION ISTOCK
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Ulceration, especially in the mouth
Salivation or drooling
Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)
 HEALTH IS UNIQUE
TO EVERY BREED
That’s why ROYAL CANIN® have
developed tailor made nutrition to
meet the unique needs of your pure
breed pet, right down to the shape
of the kibble.

Find out more at

healthypets.royalcanin.com.au
Cat flu is extremely contagious and can quickly
escalate to pneumonia, which may cause fast, harsh
breathing noises. Your pet can contract the virus via
direct or indirect contact with an infected cat, and
certain infectious components can be shed from a
cat that has recovered from the flu or has no obvious
symptoms. Treatments include anti-inflammatories,
antibiotics, eye medications and supportive therapies.
Vaccination can drastically reduce the likelihood of
cats being vulnerable to flu. If a vaccinated cat does
catch the virus, his symptoms will be much milder.
If your pet is a little under the weather, take him to
the vet so you can nip any early onset of canine cough
or cat flu in the bud. Some of the best TLC after a visit
to the vet is a cuddle on the couch, with a hot drink
for you and a nice blanket for your pet. GA

did you know?

The most common place for dogs to pick up
canine cough is the park. After contracting
the disease, it takes three or four days for
any of the symptoms to show.
MAILBOX

Y&LETTERS, PHOTOS
QUESTIONS
Here we share your tips, tales, photos and feedback,
answer your questions and identify mystery plants

Alison Neilly, Forster, NSW

QA
&
My daughter in Sydney has
an avocado plant that’s nearly 3m tall,
and has not borne fruit. She wants
to move it to our place near Forster.
How much should we prune and
when, or should we just forget it?

Elizabeth Swane says As your daughter’s

avocado tree is quite tall and not fruiting, it may
be a seedling-grown plant. Like many fruiting
plants, seedling avocado trees have variable
habits and can take a long time to produce fruit.
You might wait anything from 6–20 years, only
to find fruits are inferior in size, taste, quantity
and quality. It takes a lot of effort to relocate
a tree hundreds of kilometres, especially one
that is 3m tall, and avocado trees resent root
disturbance, so your chances of achieving
a successful move are not great.
You could consider investing in a grafted
avocado tree from a specialist nursery. Grafted
fruit trees have a considerable advantage over
seedling-grown trees both ab ve and below the

soil. The understock (under the ground) gives the tree a

healthy and vigorous root system, and above ground, there
is a productive selected variety of fruiting plant.
Choose an avocado variety that is suited to your local
climate, with fruit that you like in both taste and appearance.
Reliable choices are green-skinned Fuerte, dark-skinned
Hass and compact grower Wurtz. Most avocado trees flower
over a long period and are self-pollinating, although planting
a suitable pollinator in your garden will increase your harvest.
When planting an avocado tree, choose a sunny, well-drained
spot, and incorporate lots of compost and aged cow manure.
Avocados are very prone to root rot, so make a large planting
mound to improve drainage even more. Forster has a great
climate for growing avocados. With regular watering, plus
feeding with an organic fertiliser for fruiting plants, you can
PHOTOS ISTOCK

look forward to having a healthy tree that should bear fruit

in 3–5 years, and continue fruiting for many years to come.

78 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 WRITE IN
& WIN !
Got something to say? Share your thoughts, ask
a question, slip us a tip and show us your best shots.
The pick of the crop each month wins a six-month
subscription to ABC Gardening Australia magazine
(current subscriptions will be extended).

yoursay@gardeningaustralia.com.au (letters)
experts@gardeningaustralia.com.au (questions)

Your Say, Gardening Australia, nextmedia,

Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW, 1590
Kirk Mason, Banksia Grove, WA  
QA
&
I’m wondering if you could tell me the FACEBOOK
name of this vine. I got a cutting from a friend. facebook.com/ABCGardeningAustraliamagazine

Elizabeth Swane says What an unusual plant, and certainly INSTAGRAM

a talking point! It’s Ceropegia ampliata. The flower explains its @gardeningaustraliamag
common names of horny wonder, bushman’s pipe and condom #gardeningaustraliamag
plant. I saw it for sale in autumn at the Collectors’ Plant Fair in
Clarendon, NSW, and, as you say, it grows well from cuttings.
Annie Austin from
Kaniva in Victoria
has won a six-month
subscription for
her photo (left) of
cute pooch Charlie
hitching a ride in a
nursery trolley. She
looks right at home
among Annie’s
plant purchases!

SUPER
SPATH
My peace lily
(Spathiphyllum
spp.) flower has
two spathes,
which I’m told
is caused by an
SHOPPING WITH CHARLIE unusual mutation.
To distract Charlie from the resident nursery cat, Joan Murray,
I plonked her in the trolley. She was quite at home. Upper Mount
Annie Austin, Kaniva, Vic Gravatt, Qld

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 79

MAILBOX

Felicity Coleman, Petrie, Qld

QA
&
Recently, while visiting Rockhampton, I saw this lovely tree growing in parks and also
as a street tree. I was unable to find out what it was and wondered if you could identify it.
Phil Dudman says I’ve checked this with a specialist tree grower Maroun Maait and he says it looks like pride of
India (Lagerstroemia speciosa) – a tropical crepe myrtle from southern Asia. It is also known as Queen’s myrtle.

SEEDS OF BEAUTY
I thought nothing could surpass the breathtaking beauty
of our magnolia tree’s pure white blooms in spring, and
then I noticed something red beside my head. It was a
beautiful seed pod – one of many. The only downside is that
a seed-grown tree takes 20 years to produce flowers!
Judith-Anne Tahir, Deloraine, Tas

Julie Mellor, Young, NSW

QA
&
I found these caterpillars on a newly
planted eucalypt. They had almost defoliated
it in a week. As I was picking them off, one
left a little hair in my thumb, and it stung.
They are amazing-looking creatures, but
destructive. Could you identify them please?
Martyn Robinson says These are cup moth
caterpillars in the family Limacodidae. The species is
Doratifera vulnerans and they are also called Chinese
junks, as they somewhat resemble those boats. The
little tubercles on their backs are tipped with stinging
bristles, so you should be careful not to brush against
them (as you discovered!). They often feed as a
group, so leaves can look pretty ragged, but it is rare
that a plant will die and it usually recovers quite well.

80 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 A SHED OF HER OWN
COMPETITION OPEN TO AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY. STARTS 00.01 AEST 14/5/18 AND ENDS 23:59 AEST 10/6/18. ENTRIES JUDGED ON 11/6/18 AT 2PM AT NEXTMEDIA LEVEL 6, 207 PACIFIC HWY, ST LEONARDS, NSW 2065. TOTAL PRIZE POOL VALUE

Very proud of my husband for building this

$500 (INC GST). THE JUDGES’ DECISION IS FINAL AND NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE ENTERED INTO. FULL TERMS & CONDITIONS AT GARDENINGAUSTRALIA.COM.AU. PRIZES SENT TO THE POSTAL ADDRESS PROVIDED ON THE ENTRY FORM.

potting shed for me. I love to sit on the verandah

and have a drink after a day in the garden.
Robyn Walker, Campbells Creek, Vic

Blaise Terek, Adelaide, SA

QA
&
Can you please help me identify this plant?
I bought it from a fresh-produce stall in the Adelaide
Hills and the packet said ‘ginger’. But, after looking on
the internet, I’m stumped as to what it is. It’s in a pot,
loves water and full sun, and grows to about 1.5m. I’ve
included pictures of the stem, plant, tubers and a flower.
Elizabeth Swane says Your plant is a jerusalem artichoke. An
underground edible tuber forms below the towering growth, which is
topped with sunflower-like blooms. The creamy-coloured tubers are
ready to harvest when flowers finish and the plant begins to die down,
but you can ‘bandicoot’ a few from around edges of the clump during

WIN
1 of 2 Fleming’s
the growing season. It is a vigorous grower and can take over garden
beds, so make sure you harvest all of the tubers, unless you want to
keep producing jerusalem artichokes in the future.

tree vouchers
worth Trees are the Fleming family’s passion, and they have
been responsible for introducing many new fruiting
$250 each and ornamental varieties to Australian gardeners over
four generations. Fleming’s Nurseries is ofering two
ABC Gardening Australia readers the chance to win
a $250 voucher to spend on a selection of bare-rooted
trees for winter planting. Visit lemings.com.au for an
extensive range of plants and products for the garden.

We have two vouchers for bare-rooted trees from Fleming’s

Nurseries to give away, valued at $250 each. To enter, tell
us in 25 words or less which trees you would choose for your
garden and why. Write your name, address, daytime phone
number and entry on the back of an envelope and send it to
Bare-rooted Trees Competition, Gardening Australia, nextmedia,
Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590, or email your entry
to comp@gardening australia.com.au, with ‘Trees’ in the subject
line. The competition closes on July 8.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 81

MAILBOX

MATURE TREASURE
In the February 2018 issue, you mentioned how we plant trees but rarely see
them in maturity, as they are actually grown for the next generation. We have SUPPORT FOR NATURE
watched our Japanese maple grow to well over 6m, so it was worth planting On the way to visit our grandchildren’s
it 25 years ago and not moving house. We love all the seasons it goes through: house, we always pass this magnificent
the orange/brown colours of autumn, the carpet of leaves at the beginning of plant. It shows that everything needs
winter, the soft green of spring and the shade it gives during summer. Thank support at some time in its life.
you for making us realise we have something special in our backyard. Alana McCabe, Rochedale South, Qld
Jenni Noble, Narrawallee, NSW

David Chaplin, via email

QA
&
I am seeking guidance on how best to protect
some of the plants, including orchids and bonsai, in my
Adelaide garden. The hot summer seems to destroy the
plants, and the lack of sunlight in winter slows them down.
It looks like a glasshouse would take care of my plants from
late autumn to early spring, but I’m afraid they would cook
in the direct sun in summer, when it reaches 40°C. How do
I address such issues? I don’t want to invest thousands in a
glasshouse, then find out later that I’ve done the wrong thing.
Elizabeth Swane says Coming from a nursery background, where
one of our tasks was to whitewash the glasshouses each spring, if you
decide on a glasshouse, I advise you to opt for some sort of protection
from the searing summer sun. Shadecloth is easier than the fiddly annual
application of whitewash. There are various knitted or woven shadecloth
materials available, with density of shade ranging from about 30 per cent
to 75 per cent. Choose shadecloth based on the main type of plants you
want to protect. Ferns, for example, require 75 per cent shade, general
plants and orchids 50 per cent and vegetables 30 to 50 per cent.
Look closely at the types of greenhouses and glasshouses used by
local nurseries. Also consider your budget, as there is a big variance in
cost between a shadehouse and a glasshouse. Take into account the cost
of power for seasonal heating and cooling. Good air circulation is also
important. In Australia, we can grow a wide range of plants outdoors
almost year round, unlike the Northern Hemisphere, where glasshouses
PHOTOS ISTOCK

are common in home gardens. A glasshouse does have advantages, providing optimum conditions when propagating or
growing plants out of their favoured climatic zones, and allowing you to get the jump on summer crops, such as tomatoes.

82 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 Jo  о
Instagram
Gardeners around the country share their
love for growing lots of interesting plants,
including succulents, vegies and flowers.
Clockwise from top left This lovely photo from
aimees.green.thumb shows the leaves around
the edge of the pot, which had to be removed
when her succulents received too much rain, are
sprouting roots, so she has lots of babies to plant!
Meanwhile, Shannon at smokerfamily in Carmel,
Western Australia, is enjoying the first-ever flower
on his dragonfruit, which is providing a tasty treat
for a visiting bee. In Warrnambool, Victoria,
thewagonvegetablegarden says one of her
favourite things to grow in the garden is beetroot,
because she loves the colour and it tastes pretty
awesome, too. And Caroline at mizpahcottage
in Ballarat, Victoria, says it was lovely to have
some showers recently as they freshened up
her garden, including this beautiful apricot rose.

Sandra Thomas, Camp Hill, Qld photo 1 photo 2

QA
&
I have had a white hydrangea (photo 1)
in my garden for some time and took two cuttings
not so long ago. They grew and thrived, I planted
them out and now they look like photos 2 and 3!
Although the leaves look similar to a compact
white hydrangea, the habit and flowers are totally
different. Can you explain what has happened?
Elizabeth Swane says You have actually grown
a lovely autumn-flowering plant called Chinese rain bell
(Strobilanthes cusia syn. S. flaccidifolia). It strikes readily
from cuttings, features trumpet-like flowers and grows to
1.5–2m tall. This accidental propagation has its merits, as
it looks very happy among the other plants in your garden.
The lush foliage is not dissimilar to hydrangea, so it would
be easy to mistake when taking cuttings.
As for your white hydrangea, you could try again by
taking hardwood cuttings this winter when the plant loses
its leaves. Pieces should be pencil-thick, 10–15cm long.
I have a lovely Chinese rain bell, which I prune hard
in winter to maintain a compact size and shape. It likes
a semi-shaded spot, with shelter from hot afternoon sun. photo
You don’t often see this plant for sale in nurseries, as it’s 3
a bit lanky in a small pot, but it is popular among garden
club members who grow and share it via cuttings. It’s in
the same family as shrimp plant, oyster plant and many
other beautiful flowering plants.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 83

 CROSSWORD

take a break!
Put the kettle on – it’s time to relax! Solve our puzzle
to be in the running to win a Gardena pruning kit

27 across A

WIN
a Gardena 1 down B
pruning kit
SEE OPPOSITE
102 SOLUTION NEXT MONTH

2 down C

CROSSWORD COMPILED BY STEVE BALL PHOTOS ISTOCK, WEEDS.DPI.NSW. GOV.AU

across
1. Seaweed with flat leathery fronds (5)
4. Harvests (5)
7. Tropical American tree, the source
of chocolate (5)
10. Conifer producing durable wood (7)
11. Sleeping perch (5)
12. Insect found almost worldwide (3)
13. Strips of bark once used as
kindling (8,7)
15. Waldorf and Caesar, for example (6)
16. Baked ice-cream dessert, bombe … (6)
17. Ready for picking (4)
18. Common dietary supplement (4)
21. American desert plant (6)
23. Misbehaves; gives trouble (4,2)
27. The South American shrub Solanum
pseudocapsicum (9,6) (PICTURE A)
31. Small new leaf (3) 7. Plant with a sticky stem (8)
32. The daughter of one’s brother or 8. Groups of students (7)
sister (5) 9. Horse feed (4)
33. Chilled drink typically flavoured with 14. Plant of the mint family attractive
lemon (4,3) to felines (6)
34. Tiny disease-carrying arachnids (5) 15. Smart, elegant (6)
35. US lake straddling the California-Nevada 19. Short concentrated shot of
state line (5) espresso coffee (9)
36. Eating utensil (5) 20. Dried fruit used in scones,
Christmas cakes etc. (8)
down 22. Aromatic medicinal oil obtained
1. Genus of this fruit tree (5) (PICTURE B) from trees of the myrtle family (7)
2. Noxious weed with orange-pink flowers 24. Exercise books or notebooks (7)
(4,5) (PICTURE C) 25. View (6)
3. Expanded, grew (7) 26. Drink (6)
4. String of beads for keeping count (6) 28. Bloodsucking worm (5)
5. Gold (5) 29. Pine (5)
6. Germinates, sprouts (6) 30. The leaf-bearing axis of a plant (4)

84 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 WIN
1 of 5 Gardena
pruning kits
each worth
$107
CROSSWORD COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS: OPEN TO AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY. COMPETITION OPENS 11/6/2018 AT 00:01 (AEST) AND CLOSES 1/7/2018 AT 23:59 (AEST). FIVE LUCKY WINNERS WILL EACH RECEIVE A GARDENA PRUNING KIT’, WORTH $107 EACH.
TOTAL PRIZE VALUE IS $535. WINNERS DRAWN ON 3/7/2018 AT 14:00 (AEST) AT 207 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, ST LEONARDS NSW 2065. WINNERS NOTIFIED BY TELEPHONE AND IN WRITING. PERMIT NUMBERS NSW LTPM/17/010349, ACT TP 16/02544. FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
AVAILABLE AT GARDENINGAUSTRALIA.COM.AU. PRIVACY POLICY AVAILABLE AT NEXTMEDIA.COM.AU. PROMOTER IS NEXTMEDIA PTY LTD; ABN 84 128 805 970; 207 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, ST LEONARDS NSW 2065.

the art of clever pruning

Passionate gardeners know that, on any given day, somewhere in
the garden, there is a plant that would beneit from a little pruning.
Gardena ofers a full range of pruning tools that sit comfortably
and lightly in the hand, are robust and cut cleanly. Designed in
Germany, they are backed by the Gardena 25-year warranty.

how to enter
We have five Gardena pruning kits to give away, worth $107 each.
Every kit contains 1 x Aluminium Secateurs, 1 x Rose Gatherer
Scissors and 1 x SchnippSchnapp Scissors. To enter, unscramble
the highlighted letters in the crossword (opposite) and email your
answer to comp@gardeningaustralia.com.au. Put ‘Gardena pruning
kit’ in the subject line and include your name, street address, email
solution June 2018
crossword
and daytime phone number. Competition closes on July 8.

WINNERS
Grow Your Own book (Apr 18) A Lyon, Dandenong North, Vic; M Watts,
Epping, NSW. Blumat watering system (Apr 18) R de Graaf, Mt Eliza, Vic;
R Jenkin, Kapunda, SA; A Louise, Clifton Hill, Vic; B McBain, Islington, NSW;
K Skilbeck, Harcourt North, Vic. CutAbove secateurs (Apr 18) CJ Bardell,
Deloraine, Tas; G Bremner, Traralgon, Vic; G Burgon, Salisbury East, SA;
P Coote, Leichhardt, NSW; C Jones, Cootamundra, NSW; E Luther,
Prairie, Qld; S Malcolm, Ringwood North, Vic; L Markwell, Branyan,
Qld; B Mitterfellner, Nicholls, ACT; G Nicita, Wahroonga, NSW.
101

June’s unscrambled word: overwinter

GARDENING AUSTRALIA July 2018 85

GARDENING ON YOUR

radio For details of programs on your

local ABC station, call 139 994
or visit abc.net.au/local

ACT SA
ABC Radio Canberra ABC Radio Adelaide;
Saturday 8.30–10am 1485 ABC Eyre
Peninsula & West Coast;
NSW 639 ABC North & West;
Gardening Australia ABC Radio Central Coast ABC South East
is on ABC TV every Saturday 9–9.30am Saturday 8.30am

TV Friday at 7.30pm and

repeated on Sunday at
1.30pm and on iView.
ABC Mid North Coast
Wednesday 9.30–10am,
Saturday 9.30–10am
1233 ABC Newcastle
999 ABC Broken Hill;
1062 ABC Riverland
Saturday 9am
Statewide
Saturday 9–9.30am Sunday 10.30am
June 15 ABC New England North West
We’ve raided our archives, and Jane Edmanson
Thursday 9.30am, Saturday 8.30am TAS
ABC North Coast ABC Radio Hobart;
finds a Gippsland garden full of fascinating plants, Saturday 8.30–9.30am ABC Northern Tasmania
Sophie Thomson meets a prolific vegie grower ABC Riverina Saturday 9–10am
and Jerry Coleby-Williams explores a garden on Wednesday 10.30–11am,
the edge of a rainforest in Far North Queensland. Saturday 8.30–9am VIC
ABC Central West ABC Radio Melbourne;
June 22 Saturday 8.30am ABC Victoria
We revisit stories where Costa Georgiadis helps ABC South East Saturday 9.30am
control kikuyu on Montague Island, Josh Byrne Wednesday 10.05–10.30am, ABC Ballarat
shares some of Western Australia’s wildflowers, Saturday 9.05–10am Wednesday 6.40am
Jane Edmanson visits a bush medicine garden in ABC Radio Sydney monthly, Thursday
Alice Springs, Millie Ross and Squid hunt truffles Saturday 9–9.30am 10am fortnightly
and Sophie Thomson meets a Cape Jervis artist. ABC Western Plains 1602 ABC South
Thursday 9.35am fortnightly, West Victoria
June 29

THIS INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PRINTING BUT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PHOTO CRAIG WALL
Saturday 8.30–9am Thursday 7.20am fortnightly
Costa Georgiadis meets a man who rescues rare 973 ABC Illawarra ABC Central
camellias, Tino Carnevale plants perennial vegies, Saturday 8.30–9.30am Victoria
Jerry Coley-Williams talks tillandsias, Millie Ross Thursday 9.30–10am
has tips on Aussie indoor plants, Jane Edmanson NT 594 ABC Western
visits a garden for chefs, and we ramp up the 783 ABC Alice Springs; Victoria
search for the 2018 Gardener of the Year. 106.1 ABC Tennant Creek Tuesday 9.10am
Saturday 8.30–9am ABC Mildura –
Jul y 6 ABC Radio Darwin Swan Hill
Costa Georgiadis visits chef Peter Gilmore’s Saturday 9–9.30am Tuesday 9.30am
kitchen garden, Jerry Coleby-Williams explores ABC Gippsland
subtropical alliums, Millie Ross has some tips QLD Monday 10–10.30am
for moving established plants, Sophie Thomson ABC Radio Brisbane ABC Goulburn Murray
plants summer-flowering bulbs, and we meet Saturday 6–7am Tuesday 10.05–10.30am
our latest guest presenter, Rebecca Sullivan. ABC Capricornia; 630 ABC
North Qld; ABC North West WA
Jul y 13 Qld; ABC Tropical North; ABC ABC Radio Perth; ABC Great
To celebrate NAIDOC Week, Costa Georgiadis Western Qld; ABC Wide Bay Southern; ABC South West;
visits Gardening Australia presenter Clarence Friday 10–11am ABC Goldields Esperance;
Slockee’s new garden and Millie Ross meets an 91.7 ABC Gold Coast; ABC Kimberley; ABC North
artist using indigenous plants. Also, Josh Byrne ABC Southern Qld West; ABC Midwest and
captures stormwater and Jerry Coleby-Williams Saturday 9–10am Wheatbelt
explains layering propagation. ABC Far North Wednesday 2.30–3pm,
Friday 10–11am, Saturday 8.30–9am Saturday 9.05–10am
Visit iview.abc.net.au to watch previous
Download the ABC listen app and listen to live radio
episodes of Gardening Australia
streams of gardening programs across Australia.

86 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 directory
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CLASSIFIEDS
Aquatic Plants
Waterlilies & pond plants.
Printed catalogue available.
Send 2 x $1.00 stamps to
WATERGARDEN PARADISE
PO Box 7039, Bass Hill, NSW 2197
Ph: (02) 9727 2622
www.watergardenparadise.com.au
Bulbs
Van Diemen Quality Bulbs
Specialty bulb growers.
Time to think about bulbs.
Order your tulips, iris, liliums etc here.
Send for your free catalogue to:
363 Table Cape Road, Wynyard,
TAS 7325
Ph: (03) 6442 2012
Fax: (03) 6442 2582
Email: manager@vdqbulbs.com.au
www.vdqbulbs.com.au
TULIPS WITH A DIFFERENCE
Free Colour Bulb Catalogue. Quality
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Bulbs - Tulips, Dutch Iris, Daffodils,
Alstromeria, Hyacinths, Liliums,
Hippeastrums, Daylilies, Gladiolus,
Rhubarb, Asparagus…
294 Chambers Road, Boyup Brook
WA 6244 Ph/Fax: (08) 9767 3069
Email: lyn@wabulbs.com
www.wabulbs.com
Cacti & Succulents
Excellent collection. 40 named
varieties, separately labelled for
only $45. Post Free.
Quality plants, good
varieties, wide range of types and
colours, including some echeverias.
Sorry mail order only.
Prompt delivery. 18 page list
available on request.
Direct Debit now available.
Order and payment to:
Mildura Succulent Supplies
PO Box 756, Mildura VIC 3502
Ph: (03) 5024 6653
94 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
Clivias
SPECIALTY CLIVIAS
Excellent range
Imported varieties; new strains
Seeds, seedlings, mature plants
Ph Peter Haeusler 0447 360 524
specialtyclivias@gmail.com
Burwood, VIC 3125
Frangipanis & Brugs
Plus Dessert Roses, Angel’s
trumpets and rare Sanseveria’s.
Australia’s biggest and best
selection. We mail order
Australia Wide!
Ph: (07) 4097 0065
www.sacredgardenfrangipanis.com.au
Fuchsia/Hydrangea
100’s Vty’s of plants by M/order
Free $5 start up Voucher
Ph: (04) 3839 3578
www.brenlissaonlinenursery.com.au
Geraniums
Geraniums. 200 Varieties
30 = $65, 60 = $115.
Post free to all states
Ph: Roger (08) 9470 2345
See pics on net
www.geraniumcottage.net
Irises
BEST NURSERY
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Over 400 varieties of bearded Iris.
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Call BEST Nursery (02) 6722 4200
Or Claude 0408 654 337
Visit us online
www.bestnursery.com.au
Ferndale Iris and Daylily Nursery
85 Caloola Road, Newbridge, NSW
2795. Catalogue Available.
No WA or TAS
PH: (02) 6368 1058
Email: kellycr@activ8.net.au
SUNSHINE IRIS NURSERY
Over 600 varieties of bearded
iris and daylilies, including rare
vintage iris.
Posts to all states in Australia.
www.sunshineiris.com.au
Call Mandy 0429 857 085
Margie 0422 672 112
Perennials
Perennialle Plants Nursery
Specialising in frost and dry
tolerant perennials by mail order
www.perennialle.com.au
0427 077 798
Including Clematis, Polygonatums.
Epimediums, English Snowdrops,
Wood Anemone Podophyllums,
Primulas, Iris, Aruncus,
Campanula, Orchids, Asarum,
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www.lynnsrareplants.com.au
Ph. (02) 4784 3101
Roses
Ladybird Roses
www.ladybirdroses.com.au
Mail order roses and rare plants
Ph: (03) 5904 3332
e: sales@ladybirdroses.com.au
RELIABLE ROSES
Please send s.s.a.e. for free Rose
List to: PO Box 20, Silvan Vic. 3795
Tel: (03) 9737 9313/
Fax: (03) 9737 9876
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Salvias/Pelargoniums
Large variety of colourful
and water-wise salvias.  Scented
pelargoniums also offered.
Not tubestock. Can provide
growing and care advice.
Mail order.  Sorry no Tas. or W.A.
Email kbasiaco@iprimus.com.au
for catalogue.
Mobile 0404 369 848
Seeds
Australian Wildflower Seeds
Nindethana Seed Service P/L - PO
Box 2121, Albany WA 6331.
Ph: (08) 9844 3533
Fax: (08) 9844 3573
www.nindethana.net.au
Largest selection of native seed.
Small packets to bulk quantities
Violets
Ladybird Roses
SCENTED SWEET VIOLETS
www.ladybirdroses.com.au
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 the big picte

snoozin’
season
Unlike those in warmer
climes, MICHAEL McCOY is
hunkering down and letting
his garden take care of itself

A
t no other time of the year
is there such an extravagant
difference between my normal
daytime temperatures here
in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges and those
in, say, Darwin or Townsville.
Nor is there ever such a big difference
between our gardens. Mine is like a fat
old bear, occasionally turning over with
a quiet, sleepy growl in his extended
hibernation, while those up north are
like gambolling spring lambs or crazed
March hares. And consequently, our
gardening processes and practices are
never more markedly different.
Take watering, for example. Gardens
in the coolest parts of the south-east
need water at this time of year at about
the same rate as my sleeping bear needs
a drink. As it happens, this is one of the
wetter times of year, but even if that
were not the case, plants that are in
a state of total or semi-dormancy need
very little water indeed. The sprinklers
have been stored for months now,
along with (if you’re better organised
than I am) most of the hoses.
Temperatures in the tropical north, on
the other hand, encourage continuous
growth in many garden plants, so water
“I ma y as well be leaving slabs of
honeycomb or animal carcasses at
the mouth of my bear’s winter cave”
demands remain high. Being the dry
season, tropical plants in full, panting
growth will most likely need plenty of
supplementary watering.
And then there’s the feeding. The
need any plant has for food is in direct
proportion to its growth rate. Feeding
plants in my climate at this time of year
is a total waste of resource. I may as well
be leaving great slabs of honeycomb or
succulent animal carcasses at the mouth
of my bear’s winter cave. No matter how
delectable my offering, he’s going to
sleep right through it. Likewise, plants in
dormancy simply can’t make any use of
food. It’ll just leach away with the rainfall.
Anywhere warmer, whether that’s
in the far north, or Sydney, or even
Melbourne, there’ll be some growth
(however small, depending on latitude
and altitude) that could benefit from an
exactly proportional amount of food. PHOTO VINCENT LONG ILLUSTRATION SANDRA ETEROVIC
And proportional is the keyword.
My teenage son, still in terrifying
growth, can consume, absorb and
put to use any quantity of kilojoules.
I, on the other hand, can survive on
a fraction of his basic needs.
In its simplest form, it’s the ambient
temperature that sets the growth rate
of plants. We just need to be ready to
respond to them with corresponding
amounts of food and water.
Meanwhile, I – like my fat old bear
– can snooze on a bit longer. GA
Michael blogs at thegardenist.com.au

98 July 2018 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

 NEXT MONTH

ON
SA L E
July 9

in the August issue

magnolias
plus
PHOTO ISTOCK

snapdragons tricky fruits &

managing a flower border
flemings.com.au/products/top-10-trees | Get in touch 03) 9756 6105 |