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SAs OWN GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING MAGAZINE
AUTUMN 2011
GARDEN & OUTDOOR LIVING

Jon Lamb
Edited by
South Australian
Bringing birds back to your garden Citrus for small spaces
Official journal of the Nursery & Garden Industry and the Landscape Association of SA
GARDEN & OUTDOOR LIVING

Edition number 1 Published by Jon Lamb Communications Pty Ltd, (JLC) 31 King St, Norwood, SA 5067 Official Journal of Nursery & Garden Industry of SA Inc Landscape Association of SA Inc Editor Jon Lamb (08) 8362 5417 jlcom@chariot.net.au Publishing, sub-editing, layout Steve Swann (08) 8365 0596 steveswann@internode.on.net ADVERTISING HWR Media & Communications 109b Conyngham Street, Frewville, SA 5063 (08) 8379 9522 Fax (08) 8379 9735 www.hwrmedia.com.au sales@hwrmedia.com.au Landscape Association of SA (LASA) Adelaide Showground, Goodwood Rd, Wayville. PO Box 108, Goodwood SA 5034 Secretariat: Rob Martin (08) 8210 5229 www.landscapesa.com.au Nursery & Garden Industry of SA (NGISA) 505 Fullarton Rd, Netherby, SA 5062 CEO: Geoffrey Fuller (08) 8372 6822 www.ngisa.com.au Disclaimer Although all reasonable is taken care in preparing information contained in this publication, neither Jon Lamb Communications (JLC), NGISA or LASA, nor their officers, staff or suppliers involved in the editing and production of this magazine accept any liability resulting from the interpretation or use of the information set out in this document. Information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the publishers or editor. No responsibility is accepted by JLC, NGISA or LASA for the accuracy of information contained in advertisements in SA Garden & Outdoor Living. Publication of an advertisement does not constitute endorsement by NGISA, LASA or JLC of any product or service, or warrant its suitability.
South Australian
AUTUMN 2011
FEATURES 4
R ipperroses Our pick for the top five B ringbackthebirds Encouraging native birds back into your garden Landscapeyourdreams Starting from scratch? It pays to plan
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28
REGULAR COLUMNS 14 40
H erbTalk June Taylor: remembering rosemary T hecuttingedge Trevor Nottle monitors the latest issues
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GOOD GARDENING 18 22 38
T ipsforatoplawn Attractive lawns dont just happen C olourfulbloomers A little something to brighten a winters day D ecoratingwithindoorplants Making a landscape of your rooms
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Copyright: Editorial material published in SA Garden & Outdoor Living is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the Publisher or Editor.
GARDEN & OUTDOOR LIVING / AUTUMN 2011 3
Fionas Wish
Ripper roses our pick for the top five

Rose grower KIM SYRUS names his five favourites, reflects on some old stars and looks at a few of the new performers.
4 GARDEN & OUTDOOR LIVING / AUTUMN 2011
Roses
Iceberg
Seduction and St Johns Rose below (inset).
or those who have ever ventured into the rose section of your garden centre or perhaps looked through an online mail order rose catalogue, you will know there are hundreds of varieties available. Choosing the right ones for your garden can be quite daunting. As a professional rose grower one question Im constantly asked is Whats your favourite rose? Now, thats not an easy one to answer! There are so many great performing roses to choose, from big blooming hybrid teas and massed flowering floribundas to expansive climbers and super hardy groundcovers. Singling out just one is agonising so, after careful consideration, Ive chosen my top five ripper roses. Its a mix of floribunda, hybrid tea and climber, all fantastic performers easy to grow, produce a bounty of blooms and a great introduction to the wonderful world
of roses, whether you are a novice or an experienced gardener. Fionas Wish A standout bicolour rose with bright cherry red and yellow reverse blooms coupled with an amazing scent make this a sensational plant for the garden. Producing loads of flowers and a superior garden performance, here is a worthy alternative to other bicolour roses such as Double Delight and Hybrid Tea. Height 1.5 metres. Iceberg The choice of rose for many Australian gardeners, and why not! Loads of crisp white flowers smother the bush for most of the growing season. Iceberg is hardy, healthy and so versatile. It makes practically the perfect standard
with its natural rounded canopy and the most wonderful climbing form (Climbing Iceberg). For those looking for a little more colour, check out the Iceberg sports Blushing Pink, Brilliant Pink, Burgundy Iceberg and Climbing Iceberg. Floribunda. Height 1.5 metres. Knock Out After taking the USA by storm, Knock Out has already proven itself to be a super tough, super blooming beauty here in Australia. Oodles of cherry red flowers cover the bush from spring right into the depths of winter. Highly disease resistant, heres a rose that even sub-tropical gardeners can enjoy. Keep an eye out for the rest of the Knock
Pierre de Ronsard
Knock Out
Roses
Marmalade Skies Out Family (Double, Pink and Blushing) released in 2011. Floribunda. Height 1 metre. Pierre de Ronsard A climbing classic! Creamy white, old fashioned cup-shaped flowers with a delightful blush pink centre cover this ever popular pillar rose. The beautiful romantic look fits any garden style and design. A spectacular climbing rose and so versatile, plant on an arch, lattice, post or in a pot. Look out for the new whiter sport Blushing Pierre de Ronsard. Climber. Coverage 6 square metres. Seduction Masses of pink edged and cream centred blooms are constantly produced on this ever reliable garden rose. A robust performer, Seduction has become a firm favourite throughout Australian gardens over the past 20 years planted singly, as a hedge or as a standard. Floribunda. Height 1.2 metres
Red Pierre Five old favourites still worth growing Bonica Shrub rose producing masses of mid pink blooms on gently arching canes. Height 1.2 metres. Gold Bunny Each golden bloom is petal filled and glows against the deep green wavy edged foliage. Height 1.2 metres. La Sevillana Clusters of bright red blooms festoon the deep green, well foliaged bush. Height 1.5 metres. Mr Lincoln Deep velvety red blooms are strongly scented and held atop a robust upright stem. Height 1.8 metres. Peace The worlds most popular rose. Large, classic shaped, yellow and pink blended blooms. Height 1.5 metres. Five new performers (worth ordering now) Forget Me Not Masses of large dusky plum pink blooms, informally quartered and petal and fragrance filled. Height 1.5 metres. St. John Rose Beautiful, classic scented blooms of deep, velvety red adorn this magnificent hybrid tea. Height: 1.5 metres. (Pictured on the previous page.) Red Pierre Pillar climber producing masses of large, burgundy red, very double cupped blooms with an old world charm and elegance. Coverage 6 square metres. Marmalade Skies Award winning low growing bright orange floribunda that is an absolute showstopper. Height 900 mm. The New Knock Out Family Double Knock Out, Pink Knock Out and Blushing Knock Out. These are all super long-flowering and disease resistant. Kim Syrus is the South Australian face of gardening on the popular television program The Garden Gurus. A qualified horticulturist and Nursery & Garden Industry member, he is one of Australias most respected rose experts. Along with running his nurseries, Corporate Roses and The Southern Plant Market, at Myponga, he is also a regular contributor on 5AA garden talkback radio and current president of the Horticultural Media Association of SA.
Peace
Mr Lincoln
Gold Bunny
Roses
Roses that linger longer inside
ave you noticed how some rose blooms last much longer in a vase than others? As a general rule, the reds and pinks last longer than the whites, then come the orange and coppers with yellow at the bottom of the list. But, choosing the right varieties to grow is only part of the story. Growers who exhibit their blooms will tell you the secret of long vase life is all to do with conditioning. When the buds are picked, they are still living and will continue to grow and open using stored up reserves from within their stems providing they have access to plenty of water. Most of this moisture enters through the small cut in the stem.
The first thing to do then is to make a long sloping cut across the stem, exposing as much cut area as possible. Because the blooms need to be placed in water immediately after cutting, it is a good idea to take a bucket with you. Immerse the buds up to their necks for up to an hour. During this time, they will absorb as much moisture as possible. They are now ready for arranging. Within a day or so, the cut area can be clogged with bacteria and other minute organisms, preventing the blooms from receiving enough moisture to keep them turgid. Once this happens, they quickly start to fade. Cutting a few centimetres from the stems every day or so will help as this
exposes a clean, new cut. But, an easier way is to buy a packet of flower conditioner from your local garden centre or florist and mix this with the water. This prevents the formation of the bacteria and provides a limited amount of nutrients to the blooms. Incidentally, the vase water should be changed every day or so or whenever it becomes cloudy as this indicates a build-up of the moisture inhibiting bacteria. Dont forget to wash the vase thoroughly after the blooms have been thrown out, otherwise huge populations of the bacteria will be carried over, infecting the next bunch of flowers. Most rose growers say the best time to pick the blooms is early in the morning while they are fresh and turgid.
Weed Watch
Beating weeds
It can be a jungle out there. But you can tame it!

hen it comes to winter weeds in the garden, show no mercy. Inevitably, they begin to grow soon after early autumn rains and initially, their growth rate appears to be remarkably slow. But, if you ignore them, you do so at your own peril. Within a few weeks, their roots will be firmly anchored into the ground and their leaves are then capable of doubling and trebling their size every four or five days. It is during this early growth stage that most weeds are extremely susceptible to herbicides, particularly products containing glyphosate. Glyphosate is a systemic chemical that is quickly absorbed into the plants sap stream. Within a few hours of spraying, the chemical travels into the plants roots ending its ability to grow. Recently germinated weeds will be destroyed by the chemical within a day or so, whereas mature plants sprayed later when conditions are colder, may take seven to ten days to die. Sprays containing glyphosate are not toxic to humans or animals and there are
no residual effects on the soil. However, take care what you do spray as the chemical is non selective and any spray that accidentally drifts in the wind can affect most plants. Plants in garden beds can be protected by covering with a plastic bucket or bin. Spraying should only be carried out on a calm day and there is no need to drown the weeds in chemical. Recent surveys indicate many home gardeners apply four times more chemical than is needed when spraying garden plants. Cultivation Cultivation also provides very effective control while the weeds are small. However, when you cultivate the soil you bring a new batch of weed seeds to the surface. It is the interaction between light, moisture and warmth that triggers their germination. Having eliminated the first batch of weeds, the challenge then is how to prevent reinvasion. In garden beds, the best solution is to cover the ground with a layer of mulch. You dont need very much at this time of
the year, just enough to prevent the light from reaching the topsoil. A layer of autumn leaves that are falling now would be ideal, or you may care to use compost that hasnt been completely broken down. Widespread weed invasion in autumn is not confined to bare ground. If you have a lawn, take a close look at any bare patches or areas where the stand is thin. Its likely these areas are already being occupied by weeds, particularly those with broad or flat leaves. As these develop, they grow over the adjacent grasses, shading them out and allowing more weeds to move in. The easiest way to control broadleafed weeds is to spray the patches or if theyre numerous, the entire lawn with a herbicide containing MCPA. This is a selective chemical that will quickly kill any broadleafed weeds, but has no effect on the surrounding grasses. However, read the label carefully before spraying as it contains useful information about spraying rates and any plants that may be sensitive to the chemical.
Waterwise gardening
Water saving tips

Plant trees and shrubs where they create natural shade and windbreaks to reduce evaporation. Take advantage of sheltered spots to grow more sensitive plants, particularly out of the hot summer winds. Avoid very large, broadleafed plants and trees that need lots of water to survive summer. Choose water efficient plants. Some selections of Australian grasses and strappy leafed plants such as Lomandra and Dianella are waterwise plants and are excellent in landscapes particularly in an Australian modern style garden. Plant low water using plants in an area that tends to be dry, such as near walls or fences or hard to access areas. Consider putting moisture loving with garden plants for water. Most vegetables are high water use plants that need a sunny position. Root vegetables are generally less demanding and can be grouped separately from those that use more water. In Adelaide, to get the best results and save water, leafy vegetables can be grown under 50 percent white shadecloth during January and February. Plant in autumn so that plants become established during winter and will require less water the following summer.
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Wild birds in the garden
Bring back the birds

Encouraging native birds back into your garden isnt rocket science. A few simple innovations will fill your backyard with sound and life.
ou dont need a large landscape to attract birds back into the garden. In fact the type of trees or shrubs you select is far more important than the number as right choice will provide food and shelter, both essential for bird survival. Another necessity of life is water. This is easy enough to provide and a shallow basin or tray, filled regularly makes an ideal birdbath. However, keeping the birdbath topped up during summer and autumn is particularly important as the birds come to rely on this supply and its absence on a hot day could be fatal. Providing food and shelter is more complicated. Large exotic trees may provide an attractive green backdrop but not the sense of security birds require if they are to become a permanent part of the landscape.
Dense shelter is needed. A large bed of climbing roses is ideal, particularly for small insect eating birds such as silver eyes who will also take care of the many aphids. Other thorny or dense shrubs such as grevilleas, westringias and even callistemons and calothamus provide suitable protection. Fortunately many Australian plants provide both shelter and food. Grevilleas now come in a great range of shapes and sizes with extended flowering periods. Their claw-like flower clusters range in colours from pale cream, through bright yellow and on to red. The callistemons or bottlebrushes will attract not only the smaller honeyeaters such as the New Holland and plumed, but the smaller parrots as well. These small green parrots appear to cause absolute havoc stripping the red brushes of
the trees to bits in their search for nectar. Fortunately the trees seem to survive their attentions. Sometimes they are so focused on their feast that you can walk to within a few metres while they feed. Callistemon Little John grows knee height. The citrinus varieties are large shrubs while Callistemon Viminalis is a weeping variety which grows into a medium sized tree. The calothamus, or net bush, is another excellent bird attracter. Smaller bird attracting shrubs include the many correa species that grow well on the Adelaide Plains and in the Hills. Some of the more popular are Correa manni, with bright red or even orange bells or Correa pulchella, which produces red flowers and grows to about waist height. The related Correa pulchella minor is smaller, seldom growing above knee height, but
Photo: Onesimusix | Dreamstime.com
Wild birds in the garden
producing a profusion of red bells. The many kangaroo paws available now are also quite bird attractive and come in a range of flower colours and heights. Be prepared though if you buy the taller types, to have the birds bend the stalks in their search for nectar. In compensation its fun to watch their acrobatics as they hang from the nodding stems. A new deep red cultivar Olympic Flame, bred at Perths Kings Park Botanic Gardens, looks terrific planted en masse. Low growing plants bring the birds down to a height where they can be watched, but it increases their vulnerability to cats. If you have a domestic cat, no matter how tame, its perhaps wiser to stick to the larger bird attracting plants, and avoid leading it into temptation. Small birds, busily feeding on nectar become easy targets. Smaller varieties of Eucalyptus that will suit medium to larger sized gardens, will expand the gardens flowering period and provide a range of flowering heights. Some of the smaller ones include Eucalyptus
Ideal homes for feathered friends

Place the bird box at least 3 metres above ground. Use robust, weatherproof materials that provide reasonable insulation (e.g. marine ply timber). Deeper boxes are generally better - minimum depth should be 20 cm. Make the entrance only just large enough to admit the target species. Larger species can take over. Ensure the inside of the box is not too smooth so that the young can climb out. Drill drainage holes in the box. Place a hinge on the lid so the inside can be accessed
caesia, E. torquata and E. woodwardii. Lorikeets and rosellas would love to live in a garden near you. While a hollow log in a tall gum tree is preferred, such sites in the suburbs are few and far between and there is now a serious shortage of nesting sites for these attractive, garden-friendly birds. The answer is to consider installing a nesting box in suitable trees growing in your own garden or perhaps on the nature strip in front of your house. While this may not be as good as a hollow log, fauNature zoologist James Smith, who spends much of his time installing nesting boxes for all kinds of birds, believes that collectively home gardeners can make a big difference to the current avian accommodation crisis. James has suggested a number of general rules for home gardeners to consider. ( See box at left). You might consider building your own box although there is a good range of ready-built nest boxes available.
Simple strategies for encouraging birds back into the garden: a bird bath and native bird-friendly plants like the grevilleas (left) and a nesting box placed out of reach of cats.
Vegetable gardening
Wonderful winter vegies!
urry if you would like to fill your vegetable garden with a smorgasbord of winter eating. Soil temperatures are still quite warm and for the next few weeks, newly established seeds or seedlings will be stimulated into producing strong active growth. If you wait until the end of autumn temperatures will be much cooler slowing growth considerably and this will result in a much smaller harvest. Great value right now are the brassicas, particularly cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower or maybe one of the leafy Asian vegetables such as Bok Choy or Kailan. To this you can add silverbeet, spinach and winter lettuce. All are very easy to grow at this time of the year even if you are starting a vegetable patch for the first time. Those with plenty of room will find peas and carrots will also respond quickly to present conditions. Most of brassicas produce large dark green leaves ideal for trapping the sun and converting into food. The bigger the leaves, the more heart or curds they produce. The aim is to stimulate your plants into quick early growth with high nutrition and plenty of water. Experienced gardeners grow their leafy vegetables and brassicas after a crop of peas or beans. These are legumes and if their roots are left in the ground after harvest, the nitrogen
they produce and store in their roots will be released over the next few months for use for the following crop. The original cabbages had no heads, only leaves and the early cauliflowers had curds no bigger than a golf ball. Over the years, the heads have become bigger and with cabbages, rounder, although the more modern cabbage has a conical shape. These are mainly hybrid varieties that grow and mature very quickly (i.e. 8-10 weeks after planting out). The latest hybrids also contain good news for those who dislike the strong smell of cooking cabbage as they contain less of the compounds that produce the smell. They are sweeter and not as fibrousy. Taste and flavour However, the mildest taste and odour come from the Chinese cabbage. It has a delicate flavour and can be cooked or eaten raw. Chinese cabbages dont set heads and the seedlings dont like to be transplanted. Sow the seeds about 10 cm apart and thin to 20 cm in rows 40-45 cm apart. Red cabbages are a little harder to grow as they are very slow growing. Seedlings established now should produce reasonable heads before they are enticed to run to seed in spring. Cauliflowers, like red cabbage, are a little slow to get growing and need to
be encouraged early in life if they are to produce worthwhile heads. Save time by transplanting seedlings but look for young healthy plants and take particular care that you dont disturb the plants roots as a setback at this stage is likely to result in small heads. Before transplanting, work well aged compost into the soil. Stimulate the new seedlings into quick growth with liquid fertiliser and then let the plants grow steadily through winter. Overstimulating with too much nitrogen will produce leaves at the expense of a large white head. Cauliflowers that produce green or purple heads are available in some centres and you can also buy seedlings that produce mini curds. Broccoli is well worth a place in the garden as sprouting varieties produce a large central stem, followed by a large number of smaller heads that can be harvested over a number of years. Alternatively, the latest hybrid varieties mature very quickly (7-8 weeks) and produce a very large central head. Broccoli should be harvested before the small florets begin to open. Aim for quick early growth. This may mean applying plenty of water during the first few weeks. Then its steady as you go as with cabbage and cauliflower.
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Remembering rosemary
Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
Herb specialist JUNE TAYLOR explores some tasty uses for this easy to grow, popular plant.
n Anzac Day, its timely we reflect on our fallen heroes from the First and Second World Wars and beyond. And in the garden, one practical way of doing this is by growing rosemary, the Herb of Remembrance. Through the ages, rosemary has been linked to romance and death, faithfulness and remembrance. The name Rosemary comes from the Latin words Rose Maris meaning Dew of the Sea, because of its bright blue flowers. Today there are many varieties with flowers ranging in colour from white to pink and all shades of blue. Rosemary is a tough, hardy, drought tolerant, easy to grow plant that grows particularly well along our coastal areas. It enjoys a sunny, well-drained position in the garden and in fact, will not grow well in poor draining soils or where the plants are watered too often. It makes a great hedge that can be readily shaped while ground cover varieties look great spilling over walls or maybe a large hanging basket. There is a type of rosemary for every garden, from the small compact dwarf size bushes to tall column like shrubs or even a low growing trailing variety that is suitable for rockeries. Rosemary can be picked at any time of the year although the main crop of leaves should be harvested just prior to flowering. Hard pruning soon after flowering should be undertaken to prevent the bush from going spindly. Cut the bush back by about a third and
Baked rosemary potatoes

6 large potatoes peeled and chopped into about one inch cubes 4 tablespoons of olive oil Pinch of salt Black pepper 2 tablespoons of finely chopped Rosemary 3 cloves of garlic one finely chopped chilli Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees celsius. In a large bowl toss all ingredients until the potatoes are well coated with the oil and herbs mixture. Place potatoes in a baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn ensuring they are fully covered with the oil. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked.
While there are many uses for rosemary, as a flavouring it should be used sparingly. Too much will mar the true flavour of meat, fish and vegetables. Rosemary bread, rosemary butter, rosemary oil and rosemary vinegar are all effective ways of using this versatile herb. Rosemary skewers Cut 20 cm woody rosemary stems from your bush, remove the leaves and use them as skewers for meat, fish, capsicum, mushroom, onion or other vegetables. Try placing them under the griller or on the barbecue for a scrumptious snack. Medicinally, rosemary has been used for centuries and taking rosemary tea not only stimulates the memory, but also is a good aid for circulation and digestion. As rosemary is an antiseptic, it can be used as a gargle for sore throats or as a mouthwash. Rosemary oil gives relief when massaged into aching or rheumatic joints and will help relieve headaches if gently rubbed onto the temples. Try adding some to your bath water, as it will leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated. Rosemary has a long history of cosmetic use and even today, the oil can be used to soften the skin and promote hair growth. When washing your hair, add rosemary to the final rinse water as it will add shine and help retain the natural colour. June Taylor is a leading SA herb adviser and producer of Mike Keelans 5AA weekend gardening program.
dry the prunings. Use them as fire starters for a wood fire or combustion heater in the winter months. To effectively dry rosemary, simply hang small bunches in a dark, cool, airy place. When totally dry, strip the leaves and store them in glass containers.
Garden design
SAs garden fashion victims

Its time for a little more imagination when it comes to planning our garden layouts, argues JON LAMB
outh Australia is in the middle of a major landscaping revolution where garden fashions are changing rapidly. Succulents and tall skinny plants with long strapping leaves are on the way out and the Tuscan or Mediterranean look is in. But beware, we could become a garden fashion victim. A walk around the neighbourhood, particularly in our newer suburbs, may shock you. Rows of Standard Iceberg roses, clipped box hedges and lions head fountains are everywhere. Come on South Australia! Lets be a little bit more innovative. We have soils and a climate that are unique to this Tip of the Iceberg versatile but State and water is a commodity just a little overused. that needs to be used diligently. What we need is a garden style of our own, not facsimiles from fashionable eastern State garden magazines. Sure, Adelaide is now the rose capital of Australia and Iceberg roses are deservedly one of the most popular garden roses. But do they have to all be grown on 70 cm high stems and planted in neat straight lines? Plants grown as a standard are useful in a garden landscape because they can add an important vertical perspective. But if its height youre looking for, why not grow pillar roses? The effect is far more dramatic and you will produce more flowers on healthy, untortured bushes. Clipped box hedges are useful in the garden when straight lines or bold shapes are called for. They are very impressive in the right context but are often out of place in suburban gardens, where existing garden structures or feature plants are already competing for your attention. The attractiveness of a clipped hedge or topiary shapes is very dependent on your ability to keep the bushes neatly trimmed. If youre into low maintenance, this kind of gardening can be a trap. Where the need is for small plants that keep their shape, it may
be worth considering some of the dwarf westringias including W. fruticosa Morning Light and Smokie or native correas. Both have attractive variegated foliage. With both these, you get flowers as well as small attractive leaves. For something compact but a little larger, try dwarf Lilly Pillies (Syzygium) such as Alwyn or Lilliput. Howver, my main concern about lions head fountains is their over-use as a statement. Courtyard gardening is on the increase and a water feature is certainly a very effective way of turning a dull wall into an attractive focal point. But imagination is called for.
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Trees
Small trees with great autumn colour

Theres no shortage of choice when it comes to making an autumn splash.
o you only have room for one autumn tree but space in the garden is at a premium. What will it be? Members of South Australias Landscape Association when asked were unanimous stay away from Liquid Ambers, Golden Ash, elms and most of the larger maples. These trees are far too big for the average suburban garden. In small courtyards, four to five metres tall is considered ideal, with seven metres being the upper limit. According to LASA members, the following small trees are worth considering. Flowering Crab Apples are runaway favourites, producing spectacular blossom in spring and attractive green foliage during the growing season. Most varieties also produce small fruits or crabs. In autumn, the leaves turn golden yellow and the crabs bright red. Crab Apples generally grow four to six metres in height and some almost as wide. Malus ioensis Plena produces large attractive semi-double blossoms, but not many crabs, whereas M. Gorgeous has single white flowers with masses of large glossy red fruits. M. ioensis Purpurea features deep purple stems and red veined leaves. For a spectacular effect, try M. Echtermeyer the weeping purple crab. Brilliant spectacle Its growth habit is pendulous and the effect in both spring and autumn can be brilliant when this variety is grafted onto a tall three metres or higher standard. For added effect, try growing this variety on a mound or on the side of a raised bank. An autumn tree that many landscapers agreed should be more widely grown in South Australia is the Tallow Wood tree, Sapium sebiferum. Its five to seven centimetre wide heart shaped leaves are the main feature. These colour red in autumn.
Crepe Myrtle: stunning autumn colours. At five to seven metres its not too tall for most landscapes and doesnt mind South Australias hot summers and inhospitable soils. The name comes from the waxy coating on its seed that once was processed for candles and soap. Another tree capturing the attention of LASA members is the Crepe Myrtle or Lagerstroemia indica. Like the Crab Apples, they produce brilliant blossom in spring as well as leaves that go for gold in autumn. Their bonus is the attractive smooth bark that becomes evident after the leaves have fallen. New powdery mildew resistant varieties are now available, along with a big variation in growth habit and size. Many of the new long flowering types are in the three to five metre range. The Golden Rain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata, has been widely grown in Adelaide as a street tree, indicating its ability to thrive under pretty tough
conditions. However, in a garden, when it receives extra water, it can look particularly attractive. It has a fairly open branch habit with small leaves that colour gold in autumn. In late spring, there are masses of yellow flowers followed by unusually large brown seed pods that hang in the trees during summer. The Persimmon, Diospyros kaki, is gaining popularity because of its attractive edible fruits, particularly the newer nonastringent varieties. However, this tree is particularly ornamental in autumn. Its large roundish leaves turn gold and often scarlet, with the large orange fruits hanging well into winter. Look for varieties that grow no taller than seven metres. The Medlar, Mespilus germanica, is another very old fashioned fruit that is worth trying. The tree can be variable in shape. Look for lines that have been produced from the smaller spreading forms that grow no more than four or five metres. The fruits are roundish, about five centimetres across and have a rough surface, but like the Persimmon, the fruits should be left to hang on the tree and then stored for some time before eating. Worth considering The Ornamental or Chinese Pistachio, Pistacia chinensis, is a great small (five to seven metre) tree that colours well on the Plains in autumn. During a good (warm days, cool nights) season, the leaves often turn a brilliant red. Prunus cerasifera Oakville Crimson Spire is a new upright form of prunus (6 x 2 m) with excellent drought tolerance and dark red foliage through the growing season. Pyrus calleryana Capital is another excellent upright tree with column like growth (10 x 3 m) and dark green leaves that turn reddish in autumn.
Organically
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Tips for a top lawn
smooth stand of dark green, healthy, vigorous lawn is invariably the envy of the neighbourhood, particularly if the grass that grows around your own feet is pale, patchy and smothered with weeds. Attractive lawns dont just happen. It is usually a combination of correct watering, feeding and mowing. In fact, if you get these three right, not much will go wrong. Deep watering during summer and autumn encourages long, vigorous roots capable of searching out and gathering the nutrients and moisture needed for healthy growth, while regular mowing stimulates the plants vigour. Watch the home gardener with a healthy green lawn very carefully over the next few weeks. A balanced lawn fertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potash will be applied (half to one kilogram to ten square metres). The mower blades will be kept quite high (three to four centimetres). The resulting thick, long blades of grass will help prevent light from penetrating through to the topsoil and without light, the seeds of winter weeds will not germinate. Any weeds that do germinate are easily controlled by spraying with a selective herbicide. Patches Look carefully now at your own stand of grass. At this time of the year, patches, sparseness and weeds are likely to be the main problems. These can be small, large, in isolation or scattered across the lawn, with the grass turning yellow, brown or completely dying. Numerous brown patches in couch and
buffalo lawn are often caused by the lawn mower blades scalping or cutting too low because the mower blades keep sinking into the thatch. This problem will disappear if you remove the thatch next spring and keep these grasses cut low during summer. At this time of the year, dead patches are easily repaired. Use a fork (or spade) to loosen the topsoil to a depth of 20 cm. If the soil contains clay (fine particles that stick together), add gypsum (half a kilogram per square metre). The area can then be top sown with new lawn seed adding a quality lawn planter fertiliser. Scatter the mixture lightly and cover the seed (only just) with soil. The area should then be soaked thoroughly. Keep the soil just moist until the grass is well established. Sparse growth A thin lawn where the grass plants are not jammed closely together is a sure sign of plant stress. Lack of water during summer, shallow watering and often competition from adjacent tree roots, is a common cause. Other things to look for include too much shade and often setting the mower blades too low during summer.
Alternatively allowing the grass to grow rank and then cutting low can also cause sparseness. Set the mower blades at three centimetres high. This will produce blades of grass that are long enough to absorb plenty of sunshine without becoming lanky. For a quick remedy, try over-sowing the area with a lawn fix or lawn repair. Cut the stand low (one to two centimetres). This will ensure plenty of light shines onto the topsoil and stimulates the lawn seed into quick germination. Spread superphosphate or blood and bone (half a kilogram to 10 square metres) over the area and sow the seed at the oversowing rate recommended on the label. Scatter a very light layer of topsoil over the area (approximately two kilograms per square metre) and then water thoroughly. Keep the soil moist until the grass is well established. Weeds Weeds move into a lawn when the grasses are struggling, another good indicator of grasses under stress. Your best defence against weeds is a strong, healthy lawn. Fertilise the area at least three times a year, late spring mid summer early autumn. Dont mow too low, this allows light to stimulate weed seeds on the soil surface into activity. Winter weeds such as cape weed and dandelions usually germinate after rain in autumn. Young broadleafed weeds are easily removed from a grass lawn when sprayed with a herbicide containing MCPA. In most cases the younger the weeds the easier they are to control.
Weeds: the best defence is a strong, healthy lawn.
Good gardening
Getting natives off to a flying start

ow while the soil is still warm is an excellent time to establish native plants in the garden. It is also an ideal time to buy small plants and repot them into larger containers. The key to establishing native plants in the garden is to achieve good weed control before you start. Clear the ground for at least a metre and a half radius from the planting hole. This can be achieved by hoeing, or in large areas, it may be better to spray the ground with a weedicide such as glyphosate a day or so before planting out. If the subsoil is heavy or contains stones, it is worthwhile cracking the area loose with a mattock or crowbar. Heavy clay soils should be improved by incorporating compost and gypsum (half a kilogram to a square metre), while sandy soils should have plenty of organic matter including compost worked into the topsoil. Native plants should not be over-stimulated with fertiliser during the early stages of growth. A slow release fertiliser blended specifically for natives will give you good balanced nutrition and get the plants off to a steady start. Water well. To improve watering, form a small basin capable of holding 6-9 litres around each plant. Allow the top few centimetres of soil to become dry before rewatering.
Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha)
Recycling
Our environment breathes easier

Hazardous and toxic waste removal is paying big dividends.
f you listen carefully you can just about hear the environment saying thank you to the more than 28,000 householders who have taken toxic and hazardous waste to Zero Waste SA collection depots during the past seven years. More than 1,420 tonnes of hazardous materials, from dieldrin and lead arsenate to batteries and paint have been removed from the environment through the Zero Waste SA Household Waste and Farm Chemical Collection program since it began in 2004. The aim of the program is to help ensure a clean and safer living environment by providing city and country residents with a means of properly disposing of potentially hazardous materials. These can be delivered to the Zero Waste SA depot at Dry Creek, to the north of Adelaide, on the first Tuesday of each month, or to one of the collection points set up in co-operation with local councils from time to time. These mobile council collections are open to any householder who wants to deliver any of the materials on the acceptance list, whether or not they live in the area of the council promoting the collection. The list of accepted materials, the location and opening times of the Dry Creek depot and the dates and locations of council collections are all listed in the At home section of the Zero Waste SA web site www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au. There is also a listing of receival points for waste oil. According to Philip Matthews, program manager with Zero Waste SA, it is still relatively common for workers at the urban depots to receive long-banned chemicals such as DDT, dieldrin and arsenate of lead, even after several collections in a particular area. Anyone who discovers something like this, perhaps in the far corner of grandads shed, should label it, if they know or think
they know what it is or what it was used for, and deliver it to a Zero Waste SA collection point. Everything received during a collection is recycled or disposed of appropriately, so we need to know exactly what a substance is and labelling helps the chemists focus their testing. And that can be very important, because not knowing could have surprising and even disastrous results, like the container of picric acid, a potent explosive that turned up at one collection. But not everything delivered is so spectacular; the bag of aged blood and bone fertiliser is a good example. It had gone a bit hard and lumpy but there was no reason not to use it on the garden, Philip says. The collectors will definitely accept old fertiliser but the best way to dispose of something like that is to use it for its intended purpose. The same goes for household chemicals. Using them as intended at the recommended rate is the best and most
cost-effective disposal method. If the householder doesnt have a use for them it is worth seeing whether or not a neighbour or family member does. Similarly, the amount of material that needs to be disposed of can be minimised by only buying what is needed for the task at hand or the short term. That may mean a higher per-unit purchase cost but is often cheaper in the long run because all the material is used, rather than left sitting around, where it poses a hazard to children, pets and the environment generally, and then being disposed of. Throwing out half a can of something effectively doubles the unit cost.
www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au
Good gardening
Hows your plant life balance?

ts official. Indoor plants can really make a difference to the way you feel. While houseplants are often used in homes and offices for standout decoration, their ability to remove harmful pollutants from the air has not been fully appreciated at least until now. Fascinating research carried out by the Plant Environmental Quality Group at the University of Technology in Sydney has measured how effective plants are in removing pollutants from the air. According to this research, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted from plastic or synthetic materials in both home and office furniture, fittings, computers and printers can cause headaches, loss of concentration and eye, nose and throat problems, while carbon dioxide (CO2) has been linked to drowsiness.
Indoor plants have been shown to reduce VOCs by 80 percent and CO2 by up to 25 percent. Other trials involving office indoor plants revealed Office plants relieved staff stress and reduce negative mood states by up to 60 percent, while an office with no plants increased stress and negativity by up to 40 percent. Just one office plant is enough to make all the difference in raising mood and reducing stress levels. Office plants improved health and wellbeing by decreasing symptoms of coughing, dry throat, fatigue and dry, itchy facial skin.
Office plants cut down staff sick leave by 60 percent. These trials really are great news for anyone who already grows indoor plants. However, to help spread the word, the Nursery and Garden Industry is coordinating a national Improve your plant life balance program. While initially the program is focussing on office workers, the results and certainly the benefits are just as relevant to homeowners.
More
information: www.ngia.com.au
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Get growing
Colourful bloomers to brighten a winters day
ave you noticed bloomers are back in fashion? Were talking about colourful, compact annuals grown in 12-20 cm wide containers and presented for sale just as they begin to bloom. At this time of the year, most garden centres have their shelves crammed with pansies, violas, nemesia, dianthus and snapdragon. Before long, they will be joined by primulas, polyanthus and cinerarias, and in some outlets you will also find red or white alyssum and maybe lobelia in interesting shades of blue. Technically, these plants are spring flowering annuals, but with a little manipulation, the bedding plant people have been able to entice them to begin flowering before winter sets in. Providing the plants are not neglected, they will continue producing colour right through the winter months and well into spring. Top of the list would have to be one of the many new hybrid pansies or violas. Their stems are short and sturdy resulting in upward facing flowers. They also have greater weather tolerance providing flowers early in the season with blooms persisting through the colder parts of winter. Quick colour If youre looking for quick colour, try nemesia. The plants produce a mounded shape like a petunia and are covered through winter and spring with mini petunia like blooms in an extensive range of colours. Orange and yellow are prominent.
Violas (top) and lobelia will flower through winter and well into spring.
Cabaret is a recent release, producing a compact shape and blooming four to five weeks earlier than Patchwork the current open pollinated variety. However, Patchwork has greater adaptability to adverse weather and will flower for longer. Dianthus is another spring flowering annual with winter flowering potential. Hybrids such as Gem Fire are compact (30 cm high), quick to bloom but long flowering. Dianthus has reasonable tolerance to frost. For a sunny spot in the garden, snapdragons are worth considering. The taller varieties are excellent as cut flowers, while the dwarf varieties make the best bloomers. Camelot (30 cm) has good tolerance to rust, a problem with the taller varieties, and is available in six colours that are sold singly or as a mixture. Primulas (30 cm) available in pinks, carmine and white, and poppies (40 cm) usually orange, yellow and white, are mainly sold as open pollinated varieties. Both will flower during winter if established during early April and make excellent bloomers. Alyssum and lobelia are both low growing plants (10-20 cm) and when planted close together in a container are capable of producing a quick splash to long lasting colour. Annuals that will flower towards the end of winter if established now include polyanthus, cinerarias, ranunculus and wallflowers.
Get growing
Banana Split
New Soda Sister pansies set to dazzle

Theres a great range of pansies on display at garden centres this autumn with a colour or combination to suit all gardens. However, for the latest in fashion, check out the Soda Sisters. They literally pop and zing with colour. The range includes Cherry Soda, Blue Heaven Shake, Banana Split (yellow), Tutti Frutti (bright fruit colours) and Creamy Soda (warm colours). Soda Sisters are part of an elite range of pansies bred to produce large blooms on strong stems. The plants are compact, have excellent disease resistance and are happy to repeat flower from autumn, through winter and spring and depending on the weather, well into early summer. You will find the Soda Sisters at your local nursery and garden industry centre.
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Get growing
Setsugeka
Bonanza
Sasanqua camellias! Yes but which one?

Autumn reveals many things of beauty but for leading camellia authority, Jon Hall, none are as beautiful or colourful as the sasanqua.
ight now, the first sasanqua buds of the season are bursting into flower. However, bud burst varies depending on the variety and some will not begin flowering until early July. Sasanqua camellias are more versatile and hardier than the traditional Camellia Japonica, offering a wide range of uses in the garden. They have smaller leaves and a more diverse growing habit, enabling them to be used as hedges, hanging baskets, espaliers, topiaries and even ground cover. While camellia sasanqua flowers are generally smaller and simple in structure, they compensate by blooming in great profusion. Flower colours range from the purest of whites such Early Pearly and Mine no Yuki to whites with pink fused petal margins (Paradise Blush and Pure Silk). There are clear pinks such as Paradise Audrey or Jennifer Susan, whites with bold deep pink edges like Something Special or Sayaka. If you prefer strong pink shades,
Rose Ann consider Rose Ann, Paradise Rebecca, and for reds, there is Bonanza or Paradise Ann. One camellia sasanqua called Plantation Pink has been described as a bush covered with dainty pink butterflies. Most camellias dont have a perfume to speak of but C. sasanquas do have a gentle spicy, nutmeg fragrance adding that special touch to your garden during balmy autumn weather. As a group, sasanqua camellias offer a wonderful, diverse and versatile array of
cultivars with growth habits ranging from: Prostrate, trailing plants valuable as ground cover or hanging basket specimens e.g. Marge Millar, Snow. Low, compact bushy plants, excellent as low border or edging plants. Also great as potted plants where a smaller plant is desirable e.g. Paradise Petite, Gwen Pike. Small, upright, bushy styles useful in pots and gardens where a narrow growth is desirable. Excellent for training as topiary specimens e.g. Slim and Trim, Yuletide. Tall, upright spreading growth habit, these vigorous varieties can be clipped to create bushier plants but their vigour is suited to hedging, espaliering, screening or just as a garden/pot specimen e.g. Hiryu, Setsugeka. Tall, weeping types give a graceful plant with many applications similar to the above e.g. Red Willow, Rose Ann. Jon Hall is managing director, Newmans Nursery and the Topiary Cafe, Tea Tree Gully.
Better soils
Its raining autumn leaves

Dont let them go to waste. The fallen leaves littering the yard can help breath new life into your gardens soil next season.
ts been a great start to autumn. Temperatures are mild, the ground is still quite warm and soon it will be raining leaves from deciduous trees. For a short time only, these symbols of a season just past will cover the ground before mysteriously disappearing. Its hard to visualise but beneath the soil, natures recyclers are having a banquet. Earthworms, beetles and an amazing assortment of leaf munching critters are busily breaking up the leaves and burying the small pieces in the ground. A myriad of micro-organisms then feed on these remnants, reducing it to organic humus and plant nutrients, ready for use when your deciduous trees burst into growth next spring. Why not take a lesson from nature and give the leaf gathering recyclers a hand. If there are deciduous trees outside your house, its likely the nature-strip is being strewn with leaves. Gather them quickly before they are washed down the gutters and into the storm drains. A quick sweep of the patio and your paths every three or four days and an occasional collection from the lawn should result in a sizeable pile of leaves.
At this stage, there are three alternatives. The first is by far the easiest. Simply consign your leaves to the green waste recycling bin where they will be transported to a large recycling station and then converted into mulch or composting materials by compost soil and mulch experts such as Jeffries. Jeffries is recognised as a leader in recycling organic waste and currently processes most of metropolitan Adelaides green organic waste The second option is to find an out of the way spot in the garden and simply place them in a large heap. Hose them down as you make your heaps as this will help prevent them from blowing away. At the end of autumn, the pile should be covered with a thin layer of soil. This will start the natural process of decay. In six months time, the leaves will be a conglomerate of semi-decayed organic
matter. This is ideal organic material to mulch seedlings, vegetables and garden beds. Leaves in a semi-decayed state make perfect mulch. While making your pile of leaves, add any weeds, spent vegetable bushes, stems and stalks remaining from your cottage garden plants and any prunings from trees or shrubs providing the branches are chopped into sections 1520 cm long. Although semi-composted material makes good mulch for spreading on the ground, it should not be dug into the ground as a soil improver unless you are prepared to leave the area bare for at least six weeks. The final alternative is, of course, to convert your leaves and any other leftover plant material into compost.
www.jeffries.com.au
Learning the secret of a great compost recipe

f you dont have a compost heap or bin, now while theres plenty of organic material around is the perfect time to start. The secret of making good compost is to make sure the material in your heap or bin is moist but not soggy wet. If the material is dry, it should be hosed down each time you place a new layer of material on your heap or in your bin. Sprinkle a spadeful of soil every 10-15 cm and if it is available, you can also add 2-3 cm of soil and animal manure or a litre of blood and bone.
Fresh lawn clippings should be allowed to dehydrate four to five days before adding to the heap. Material that is green and sappy will not need hosing down as it contains more than enough moisture. It may take three or four months for the heap to be composted, however, the process can be speeded dramatically by turning the heap every three to four weeks. This adds air to the material and helps break up those chunky pieces. You will find it handy to have two heaps
one that is being added to, while the other is being left to mature or being turned. Zero Waste SA is working with recycling companies such as Jeffries to help eliminate waste or its disposal into landfill. Their aim is to help reduce consumption of resources and to re-use and recycle materials.
Get growing
Cyclamen for continuous colour
or continuous colour and unparalleled flower power, consider mini cyclamen. These flamboyant favourites are capable of producing masses of blooms throughout winter and well into spring. The blooms are held on thick fleshy stems that mysteriously appear from the centre of small, flat, reddish-brown bulbs or corms. While mini cyclamen grow readily in most gardens, their compact shape makes them ideal plants for displaying in small to medium sized containers. Three or five of the latest blooming hybrids will positively radiate colour when placed in a prominent position in a courtyard or patio. A healthy plant is capable of holding 10 to 15 blooms at a time, right through their flowering period. Minis were designed for placing on kitchen or living room windowsills or maybe a prominent bench or sideboard. The cyclamen colour range available in most garden centres includes bright reds, mauves, a complete range of pink and of course, white. Look for plants that have plenty of large, healthy leaves surrounding the corm. Check also that there are numerous undeveloped buds emerging from its centre. When you buy a cyclamen in flower, all the hard work involved in growing has been done. Your role is to find the right conditions for it to show off its blooms. Bright light is important if you want the plant to remain flowering inside. Outdoors they will thrive in full sun during winter and will also flower quite well in all but the darkest of shade. Indoors, avoid direct sun through windows, but the brighter the indirect light the better. Cold lovers Unlike you and I, cyclamen prefer to sit in the cold, particularly at night time when the plants are at rest. Problems arise if they are made to sit in an overheated room if temperatures are consistently over 22C. The answer is to keep the top of the corms completely dry. Careful watering is called for. Some gardeners like to sit the container in a bucket of water with the water level kept four to six centimetres below the corm. The aim is to let the water soak slowly into the topsoil around the corm. As soon as the topsoil is moist, the container is removed from the water and the root ball allowed to drain. If you buy a plant that is already in flower, it will benefit from a fortnightly feed with a blossom boosting half strength liquid fertiliser. However, as temperatures rise in spring it is likely the corm will start to run out of stored energy and the flower buds will be shorter and less numerous. When this occurs it is time to rest the plant.
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Landscaping
Your own garden at last: but where do you start?

JON LAMB has some practical advice for anyone starting a garden from scratch.
home of your own at last with plenty of space to create a garden. Where do you start? Lets start with the backyard. How is the area likely to be used? Possibilities include a large area for children to run, tumble and play. Perhaps a small sandpit and playing area located close to the kitchen or living room window where toddlers can play but with a certain amount of supervision. You may like to entertain informally around a barbecue, adjacent to the kitchen or living area. Maybe youre a plants person with dreams of growing vegetables and fruit in the backyard or perhaps a cottage garden or roses, salvia and other colourful perennials. Whatever your dream, write it down. At this stage, its worth drawing a plan of the land and house roughly to scale. Make plenty of copies. On the first copy, write
the activities that you planned in the areas that you have chosen. At this stage, if you have not acquired landscaping skills (and few people have them), I would strongly urge you to seek professional advice at least in putting a landscape concept together. It may cost a few hundred dollars but its likely to be a sound investment as you could save the money many times over in avoiding layout mistakes. Most landscape designers can be hired by the hour, by the day or by the task in hand and will work to a budget, even if this is limited. Remember, Rome doesnt have to be built in a day. You dont have to establish your landscape in the first 12 months. I would strongly suggest that you divide your garden into sections and set your priorities, then attempt one section at a time.
Check your soil Pay particular attention to the soil. In most cases, poor draining hard setting soil is a recipe for disaster. If youre new to gardening, you could end up with heartache and endless disappointments. If youre not sure what kind of soil you
Use vertical plants to complement vertical walls.

Gentle curves help create a feeing of informality.
Landscaping
Consider having the landscape professionally designed before you start.
have, take a sample to your local garden centre and ask them to tell you whether the soil is clay, in other words, sets hard and drains poorly, or is sandy. In this case, it is likely to require constant watering and fertilising. Check also on the pH of the soil. Soils that are very alkaline (and this includes large areas of the Adelaide Plains and country areas) will not readily grow acid loving plants such as camellias, azaleas, boronias and daphne. However, there is a wide range of alkaline loving plants. At this stage, you have two choices. The first is to establish a landscape from a list of plants that will grow naturally in the soil that you have. However, if you have very hard setting, poor draining clay soils, your options are likely to be limited. On the other hand, it is relatively easy to modify the soil. What you need is a plan of action to convert your crummy clay soil into a landscapers delight. But do it one section at a time.
Rotation helps planning One very effective way to improve your garden soil is to establish a garden development rotation. Assuming your soil is hard setting clay, start by spreading gypsum (a low cost soil conditioner) at the rate of one kilogram to 10 square metres over the soil. Then add a thick layer of organic material such as compost or animal manure. If the soil is sandy, then forget about the gypsum and concentrate on the organic matter. Dig or rotary hoe the materials into the topsoil and then use the area you have prepared for growing vegetables or flowers. Youll be surprised at how productive the area can be. Keep adding organic matter every time you establish a new crop or flower bed. In 12 months or so, youll be surprised at the dramatic improvement in the quality of your soil. Youre now ready to sow this area down to a quality lawn or establish rose beds, a cottage garden or whatever takes your fancy. Then select a new section of the garden
and start all over again. Dont worry if your friends think this approach is a bit strange. After all, youre the one thats going to benefit. When it comes to selecting your plants, give preference to those that will survive the heat of our summer sun without having to be plied constantly with water. Consider planting tall trees on the western side of the house to provide shade and avoid tall trees on the eastern side as morning sun is a valuable commodity. Shade trees should also be established in areas that are to be used for playing or entertaining. Bear in mind, deciduous trees and vines give you shade in summer and allow sun to come shining through in winter. Make sure you pick up your copy of the winter edition of SA Garden and Outdoor Living when Jon Lamb will provide advice on renovating an established garden. Quality garden composts and soil improvers are available from reliable landscape supply yards. See our Trade Directory on page 63.
Landscaping
Tuck in! Create a great garden and then eat it

Two of Adelaides leading landscape designers explore how to get a great harvest out of a small space.
But how do you achieve this and still have an attractive landscape particularly if the area available for gardening is limited to a relatively small courtyard.
ight now, home gardeners across Adelaide are saying they want to harvest fruit and vegetables fresh from their own garden.
For many, the answer may lie in following the example of two leading Adelaide landscape designers. Margit Wright and Beryl Bredon are long term members of the Landscape Association of South Australia. Both have been recognised on many occasions through industry awards for the landscapes they have created for home gardens. With Margit, the passion in her own garden is growing fruit. Within the confines of two small courtyards that surround an equally small turn of the century cottage in Norwood, Margit has managed to fit more than 20 fruit trees. Many of these are hedged or grown as an espalier along the boundary fence, providing a valuable screen from the neighbours and an ideal backyard to her landscape.
The appeal of being able to walk out into the courtyard and pick fresh guavas and figs for breakfast or squeeze juicy lemons or lime onto fish for tea has been great. However, by selecting fruit trees on dwarf rootstocks and then applying the right pruning techniques, it has been possible to increase her collection substantially by growing fruit trees in containers. These are strategically placed in groups in front of the fruit trees and blend with other exotic and native trees and shrubs to create a very distinctive Mediterranean wow effect. Included in Margits backyard collection are oranges, lemons, limes, mandarins, guavas, olives, persimmons, figs, nectarines and pistachio nuts. In summer there are tomatoes and theres always a collection of culinary herbs. According to Margit, creating that wow effect even when designing a garden that features fruit and vegetables is about knowing your plants, not just their shape and size but the kind of conditions that are needed to make them grow.
Potted olive trees making great use of space. The challenge then is to place them in the landscape so they also have eye appeal throughout the growing season. While much of Margit Wrights garden has been carefully planned, Beryl Bredons landscape, while also planned, simply evolved.
Margit Wright and Beryl Bredon discuss landscape design.

Raised beds dont have to be unattractive modern materials offer plenty of choice.
Landscaping
Good things come in small packages: (from left) a tomato bush heads up a tree; red peppers make use of space in a hedge and a backyard guava offers a tasty breakfast treat.
We started with a typical old suburban garden in Unley, she says. My passion is to create attractive interesting but practical spaces within the garden. As with any room, it needs to be decorated. Each time I create a garden for someone, I fall in love with it. My challenge then is to create this effect in my own garden. The result has been a collection of small garden rooms and like Margit, the skill comes in knowing what plants to use and how to position them to create a series of wow factor spaces. The big challenge right now is to work with homeowners to create spaces for fruit and vegetables that are both functional and attractive. Raised beds are great for growing vegetables and herbs but not everyone is inspired by walls of wooden sleepers or elevated corrugated iron. A good designer has access to a range of attractive landscaping materials. One of the easiest ways to change the visual effect is to make use of recently
released modular coloured cement, facing block bricks or tiles. These can be used to create the walls of your raised bed or used as an attractive facade. Alternatively, new fibreglass modules are now available in a range of shapes and sizes. These can be used to create a very attractive multi-layered effect ideal in a small courtyard. Margit and Beryl both see landscape design as a long term investment. It worries them that too many homeowners buy plants on impulse and plant without planning. All too often, they are called in when plants have to be replaced because they are the wrong shape or size or simply cant cope with their growing conditions. Good design should see plants selected not just because they are attractive, but because they provide a useful function such as shade, screening, protecting from wind or allowing sun to shine through in winter. Both agree, while landscaping your own garden can be fun, its good advice to seek advice.
Espaliered citrus among more than 20 fruit trees in Margit Wrights courtyard garden.
Autumn garden guide

Annuals for quick winter and early spring colour
For a quick splash of colour in the garden through winter and early spring, its worth considering quick maturing flowering annuals. You dont need many plants and as autumn turns to winter, established plants will get by with very little extra care. However, adding a seaweed product to the first watering and a half strength liquid fertiliser every two weeks will increase considerably both the number of flowers produced and the flowering season.
ANNUAL Alyssum Anenome Begonia (bedding) Cineraria (dwarf) Dianthus Linaria Lobelia Marigold Nemesia Pansy/Viola Poppy Primula Polyanthus Snapdragon (dwarf) Wallflower Seed- Bloomer ling

Changing leaves into mulch

In the next few weeks, the last of the autumn leaves will be on the ground. Dont let them blow away. If you dont have a compost heap, rake them into a large mound in an out of the way spot in the garden along with any recently removed weeds. Leftover vegetable plants and soft prunings can be added, provided they are chopped into small (30 to 40 cm) pieces. Slowly, over the next three to four months, your leftover debris will be converted into soggy semi-compost. By this time it should be spring when you are sure to be looking for instant mulch to cover the ground between your newly planted tomatoes, beans and petunias. The soggy material you have left in your heap should be just right for spreading over the garden as mulch.
Full sun

Semi Garden Container Height shade cm 10-15 25-30 12-20 25-35 20-30 20-25 15-25 30-40 25-35 15-25 20-30 20-25 15-25 15-30 25-35
Spring flowering bulbs

Spring flowering bulbs were made for growing in courtyards, containers and gardens where space is limited. In reality, the flowers are already formed in miniature inside the bulbs. All you need to do is plant them in a container filled with quality potting mix and locate in the sunniest position in the garden.
BULBS Anemone Babiana Daffodils (Jonquils) Dutch Iris Freesias Grape Hyacinths Hyacinth Ixias Lachenalia Ranunculas Spraxis Scilla (Blue Bells) Triteleia Tulips April / May

Garden or Container

Depth cm 3-4 5 10-12 10 6-8 6-8 15 6-8 6-8 3-4 6-8 6-8 6-8 10-12
Distance cm 15-20 7 15 15 7 8 15 10 10 15-20 10 10 10 10
Get those evergreens in now

Hurry if you intend to establish evergreen trees and shrubs. While the ground is still warm, it is important that they are well established by winter. It is not too late to plant out heat loving plants such as citrus, hibiscus, passionfruit, avocados and bougainvillea.
Big weeds
Autumn is also the right time to eliminate unwanted perennial plants such as blackberry, bamboo, nut grass and couch. Use a systemic herbicide containing glyphosate.
A little care for perennials

Old flowering stems from perennial plants should be cut back to ground level. This list includes phlox, asters and other daisies and cannas. Large clumps can be dug and divided.
What to plant right now?

Try growing your own garlic. Eight to 10 bulblets will be enough for an average family. They prefer a well drained, sunny position. Strawberries should be planted immediately if you expect a reasonable crop in spring.
On the trail of snails

How long is it since you checked the garden for snails and applied snail bait to protect your plants? At this time of the year, snails can eat new growth faster than nature can grow it.
Jon Lambs seasonal checklist
Home-grown vegies top the lot

There has to be a better word than delicious when it comes to tasting your very own home-grown vegetables. And right now is a great time to establish a full range of winter and spring maturing lines. Starting from seeds will give you the greatest selection of varieties. Seedlings, on the other hand, are a little dearer but will save you four to six weeks of valuable growing time.
VEGETABLE Seed or seedling Artichoke (Globe) Asparagus Crowns Beans - * broad Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Garlic Lettuce - hearting Lettuce - non hearting Onions - white Pea Radish* Rhubarb Crowns Silverbeet * seed only April May -early June
-
Open garden

Raised bed

Container
Semi shade

Between plants cm 75 40 20-25 45-60 40-60 40-60 20-30 8-10 25-30 12-15 8-10 8-10 5 40-60 20-30
Between rows cm 75 50 60-70 40-70 40-70 40-70 30-40 20-30 25-30 15-20 20-30 40-60 15 50-60 30-40
Garden pests are on the warpath

The season is changing rapidly but so too the pests and diseases that can cause mayhem in the garden. Sap-sucking insects such as aphids, along with leaf eating caterpillars, are building numbers rapidly and will be looking for a range of garden goodies to munch on before winter hibernation. Be selective in how you control them as you may also destroy insect predators and others capable of keeping damaging insects in check.
Pest Aphids Watch out for Small (1-2 mm) soft bodied, green, black or grey, usually on tips of roses or vegetable leaves Caterpillars Soft cylinder shaped (usually green or brown) with legs. Mainly leaf eaters Earwigs Small (20-25 mm) thin, brown insects with rear pinchers Leaf minors Minute insect that lives between the top and bottom layer of citrus leaves causing leaves to distort. Mealy bugs Small 23 mm soft bodied insects covered in white waxy material. Often on stems, roots of houseplants. Action Spray with pest oil or low toxic Imidacloprid (Bug Kill) Spray with Success (non toxic) Reduce populations by regular trapping in trays containing linseed or vegetable oil Spray affected leaves with a pest oil Spray with pest oil or low toxic Confidor (Bug Kill)
Landscaping
An interesting landscape starts with a professional plan

JON LAMB looks at why a cohesive plan is essential to good landscape design and why calling in the pros may be your best bet.
s an avid gardener, I have often wondered why some gardens come together as a visual picture a brilliant landscape, while others, often with the same plants and accessories, take on the appearance of a menagerie. The answer lies in the gardeners ability to bring the structural and character elements together as a cohesive landscape. Easier said than done. Having helped judge the creative work of the States leading landscapers for many years, may I suggest if you are unsure of where to start, the best garden investment you could make could be in bringing in a professional landscaper before you start. Ask them to help you draw up basic plans that will ensure you get the basic structure right. Tall trees have an important role to play in providing an upper canopy for the landscape as well as wonderful shade in summer. However, trees that grow too tall can cause major problems they may provide too much shade, create excessive root competition and possibly structural damage to buildings. When planning to grow tall trees in the garden, it is very much a case of selecting the right tree for the right place. Screening plants are the work horses in any landscape. They are the bushy shrubs two to three metres high that are placed strategically around the garden to hide unwanted views like tin fences, unsightly
buildings or the neighbours backyard. Once again it calls for an ability to select the right kind of shrub. They need to be tough and adaptable and almost regardless of the surrounding conditions, they need to survive for the life time of a garden. It is also important that these shrubs hold their dense foliage close to the ground as they
mature, otherwise their value as a screen is lost. Having sited and selected the upper canopy and screening plants, consider how you intend to move around the garden. Pathways will be needed from the front gate to the front door, from the garage to the front or back door. Then you need to move around the backyard from the backdoor to the clothesline, vegetable patch, rubbish area or garden shed. The best way to work this out is to draw lines on a plan. It doesnt have to be elaborate, but it should be roughly to scale. Draw up the boundary and locate the house and any other permanent feature. Then sketch, preferably in pencil, the trees, screening plants and paths. You will also need to consider at this stage where you intend to locate watering points and how excess water will be removed from the area. If you get these fundamentals right, the rest of the landscape becomes a breeze. However, the question of how you fill in the spaces between the screening plants and the pathways is a story for another day.
Good gardening
Fruit harvest: controlling spots and rots
ts been a great season for growing fruit with many home gardeners harvesting fantastic crops. But for some, the fruit was spoilt by unsightly spots and rots. Needless to say, the weather was to blame. Near record rainfall during spring encouraged fungal diseases to flare. These included curl leaf, shot hole, black spot and downy and powdery mildews fungal diseases that infect deciduous fruit trees and vines early in the growing season. In a normal season, the grey clouds quickly disappear and warm dry conditions towards the end of spring and through summer keep the fungal diseases at bay. But this season, the rains kept on coming and so did the spots and rots. All very well you say, but the growing season has nearly ended. In a few weeks, fruit tree and vine leaves will start to fall and the fungal problems will soon be forgotten. Forgotten maybe, but the problems will not disappear. Because of the unusually wet conditions, the amount of fungal spores that survived summer and early autumn was extremely high. Risk of disease carryover As autumn turns to winter, these fungal spores will find a resting place within the cracks and crevices of your fruit trees or on the topsoil, waiting for another spring. Fortunately steps can be taken to reduce this disease carryover. But immediate action is called for. Spraying is required with a fungicide capable of killing the spores before they move into their wintering stage. At this time of the year, sprays containing copper are extremely effective. The most common spray is copper oxychloride, sold commercially as Kocide or Cuprox. With stone fruits, spraying is best carried out when 80 percent of the leaves have fallen. This ensures good coverage of the branches. Make sure the spray runs into the crevices and behind loose bark. Apple sprays are best applied when 20 percent of the leaves have fallen. This way the spray covers the leaves before they fall to the ground. Black spot is carried over during winter in the topsoil. Spraying fallen leaves will also help.
Next seasons harvest will suffer without spraying to prevent fungal disease carryover.
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Resist the urge to spray aphids

The cooler weather will encourage aphids to breed rapidly. However, dont spray them with insecticide unless they are causing serious damage as you will destroy the natural predators that help keep them under control. Try assisting the predators by squirting the aphids with water. Use a light pest oil if an insecticide is necessary.
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Citrus
The Flying Dragons are here

Dwarf citrus varieties are taking off as the trend to smaller gardens accelerates but how to choose the right one?
he Flying Dragon has arrived, bringing with it the perfect solution for anyone wanting to grow citrus trees in a very small garden. The Flying Dragon is a new citrus rootstock that inhibits the vigour and overall size of a citrus tree, producing a significant dwarfing effect, but without reducing the normal size of the fruit or the trees ability to produce high yields. The result is a compact tree that only grows 1.5 to 2 metres in the garden and 25 to 30 percent less in a container. Remarkably, this dwarfing effect does not influence the adaptability of citrus to thrive in a wide range of growing conditions and it certainly makes citrus an ideal candidate for container growing. While the concept of growing dwarf citrus is recently still new, it is now possible to buy an extensive range of the main commercial varieties on Flying Dragon rootstock. However, be aware, current demand is high and you may have to place orders for some varieties at some centres. You will find in SA most dwarf citrus are sold under labels such as Pip Squeak. These labels are your guarantee that the tree you buy has in fact been budded onto a certified Flying Dragon rootstock. While other dwarfing citrus rootstocks are available, in many situations, they produce trees which are less adaptable to container growing and are more susceptible to disease. Heres a guide to choosing the right variety for your garden. Oranges Washington. Large fruit, easy to peel. Excellent for eating. Fruit matures May/
Mandarins Emperor. Mid season variety (July). Medium to large size fruits with excellent flesh and mild sweet flavour, loose skin and few seeds. Harvest as soon as fruit matures. Imperial. An early heavy cropping variety that in SA fruits from April through to July. Small fruits, very sweet, juicy, almost seedless. Thin skin but easily peeled. Ideal for children. Dwarf citrus container grown All citrus are sun lovers but in SAs warmer districts, they will crop quite well when shaded from late afternoon sun. When it comes to selecting a container, go for size. Dwarf citrus will survive for a year or so in a container 30 cm wide and 40 cm deep but after a few years, it will become root bound and start to decline. Look for something that contains a minimum of 50 litres of potting mix and make sure there are a number of large drainage holes the size of a 10 cent piece drilled at the bottom of the container. Citrus hate wet feet either in the garden or in a pot. Container grown citrus should be fed with a 3-4 months slow release fertiliser in spring and again during early summer. At the same time, mulching with a light layer of pea straw pellets will help maintain biological activity in the top three or four centimetres of soil. It will also help conserve moisture.
June and holds well on the tree. Valencia. The preferred variety for juicing. Very sweet flavour. Fruit medium size. Maturing from September but holds well on the tree for many weeks. Lemons Meyer. A mild tasting lemon Valencia with plenty of natural juice. Attractive medium sized fruits on very compact tree. Crops continuously. Eureka. True lemon flavour. Medium sized fruits with thin skin and few seeds. Crops continuously. Limes Tahiti. Medium sized fruit with plenty of juice. Crops through late winter and early spring. Seedless. It has much better cold tolerance than West Indian. Kaffir. Grown specifically for its aromatic spicy leaves. Used for flavouring foods. Produces rough thin skin. Fruits have little juice.
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Indoor plants
Decorating with indoor plants

Photo: Markus Gann | Dreamstime.com
Plants can bring a room to life by giving it character.
MIKE KEELAN explains the secret of decorating with indoor plants consider the room as another part of your landscape.
alk into any room or office that has been tastefully decorated with indoor plants. The effect can be dramatic and is a powerful demonstration of how plants can literally bring a room to life by giving it character. The type of character will, of course, be determined by the plants you choose and how they are placed in the room. Plants with compact shapes and small leaves that are square or rectangular are ideal to create a formal touch. Those that are open or weeping with round or pendulous leaves emphasise the informal. Certain plants that have long thin pendular leaves can be used in either situation. In a nutshell, its all about making effective use of space, how to use your plants within a space and how your plants relate to the furniture and decorations around them.
Spathiphyllum
When you walk into a room, your eye is immediately attracted by the brightest most obvious object. This is called the focal point. At this stage, you need to decide whether the plants you are about to buy are to be
used to create a focal point or simply to compliment your existing furniture or decorations. If you have a piece of antique furniture or a Rembrandt on the wall, its likely one of these will be the rooms focal point. Your plants should be selected to emphasise the focal point in this case by providing a framework. Tall, thin plants such as Dracaena or Black bamboo, placed on either side, would be ideal. For the exercise, lets assume there is no 17th century Credenza in the room and there is only flat enamel paint on the walls. The first thing to do is to create a focal point. Bear in mind your plant is living and its health will be largely determined by the amount of light it receives. This being the case, select the brightest spot in the room, as close as possible to the largest window. If possible, rearrange the furniture to create a space.
Photo: Aleksandr Ugorenkov | Dreamstime.com
Indoor plants
Reminders
Dont leave leftovers
If you are thinking about abandoning the vegetable patch during winter, make sure you have removed all the spent plants. Left over plants act as a wonderful place for insects and a number of garden diseases to over-winter. On the other hand, if the left over material is composted, the insects and most of the diseases will be destroyed Take a particularly close look at the roots of any remaining tomato plants. If you find bundles of small fleshy white knots on the roots, make a note not to grow your tomatoes in the same spot next year. The plants have been attacked by root knot nematodes, a minute worm like creature that enters the roots of your tomato plants while they are quite small. The plant responds by trying to isolate the nematodes with their fleshy gall like growth. In doing so they reduce the supply of plant foods and nutrients during the growing season. Once populations build it is hard to produce worthwhile crops.
Left: Cissus happy to trail up or down. Centre: Maidenhair always attractive but keep roots moist. Right: Dwarf variegated aralia good for instant colour.
When it comes to choosing a plant as your focal point, remember big is beautiful. Certainly, one 2-3 metre weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) or a Devils Ivy (Epipremnum aureum) will look far more effective than three or four medium sized plants grouped together. Other large indoor plants that would make a suitable focal point would include the Lilly Pilly (Syzygium), Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) or one of the variegated or green dracaenas. All of these plants can be used in either a formal or informal setting. A suitable large plant may cost $40 to $100, maybe more. If this is beyond the budget, you can still create a dramatic focal point with the use of a pedestal or tall but small, round table. The pedestal or table gives you instant height. In this case, you would consider choosing a plant with arching fronds or branches such as a Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata bostoniensis), Parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans) or Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii). The epitome of elegance in palms the Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) and Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) all are best suited in areas with very strong natural light. The best feature plants should have bold leaf shapes and/or bright (often thick) glossy leaves. As a general rule, these are the indoor plants with the greatest tolerance to low light. However, the name of the game is to have your plants thriving, rather than just surviving. So the more light you can give your plants, the better. When it comes to selecting a container for your plants, remember it is the plant, not the container to be featured. Plain ceramic pots can be used in either an informal or formal setting and it is surprising how effective terracotta looks inside. If you are using a plastic decorator pot, choose a colour that will blend in with the surrounding furniture, floor covering or wall. Indoor plants can also be used effectively as a room divider. If a part of the area is used for eating and the rest for sitting, the space in between should be filled with a tall narrow wall of green. Dracaenas, Aralia (Fatsia japonica) or false Aralia (Dizygotheca elegantissima) are suitable. So too are the plants that grow on totem poles or cascade from a basket including the Grape Ivy (Cissus rhombifolia), Pothos (Devils Ivy) and the many forms of philodendrons. If youre looking for plants to complement existing furniture, look carefully at the shape and colour of its foliage. As mentioned, large bold leaves tend to dominate and are best used as focal point plants. Plants with light colours and with an open form are less conspicuous and less dominating and are best used when trying to create a feeling of openness of space.
Mothers Day
Flowering pot plants make ideal gifts for Mothers Day. They will remain in flower longer if they are placed in a well lit room. Keep the soil moist, but dont overdo it. Above all, move the plants to a cool spot if the heater is turned on.
Container plants
Hanging baskets that have been in a shady position during summer may benefit if they are soaked in a seaweed solution plus liquid fertiliser and relocated in a sunnier position during winter. Hanging baskets and container plants placed outside in a protected position should be checked to see the soil has not become dry. They can easily be overlooked at this time of the year.
Insects
Many Australian native trees have had their leaves distorted by galls and some trees have strange insect nests hanging in the branches. These are caused by various insects, but it is too late to spray them as they are no longer feeding. Cutting off the affected branches and placing them in the green waste bin is the best action.
Michael Keelan presents 5AAs top rating gardening program, Michael Keelans Weekend. Mike is a horticultural consultant to the Nursery Industry in SA and a founding member of SAs Horticultural Media Association.
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Coping with higher water costs

SA garden writer and mediterranean plant authority, TREVOR NOTTLE keeps an eye on gardenings latest issues.
hanks to the desal plant, water costs are set to rise by around 70 percent over the next few years. This will, no doubt, cause many home owners to think hard about how their gardens can be maintained and still look reasonable while conserving as much water as possible. With a good wet season behind, now is an ideal time to look ahead and begin making some thoughtful changes. But where to start? In a warming, drying climate the importance of shade trees and fruit trees too will increase, putting them high on the priority list for the care and watering to ensure good growth and long lives. Planting new trees will also be a priority for new home owners. These will need to be self-reliant after a few years of watering to get them established. Adding deep watering pipes at the time of planting will be an advantage as will careful soil preparation. Make sure trees are not planted on a heap of builders rubble or sub-soil disturbed when house footings are laid. Small to medium sized trees are best suited to modern housing developments. Here choices include deciduous and evergreen fruit trees including loquats, pomegranate, olives, persimmons, jujubes, pineapple guava and other sub-tropicals, even Lady Finger bananas. Big trees such as walnuts and avocados are best avoided on average compact sized blocks.
The Cutting Edge

Vines grown over pergolas are an excellent choice for making shade too, and should not be overlooked. Other vines, particularly passion-fruits, are best used as screening plants for walls and fences. The banana passion-fruit is very resistant to viruses that dog the black-fruited kinds. Trees that are purely decorative include larger growing multi-trunked shrubs such as crepe myrtle, beauhinnia, cotinus (smoke bush), buddleja, ceanothus, Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum), western redbud (Cercis occidentale), pompon tree (Dais continifolia) and oleander. For single trunk trees consider Montpellier maple (Acer monspessulanum), oleaster (Elaegnus angustifolia), lentisk (Pistacia lentscus), California buck-eye (Aesculus californicus), Acacia pendula, weeping silver-leaved pear (Pyrus salicifolia cv. Pendula), Crataegus tanacetifolius and Malus tridenta. On the bookshelf Watch out for soon to be released David Ruston A Life with Roses, an autobiography
by the great Renmark rosarian himself, and Correas Australian Plants for Water-wise Gardens by Maria Hitchcock. And yours truly has just published his new book Plants for a Changing Climate. New plants - check them out Agapanthus inapertus Lydenberg tall, pale blue and pendant blooms. Beschorneria septemptrionalis, false red agave, soft silver leaves, no thorns and tall red flower spikes. Hesperaloe parviflora, false red aloe low rosettes of grey green and tall wands of red bells. Cotyledon orbiculatum Tall form, silver succulent with metre high stems of red tubular flowers. Bulbs galore: try Tulips Black Parrot, Philippe de Comines and Negrita for fun and potted winter colour, Daffodils Charity May, Minnow and Silver Chimes in pots or in the garden and Ranunculus Cezanne hybrids. Get excited about Proposals to severely restrict many, many garden plants sold in nurseries that contain minute amounts of natural chemicals. These could, in theory, be used by drug labs to make illegal substances. Plants listed as potentially contributing to the criminal economy include wattles, Angels trumpets, hippeastrums and belladonna lilies. You can check out the proposed legislation on the Attorney-Generals website.
Waterwise gardening
New interactive web tool: better gardens with less water

Fine tune your garden into our climate. This web site allows you to calculate the amount of water your garden needs to remain healthy.
rive slowly through the suburbs of Adelaide and look closely at the front gardens. After four years of drought, heatwave conditions and severe water restrictions, it is obvious many gardens are in recovery mode. However, gardeners now know water is a valuable commodity one that should not be wasted. Yet, an attractive garden does not have to be a high water user. To assist gardeners with their recovery and at the same time, help them conserve water, the Federal and State governments have cooperated with the garden industry in SA to produce a new easy to use interactive web tool. Known as the WaterRight Gardens web tool, it is designed to help gardeners work out how much water they need in different parts of the garden and what happens to water use if you change the garden design. The tool uses factors including the season, hours of sunlight, soil type and watering systems to help you calculate how much water to use. It also features guides to a selection of plants most commonly used in Adelaide gardens. In addition, there are a number of excellent fact sheets providing sound advice about a number of key gardening issues. These include: Starting from scratch The impact of soil Understanding your plants Microclimates Irrigation methods Mulch WaterRight Gardens web tool is hosted by SA Water at www.sawater.com.au However, if you type SA Water into a search engine, it should come up with the
The new web tool was launched recently by SAs Minister for Water, Paul Caica. SA Water home page. Click on the watering can on the top left side of the page and it takes you straight into the web tool. Once you enter some basic information about your own garden, the web tool will allow you to interact with the program to identify your existing water use and what happens if you change the way you garden. Plants need water All plants require some water to grow, regardless of how waterwise they are. Most plants obtain their water through fine roots growing in the soil. In a garden, water is usually added to the soil through rain or irrigation. Although trees and large shrubs and a few other garden plants may be very deep rooted, the feeder roots of the majority of garden plants are around 300 mm deep. It is this zone that is therefore critical for plant health. Water is gradually lost from the soil surface through evaporation. It is also transpired through the leaves of plants as they grow. Water can also run off the surface and drain through the soil past the root zone. Understanding this process and knowing the needs of your plants is vital if you are to irrigate in a waterwise way. Your challenge as a gardener is to manage watering so there is just enough water in the root zone for your plants to stay healthy. Improving your soil, mulching, placing your plants in the right location and installing an efficient irrigation system will help you achieve this. Remember, in shade, plants lose about 50 percent less water through transpiration. The rate at which plants lose water through transpiration varies with the type of plant. Important steps towards saving water include: Using water efficient plants where possible, such as plants adapted to Adelaides dry conditions Designing your garden so plants with
Waterwise Gardening
similar water requirements are grouped together into separate watering zones, in appropriate areas Placing plants in the correct soil and microclimate position to meet their growing needs the right plants for the right place. How plants adapt to drought Plants have many different adaptations to help them preserve water. If you learn to identify these adaptations you can select waterwise plants at your nursery and also provide extra water to the plants in your garden which lack these adaptations. Hard, thick or waxy coated leaves are common characteristics of waterwise or drought tolerant plants. Others have small or needle-like leaves and therefore fewer pores or stoma through which water is lost by transpiration. Hairy or felty leaves and silver or grey foliage are other indications of drought tolerance. Some plants have fewer or virtually no leaves, as in the case of cacti, or flesh leaves that store water, a characteristic of succulent plants. High water use plants mostly have soft, dark green leaves. Some plants, including many deciduous trees, transpire a lot. However, they have a deep tap root or an extensive root system to draw water from a large volume of soil. Some but not all Australian natives, and many Mediterranean plants (e.g. lavender and many herbs), South African plants (e.g. proteas and diosmas) and Californian plants (e.g. Oenothera or Evening Primrose and Ceanothus) are adapted to dry climates. In Adelaide, the indigenous or local native plants are largely waterwise, easy care plants that also make an excellent habitat for native birds, animals and insects. Some exotics, including established roses, Murraya, Photinia, Nandina, bougainvilleas and camellia sasanquas have proven to be relatively tough survivors during extended dry periods. Many new release strappy leafed and architectural plants such as cordylines, flaxes and yuccas are relatively drought tolerant. Garden planning If you are planning a new garden, invest some time in getting to know its soil and microclimate. Divide the garden into watering zones. Group plants according to their water use needs. This also helps you to choose plants that are appropriate for particular microclimates in your garden. By grouping plants such as medium water use trees, shrubs and perennials, each grouping will benefit from an optimal watering schedule incorporating thorough soakings that encourage deeper roots rather than light surface watering. Few of us want to tear up our existing garden and start again from scratch. But when plants need replacing or when planting new garden beds, consider choosing low water use plants suited to your conditions and group plants with similar water needs together.
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Get growing
ginners Bulbs for be

Cool nights are returning, soil temperatures are falling and in South Australia, thats a sure sign for home gardeners to begin planting spring flowering bulbs.
light) or grown in potting mix, garden soil or sawdust. Providing conditions are suitable, your bulbs will flower in spring. On the other hand, once planted, where and how they are grown particularly during and soon after flowering will determine the bulbs flowering potential for the following season. Spring flowering bulbs will adapt to most well drained soils. Their greatest need is sunshine and, although flowering will occur in semi-shade, such conditions will significantly reduce the plants ability to store energy for the following year. Feeding is important During the first four to six weeks after planting you wont see much activity above the ground. However, the bulbs will be making strong root growth with plant foods being absorbed rapidly to produce strong, healthy leaf growth. Ideally the ground should have compost and complete fertiliser or blood and bone worked into the area three to four weeks before planting. If you missed out on this task dont be tempted to put the fertiliser in the planting hole, it is likely to burn the bulbs and particularly the emerging roots. The best strategy is to place the fertiliser on the ground after planting and water it into the topsoil. Perhaps the biggest problem facing new gardeners is to decide which side of the bulb is up and how deep in the ground it should be planted. As a general rule, place the pointed side up, the exception being anemones and ranunculus. Technically, these are tubers although they are usually sold amongst the bulbs. In this case the claws of the tubers face down. Planting depth is not critical. Again the general rule is to place them twice their height beneath the soil. However, experienced growers often push their bulbs deeper into the ground when planting early to protect their plants from late season heat.
affodils, jonquils, hyacinths and tulips head the list of easy to grow European bulbs. However, if you are a first time bulb buyer, dont overlook ixias, spraxias and freesias as they come from South Africa where growing conditions are very similar to our own. Ideally the bulbs should be planted in early autumn so the flowers will be at their blooming best during spring when conditions are normally cool to mild. Experienced gardeners know only too well spring bulb displays can be ruined late in the season through a sudden burst of unseasonal hot weather. Home gardeners on the Plains and in the warmer country districts should aim at having planting completed by the end of April. For those in the Hills and in areas that enjoy an extended cool spring, May plantings should also meet with success. Quality the key If you have never grown spring flowering bulbs before, take heart. Providing you buy quality bulbs from a reputable grower, you are almost guaranteed success. You see, your blooms have already been produced in miniature inside their small, rounded, but dormant shapes. In theory it does not really matter whether your bulbs are placed in sun or shade (given reasonable
Photo: Matt Egginton | Dreamstime.com
Recycling
The green bin revolution

Much of the rubbish people discard actually makes great compost.
ts only rubbish you say. Something that should be dropped in the waste rubbish bin. But wait almost half of the materials you and I place in the kerbside rubbish bin can and should be made into compost or mulch. Each week, huge quantities of compostable materials end up in landfill when these materials could be put to very good use in the garden. Compost contains a full range of valuable plant nutrients and as a bonus, it can store up to 10 times its own weight in moisture. There is little doubt South Australia is in a green waste revolution. Enormous collection depots have been set up on the outskirts of Adelaide receiving loads of tree branches and other plantbased material including many tonnes of lawn clippings and other organic material. This is sorted into huge piles and then transported to even larger processing centres. Here the green waste is converted into valuable compost or mulch. This material is eagerly sought by the States vineyards and vegetable growers and an increasing amount is also being delivered to home gardeners through a network of suburban landscape supply yards. South Australia is well ahead of most other States when it comes to recycling. About 505,000 tonnes of organics are recovered for reprocessing every year. However, we can always do much better, particularly if the remaining 50 percent of the materials placed in our rubbish bins are to be diverted from landfill and made into compost. This raises the question what can and cannot be put in your green waste recycling bin? Perhaps the easiest way to be sure is to adopt the philosophy If it didnt grow, it doesnt go. This means all plant materials are in. Here the list includes: leaves, twigs, prunings and even small branches lawn clippings
spent vegetable plants and scraps fruit peelings, fallen fruit tea leaves, teabags, coffee grounds vacuum cleaner dust egg shells old newspapers (shredded), tissues sawdust. On the other hand, there are several items that should not be placed in the green waste bin. These include household chemicals, hazardous medical waste plastic bags and bin liners recyclable containers - metal, pvc or polystyrene clothing or fabrics electronic items or appliances, batteries, plastic pots, seedling trays, garden hose building materials or permapine timber metal. But what about? Tough recycling questions put to Philip Matthews, program manager Zero Waste SA.
Q. Are meat scraps including small bones OK? Philip: Please first check with your local council as to their policy about including kitchen scraps in the green bin. These can go in, but during summer, or if your bin is not collected fortnightly, to prevent an odour problem, keep the scraps in your fridge until the day before the green bin collection. Q. Is it possible to place tree branches in the green bin? Philip: Small branches up to 15 cm diameter are ok but they need to be kept short ie 60 cm maximum. Q. What should I do with large quantities of dog faeces? Philip: Faeces are not a problem, its the plastic bags theyre placed in that are the worry as they wont break down. Use a shovel to put droppings straight into the green organics bin. If you want you can wrap them in newspaper or put them in a paper bag before putting them in the green bin. Q. What about potting mix, particularly if its still attached to the roots of old plants? Philip: Soil should not be placed in the green organics bin but commercial potting mix is largely pine bark and this composts readily. A little soil is okay but make sure you remove the pot from the plant and the plant label and anything else that is plastic and wont break down. Have your say If you have a question that you would like Philip to answer or you would like to comment on recycling in the garden, please let us know. Send your email to editor jlcom@chariot.net.au
Better soils
Soil improvers are available in convenient 30-litre bags but buying in bulk from your landscape supply yard is cheaper if you need a big volume.
Quick and easy soil improver
ne of the quickest ways of improving your garden soil is to bring in a trailer load of animal manure and spread it over the ground. While all animal manures are useful for improving soil quality, give preference to those that contain large quantities of carbon such as horse, sheep or cow manure. These manures dont contain high levels of plant nutrients however, they produce large quantities of soil building humus. The material cleaned out of horse stables is ideal as it contains both straw and animal manure. If possible, cover the ground with a layer 20 cm thick or more. Make sure the material you use has been aged for a number of weeks as fresh stable manure, apart from its distinctive
odour, may contain chemicals harmful to microbes in the soil. A very cost effective alternative to animal manure is to add composted soil improver to the soil. While soil improver is readily available in 30 litre bags from most garden centres, it is much cheaper to buy this product in bulk from your local landscape supply yard at $33-35 per cubic yard. Thats enough to fill a 6 x 4 trailer. For larger quantities, ask your landscape supply yard for a quote on having the material delivered to your front yard. While soil improver spread over the garden will gradually break down, it is far more effective when you dig or rotary hoe the product into the top 15-20 cm of soil. Once incorporated, the organic matter
has the capacity to store huge quantities of moisture in and around the root zone of your plants. This provides a tremendous bonus during summer and can lead to very significant savings in water use. Over the next year or so, the organic matter will be broken down by soil microorganisms releasing nutrients into the soil while the remaining organic matter in the form of humus will help bind soil particles together as crumbs or aggregates. This significantly improves the aeration and drainage of your soil.
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Good gardening
Topiary trim time
ow do you trim, chop or prune topiary shapes if they are to retain their attractive shape? A word of advice. Leave the secateurs in the cupboard. It is almost impossible to produce a neat, even, just trimmed appearance when you cut the branches one at a time. Head for a sharp pair of hedge clippers, then stand in front of your topiary and make a mental picture of the final shape it is going to be. For this exercise, lets assume we are trimming a topiary ball. Turn the clippers upside down and make the first cut at the top, removing foliage at a point that will become the top of your topiary ball.
This may mean removing from four to 10 centimetres of growth. Keep the final shape in your mind and starting at the top, use a smooth mowing action to redefine one quarter of the ball. Complete the quarter and move 90 to the left or right. Repeat the operation twice more in the same direction and the job should be done. Stand back, walk around the shape and make any final adjustments then walk away as snipping bits and pieces from here and there is likely to result in greater distortion to the ball than you have at the moment. The secret in reproducing any shape is to have a strong picture of the final shape in your mind before you start to clip.
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Good gardening
Water Minister with a feel for gardening

By JUNE TAYLOR
Decidedly deciduous
here is no need to wait until winter to plant deciduous fruit trees in your garden. An extensive range of deciduous fruits including apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines and almonds are now available in ready to plant containers. Improved nursery techniques mean the trees are growing in their containers when you buy them. It also means you can plant them in the garden during the growing season instead of waiting until all the leaves fall off before planting them bare rooted during winter. Autumn is an excellent planting time and trees established in the next few weeks will have plenty of time to extend their roots from their original root ball into the garden soil. As soon as you get your plants home from the nursery, soak them, container and all, in water for 10-15 minutes. Fruit trees are sun lovers and they must also have well drained soil. The areas to be planted should be prepared by removing weeds and giving the ground a thorough soaking. Take time to loosen the soil to a depth of 30 cm for at least one metre around the base of each tree. The size of the planting hole should be just a little wider and deeper than the container. If the soil is very poor, it should be improved rather than removed. New soil in an old hole can result in drainage problems, particularly if the ground is shallow or heavy.
aul Caica is used to fighting fires. Afterall thats what firemen do. Today, SAs Minister for Water, Environment and the River Murray is busy fighting political bushfires that continually spring up around his portfolio albeit with some help from nature. However, before entering politics nine years ago as the Member for Colton, Paul Caica spent much of his time fighting real fires, initially as a firefighter and then as Secretary to the SA Firefighters Union. When he took over from Karlene Maywald in March last year, the State was in the grip of an extended drought that had Paul Caica seen the government impose tough water restrictions and the horticulture industry fall to its lowest ebb. Many nursery and garden centres closed their doors as consumers stopped buying plants because they believed gardens were a thing of the past. In the 12 months since then, there have been record rainfalls and good flows in the Murray. As a result of these factors, and a lot of hard work and re-education both by the government and the nursery industry, the ornamental horticulture industry is on the rise again. And gardeners are coming to realise the key to a good garden is growing the right plants for the climatic conditions and being much smarter with water use. With urban water supply temporarily on the back burner, Paul Caica now has fires on other fronts: marine parks, the desalination plant, the Botanic Gardens budget and water licences for River Murray irrigators. As Minister, this mild-mannered man, who doesnt appear to be daunted by
criticism or media hype, knows he is doing the job at hand to the best of his ability. He insists that he continually seeks information from the experts; those who know and understand the subject through and through. I am not an expert in every area, so I surround myself with those who are ... and I take their advice on the matters to hand. With Paul Caica, what you see is what you get. Someone who uses simple language, he is a peoples person who can relate to almost anyone. Whether down at the Henley Sharks Football Club supporting his favourite footy team, casting a fishing line at the local beach or walking his King Charles Cavalier spaniel around the western suburbs, he appears to be very much in control and seems to enjoy his role in the world of politics. As a 21-year-old Paul, who grew up in Adelaide and gained a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Adelaide, established an indoor plant shop, an initiative that gave him business skills and was the starting point for his appreciation of the importance of plants in the world and his passion for the environment. He supports Nursery and Garden Industrys current Plant Life Balance campaign which encourages people to grow plants in offices, work places and at home to help clean the air and provide health benefits while having a good effect on the environment. This campaign is a win-win, Paul says. Plants are vital for our existence and having them around makes us feel good. At home his wife Annabel does most of the gardening because he doesnt have a lot of time to spend in the garden.
Get growing
Triple planting: three into one does go

When space for growing a range of fruit trees in the garden is at a premium, you might like to consider triple planting.
riple planting simply placing three fruit trees in the one hole has considerable benefits. By selecting an early, medium and late maturing variety, it is possible to extend harvest from a few weeks to two months or more. The three trees will grow and look like a single specimen. However, the competition of three in the one growing area will have a valuable dwarfing effect, keeping the trees to around three metres in height, whereas individually they may have grown to four metres or higher. The one limit with triple planting is the need to confine your selections in a single planting hole to the one species planting three apricots, three plums or three apples. However, it means you can grow a mini orchard in your own backyard. In the space where you would normally grow three trees, you can now have nine. Root systems the key Incidentally, triple planting is quite different to growing a triple grafted fruit tree which is where you have three different varieties grafted onto the one rootstock. In this case, the most dominant variety will often take over and you end up with a lop-sided shape, with a large quantity of one variety and very little of the other two. Triple planting, on the other hand, works because each variety is growing on its own root system. It also means plants that need cross pollination can be planted together. The planting hole will need to be much larger than for a single specimen. Aim at placing your trees in a triangle spaced 30 centimetres apart. Position the trees with the strongest branches facing away from the centre. Branches that cross the centre or extend into an adjacent tree should be removed completely. Over the next three or four years, encourage each tree to produce three or four main branches. This way you should end up with a semi-dwarf compact shape with fruit being borne on nine to 12 main branches. Plenty of choice Apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots all adapt well to triple planting. Plums would have to be one of the easiest fruits for home gardeners to grow. The fruit ripens over a two to three week period and holds for about a week once picked.
By careful selection, you could be picking your own fresh plums before Christmas or as late as early April. Wilson and Santa Rosa are good early varieties. In January, there is Formosa, in February, Satsuma, with Ruby Blood maturing in late March and extending into April. Most plums require cross-pollination two varieties that flower at the same time need to be growing relatively close together, the exceptions being Santa Rosa, Satsuma and Wilson. These will produce reasonable crops without a cross pollinator. N.B. All apple, pear and most, but not all, plum varieties need cross pollination. Most peaches and apricots self pollinate.
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Recycling
Change of the light brigade

Recycling old light globes means less hazardous waste heading to landfills.
ow thats a good idea. A quick and easy way to recycle old light globes. Simply drop off your end of life globes at any Mitre 10 store checkout. This way the globes will be recycled instead of going to landfill where hazardous elements, particularly mercury, may harm the environment. Over the past two years, householders in South Australia have been steadily changing over their old incandescent light globes, replacing them with more energy efficient compact fluorescent lights. This follows moves by the Australian Government to ban the retail sales of incandescent lights in November 2009. However, there are big incentives for householders to make the changeover. New fluorescent lights use one-fifth of the energy of old incandescent lights and should last six to fifteen times longer. However, it poses the question of how to responsibly dispose of the incandescent globes as well as worn out fluorescent lights. Under a partnership organised by Zero Waste SA, householders now have access to all Mitre 10 stores. This includes 24 in
the metropolitan area and 26 in regional centres. At each Mitre 10 store, recycling units will be located behind the checkout registers. Simply hand your old light globes to the Mitre 10 staff who will place them in the recycling box. Each store will monitor the units and when the boxes are full, they will arrange
for pick up and ensure they are responsibly recycled. The globes will be pre-processed in Adelaide and then sent to a facility in Sydney where the materials will be separated. The aluminium and mercury they recycle will be used to make new globes while the phosphor power will be converted into fertiliser. The glass will be used in a variety of other products. According to Zero Waste SA, this program will run as a pilot for three years providing South Australian householders with a quick disposal program free of charge in an environmentally responsible manner. It is important that old incandescent lights as well as new fluorescent lights are not placed in the household kerbside recycling bins because of the hazardous materials they contain. It is worth noting that fluorescent and other lighting containing mercury will be banned from landfill in metropolitan Adelaide from September 2012. This will be extended across the State in 2013. Mitre 10 sees the BackLight program as a great example of how the State Government, in this case Zero Waste SA and the private sector can work together to encourage householders to recycle and make better environmental decisions. To find your local Mitre 10 store, visit www.mitre10.com.au You can drop off a wide range of globes, including those in the illustration at left.
Herbs
Herbs in small gardens

Theres no need for wide open spaces when it comes to growing herbs.
ost herbs grow well in a container. They are also sun lovers. Keep these two points in mind and your likelihood of establishing a great collection of home grown herbs in a small garden is extremely good. Even in a semi-shaded garden, the chances for success remain high. Focus your collection on herbs that have reasonable tolerance to shade. Here mints are a must, parsley will do well and so will chives and chervil. The easiest way to start a herb collection is to buy a single large planter box. These are readily available at most garden centres and range in size. Something 1.5 metres long, 0.5 metres wide and at least 20 to 30 cm deep is ideal. A single planter box may restrict your choice to the small or medium sized herbs, but at least your collection will be together and thats an advantage when it comes to watering and fertilising, and particularly when fresh leaves are needed if you are putting together a culinary masterpiece. A collection of easy to grow popular herbs could include: Parsley (20 cm x 20 cm). The stems and leaves are rich in iron and are chopped finely to produce a garnish for soups, cold meats and salads. Treat as an annual. Replace when plants run to seed. Basil (30 cm x 30 cm). The leaves and soft stems have a sharp, strong, spicy flavour. Used for soups, fish, poultry and pastas. Grow in sun or semi-shade, dont over water or over fertilise. Select the smaller bush types. There is a big range of interesting forms. Chives (15 cm x 15 cm). The leaves have a mild onion flavour. Blend with parsley and tarragon for garnish or flavours for soup, meats, and vegetables. Allow clumps to spread. Harvest often to keep leaves young. Tarragon (90 cm x 60 cm). Strong spicy aniseed flavour used in sauces, soups, salads and meats. A hardy
A tasty selection of herbs and the size of your backyard doesnt have to be an issue. perennial. Needs well drained soil. Keep well watered in summer. May die back over winter if conditions cold and wet. Lemongrass (60 cm x 15 cm). The stems are chopped to add a spicy lemon tang to Asian type foods. Needs well drained soil, but keep well watered in summer. Cut back hard in spring. Harvest often for best flavours. Oregano (60 cm x 60 cm). Bushy habit. The leaves produce strong pungent flavours for soups, stews and meats. Needs well drained sunny spot, dont over water and cut back hard to prevent woodiness. Thyme (30 cm x 30 cm). The leaves produce a strong mint like flavour. Very pungent. Many different forms, needs sunny very well drained position. Dont over water. Mint (40 cm x 30 cm). The leaves produce strong flavours for soups, meats and salads. Can become rampant and is best grown in its own container. It adapts to most soils and conditions.
These herbs are readily available in small pots from most garden centres and it should be possible to grow five or six different types in the container mentioned earlier. You may need more than one bag of quality potting mix to fill the container, but dont stint here. Most herbs need perfect drainage and thats what premium potting mixes provide. While its possible to grow a number of plants in one large container, it is also possible to grow individual plants in single 20 to 30 cm diameter pots. If you like, these can be buried in a large planter box or large container such as a half wine barrel. This will allow you to change the individual plants or re-plant if there is an untimely death in your collection. If you grow plants in individual pots, as a general guide the width of the pot should be at least 50 percent of the plants height. Long lasting bushy herbs such as lavender and rosemary, are best grown in a relatively large container (45 to 60 cm diameter), otherwise you will go mad trying to keep the plants watered in summer. Plants established in a premium potting mix (slow release fertiliser added) should not need further feeding until spring time. Dont go overboard when it comes to feeding. You may get extra growth, but it will be at the expense of flavours and fragrance. In most cases a slow release fertiliser or one of the organic chicken manure pellets, is fine. These are best applied early in spring and again during late summer. You can find more detailed information on growing herbs in Homegrown SA the essential guide to growing garden fruits, vegetables and herbs in SA, written by Jon Lamb and published by The Advertiser. It is available from selected garden centres, most newsagents and book stores.
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Get the most out of your garden with mulch

STUART WILLIAMS, PRODUCTION MANAGER
Jeffries Recover ver

Certified to Australian Standard 4454 LIC 2017
.76m 3
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Jeffries Forest Mulch

Certified to Australian Standard 4454 LIC 2017 Certified organic to NASAA standard 5125m
.76m 3
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Already boosted with Jeffries Organic Compost, s st, the addition of Blood and Bone increases nitrogen, phosphorous and calcium - three vital nutrients for plant growth. Providing an attractive dark finish for your garden while also giving your plants the extra food they need to flourish Jeffries Recover is more than just a mulch!
Nature knows the benefits of a mulch layer; it occurs naturally in a forest to help nurture and protect plants. Jeffries Forest Mulch will do the same in your garden, protecting plants against the elements and improving the soil at the same time.
Jeffries Dura Mulch

A very durable, heavy duty mulch. Fully composted to slowly break down and add valuable carbon to your soil. Helps keep weeds down while maximising water retention in your soil.
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Jeffries Forever Red, Black or Brown
.76m 3 This popular coloured timber mulch is available in three long lasting colours. Some mulches can fade quite quickly, but this one holds its colour and lustre longer. This easy y to spread mulch is a great option if you want your garden to stand out from the crowd!
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Prices valid until 30/6/11 | 0.76m3 is an approx measure not a guaranteed measure | 0.76m3 covers approx 15m2 at 50mm thickness
Better soils
Try your hand at farming worms
he idea of gardeners farming worms in small containers in the backyard has instant appeal. And why not? Community attitudes towards the environment and the need to recycle household food scraps are changing rapidly. In reality, most organic material can be recycled through a worm farm. For most householders, this includes kitchen scraps (fruit and vegetable), small amounts of garden clippings, flowers, leaves from deciduous trees, crushed egg shells, some manures (horse, sheep and cow), even shredded newspaper and once the worms have eaten their way through the scraps, you are left with nutrient rich soil conditioner similar in value to well made compost. Composting worms have an insatiable appetite and are capable of eating 50 to 100 percent of their own weight in organic material every day. The end product or castings they leave behind, often referred to as vermicompost, is highly prized by home gardeners for use as a plant stimulating additive to potting mix or a valuable soil improver when incorporated into the soil. This ability to feed and breed rapidly makes the worm an ideal candidate for backyard farming. Ready to go worm farms are available from specialty outlets and sometimes in hardware stores and garden centres. They are easy to manage and you will be amazed at how quickly your leftovers will disappear Compost worms are the same as the tiger or red worms sold as fish bait. Worms found working the soil beneath the surface of your garden are not suitable for farming as they only feed on less nutrient rich organic material. While ready to go worm farm boxes are usually available from garden centres, to get started it is possible to use a large waterproof box. Polystyrene crates used by
vegetable retailers are ideal and are usually readily available. Large 30 to 40 litre plastic storage bins available from hardware stores are also suitable, or you could use a plastic garbage bin. Make sure there is a large drainage hole at the base of the box or container to collect liquid that will accumulate at the bottom of the feeding material. This liquid makes a great tonic for vegetables and other garden plants. Simply mix with water so it looks like weak tea. Getting started The following advice on setting up a home-made worm farm is from an excellent fact sheet prepared by Zero Waste SA. Its called Worm Farms. Punch small holes all over the sides and base for ventilation Line the box with several sheets of newspaper Line the newspaper with bedding made up of: Well-rotted moist compost Shredded wet newspaper Dead leaves Straw Sawdust or peat moss A mixture of these
Water the box well but make sure the bedding is not soggy Cover the top with dampened hessian or newspaper to keep the moisture in and light out, and put the lid on Find a cool shady spot for the farm Put the box on bricks or wooden blocks Place a tray under it to catch excess liquid which can be used for fertiliser Zero Waste SA suggests you collect kitchen scraps in a container. Feed the worms with small amounts daily, increasing the amount as they start to multiply. Add enough water to make sure the farm does not dry out. Collect the worm castings and use in garden compost or add it to potting mix. Seeds may germinate in the castings from material placed in the worm farm. After a few months, the worm population will stabilise. Worm numbers will only continue to grow with more food and enough space. At this stage, you can start up a new farm by moving some of the worms to a new box. Be aware Zero Waste SA points out that worms dislike citrus peels, onions, dairy products, fats and oils, bones, meat and fish or cat or dog droppings. Also try and avoid large amounts of one type of material. Worms do not like hot temperatures, so when air temperatures are very hot (35C) worm farms can be kept cooler by putting moist hessian over the farm and by putting a block of frozen water in the farm (water can be frozen the previous day in a butter or ice cream container).
Its all a question of colour
lowers are the most obvious way to introduce colour into your garden. However theyre only the beginning of the story. Colour can be foliage, gloss or matt, evergreen or deciduous. It can also come from the creams, greys, browns and reds of tree trunks and bark. Walls, fences, sculptures, outdoor furniture and even long vistas can also be used to add colour to the garden. Nature is a master at suggesting colour combinations. There are complementary variations on plants such as the Phormium Yellow Wave with its golden yellow on lime green variegations. There are suggestions of pastel on the Correa alba hybrid with its dusky pink bell-shaped flowers with creamy yellow tips. There are also the brightly coloured orange flowers of an arctotis on softening grey foliage, brilliant orange fruits of the cumquat on its own background of glossy green foliage, and contrasting purple and yellow flowers on the bicoloured bearded Iris Fresh as Paint. Colour is a very powerful mood-affecter and can also influence our perception of heat and cold, dark and light. A patch of lawn bordered by green and soft grey foliaged plants is peaceful and relaxing.
Your garden is a blank canvas, says KATHY ERREY create a masterpiece.

Conversely, a garden with red, orange and yellow colours will excite and energise and give an impression of warmth. To avoid too much stimulation, greys, blues and greens can be added. The use of pastels has a calming effect. Perceptions of coolness can be achieved with varying shades of blue, green and white. An all-white garden (necessarily including green, often with silver and grey foliage to complement) gives a feeling of freshness, and becomes luminescent and fragrant at twilight and at other times of low light levels. When choosing a colour theme for your garden, you may wish to stay with the same theme year round or select a theme to suit the season. For example, in late autumn and winter you may want a warming, cheering effect. Select plants whose foliage colour intensifies during the colder months. Plants flowering in that season in yellow, red and orange tones would then be added. In summer, a cooling and refreshing
Vladimir Yudin | Dreamstime.com
Garden planning
Peaceful and relaxing: colour selection sets the tone of your garden. effect might be required and so blue and white would be used. Green, silver and grey plants would sit well in both schemes. It isnt necessary to have a whole garden in the same colour theme. A private corner could be planted in calming colours or an entertaining area planted in vibrant colours to encourage fun and frivolity. Pastel colours are washed out in our hot summer sun and are best planted where there is morning sun. On the other hand, yellows, reds and oranges retain their colour in hot afternoon sun. So, have fun creating your colour scheme in the garden. Here are some suggestions for you: Reds, yellows and oranges Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthus). Native clumping grass-like plant with flowers shaped somewhat like a kangaroo paw. It is available in red, yellow and orange tonings. Black Tree (Aeonium Schwarzkopf ). A succulent with glossy burgundy leaves. Chinese Tallow (Sapium sebiferum). A deciduous tree with mid-green foliage over
Photos: Kathy Errey (taken at Tupelo Grove Nursery)
the summer turning golden, orange and red in autumn. Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana). Native tree with bright yellow flowers on soft grey foliage in winter. Cordyline Midnight Star has striking chocolate-coloured broad leaves yearround. Daffodils (Narcissus) will cheer up a winter garden. False Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia Frisia). An elegant, fast growing, deciduous shade tree with scented wisterialike flowers in spring, lime green foliage turning golden in autumn. Glory Vine (Vitis coignetiae). Vigorous, deciduous climber ideal for creating shade over the summer with its green foliage turning to tones of yellow, red and burgundy in autumn. Golden Daisy Bush (Euryops pectinatus). Covered in yellow flowers most of the year, but especially through winter. Iris Rave On has orange bearded blooms in October to November. Kalanchoe Bronze Sculpture. This is a succulent with striking red tonings to its large leaves.
Pastels Bower Vine (Pandorea jasminoides). Vigorous evergreen climber with soft pink tubular flowers from spring to summer. Butterfly bush (Gaura lindheimeri). Pink and white flowers all through the summer. Clematis montana. A deciduous climber available in pink or white flowers followed by fluffy seed heads. Daisies (Argyranthemum). Creams, yellows and pinks are also available in dwarf form for small gardens. Felicia angustifolia and echinata. Small evergreen shrubs with daisy like, mauve flowers in Spring. Flowering crab apple (Malus ionensis plena). Small, deciduous tree with gorgeous clusters of light pink flowers in spring, followed by soft grey-green foliage in summer, turning to yellows and reds in autumn. Frangipani (Plumeria rubra). Deciduous tree with beautiful fragrant flowers from late spring to autumn. Fuchsias flower in late summer to early autumn and suit a partly shaded position. Gladioli is an old fashioned favourite coming back into vogue and available in
LkIT EvERY THE TOO NER NEEdS. GARdE

US E SPAR IN GLY AF TE R 5P M & BE FO RE 10AM
Sprinklers Other watering systems
Dripper systems
High pressure low volume cleaner
Bucket
A NY TIM E U S E TH E S E
Hand-held hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle
Watering cans
Since December last year, Water Wise Measures have been in place. They are a commonsense way to ensure we all use water carefully. Help South Australia have Water for Good by using this simple toolkit as your guide.
JAM SAW/0141
For the latest information visit www.sawater.com.au or call the Water Wise Hotline on 1800 130 952
Water Wise Measures are in place for most of the State.
Garden planning
Calming grey many pastel colours ranging from pinks, apricots and lemons to mauve. Lilly Pilly (Szygium) Fortune Teller A softly variegated weeping lilly pilly with musk pink berries in autumn. Blue flowers Agapanthus (blue forms). Hardy favourites for summer gardens, producing big flower heads on tall stems above lush green foliage. California Lilac (Ceanothus Blue Pacific). A large hardy shrub with leathery green leaves covered in a mass of bright blue flowers over summer. Hydrangea (blue forms). Deciduous, shade-loving plants with beautiful large blue flower heads at Christmas time. Irises are hardy plants flowering in October and are available in many shades of blue, try Iris Jazz Me Blue. Jacarandah mimosifolia is a very large tree deciduous in South Australia, with clusters of lavender blue flowers in late October and November, followed by green ferny
foliage. It is a beautiful tree but not suitable for small gardens or near swimming pools. Lavender Stoeches produce masses of purple flowers in spring and autumn. Lilac (Syringa vulgaris). A deciduous shrub or small tree, with highly fragrant mauve-coloured flower clusters. Liriope Evergreen Giant and Royal Blue. Strappy leaved plants suited to border or under plantings in part shade. Native Wisteria (Hardenbergia violacea). Native evergreen climber with purple flowers from winter to spring. Plumbago (blue form) An evergreen shrub ideal for informal hedging and flowers from spring to autumn. Avoid frosty areas. White Agapanthus. Select white forms of this hardy summer flowering plant (also available in dwarf form). Chinese Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum). An easily contained climbing plant with evergreen foliage and fragrant star-shaped
flowers from late spring through summer. Clematis montana Alba. A deciduous climber with lovely white flowers in spring. Cosmos (white variety) is an annual, making a stunning display against a backdrop of green. Escallonia iveyii. A tough evergreen shrub with white flowers in spring on a background of dark green, glossy foliage. This is a good hedging plant. Gardenias are evergreen shrubs with strongly scented waxy flowers in summer. Gardenias are available in large, medium and dwarf form and are best planted in pots in South Australia due to their preference for acidic soils. Hydrangea. Select a white form of this deciduous shrub and plant in a shaded area for flowers at Christmas. Indian Hawthorn. (Raphiolepsis Oriental Pearl). A tough slow growing shrub with glossy, leather foliage. Ideal for balling or use as a border. Iris Elvis Presley A bearded iris with large white flowers in October and November.
Garden planning
Reminders
Protecting perennials
Once chrysanthemums have stopped flowering, they can be cut back to ground level. New growth should appear during winter and this is the basis for next years plants, so protect them from hungry snails. Carnations and other perennials that have finished flowering should also be cut back and protected from snails.
Mowing
Contrasting red and green foliage Jasminum Azoricum. An evergreen and vigorous climber, producing white starlike, fragrant flowers all through summer and autumn. Grey / silver foliage Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) and MatRush (Lomandra Seascape). Grey foliaged grasses. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii). A large shrub or small tree attracting hordes of butterflies and has lilac-like, honey scented flowers in summer on a background of grey-green foliage. Cushion bush (Leucaphyta brownii). Very hardy, silver foliaged bush with yellow flowers, as is Santolina Cotton Lavender. Euphorbia Rigida. A low growing plant with succulent grey leaves and lime green flowers in spring turning red as they age. Globe Artichoke. A spectacularly showy plant worth planting in an ornamental garden for its huge draping silver leaves and spectacular purple flowers. Kashmir Cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana). A large tree with pendulous sprays of silvery-grey foliage. Lavenders are low water users with scented grey foliage. The French variety flowers during winter and spring, Italian and Spanish during spring and autumn and English in summer. Clip after flowering to maintain a good shape. Great for flowering borders. Olive (Olea europea). Small evergreen tree with silvery-green leaves. Silver bush (Convolvulus cneorum) grows to only 30x45cm and has silver foliage, as its name suggests, and white flowers in the spring. More inspiration For other ideas, take a walk around your neighbourhood, visit public parks, private gardens participating in Australias Open Garden Scheme, and garden centres in all seasons. This is a good way to find plants that perform best in South Australia in that particular season. Kathy Errey of Outdoor Canvas Plants is a passionate gardener and with a lifetime experience in selecting and growing plants for SA gardens.
Summer active grasses such as couch including Santa Anna, buffalo and kikuyu must not be cut short at this time of the year as the crowns of the plants will be damaged. There will be no further growth until September, meanwhile the lawn is likely to go brown and weeds may become established.
Native plants
If you are selecting native plants, check to see they are suitable for your soil. Many soils in SA have a high pH because they contain a great deal of lime. If this is the case, select varieties that are lime tolerant. This is very important.
Woolly aphids
Apple and pear trees in some gardens have been attacked by woolly aphids, soft bodied insects similar to aphids. They are coated with a white, waxy material and cluster together. Dont spray now with an insecticide, you will destroy their natural predators. Wait until mid-winter and use a white oil spray. This will kill the over-wintering eggs of the aphids and not affect the predators.
Indoor plants
Potted plants that have been inside for most of the summer should have the accumulated dust and grime removed from their leaves. Sponge them with lukewarm water, wash them under the shower or take them outside and squirt them gently with a hose. Take the opportunity to remove old, spent leaves, trim back unwanted growth and then reward them by soaking the root zone with a seaweed solution plus a liquid organic fertiliser.
A cool look
Waterwise gardening
How you can monitor your water consumption

0 0 1 2 6 4 8 7
Example meter reading only
earning how to read your meter is an easy way to monitor the water youre using in your home and garden. Its easy! First you need to locate your water meter. Its usually outside, near where the SA Water main enters your property. Locate the display of numbers on the water meter. It will look similar to the illustration above (it may have different coloured numbers or backgrounds, but you read them all in the same way). Each number represents a different number of litres (or part of a litre). In this diagram the white figures on the black background represent kilolitres (one kilolitre is 1,000 litres). These numbers would represent 126 kilolitres, 487 litres. By following these simple steps you can work out how much water you are using and isolate certain activities. For example if you turn off all your taps except for one garden tap and run your sprinkler from this tap for 15 minutes, you can calculate how much water your sprinkler uses per hour: Number of litres used in 15 minutes X 4 = number of litres used per hour. By learning how much water youre using, you can better monitor your water consumption in and around your home. Why not monitor your meter fortnightly or monthly to get an indication of your pattern of consumption? You will find it varies considerably with the seasons if you are watering your garden. Check for leaks A leak on your property can waste thousands of litres of water and could cost you money. Youve learnt to check you meter and its a very simple procedure to follow up and check for leaks.
1. Last thing at night turn off all household and garden taps and record your meter reading. 2. First thing in the morning before anyone uses any water, read the meter again and record the reading. 3. If there is a difference between the two readings and you havent used any water, then you have a leak. Leaks tend to get worse, so it pays to identify and fix any leaks as soon as possible by calling a licensed plumber. SA Water has plenty of information and tips available to help you save water in your garden and around your home. Visit the interactive House + Garden and learn how to make every drop count at www.sawater.com.au Rebates In November 2007 the State Government launched the H2OME Rebate scheme to encourage South Australian households to achieve greater water savings inside and outside the home. Heres how to have a great garden and pocket some money too: Plumbed-in rainwater tanks between $200 and $1000 towards the cost of purchase and retrofit of a rainwater tank into your home for uses such as toilet
flushing, clothes washing or for hot water supply. Hurry, this rebate is ending purchase by 30 June 2011, claim by 31 August 2011. Garden goods receive 50 percent of the cost of eligible water efficient garden goods, including Smart Approved WaterMark efficient sprinklers, when you spend a minimum of $100 through to a spend of $400 (maximum rebate available is $200 for 2010-11). Stand alone rainwater tanks up to $200 for a stand alone rainwater tank (a tank not required to be connected to the house). Retrofit rebate for $30 (this is free for concession card holders) a licensed plumber will come to your home and check your plumbing fixtures and fittings, fit water saving devices and provide water saving advice. Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply to all rebates. For full details and how to apply visit www.sawater.com.au or call 1800 130 952.
www.sawater.com.au
New plants
Whats new at your garden centre

The latest new plants available from Nursery and Garden Industry SA centres
Johnsons Carrot Purple Haze

A real novelty. It may have purple roots and a bright orange core but it is still very tasty.
Daphne Eternal Fragrance

A stunning new daphne with high tolerance to alkaline soils and warm conditions. Frost hardy, compact (60 x 90 cm). Highly perfumed. Will repeat flower through spring.
Sublime
A compact fruiting patio lime selected for container growing.
Sweet Pea Pink Diana

A great new release. Elegant, highly perfumed with long stems ideal for cutting.
Radermachera Summerscent
A very attractive multipurpose plant 1.53 m tall. Ideal for containers, hedging or grown as a single specimen.
Syzgium Big Red

A very colourful new medium growing Lilly Pilly. Large glossy leaves with dark crimson tip growth. Ideal for hedging or topiary.
Garden alerts
Watch out for these!

yrtle rust and fruit fly both pose a current threat to South Australias horticultural industry. While not in SA at the moment, homeowners travelling from infected regions are asked to keep a watchful eye for either. To report information or obtain further information contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline: 1800 084 881 or SA Fruit Fly Hotline ph 1300 666 010 Myrtle Rust A devastating plant fungus that attacks leaves and stems of plants belonging to the myrtle family. For further information visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/ myrtle-rust The fungus is easily spread by people moving through infected regions and by plants carrying the disease. It is currently found in many areas of the eastern seaboard of Australia from the central coast of NSW to Cairns in Far North Queensland. Fruit Fly While SA is currently fruit fly free, there have been serious infestations across NSW and Victoria with a number of outbreaks close to the SA border. Home gardeners are asked to contact the SA Fruit Fly Hotline 1300 666 010 if they find maggots or anything suspicious in fruit and vegetable. Travellers from these regions should conform with Biosecurity SAs directions to dispose of any fruit in marked bins before crossing the border into SA.
Spots and rots take off as summer fades

As another growing season comes to a close, fungal spots and rots often begin to flare. Quick action is often needed if late summer vegetables and autumn flowering ornamentals are to be protected.
Myrtle rust
Powdery mildew White powdery-like fungus usually on the upper side of leaves and also on stems of late maturing summer vegetables and many ornamentals. Spray plants as soon as detected with one part milk mixed with 10 parts water or an all purpose chemical such as Rose spray. Black spot Black or grey spots on leaves particularly roses and apples. Leaves often turn yellow and drop. Spray leaves and stems thoroughly with a fungicide such as Rose spray.
Mediterranean Fruit Fly
Whats on
APRIL
SAs gardening calendar

AUGUST 20 - 21 National Cymbidium Orchid Show (Sat 9 am - 5 pm, Sun 9 am 4 pm). Noarlunga Leisure Centre, David Witton Drive, Noarlunga Centre. SEPTEMBER 2 -10 Royal Adelaide Show, Wayville Showgrounds, Goodwood Rd, Wayville. 24 - 25 Native Orchid Society of SA Show. Sat10 am - 5 pm, Sun 10am - 4pm. St Bernadettes Church Hall, South Road, St Marys. Waite Arboretum regular walking tours Free guided walks of the Waite Arboretum are held on the first Sunday of the month from 11 am - 12.30 pm. Meet in front of Urrbrae House, Waite Campus (enter via Fullarton Rd). Are you running a gardening event? For listing in SA Garden and Outdoor Living, contact Jon Lamb Communications jlcom@chariot.net.au
16 -17 Festival of Flowers (10 am - 4 pm). Enfield Community Centre, 540 Regency Road, Enfield. 17 Stirling Autumn Garden Festival (10 am - 4 pm) Druid Avenue, Stirling. 30 Fern Society of SA Giant Fern Sale (Sat 1 - 5 pm, Sun 10 am 4.00 pm). Adelaide High School Auditorium, West Terrace, Adelaide. 30 - May 1 SA Chrysanthemum Society Autumn Show. Pallaconic Hall, Aldridge Avenue, Plympton Park. MAY 1 Australias Open Garden Scheme special event History Trail: Colonel Light Gardens and into the Hills. Spend an intriguing day exploring our garden history. Tickets $35, including morning tea. Bookings are essential on 8248 0077. 14 -15 Australian Plants Society Autumn Plant Sale (Sat 10 am - 5 pm, Sun 10 am - 4.00 pm). Stirling Angas Hall, Adelaide Showgrounds, Wayville
TRADE DIRECTORY
Nursery and Garden Industry SA members
Akers Of Lawn Augusta Garden Centre Barossa Mitre 10 Barossa Nursery Barrow and Bench, Malvern Barrow and Bench, Glenunga Cleveland Nursery Conboys Nurseries Pty Ltd Corporate Roses Pty Ltd Daisy Patch Nursery Garden Grove Supplies Glynde Mitre 10 Solutions Heynes Garden Centre Hutchisons Nursery Kallinyalla Nurseries Littlehampton Nursery Mr Bs Garden Care Manor Nurseries Morgan Park Garden Centre McCourts Garden Centre Misty Creek Garden Centre Munns And More Munns Instant Lawn 578 States Rd, Onkaparinga Hills Lot 102 Stuart Highway, Pt Augusta 7 Gawler Street, Nuriootpa Barossa Valley Way, Nuriootpa 321 Unley Rd, Malvern 499 Portrush Rd, Glenunga 91 Mt Barker Rd, Stirling Millicent Rd, Mount Gambier 81 Main South Rd, Myponga 1 George Tce, Coonalpyn 1150 Golden Grove Rd, Golden Grove 8 Glynburn Rd, Hectorville 283 The Parade, Beulah Park 72 Stewart Tce, Naracoorte 10 Shaen Street, Port Lincoln 67 Main Rd, Littlehampton 22 Goodwin Court, Para Hills The Old Mill, Oakbank 66 Welch Rd, Victor Harbor 48 Davenport St, Millicent 9 Victoria Crescent, Mt Barker 700 South Rd, Glandore 356 Brighton Rd, Hove 8326 3255 8642 4022 8568 6005 8562 2288 8272 8566 8379 9866 8339 1595 8725 3301 8558 6055 8571 1172 8251 1111 8337 2344 8332 2933 8762 3566 8682 2725 8391 0022 8281 1808 8389 7744 8552 7866 8733 4566 8391 5329 8297 7277 8298 0555 Newmans Nursery and The Topiary Caf Norwood Garden Centre Perrys Fruit & Nut Nursery Plant Growers of Sunraysia Protea World Semaphore Garden Shop State Flora Belair The Conservatory Garden and Home The Earth Works The Flower Garden (SA) The Oasis Nursery & Giftware The Plant People SA Vadoulis Garden Centre Valley Nursery Virginia Nursery Wealdview Gardens Fuchsia Nursery Wild Mulberry Garden Centre Yankalilla Landscaping & G/C Yorkreation Garden Centre
Denotes Accredited Garden Centre
North East Rd, Tea Tree Gully 299 Portrush Rd, Norwood Kangarilla Rd, Mclaren Flat 635 Fifteenth St, Mildura Vic Yundi & Victor Harbor Rd, Yundi 119 Semaphore Rd, Semaphore Belair National Park, Belair 80 Unley Rd, Unley Old Sturt Highway, Berri Shakes Rd, Nairne 31 Homburg Tce, Pinnaroo Main Rd, Gumeracha 554 Main North Rd, Gawler Lot 4 Mt Barker Rd, Mount Barker Gawler Rd, Virginia Main Rd, Ashton 117 Park Tce, Bordertown 184 Main Rd, Yankalilla 14 Third St, Minlaton
8264 2661 8431 5644 8383 0268 (03) 5022 0345 8556 0274 8341 5915 8278 7777 8272 9657 8582 3775 8388 6126 8577 8646 8389 1393 8522 3400 8391 1038 8380 9560 8390 1223 8752 2722 8558 2461 8853 2844
Landscape Association of SA members

A Room With A View Garden Design, Maylands, 8362 8442, 0407 676 080 Accent Landscapes, Upper Sturt, 8370 9057, 0416 051 682 Adelaide Garden Design, Inglewood, 8380 5204 Adelaide Innovative Landscaping, Glynde, 8165 0344, 0411 709 301 Airedale Landscapes, Crafers West, 8339 8118, 0438 817 588 Anston Paving Stones, Clayton, Vic, 1300 788 694, Baileys Fertilisers, Camden Park, 9439 1688, 0488 143 252 Barossa Quarries, Angaston, 8564 2227, 0418 839 366 Bellevue Lawn & Garden, Clovelly Park, 8277 9614, 0408 817 971 Beryl Bredon Landscape Design, Kensington, 8361 3702, 0411 694 215 Best Masonry Bricks and Pavers, Kent Town, 1300 076 468, Boral Industries, Ingle Farm Brown 2 Green Garden Design, Henley Beach, 0403 048 100 Cactus Landscaping, Goodwood, 0433 324 602 Caroline Dawes Gardens, Broadview, 8344 6873, 0403 011 866 Carolyn Corletto, Henley Beach South, 8355 2225, 0408 008 011 Cinco Gardens, Mount Barker, 8391 4912, 0403 688 261 City Of Burnside, Glenside, 8366 4252 Civil Train SA, Dry Creek, 8262 8066 Climate Change Landscape & Design, Flagstaff Hill, 8358 6598, 0433 777 465 Customstone SA, Elizabeth South, 8252 9633, 0408 832 662 David Baptiste Garden Design, North Adelaide, 8267 6633, 0418 845 054 Dig It Landscapes, Thebarton, 8352 6589, 0402 798 571 Distinct Landscaping & Concreting, Campbelltown, 0402 292 307 Exterior Concepts, Highbury,8396 3333, 0412 533 003 Form Landscape Design, Stirling, 8339 7902, 0411 227 582 Garden Art Design, Everard Park, 8371 1522, 0412 147 482 Garden Culture, Mile End, 8234 5945, 0414 234 594 Garden Grove Supplies, Golden Grove, 8251 1111 Gardens at Night, Kent Town, 8362 9522, 0438 565 015 Gardens Australis, West Beach, 8353 0990, 0419 037 345 Gardens for Living, Seaton, 8353 6781, 0422 085 162 GLG Greenlife Group, Clarence Gardens, 8351 4400, 0413 155 981 Great Southern Landscape Supplies, Old Noarlunga, 8327 1800, 0431 612 194 Green Star Design Studio, Dulwich, 0424 148 422 Gullyscapes, Modbury Heights, 8263 2129, 0407 716 386 Gumleaf Gardens, Windsor Gardens, 82611600, 0402 845 928 Hailstone Landscaping, Crafers, 8339 4811, 0418 822 212 Harris & Noonan, North Plympton, 8294 2694, 0438 330 320 Hicks Instant Turf, Para Hills West, 8258 2488 Jeffries, Rosewater East, 8368 3555 Keelan Gardenscape, Hove, 0412 008 355 Kerrie Griffin-Moore Garden Design, Stirling, 8339 8518, 0417 820 715 Land Sculpture, Greenwith, 8380 5166, 0418 825 257 Landscape Construction Services, Largs North, 8249 9799, 0418 807 101 Landscape Environs, Norwood, 8363 6774, 0419 000 998 Le Capitain Fisheries, Hove, 0413 945 749, 0418 527 120 Metro Pavers, Hillbank, 8252 5873, 0418 847 603 Mr Bs Landscaping & Garden Care, Para Hills, 8281 1808, 0417 806 904 Ms Landscaping, Beverly, 8445 2310, 0415 350 548 Munns Instant Lawn, Hove, 8298 0555 Nangare Design, Crafers, 8339 2284, 0411 267 841 Neighbour Labour New Landscapes, Kent Town, 8362 0129, 0419 627 372 Netafim Australia, North Adelaide, 8267 4222, 0407 501 527 New Eden Garden Design, Mitcham, 0408 836 886 Newtons Landscaping & Building Supplies, Newton, 8415 7706 Outside Ideas, Adelaide, 8359 2276, 0416 049 930 Paul Jackson Gardens, Stepney, 8265 4968, 0413 008 439 Peats Soils & Garden Supplies, Willunga, 8556 5295, 0419 310 441 Piccadilly Landscapes, Fullarton, 8364 3144, 0412 818 967 Plantmark, Dry Creek, 8258 5000, 0409 544 033 Pro Ag Consulting, Norwood, 8332 0199, 0417 925 824 Reece Irrigation, Adelaide, 8231 2888 Riverland Creative Gardens, Loxton, 8584 4883, 0417 859 232 Somerset Landscaping, Edwardstown, 8297 7295, 0418 830 906 Summit Projects & Construction, Stirling, 8390 0148, 0411 709 302 Susan Steer Garden Design, Summertown, 8390 3491, 0427 241 247 TAFE Horticultural Centre, Netherby, 8372 6800, 0412 199 377 Tookoo Landscape Design, Greenock, 8562 8365, 0403 834 420 Top Cat Landscaping Services, Mawson Lakes, 8260 5569, 0412 445 732 Visual Landscape Gardening, Surrey Downs, 8251 5239, 0417 863 159 Waterpro, Stepney, 8363 6050, 0407 546 660 Wax Design, Rose Park, 8463 0886, 0403 951 845 Wholesale Plants & Products, Dry Creek, 8262 7787, 0412 698 881 Wilson & Co Landscaping, Wingfield, 8359 1997, 0403 333 767 WJB Sustainable Landscapes, Roseworthy, 8524 8501, 0428 877 558 World of Pebble & Chips, Salisbury Down, 0410 124 942

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Seduction and St Johns Rose below (inset).

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Wild birds in the garden

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Jeffries Special Soil

Jeffries Hydrocell Soil $

full details and stockists phone 8368 3556

Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)

Baked rosemary potatoes

SAs garden fashion victims

Be inspired, discover new ideas

TRADING HOURS Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 11am - 4pm

GARDEN & OUTDOOR LIVING / AUTUMN 2011 15

Small trees with great autumn colour

Beautiful Plants Better Crops C Healthier Environment

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A FAMILY BUSINESS SINCE 1977

Tips for a top lawn

Weeds: the best defence is a strong, healthy lawn.

Getting natives off to a flying start

Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha)

Our environment breathes easier

SA Garden & Outdoor Living sponsor:

Hows your plant life balance?

can be easy & rewarding! Now there is a better way!

Organic Waste Air

Aerobin 400 Litre

where technology meets the environment.

see Aerobin at www.aerobin.com.au

Colourful bloomers to brighten a winters day

New Soda Sister pansies set to dazzle

Australias Largest Wholesale Nursery

Lot 19 Port Wakeeld Rd Paraeld Gardens

Call us today on 08 8258 5000

OPEN MON-FRI 7:30am-4:30pm SAT 7:30am-12:30pm

Sasanqua camellias! Yes but which one?

Its raining autumn leaves

Learning the secret of a great compost recipe

Cyclamen for continuous colour

Tailoring recruitment and training to your needs.

- Certificate II to Diploma level

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