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AUTUMN 2011FREE SAs OWN GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING MAGAZINE

Bringing

birds back to

your garden

Citrus for

small spaces

Edited by

JonLamb

GARDEN

South Australian

& OUTDOOR LIVING

Official journal of the Nursery & Garden Industry and the Landscape Association of SA


2/64


3/64GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /AUTUMN 2011 3

Published by

Jon Lamb Communications Pty Ltd, (JLC)31 King St, Norwood, SA 5067

Ofcial Journal o

Nursery & Garden Industry o SA IncLandscape Association o SA Inc

Editor

Jon Lamb(08) 8362 [email protected]

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DisclaimerAlthough all reasonable is taken care in preparinginormation contained in this publication, neitherJon Lamb Communications (JLC), NGISA or LASA,nor their ofcers, sta or suppliers involved in theediting and production o this magazine accept anyliability resulting rom the interpretation or use othe inormation set out in this document. Inormationcontained in this document is subject to change

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AUTUMN2011

4

Copyright: Editorial material published in SA Garden & Outdoor Livingis copyright and may not be reproduced in anyorm without written permission rom the Publisher or Editor.

8

GARDENSouth Australian

& OUTDOOR LIVINGEdition number 1

12

FEATURES

4 RipperrosesOur pick or the top fve

10 BringbackthebirdsEncouraging native birds back into your garden

28 Landscapeyourdreams Starting rom scratch? It pays to plan

REGULAR COLUMNS

14 HerbTalkJune Taylor: remembering rosemary

40 ThecuttingedgeTrevor Nottle monitors the latest issues

GOOD GARDENING

18 TipsforatoplawnAttractive lawns dont just happen

22 ColourfulbloomersA little something to brighten a winters day

38 DecoratingwithindoorplantsMaking a landscape o your rooms

GUIDES

50 Newproducts60 Newplants62 Whatson Calendar o SA gardening events

63 Tradedirectory

23


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4 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /AUTUMN 2011

Ripper roses ourpick for the top ve

Rose grower KIM SYRUS names his ve favourites, reects

on some old stars and looks at a few of the new performers.

Fionas Wish



Roses

For those who have ever venturedinto the rose section of your gardencentre or perhaps looked throughan online mail order rose catalogue, you

will know there are hundreds of varietiesavailable. Choosing the right ones for yourgarden can be quite daunting.As a professional rose grower one

question Im constantly asked is Whatsyour favourite rose?

Now, thats not an easy one to answer!

ere are so many great performing roses tochoose, from big blooming hybrid teas andmassed owering oribundas to expansiveclimbers and super hardy groundcovers.

Singling out just one is agonising so, aftercareful consideration, Ive chosen my topve ripper roses.

Its a mix of oribunda, hybrid tea andclimber, all fantastic performers easy togrow, produce a bounty of blooms and agreat introduction to the wonderful world

of roses, whether you are a noviceor an experienced gardener.

Fionas WishA standout bicolour rose

with bright cherry red andyellow reverse blooms coupled

with an amazing scent make thisa sensational plant for the garden.Producing loads of owers and asuperior garden performance, here is a

worthy alternative to other bicolour rosessuch as Double Delight and Hybrid Tea.Height 1.5 metres.

Iceberge choice of rose for many Australian

gardeners, and why not! Loads of crispwhite owers smother the bush for mostof the growing season. Iceberg is hardy,healthy and so versatile.

It makes practically the perfect standard

with its natural rounded canopyand the most wonderfulclimbing form (ClimbingIceberg).For those looking for a little

more colour, check out theIceberg sports Blushing Pink,

Brilliant Pink, Burgundy Icebergand Climbing Iceberg. Floribunda. Height1.5 metres.

Knock OutAfter taking the USA by storm, KnockOut has already proven itself to be asuper tough, super blooming beauty herein Australia.

Oodles of cherry red owers cover thebush 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

Knock OutPierre de Ronsard

Iceberg Seduction and St Johns Rose below (inset).


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Roses

Out Family (Double, Pink and Blushing)released in 2011. Floribunda. Height 1metre.

Pierre de Ronsard

A climbing classic! Creamy white, oldfashioned cup-shaped owers with adelightful blush pink centre cover this everpopular pillar rose.

e beautiful romantic look ts anygarden style and design. A spectacularclimbing rose and so versatile, plant onan arch, lattice, post or in a pot. Look outfor the new whiter sport Blushing Pierrede Ronsard. Climber. Coverage 6 squaremetres.

SeductionMasses of pink edged and cream centred

blooms are constantly produced onthis ever reliable garden rose. A robustperformer, Seduction has become a rmfavourite throughout Australian gardensover the past 20 years planted singly, as ahedge or as a standard. Floribunda. Height1.2 metres

Five old favouritesstill worth growingBonica Shrub rose producing masses of

mid pink blooms on gently arching canes.Height 1.2 metres.

Gold Bunny Each golden bloom ispetal lled and glows against the deep green

wavy edged foliage. Height 1.2 metres.La Sevillana Clusters of bright red

blooms festoon the deep green, wellfoliaged bush. Height 1.5 metres.

Mr Lincoln Deep velvety red bloomsare strongly scented and held atop a robustupright stem. Height 1.8 metres.

Peace e worlds most popular rose.Large, classic shaped, yellow and pinkblended blooms. Height 1.5 metres.

Five new performers(worth ordering now)

Forget Me Not Masses of large duskyplum pink blooms, informally quartered

and petal and fragrance lled. Height 1.5metres.St. John Rose Beautiful, classic

scented blooms of deep, velvety red adorn

this magnicent hybrid tea. Height: 1.5metres. (Pictured on the previous page.)

Red Pierre Pillar climber producingmasses of large, burgundy red, very doublecupped blooms with an old world charmand elegance. Coverage 6 square metres.

Marmalade Skies Award winning lowgrowing bright orange oribunda that is anabsolute showstopper. Height 900 mm.

e New Knock Out Family DoubleKnock Out, Pink Knock Out andBlushing Knock Out.

ese are all super long-owering anddisease resistant.

Kim Syrus is the South Australian aceo gardening on the popular television

program Te Garden Gurus. A qualifedhorticulturist and Nursery & GardenIndustry member, he is one o Australiasmost respected rose experts. Along withrunning his nurseries, Corporate Roses ande Southern Plant Market, at Myponga, heis also a regular contributor on 5AA gardentalkback radio and current president o theHorticultural Media Association o SA.

Peace Mr Lincoln Gold Bunny

Marmalade Skies Red Pierre


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Roses

Have you noticed how somerose blooms last muchlonger in a vase than others?As a general rule, the reds and pinks lastlonger than the whites, then come theorange and coppers with yellow atthe bottom of the list.

But, choosing the right varieties togrow is only part of the story.

Growers who exhibit their blooms

will tell you the secret of long vase lifeis all to do with conditioning.When the buds are picked, they are

still living and will continue to growand open using stored up reservesfrom within their stems providingthey have access to plenty of water.

Most of this moisture entersthrough the small cut in the stem.

e rst thing to do then is tomake a long sloping cut across the

stem, exposing as much cut area aspossible.

Because the blooms need to be placedin water immediately after cutting, it isa good idea to take a bucket with you.Immerse the buds up to their necks for

up to an hour. During this time, they willabsorb as much moisture as possible.

ey are now ready for arranging.Within a day or so, the cut area can beclogged with bacteria and other minuteorganisms, preventing the blooms fromreceiving enough moisture to keep themturgid. Once this happens, they quicklystart to fade.

Cutting a few centimetres from thestems every day or so will help as this

exposes a clean, new cut. But, an easier wayis to buy a packet of ower conditionerfrom your local garden centre or orist andmix this with the water.

is prevents the formation of thebacteria and provides a limited amount ofnutrients to the blooms.

Incidentally, the vase water should bechanged every day or so or whenever itbecomes 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 nextbunch of owers.

Most rose growers say the best time topick the blooms is early in the morning

while they are fresh and turgid.

Roses that linger longer inside


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When it comes to winterweeds in the garden, showno mercy. Inevitably, theybegin to grow soon after early autumnrains and initially, their growth rate appearsto be remarkably slow.

But, if you ignore them, you do so atyour own peril. Within a few weeks, theirroots will be rmly anchored into theground and their leaves are then capable ofdoubling and trebling their size every four

or ve days.It is during this early growth stage thatmost weeds are extremely susceptibleto herbicides, particularly productscontaining glyphosate.

Glyphosate is a systemic chemical thatis quickly absorbed into the plants sapstream. Within a few hours of spraying,the chemical travels into the plantsroots ending its ability to grow. Recentlygerminated weeds will be destroyed by thechemical within a day or so, whereas matureplants sprayed later when conditions are

colder, may take seven to ten days to die.Sprays containing glyphosate are nottoxic to humans or animals and there are

no residual eects on the soil. However,take care what you do spray as thechemical is non selective and any spray thataccidentally drifts in the wind can aectmost plants.

Plants in garden beds can be protectedby covering with a plastic bucket or bin.Spraying should only be carried out on acalm day and there is no need to drownthe weeds in chemical. Recent surveysindicate many home gardeners apply four

times more chemical than is needed whenspraying garden plants.

CultivationCultivation also provides very eective

control while the weeds are small. However,when you cultivate the soil you bring a newbatch of weed seeds to the surface. It is theinteraction between light, moisture and

warmth that triggers their germination.Having eliminated the rst batch of

weeds, the challenge then is how to preventreinvasion.

In garden beds, the best solution is tocover the ground with a layer of mulch.You dont need very much at this time of

the year, just enough to prevent the lightfrom reaching the topsoil.A layer of autumn leaves that are falling

now would be ideal, or you may care touse compost that hasnt been completelybroken down.Widespread weed invasion in autumn is

not conned to bare ground. If you have alawn, take a close look at any bare patchesor areas where the stand is thin. Its likelythese areas are already being occupied by

weeds, particularly those with broad or atleaves.As these develop, they grow over the

adjacent grasses, shading them out andallowing more weeds to move in.

e easiest way to control broadleafedweeds is to spray the patches or iftheyre numerous, the entire lawn witha herbicide containing MCPA. is is aselective chemical that will quickly kill anybroadleafed weeds, but has no eect on thesurrounding grasses.

However, read the label carefully before

spraying as it contains useful informationabout spraying rates and any plants thatmay be sensitive to the chemical.

Weed Watch

It can be a

jungle out

there.

But you can tame it!

Beating weeds


9/64

Waterwise gardening

Plant trees and shrubs where they createnatural shade and windbreaks to reduceevaporation.

Take advantage of sheltered spots togrow more sensitive plants, particularly outof the hot summer winds.

Avoid very large, broadleafed plantsand trees that need lots of water to survivesummer.

Choose water ecient plants.

Some selections of Australian grassesand strappy leafed plants such as Lomandraand Dianella are waterwise plants and areexcellent 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 orfences or hard to access areas.

Consider putting moisture loving

plants in low lying, shady and shelteredareas.

Control weeds because they compete

with garden plants for water.Most vegetables are high water use

plants that need a sunny position. Rootvegetables are generally less demandingand can be grouped separately from thosethat use more water.

In Adelaide, to get the best results andsave water, leafy vegetables can be grownunder 50 percent white shadecloth during

January and February.

Plant in autumn so that plants becomeestablished during winter and will requireless water the following summer.

Water saving tips

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10/64


Wild birds in the garden

You dont need a large landscape toattract birds back into the garden.In fact the type of trees or shrubsyou select is far more important than thenumber as right choice will provide food

and shelter, both essential for bird survival.Another necessity of life is water. isis easy enough to provide and a shallowbasin or tray, lled regularly makes an idealbirdbath.

However, keeping the birdbath topped upduring summer and autumn is particularlyimportant as the birds come to rely on thissupply and its absence on a hot day couldbe fatal.

Providing food and shelter is morecomplicated. Large exotic trees mayprovide an attractive green backdrop but

not the sense of security birds require ifthey are to become a permanent part of thelandscape.

Dense shelter is needed. A large bed ofclimbing roses is ideal, particularly forsmall insect eating birds such as silvereyes who will also take care of the manyaphids. Other thorny or dense shrubs

such as grevilleas, westringias and evencallistemons and calothamus providesuitable protection.

Fortunately many Australian plantsprovide both shelter and food.

Grevilleas now come in a great range ofshapes and sizes with extended oweringperiods. eir claw-like ower clustersrange in colours from pale cream, throughbright yellow and on to red.

e callistemons or bottlebrushes willattract not only the smaller honeyeaterssuch as the New Holland and plumed, but

the smaller parrots as well.ese small green parrots appear to causeabsolute 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 focusedon their feast that you can walk to within afew metres while they feed.

Callistemon Little John grows kneeheight. e citrinus varieties are largeshrubs while Callistemon Viminalis isa weeping variety which grows into amedium sized tree.

e calothamus, or net bush, is anotherexcellent bird attracter.

Smaller bird attracting shrubs include themany correa species that grow well on the

Adelaide Plains and in the Hills. Some ofthe more popular are Correa manni, withbright red or even orange bells or Correa

pulchella, which produces red owers

and grows to about waist height. erelated Correa pulchella minor is smaller,seldom growing above knee height, but

Bring back the birds

Encouraging native birds back into your garden isnt rocket science.

A few simple innovations will ll your backyard with sound and life.



Wild birds in the garden

producing a profusion of red bells. emany kangaroo paws available now are alsoquite bird attractive and come in a range of

ower colours and heights.Be prepared though if you buy the tallertypes, to have the birds bend the stalks intheir search for nectar. In compensation itsfun to watch their acrobatics as they hangfrom the nodding stems.A new deep red cultivar Olympic

Flame, bred at Perths Kings Park BotanicGardens, looks terric planted en masse.

Low growing plants bring the birds downto a height where they can be watched, butit increases their vulnerability to cats.

If you have a domestic cat, no matter how

tame, its perhaps wiser to stick to the largerbird attracting plants, and avoid leading itinto temptation. Small birds, busily feedingon nectar become easy targets.

Smaller varieties of Eucalyptus that willsuit medium to larger sized gardens, willexpand the gardens owering period andprovide a range of owering heights. Someof the smaller ones include Eucalyptus

caesia, E. torquataand E. woodwardii.Lorikeets and rosellas would love to live

in a garden near you.

While a hollow log in a tall gum tree ispreferred, such sites in the suburbs are fewand far between and there is now a seriousshortage of nesting sites for these attractive,garden-friendly birds.

e answer is to consider installing anesting box in suitable trees growing inyour own garden or perhaps on the naturestrip in front of your house.While this may not be as good as a hollow

log, fauNature zoologist James Smith, whospends much of his time installing nestingboxes for all kinds of birds, believes that

collectively home gardeners can makea big dierence to the current avianaccommodation crisis.James has suggested a number of general

rules for home gardeners to consider. ( Seebox at left).You might consider building your own

box although there is a good range ofready-built nest boxes available.

Ideal homes forfeathered friends

Place the bird box at least 3metres above ground.

Use robust, weatherproofmaterials that providereasonable insulation (e.g.marine ply timber).

Deeper boxes are generallybetter - minimum depthshould be 20 cm.

Make the entrance only justlarge enough to admit the

target species. Larger speciescan take over.

Ensure the inside of the boxis not too smooth so that theyoung can climb out.

Drill drainage holes in the box.

Place a hinge on the lid so theinside can be accessed

Simple strategies or encouraging birds back into the garden: a bird bath andnative bird-riendly plants like the grevilleas (let) and a nesting box placed outo reach o cats.


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Vegetable gardening

Wonderful winter vegies!

Hurry if you would like to llyour vegetable garden with asmorgasbord of winter eating.Soil temperatures are still quite warm andfor the next few weeks, newly establishedseeds or seedlings will be stimulated intoproducing strong active growth.

If you wait until the end of autumntemperatures will be much cooler slowinggrowth considerably and this will result ina much smaller harvest.

Great value right now are the brassicas,particularly cabbage, broccoli, caulioweror maybe one of the leafy Asian vegetablessuch as Bok Choy or Kailan.

To this you can add silverbeet, spinachand winter lettuce. All are very easy togrow at this time of the year even if youare starting a vegetable patch for the rsttime. ose with plenty of room will ndpeas and carrots will also respond quicklyto present conditions.

Most of brassicas produce large darkgreen leaves ideal for trapping the sun andconverting into food. e bigger the leaves,the more heart or curds they produce.

e aim is to stimulate your plants intoquick early growth with high nutritionand plenty of water. Experienced gardenersgrow their leafy vegetables and brassicas

after a crop of peas or beans.ese are legumes and if their roots areleft in the ground after harvest, the nitrogen

they produce and store in their roots willbe released over the next few months foruse for the following crop.

e original cabbages had no heads, onlyleaves and the early cauliowers had curdsno bigger than a golf ball.

Over the years, the heads have becomebigger and with cabbages, rounder,although the more modern cabbage hasa conical shape. ese are mainly hybridvarieties that grow and mature very quickly(i.e. 8-10 weeks after planting out).

e latest hybrids also contain good newsfor those who dislike the strong smell ofcooking cabbage as they contain less of thecompounds that produce the smell. eyare sweeter and not as brousy.

Taste and avourHowever, the mildest taste and odour

come from the Chinese cabbage. It has adelicate avour and can be cooked or eatenraw. Chinese cabbages dont set heads andthe seedlings dont like to be transplanted.Sow the seeds about 10 cm apart and thinto 20 cm in rows 40-45 cm apart.

Red cabbages are a little harder to growas they are very slow growing. Seedlingsestablished now should produce reasonableheads before they are enticed to run to seed

in spring.Cauliowers, like red cabbage, are alittle slow to get growing and need to

be encouraged early in life if they are toproduce worthwhile heads.

Save time by transplanting seedlings butlook for young healthy plants and takeparticular care that you dont disturb theplants roots as a setback at this stage islikely to result in small heads.

Before transplanting, work well agedcompost into the soil. Stimulate the newseedlings into quick growth with liquidfertiliser and then let the plants growsteadily through winter.

Overstimulating with too much nitrogenwill produce leaves at the expense of a largewhite head.

Cauliowers that produce green or purpleheads are available in some centres and youcan also buy seedlings that produce minicurds.

Broccoli is well worth a place in thegarden as sprouting varieties produce a largecentral stem, followed by a large number ofsmaller heads that can be harvested over anumber of years.Alternatively, the latest hybrid varieties

mature very quickly (7-8 weeks) andproduce a very large central head. Broccolishould be harvested before the small oretsbegin to open.Aim for quick early growth. is may

mean applying plenty of water during therst few weeks. en its steady as you go aswith cabbage and cauliower.


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On Anzac Day, its timely wereect on our fallen heroes fromthe First and Second WorldWars and beyond. And in the garden, onepractical way of doing this is by growingrosemary, the Herb of Remembrance.

rough the ages, rosemary has beenlinked to romance and death, faithfulnessand remembrance.

e name Rosemary comes from theLatin words Rose Maris meaning Dew ofthe Sea, because of its bright blue owers.Today there are many varieties with owersranging in colour from white to pink andall shades of blue.

Rosemary is a tough, hardy, droughttolerant, easy to grow plant that growsparticularly well along our coastal areas.It enjoys a sunny, well-drained position inthe garden and in fact, will not grow well inpoor draining soils or where the plants are

watered too often. It makes a great hedgethat can be readily shaped while groundcover varieties look great spilling over wallsor maybe a large hanging basket.

ere is a type of rosemary for everygarden, from the small compact dwarf sizebushes to tall column like shrubs or even alow growing trailing variety that is suitablefor rockeries.

Rosemary can be picked at any time ofthe year although the main crop of leavesshould be harvested just prior to owering.Hard pruning soon after owering should

be undertaken to prevent the bush fromgoing spindly.Cut the bush back by about a third and

dry the prunings. Use them as re startersfor a wood re or combustion heater in the

winter months.To eectively dry rosemary, simply hang

small bunches in a dark, cool, airy place.When totally dry, strip the leaves and storethem in glass containers.

While there are many uses for rosemary,as a avouring it should be used sparingly.Too much will mar the true avour ofmeat, sh and vegetables.

Rosemary bread, rosemary butter,rosemary oil and rosemary vinegar are alleective ways of using this versatile herb.

Rosemary skewers

Cut 20 cm woody rosemary stems fromyour bush, remove the leaves and usethem as skewers for meat, sh, capsicum,mushroom, onion or other vegetables. Tryplacing them under the griller or on thebarbecue for a scrumptious snack.

Medicinally, rosemary has been usedfor centuries and taking rosemary tea notonly stimulates the memory, but also is agood aid for circulation and digestion. Asrosemary is an antiseptic, it can be used asa gargle for sore throats or as a mouthwash.Rosemary oil gives relief when massagedinto aching or rheumatic joints and willhelp relieve headaches if gently rubbedonto the temples. Try adding some toyour bath water, as it will leave you feelingrefreshed and invigorated.

Rosemary has a long history of cosmeticuse and even today, the oil can be used tosoften the skin and promote hair growth.

When washing your hair, add rosemary tothe nal rinse water as it will add shine andhelp retain the natural colour.

June Taylor is a leading SA herb adviser andproducer o Mike Keelans 5AA weekendgardening program.

Baked rosemarypotatoes

6 large potatoes peeled andchopped into about one inchcubes

4 tablespoons of olive oil

Pinch of saltBlack pepper

2 tablespoons of nelychopped Rosemary

3 cloves of garlic

one nely chopped chilli

Pre-heat oven to 250 degreescelsius.

In a large bowl toss allingredients until the potatoesare well coated with the oiland herbs mixture.

Place potatoes in a bakingdish in the oven and bake for30 minutes. Remove from theoven and turn ensuring theyare fully covered with theoil. Bake for another 10 to 15minutes or until cooked.

Remembering rosemaryRosemary (Rosmarinus Ofcinalis)

Herb specialist JUNE TAYLOR explores some

tasty uses for this easy to grow, popular plant.



Garden design

South Australia is inthe middle of a majorlandscaping revolutionwhere garden fashions are

changing rapidly. Succulentsand tall skinny plants withlong strapping leaves are onthe way out and the Tuscan orMediterranean look is in.

But beware, we could becomea garden fashion victim.A walk around the

neighbourhood, particularly inour newer suburbs, may shockyou. Rows of Standard Icebergroses, clipped box hedgesand lions head fountains are

everywhere.Come on South Australia!Lets be a little bit more

innovative. We have soils and aclimate that are unique to thisState and water is a commoditythat needs to be used diligently.What we need is a garden style

of our own, not facsimiles from fashionable eastern State gardenmagazines.

Sure, Adelaide is now the rose capital of Australia and Icebergroses are deservedly one of the most popular garden roses. But dothey have to all be grown on 70 cm high stems and planted in neatstraight lines?

Plants grown as a standard are useful in a garden landscapebecause they can add an important vertical perspective.

But if its height youre looking for, why not grow pillar roses? eeect is far more dramatic and you will produce more owers onhealthy, untortured bushes.

Clipped box hedges are useful in the garden when straight linesor bold shapes are called for. ey are very impressive in the rightcontext but are often out of place in suburban gardens, whereexisting garden structures or feature plants are already competingfor your attention.

e attractiveness of a clipped hedge or topiary shapes is verydependent on your ability to keep the bushes neatly trimmed. Ifyoure 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 includingW.ruticosa Morning Light and Smokie or native correas. Bothhave attractive variegated foliage. With both these, you get owersas 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 theirover-use as a statement.

Courtyard gardening is on the increase and a water featureis certainly a very eective way of turning a dull wall into anattractive focal point.

But imagination is called for.

SAs garden fashion victims

B spie,discover new easFRESH IDEAS IN OUTDOOR FURNITURE, WATER FEATURES,

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Its time for a little more imagination when it comes

to planning our garden layouts, argues JON LAMB

Tip o the Iceberg versatile butjust a little overused.


16/64


Trees

So you only have room for oneautumn tree but space in thegarden is at a premium. Whatwill it be? Members of South AustraliasLandscape Association when asked wereunanimous stay away from Liquid

Ambers, Golden Ash, elms and most of thelarger maples.

ese trees are far too big for the averagesuburban garden. In small courtyards, fourto ve metres tall is considered ideal, withseven metres being the upper limit.According to LASA members, the

following small trees are worth considering.Flowering Crab Apples are runaway

favourites, producing spectacular blossomin spring and attractive green foliageduring the growing season. Most varietiesalso produce small fruits or crabs. Inautumn, the leaves turn golden yellow andthe crabs bright red. Crab Apples generallygrow four to six metres in height and somealmost as wide.Malus ioensis Plena produces large

attractive semi-double blossoms, but notmany crabs, whereas M. Gorgeous hassingle white owers with masses of largeglossy red fruits. M. ioensis Purpureafeatures deep purple stems and red veined

leaves. For a spectacular eect, try M.Echtermeyer the weeping purple crab.

Brilliant spectacleIts growth habit is pendulous and the

eect in both spring and autumn can bebrilliant when this variety is grafted ontoa tall three metres or higher standard. Foradded eect, try growing this variety on amound or on the side of a raised bank.An autumn tree that many landscapers

agreed should be more widely grownin South Australia is the Tallow Wood

tree, Sapium sebierum. Its ve to sevencentimetre wide heart shaped leaves are themain feature. ese colour red in autumn.

At ve to seven metres its not too tall formost landscapes and doesnt mind South

Australias hot summers and inhospitablesoils. e name comes from the waxycoating on its seed that once was processedfor candles and soap.

Another tree capturing the attention ofLASA members is the Crepe Myrtle orLagerstroemia indica. Like the Crab Apples,they produce brilliant blossom in spring as

well as leaves that go for gold in autumn.eir bonus is the attractive smooth barkthat becomes evident after the leaves havefallen. New powdery mildew resistantvarieties are now available, along with a bigvariation in growth habit and size. Manyof the new long owering types are in thethree to ve metre range.

e Golden Rain tree, Koelreuteria

paniculata, has been widely grown inAdelaide as a street tree, indicating itsability to thrive under pretty tough

conditions. However, in a garden, when itreceives extra water, it can look particularlyattractive. It has a fairly open branchhabit with small leaves that colour gold inautumn. In late spring, there are masses ofyellow owers followed by unusually largebrown seed pods that hang in the treesduring summer.

e Persimmon, Diospyros kaki, isgaining popularity because of its attractiveedible fruits, particularly the newer non-astringent varieties. However, this tree isparticularly ornamental in autumn. Itslarge roundish leaves turn gold and oftenscarlet, with the large orange fruits hanging

well into winter. Look for varieties thatgrow no taller than seven metres.

e Medlar, Mespilus germanica, isanother very old fashioned fruit that is

worth trying. e tree can be variablein shape. Look for lines that have beenproduced from the smaller spreading formsthat grow no more than four or ve metres.

e fruits are roundish, about vecentimetres across and have a roughsurface, but like the Persimmon, the fruitsshould be left to hang on the tree and thenstored for some time before eating.

Worth considering e Ornamental or Chinese Pistachio,

Pistacia chinensis, is a great small (ve toseven metre) tree that colours well on thePlains in autumn. During a good (warmdays, cool nights) season, the leaves oftenturn a brilliant red.

Prunus cerasiera Oakville CrimsonSpire is a new upright form of prunus (6x 2 m) with excellent drought toleranceand dark red foliage through the growingseason.

Pyrus calleryana Capital is another

excellent upright tree with column likegrowth (10 x 3 m) and dark green leavesthat turn reddish in autumn.

Small trees withgreat autumn colour

Crepe Myrtle: stunning autumn colours.

Theres no shortage of choice when it comes to making an autumn splash.


17/64

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18/64


Asmooth stand of dark green,healthy, vigorous lawn isinvariably the envy of theneighbourhood, particularly if the grassthat 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 getthese three right, not much will go wrong.

Deep watering during summer andautumn encourages long, vigorous rootscapable of searching out and gathering thenutrients and moisture needed for healthygrowth, while regular mowing stimulatesthe plants vigour.Watch the home gardener with a healthy

green lawn very carefully over the next fewweeks. A balanced lawn fertiliser containingnitrogen, phosphorus and potash will beapplied (half to one kilogram to ten squaremetres). e mower blades will be keptquite high (three to four centimetres). eresulting thick, long blades of grass will helpprevent light from penetrating through tothe topsoil and without light, the seeds of

winter weeds will not germinate.Any weeds that do germinate are easily

controlled by spraying with a selectiveherbicide.

PatchesLook carefully now at your own stand

of grass. At this time of the year, patches,sparseness and weeds are likely to be themain problems.

ese can be small, large, in isolation or

scattered across the lawn, with the grassturning yellow, brown or completely dying.Numerous brown patches in couch and

bualo lawn are often caused by the lawnmower blades scalping or cutting too lowbecause the mower blades keep sinking intothe thatch. is problem will disappearif you remove the thatch next spring andkeep 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 20cm. If the soil contains clay (ne particlesthat stick together), add gypsum (half akilogram per square metre). e area canthen be top sown with new lawn seedadding a quality lawn planter fertiliser.Scatter the mixture lightly and cover theseed (only just) with soil. e area shouldthen be soaked thoroughly. Keep the soil

just moist until the grass is well established.

Sparse growthA thin lawn where the grass plants

are not jammed closely together is a suresign of plant stress. Lack of water duringsummer, shallow watering and oftencompetition from adjacent tree roots, is acommon cause. Other things to look forinclude too much shade and often settingthe mower blades too low during summer.

Alternatively allowing the grass to growrank and then cutting low can also causesparseness.

Set the mower blades at three centimetreshigh. is will produce blades of grassthat are long enough to absorb plenty ofsunshine without becoming lanky.

For a quick remedy, try over-sowing thearea with a lawn x or lawn repair.

Cut the stand low (one to twocentimetres). is will ensure plenty oflight shines onto the topsoil and stimulatesthe lawn seed into quick germination.

Spread superphosphate or blood andbone (half a kilogram to 10 square metres)over the area and sow the seed at the over-sowing rate recommended on the label.Scatter a very light layer of topsoil overthe area (approximately two kilograms persquare metre) and then water thoroughly.Keep the soil moist until the grass is wellestablished.

WeedsWeeds move into a lawn when the grasses

are struggling, another good indicator ofgrasses under stress.Your best defence against weeds is a

strong, healthy lawn. Fertilise the area atleast three times a year, late spring midsummer early autumn. Dont mow toolow, this allows light to stimulate weedseeds on the soil surface into activity.Winter weeds such as cape weed and

dandelions usually germinate after rainin autumn. Young broadleafed weeds areeasily removed from a grass lawn when

sprayed with a herbicide containingMCPA. In most cases the younger theweeds the easier they are to control.

Tips for a top lawn

Weeds: the best deence is a strong, healthylawn.


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Good gardening

Now while the soil is still warm is an excellent time to establishnative plants in the garden. It is also an ideal time to buy smallplants and repot them into larger containers.e 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.is 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 plantingout.

If the subsoil is heavy or contains stones, it is worthwhile cracking thearea loose with a mattock or crowbar. Heavy clay soils should be improvedby incorporating compost and gypsum (half a kilogram to a square metre),

while sandy soils should have plenty of organic matter including compostworked into the topsoil.

Native plants should not be over-stimulated with fertiliser during the earlystages of growth. A slow release fertiliser blended specically for natives willgive you good balanced nutrition and get the plants o 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 becomedry before rewatering.

Getting natives off to a ying start

Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha)


20/64


Recycling

I f you listen carefully you can justabout hear the environment sayingthank you to the more than 28,000householders who have taken toxicand hazardous waste to Zero Waste SAcollection depots during the past sevenyears.

More than 1,420 tonnes of hazardousmaterials, from dieldrin and lead arsenateto batteries and paint have been removedfrom the environment through the Zero

Waste SA Household Waste and FarmChemical Collection program since itbegan in 2004.

e aim of the program is to help ensurea clean and safer living environment byproviding city and country residents with ameans of properly disposing of potentiallyhazardous materials.

ese can be delivered to the Zero WasteSA depot at Dry Creek, to the north of

Adelaide, on the rst Tuesday of eachmonth, or to one of the collection pointsset up in co-operation with local councilsfrom time to time.

ese mobile council collections are opento any householder who wants to deliverany of the materials on the acceptance list,

whether or not they live in the area of thecouncil promoting the collection.

e list of accepted materials, the locationand opening times of the Dry Creek depotand the dates and locations of councilcollections are all listed in the At homesection of the Zero Waste SA web site

www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au. ere is also alisting of receival points for waste oil.According to Philip Matthews, program

manager with Zero Waste SA, it is stillrelatively common for workers at the urbandepots to receive long-banned chemicalssuch as DDT, dieldrin and arsenate of lead,even after several collections in a particulararea.

Anyone who discovers something likethis, perhaps in the far corner of grandadsshed, should label it, if they know or think

they know what it is or what it was usedfor, and deliver it to a Zero Waste SAcollection point.

Everything received during a collectionis recycled or disposed of appropriately, so

we need to know exactly what a substanceis and labelling helps the chemists focustheir testing.And that can be very important, because

not knowing could have surprising andeven disastrous results, like the container ofpicric acid, a potent explosive that turnedup at one collection.

But not everything delivered is sospectacular; the bag of aged blood andbone fertiliser is a good example.

It had gone a bit hard and lumpy butthere was no reason not to use it on thegarden, Philip says. e collectors willdenitely accept old fertiliser but the best

way to dispose of something like that is touse it for its intended purpose.

e same goes for householdchemicals. Using them as intended at therecommended rate is the best and most

cost-eective disposal method.If the householder doesnt have a use for

them it is worth seeing whether or not aneighbour or family member does.

Similarly, the amount of material thatneeds to be disposed of can be minimisedby only buying what is needed for the taskat hand or the short term.

at may mean a higher per-unitpurchase cost but is often cheaper in thelong run because all the material is used,rather than left sitting around, where itposes a hazard to children, pets and theenvironment generally, and then beingdisposed of.

rowing out half a can of somethingeectively doubles the unit cost.

Our environment breathes easier

Hazardous and toxic waste removal is paying big dividends.


www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au


21/64

Good gardening

I ts ocial. Indoor plants can really makea dierence to the way you feel. Whilehouseplants are often used in homes andoces for standout decoration, their abilityto remove harmful pollutants from the airhas not been fully appreciated at least untilnow.

Fascinating research carried out by thePlant Environmental Quality Group atthe University of Technology in Sydneyhas measured how eective plants are in

removing pollutants from the air.According to this research, Volatile Organic

Compounds (VOCs) emitted from plastic orsynthetic materials in both home and ocefurniture, ttings, computers and printerscan cause headaches, loss of concentrationand eye, nose and throat problems, whilecarbon dioxide (CO2) has been linked todrowsiness.

Indoor plants have beenshown to reduce VOCs by80 percent and CO2 by upto 25 percent.

Other trials involvingoce indoor plants revealed

Oce plants relievedsta stress and reducenegative mood states by upto 60 percent, while anoce with no plants

increased stress andnegativity by up to 40percent. Just one oce plant is enough tomake all the dierence in raising mood andreducing stress levels.

Oce plants improved health andwellbeing by decreasing symptoms ofcoughing, dry throat, fatigue and dry, itchyfacial skin.

Oce plants cut downsta sick leave by 60percent.

ese trials really aregreat news for anyone

who already grows indoorplants. However, tohelp spread the word,the Nursery and GardenIndustry is coordinating anational Improve your plantlie balanceprogram.While initially the

program is focussing on oce workers, theresults and certainly the benets are just asrelevant to homeowners.

Hows your plant life balance?

Aerobin has been tested by the Swinburne University of Technology Environment &

Biotechnology Centre, Melbourne, Australia and its performance quantied

The Aerobin 400 Litre Composting Bin is a technological breakthrough in the eld of Home Composting. Sowhat are the attributes that the Aerobin collectively oers?

- Aeration Lung defusing air into the biomass so no turning of the biomass is required no manualintervention. Avoids anaerobic breakdown of the biomass and the harmful greenhouse gases that areassociated with an anaerobic environment (landll sites)

- Insulated Walls and Lid the thermopilic heat generated during the aerobic breakdown of the organicmaterial is retained within the Aerobin and temperatures within the biomass are more constant, for yearround composting, even at sub zero temperatures

- Aerobic composting of both Kitchen and Garden Waste

- Moisture recirculation system helps to maintain moisture within the biomass, which keeps the culture of

micro-organisms at optimum levels which again ensures faster, more eective composting

- Leachate reservoir for the collection of the liquid nutrients displaced from your biomass materials dilutewhat is collected and you have a wonderful natural fertilizer for free

- 2 Access Doors for ease of removal of the mature compost and gives you exibility in the positioning/location of your Aerobin

- Due to the high temperatures than can be achieved in the processing of your biomass most weeds, seedsand pathogens will be killed

And why does this all matter? Because organic waste doesnt have to be sent o to landll there is abetter solution. Aerobin oers perhaps for the rst time an enabling technology that supports the on-sitecontainment of household organics and provides a quantiable benet to planet Earth and our environment.Aerobin makes composting easy and rewarding

Aerobin

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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /AUTUMN 2011 21


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Get growing

Have you noticedbloomers are back infashion? Were talkingabout colourful, compactannuals grown in 12-20 cm widecontainers and presented for sale

just as they begin to bloom.At this time of the year,

most garden centres have theirshelves crammed with pansies,violas, nemesia, dianthus andsnapdragon. Before long, they

will be joined by primulas,polyanthus and cinerarias, andin some outlets you will also ndred or white alyssum and maybelobelia in interesting shades ofblue.

Technically, these plants arespring owering annuals, but

with a little manipulation, thebedding plant people have beenable to entice them to beginowering before winter sets in.Providing the plants are notneglected, they will continueproducing colour right throughthe winter months and well intospring.

Top of the list would have tobe one of the many new hybridpansies or violas. eir stemsare short and sturdy resulting inupward facing owers.

ey also have greater weathertolerance providing owers early in theseason with blooms persisting through thecolder parts of winter.

Quick colourIf youre looking for quick colour, try

nemesia. e plants produce a moundedshape like a petunia and are covered through

winter and spring with mini petunia likeblooms in an extensive range of colours.Orange and yellow are prominent.

Cabaret is a recent release,producing a compact shape andblooming four to ve weeksearlier than Patchwork thecurrent open pollinated variety.However, Patchwork has greateradaptability to adverse weatherand will ower for longer.

Dianthus is another springowering annual with winterowering potential.

Hybrids such as Gem Fire arecompact (30 cm high), quickto bloom but long owering.Dianthus has reasonabletolerance to frost.

For a sunny spot in thegarden, snapdragons are worthconsidering. e taller varietiesare excellent as cut owers, whilethe dwarf varieties make the bestbloomers.

Camelot (30 cm) has goodtolerance to rust, a problem

with the taller varieties, and isavailable in six colours that aresold singly or as a mixture.

Primulas (30 cm) available inpinks, carmine and white, andpoppies (40 cm) usually orange,yellow and white, are mainlysold as open pollinated varieties.Both will ower during winterif established during early Apriland make excellent bloomers.Alyssum and lobelia are both

low growing plants (10-20 cm)and when planted close togetherin a container are capable ofproducing a quick splash to longlasting colour.Annuals that will ower towards

the end of winter if established

now include polyanthus,cinerarias, ranunculus andwallowers.

Colourful bloomers tobrighten a winters day

Violas (top) and lobelia will ower through winter andwell into spring.



Get growing

eres a great range of pansies on display at garden centres thisautumn with a colour or combination to suit all gardens.

However, for the latest in fashion, check out the Soda Sisters.ey literally pop and zing with colour.

e range includes Cherry Soda, Blue Heaven Shake, BananaSplit (yellow), Tutti Frutti (bright fruit colours) and Creamy Soda(warm colours).

Soda Sisters are part of an elite range of pansies bred toproduce large blooms on strong stems. e plants are compact,

have excellent disease resistance and are happy to repeat owerfrom autumn, through winter and spring and depending on theweather, well into early summer.

You will nd the Soda Sisters at your local nursery and gardenindustry centre.

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24/64


Get growing

R ight now, the rst sasanqua budsof the season are bursting intoower. However, bud burst variesdepending on the variety and some will notbegin owering until early July.

Sasanqua camellias are more versatileand hardier than the traditional Camellia

Japonica, oering a wide range of uses inthe garden.

ey have smaller leaves and a morediverse growing habit, enabling them to beused as hedges, hanging baskets, espaliers,topiaries and even ground cover.While camellia sasanqua owers are

generally smaller and simple in structure,they compensate by blooming in greatprofusion.

Flower colours range from the purest ofwhites such Early Pearly and Mine no Yukito whites with pink fused petal margins(Paradise Blush and Pure Silk).

ere are clear pinks such as ParadiseAudrey or Jennifer Susan, whites with bolddeep pink edges like Something Special orSayaka. If you prefer strong pink shades,

consider Rose Ann, Paradise Rebecca, andfor reds, there is Bonanza or Paradise Ann.

One camellia sasanqua called PlantationPink has been described as a bush covered

with dainty pink butteries.Most camellias dont have a perfume

to speak of but C. sasanquas do have agentle spicy, nutmeg fragrance adding thatspecial touch to your garden during balmy

autumn weather.As a group, sasanqua camellias oer awonderful, diverse and versatile array of

cultivars with growth habits ranging from:Prostrate, trailing plants valuable asground cover or hanging basketspecimens e.g. Marge Millar, Snow.Low, compact bushy plants, excellent aslow border or edging plants. Also great aspotted plants where a smaller plant isdesirable e.g. Paradise Petite, Gwen Pike.Small, upright, bushy styles useful inpots and gardens where a narrow growthis desirable. Excellent for training astopiary specimens e.g. Slim and Trim,

Yuletide.Tall, upright spreading growth habit,these vigorous varieties can be clipped tocreate bushier plants but their vigour issuited to hedging, espaliering, screeningor just as a garden/pot specimen e.g.Hiryu, Setsugeka.Tall, weeping types give a graceful plant

with many applications similar to theabove e.g. Red Willow, Rose Ann.

Jon Hall is managing director, NewmansNursery and the Topiary Cae, Tea Tree Gully.

Sasanqua camellias!Yes but which one?

Setsugeka

Autumn reveals many things of beauty but for leading camellia

authority, Jon Hall, none are as beautiful or colourful as the sasanqua.

Bonanza

Rose Ann


25/64


26/64


Better soils

If you dont have a compost heap orbin, now while theres plenty of organicmaterial around is the perfect time to start.

e secret of making good compost is tomake sure the material in your heap or binis moist but not soggy wet.

If the material is dry, it should be hoseddown each time you place a new layer ofmaterial on your heap or in your bin.

Sprinkle a spadeful of soil every 10-15 cmand if it is available, you can also add 2-3cm of soil and animal manure or a litre ofblood and bone.

Fresh lawn clippings should be allowed todehydrate four to ve days before addingto the heap.

Material that is green and sappy will notneed hosing down as it contains more thanenough moisture.

It may take three or four months for theheap to be composted, however, the processcan be speeded dramatically by turning theheap every three to four weeks. is addsair to the material and helps break up thosechunky pieces.You will nd it handy to have two heaps

one that is being added to, while the otheris being left to mature or being turned.

Zero Waste SA is working with recyclingcompanies such as Jeries to help eliminate

waste or its disposal into landll.eir aim is to help reduce consumption

of resources and to re-use and recyclematerials.

Its raining autumn leaves

I ts been a great start to autumn.Temperatures are mild, the ground isstill quite warm and soon it will beraining leaves from deciduous trees.

For a short time only, these symbols of

a season just past will cover the groundbefore mysteriously disappearing.

Its hard to visualise but beneath the soil,natures recyclers are having a banquet.

Earthworms, beetles and an amazingassortment of leaf munching critters arebusily breaking up the leaves and buryingthe small pieces in the ground.A myriad of micro-organisms then feed

on these remnants, reducing it to organichumus and plant nutrients, ready for use

when your deciduous trees burst intogrowth next spring.Why not take a lesson from nature and

give the leaf gathering recyclers a hand.If there are deciduous trees outside yourhouse, its likely the nature-strip is beingstrewn with leaves. Gather them quicklybefore they are washed down the guttersand into the storm drains.A quick sweep of the patio and your paths

every three or four days and an occasionalcollection from the lawn should result in asizeable pile of leaves.

At this stage,there are threealternatives. erst is by far theeasiest. Simply

consign yourleaves to the green

waste recycling binwhere they willbe transported toa large recyclingstation and then convertedinto mulch or composting materials bycompost soil and mulch experts such as

Jeries.Jeries is recognised as a leader in

recycling organic waste and currentlyprocesses most of metropolitan Adelaidesgreen organic waste

e second option is to nd an out of theway spot in the garden and simply placethem in a large heap. Hose them downas you make your heaps as this will helpprevent them from blowing away.At the end of autumn, the pile should be

covered with a thin layer of soil. is willstart the natural process of decay.

In six months time, the leaves will be aconglomerate of semi-decayed organic

matter. is is idealorganic material to

mulch seedlings, vegetablesand garden beds. Leavesin a semi-decayed state

make perfect mulch. Whilemaking your pile of leaves, add

any weeds, spent vegetablebushes, stems and stalks

remaining from your cottagegarden plants and any prunings

from trees or shrubs providing thebranches are chopped into sections 15-

20 cm long.Although semi-composted material

makes good mulch for spreading on theground, it should not be dug into theground as a soil improver unless you areprepared to leave the area bare for at leastsix weeks.

e nal alternative is, of course, toconvert your leaves and any other leftoverplant material into compost.

Dont let them go to waste. The fallen leaves littering the yard

can help breath new life into your gardens soil next season.


www.jeries.com.au

Learning the secret of a great compost recipe


www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au



Get growing

For continuous colour and unparalleled ower power,consider mini cyclamen. ese amboyant favouritesare capable of producing masses of blooms throughoutwinter and well into spring.

e blooms are held on thick eshy stems that mysteriouslyappear from the centre of small, at, reddish-brown bulbs orcorms.While mini cyclamen grow readily in most gardens, their

compact shape makes them ideal plants for displaying in small

to medium sized containers.ree or ve of the latest blooming hybrids will positively

radiate colour when placed in a prominent position in acourtyard or patio.A healthy plant is capable of holding 10 to 15 blooms at

a time, right through their owering period. Minis weredesigned for placing on kitchen or living room windowsills ormaybe a prominent bench or sideboard.

e cyclamen colour range available in most garden centresincludes bright reds, mauves, a complete range of pink and ofcourse, white.

Look for plants that have plenty of large, healthy leavessurrounding the corm. Check also that there are numerousundeveloped buds emerging from its centre.When you buy a cyclamen in ower, all the hard work involved

in growing has been done. Your role is to nd the right conditionsfor it to show o its blooms.

Bright light is important if you want the plant to remain oweringinside. Outdoors they will thrive in full sun during winter and willalso ower quite well in all but the darkest of shade.

Indoors, avoid direct sun through windows, but the brighter theindirect light the better.

Cold loversUnlike you and I, cyclamen prefer to sit in the cold, particularly

at night time when the plants are at rest. Problems arise if they aremade to sit in an overheated room if temperatures are consistentlyover 22C.

e answer is to keep the top of the corms completely dry. Carefulwatering is called for. Some gardeners like to sit the container ina bucket of water with the water level kept four to six centimetresbelow the corm.

e aim is to let the water soak slowly into the topsoil aroundthe corm. As soon as the topsoil is moist, the container is removedfrom the water and the root ball allowed to drain.

If you buy a plant that is already in ower, it will benet froma fortnightly feed with a blossom boosting half strength liquidfertiliser. However, as temperatures rise in spring it is likely thecorm will start to run out of stored energy and the ower buds willbe shorter and less numerous.When this occurs it is time to rest the plant.

Cyclamen for continuous colour

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28/64


Landscaping

Ahome of your own at last withplenty of space to create agarden. Where do you start?

Lets start with the backyard. How is thearea likely to be used?

Possibilities include a large area forchildren to run, tumble and play.

Perhaps a small sandpit and playing arealocated close to the kitchen or living room

window where toddlers can play but with acertain amount of supervision.You may like to entertain informally

around a barbecue, adjacent to the kitchenor living area.Maybe youre a plants person with dreams

of growing vegetables and fruit in thebackyard or perhaps a cottage garden orroses, salvia and other colourful perennials.Whatever your dream, write it down.

At this stage, its worth drawing a plan ofthe land and house roughly to scale. Makeplenty of copies. On the rst copy, write

the activities that you planned in the areasthat you have chosen.At this stage, if you have not acquired

landscaping skills (and few people havethem), I would strongly urge you to seekprofessional advice at least in putting alandscape concept together.

It may cost a few hundred dollars butits likely to be a sound investment as youcould save the money many times over inavoiding layout mistakes.

Most landscape designers can be hired by

the hour, by the day or by the task in handand will work to a budget, even if this islimited.

Remember, Rome doesnt have to be builtin a day. You dont have to establish yourlandscape in the rst 12 months.

I would strongly suggest that you divideyour garden into sections and set yourpriorities, then attempt one section at atime.

Check your soilPay particular attention to the soil. In

most cases, poor draining hard setting soilis a recipe for disaster.

If youre new to gardening, you couldend up with heartache and endlessdisappointments.

If youre not sure what kind of soil you

Your own garden at last:but where do you start?

JON LAMB has some practical advice for

anyone starting a garden from scratch.

Use vertical plants to complement vertical walls. Gentle curves help create a eeing o inormality.



Landscaping

have, take a sample to your local gardencentre and ask them to tell you whether thesoil is clay, in other words, sets hard anddrains poorly, or is sandy. In this case, itis likely to require constant watering andfertilising.

Check also on the pH of the soil. Soilsthat are very alkaline (and this includeslarge areas of the Adelaide Plains andcountry areas) will not readily grow acidloving plants such as camellias, azaleas,

boronias and daphne.However, there is a wide range of alkalineloving plants.At this stage, you have two choices. e

rst is to establish a landscape from a list ofplants that will grow naturally in the soilthat you have.

However, if you have very hard setting,poor draining clay soils, your options arelikely to be limited.

On the other hand, it is relatively easy tomodify the soil.What you need is a plan of action to

convert your crummy clay soil into alandscapers delight. But do it one sectionat a time.

Rotation helps planningOne very eective way to improve

your garden soil is to establish a gardendevelopment rotation.Assuming your soil is hard setting clay,

start by spreading gypsum (a low cost soilconditioner) at the rate of one kilogram to10 square metres over the soil.

en add a thick layer of organic materialsuch as compost or animal manure. If thesoil is sandy, then forget about the gypsum

and concentrate on the organic matter.Dig or rotary hoe the materials into thetopsoil and then use the area you haveprepared for growing vegetables or owers.Youll be surprised at how productive the

area can be.Keep adding organic matter every time

you establish a new crop or ower bed.In 12 months or so, youll be surprised at

the dramatic improvement in the qualityof your soil.Youre now ready to sow this area down

to a quality lawn or establish rose beds,

a cottage garden or whatever takes yourfancy.en select a new section of the garden

and start all over again. Dont worry if yourfriends think this approach is a bit strange.

After all, youre the one thats going tobenet.When it comes to selecting your plants,

give preference to those that will survivethe heat of our summer sun without havingto be plied constantly with water.

Consider planting tall trees on thewestern side of the house to provide shadeand avoid tall trees on the eastern side as

morning sun is a valuable commodity.Shade trees should also be establishedin areas that are to be used for playing orentertaining.

Bear in mind, deciduous trees and vinesgive you shade in summer and allow sun tocome shining through in winter.

Make sure you pick up your copy of thewinter edition ofSA Garden and OutdoorLivingwhen Jon Lamb will provide adviceon renovating an established garden.

Quality garden composts and soil improvers

are available rom reliable landscape supplyyards.See our Trade Directory on page 63.

Consider having the landscape proessionally designed beore you start.


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Right now, home gardeners across

Adelaide are saying they want to

harvest fruit and vegetables freshfrom their own garden.But how do you achieve this and still

have an attractive landscape particularly ifthe area available for gardening is limitedto a relatively small courtyard.

For many, the answer may lie in followingthe example of two leading Adelaidelandscape designers.

Margit Wright and Beryl Bredon arelong term members of the Landscape

Association of South Australia. Bothhave been recognised on many occasions

through industry awards for the landscapesthey have created for home gardens.With Margit, the passion in her own

garden is growing fruit. Within the connesof two small courtyards that surround anequally small turn of the century cottage inNorwood, Margit has managed to t morethan 20 fruit trees.

Many of these are hedged or grown asan espalier along the boundary fence,providing a valuable screen from theneighbours and an ideal backyard to herlandscape.

e appeal of being able to walk outinto the courtyard and pick fresh guavas

and gs for breakfast or squeeze juicylemons or lime onto sh for tea has beengreat.

However, by selecting fruit trees ondwarf rootstocks and then applyingthe right pruning techniques, it hasbeen possible to increase her collectionsubstantially by growing fruit trees incontainers.

ese are strategically placed in groupsin front of the fruit trees and blend

with other exotic and native treesand shrubs to create a very distinctive

Mediterranean wow eect.Included in Margits backyard

collection are oranges, lemons, limes,mandarins, guavas, olives, persimmons,gs, nectarines and pistachio nuts. Insummer there are tomatoes and theresalways a collection of culinary herbs.According to Margit, creating that wow

eect even when designing a garden thatfeatures fruit and vegetables is aboutknowing your plants, not just their shapeand size but the kind of conditions that areneeded to make them grow.

e challenge then is to place them inthe landscape so they also have eye appealthroughout the growing season.While much of Margit Wrights garden

has been carefully planned, Beryl Bredonslandscape, while also planned, simplyevolved.

Landscaping

Tuck in! Create a greatgarden and then eat it

Two of Adelaides leading landscape designers

explore how to get a great harvest out of a small space.

Potted olive trees making great use o space.

Margit Wright and Beryl Bredon discuss landscape design. Raised beds dont have to be unattractive modern materials oer plenty o choice.


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Autumn garden guide

ANNUAL Seed-

ling

Bloomer Full

sun

Semi

shade

Garden Container Height

cm

Alyssum - 10-15

Anenome - 25-30

Begonia (bedding) 12-20

Cineraria (dwarf) 25-35

Dianthus 20-30

Linaria - - 20-25

Lobelia 15-25

Marigold - - 30-40

Nemesia - 25-35

Pansy/Viola 15-25

Poppy - - 20-30

Primula 20-25

Polyanthus 15-25

Snapdragon (dwarf) - 15-30

Wallflower 25-35

Annuals for quick winter and early spring colour

Spring owering bulbs

BULBS April /

May

Garden or

Container

Depth

cm

Distance

cm

Anemone 3-4 15-20

Babiana 5 7

Daffodils (Jonquils) 10-12 15

Dutch Iris 10 15

Freesias 6-8 7

Grape Hyacinths 6-8 8

Hyacinth 15 15

Ixias 6-8 10

Lachenalia 6-8 10

Ranunculas 3-4 15-20

Spraxis 6-8 10

Scilla (Blue Bells) 6-8 10

Triteleia 6-8 10

Tulips 10-12 10

Get those evergreens in nowHurry 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 andbougainvillea.

Big weedsAutumn 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 perennialsOld owering 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.

For a quick splash of colour in the garden through winter and early spring, its worth

considering quick maturing owering 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 rst watering and a half strength liquid

fertiliser every two weeks will increase considerably both the number of owers

produced and the owering season.

Spring owering bulbs were made for growing in courtyards,

containers and gardens where space is limited. In reality, the

owers are already formed in miniature inside the bulbs. All you

need to do is plant them in a container lled with quality potting

mix and locate in the sunniest position in the garden.

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.

On the trail of snails

How long is it since you checked the garden for snails and applied snailbait to protect your plants? At this time of the year, snails can eat new

growth faster than nature can grow it.


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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 alittle dearer but will save you four to six weeks of valuable growing time.

Pest Watch out for Action

Aphids Small (1-2 mm) soft bodied, green, black or grey,

usually on tips of roses or vegetable leaves

Spray with pest oil or low toxic Imidacloprid (Bug

Kill)

Caterpillars Soft cylinder shaped (usually green or brown) with

legs. Mainly leaf eaters

Spray with Success (non toxic)

Earwigs Small (20-25 mm) thin, brown insects with rear

pinchers

Reduce populations by regular trapping in trays

containing linseed or vegetable oil

Leaf minors Minute insect that lives between the top and bottom

layer of citrus leaves causing leaves to distort.

Spray affected leaves with a pest oil

Mealy bugs Small 23 mm soft bodied insects covered in white

waxy material. Often on stems, roots of houseplants.

Spray with pest oil or low toxic Condor (Bug Kill)

VEGETABLE

Seed or seedling

April May

-early

June

Open

garden

Raised

bed

Container Semi

shade

Between

plants cm

Between

rows cm

Artichoke (Globe) 75 75

Asparagus Crowns - - 40 50

Beans - * broad 20-25 60-70

Broccoli 45-60 40-70

Cabbage 40-60 40-70

Cauliower 40-60 40-70

Celery 20-30 30-40

Garlic 8-10 20-30Lettuce - hearting 25-30 25-30

Lettuce - non hearting 12-15 15-20

Onions - white 8-10 20-30

Pea 8-10 40-60

Radish* 5 15

Rhubarb Crowns - 40-60 50-60

Silverbeet - 20-30 30-40

* seed only

Jon Lambs seasonal checklist

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.

Home-grown vegies top the lot

Garden pests are on the warpath


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As an avid gardener, I have oftenwondered why some gardenscome together as a visualpicture a brilliant landscape, whileothers, often with the same plants andaccessories, take on the appearance of amenagerie.

e answer lies in the gardeners abilityto bring the structural and characterelements together as a cohesivelandscape.

Easier said than done.Having helped judge the creative

work of the States leading landscapersfor many years, may I suggest if youare unsure of where to start, the bestgarden investment you could makecould be in bringing in a professionallandscaper before you start. Askthem to help you draw up basic plansthat will ensure you get the basicstructure right.

Tall trees have an important role toplay in providing an upper canopyfor the landscape as well as wonderfulshade in summer.

However, trees that grow too tallcan cause major problems theymay provide too much shade,create excessive root competitionand possibly structural damage tobuildings. When planning to growtall trees in the garden, it is very much acase of selecting the right tree for the rightplace.

Screening plants are the work horses inany landscape. ey are the bushy shrubstwo to three metres high that are placedstrategically around the garden to hideunwanted views like tin fences, unsightly

buildings orthe neighbours backyard.

Once again it calls for an ability to selectthe right kind of shrub. ey need to betough and adaptable and almost regardlessof the surrounding conditions, they need

to survive for the life time of a garden. It isalso important that these shrubs hold theirdense foliage close to the ground as they

mature, otherwise theirvalue as a screen is lost.

Having sited andselected the uppercanopy and screeningplants, consider how youintend to move aroundthe garden.Pathways will be needed

from the front gate tothe front door, from thegarage to the front orback door.en you need to move

around the backyardfrom the backdoor tothe clothesline, vegetablepatch, rubbish area orgarden shed.e best way to work this

out is to draw lines on aplan. It doesnt have to beelaborate, but it should beroughly to scale.Draw up the boundary

and locate the house and anyother permanent feature.en sketch, preferably inpencil, the trees, screeningplants and paths.You will also need to

consider at this stage whereyou intend to locate watering

points and how excess water will beremoved from the area.

If you get these fundamentals right, therest of the landscape becomes a breeze.

However, the question of how you ll inthe spaces between the screening plants andthe pathways is a story for another day.

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.



Good gardening

I ts been a great season for growing fruit with many homegardeners harvesting fantastic crops. But for some, the fruitwas spoilt by unsightly spots and rots.Needless to say, the weather was to blame. Near record rainfall

during spring encouraged fungal diseases to are. ese includedcurl leaf, shot hole, black spot and downy and powdery mildews

fungal diseases that infect deciduous fruit trees and vines early inthe growing season.In a normal season, the grey clouds quickly disappear and warm

dry conditions towards the end of spring and through summerkeep the fungal diseases at bay. But this season, the rains kept oncoming 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 thefungal problems will soon be forgotten.

Forgotten maybe, but the problems will not disappear. Becauseof the unusually wet conditions, the amount of fungal spores thatsurvived summer and early autumn was extremely high.

Risk of disease carryoverAs autumn turns to winter, these fungal spores will nd a restingplace within the cracks and crevices of your fruit trees or on thetopsoil, waiting for another spring.

Fortunately steps can be taken to reduce this disease carryover.But immediate action is called for. Spraying is required with afungicide capable of killing the spores before they move into their

wintering stage.At this time of the year, sprays containing copper are extremely

eective. e most common spray is copper oxychloride, soldcommercially as Kocide or Cuprox. With stone fruits, spraying isbest carried out when 80 percent of the leaves have fallen. isensures 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 havefallen. is way the spray covers the leaves before they fall to theground.

Black spot is carried over during winter in the topsoil. Sprayingfallen leaves will also help.

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Fruit harvest:

controlling spots and rots

Next seasons harvest will suer without spraying to prevent ungaldisease carryover.

e cooler weather will encourage aphids to breed rapidly.However, dont spray them with insecticide unless they are causingserious 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.

Resist the urge to spray aphids


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Citrus

The Flying Dragons are here

The Flying Dragon hasarrived, bringing with itthe perfect solution foranyone wanting to grow citrustrees in a very small garden.

e Flying Dragon is a newcitrus rootstock that inhibits thevigour and overall size of a citrustree, producing a signicantdwarng eect, but withoutreducing the normal size ofthe fruit or the trees ability toproduce high yields.

e result is a compact tree

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