A few years ago I was watching “Gardening Australia” when they visited a gardener who talked about Garden Rooms. Her garden was divided into themed sections like a series of rooms with different environments and functions. Themed areas in a garden with clear boundaries What is a garden room? The idea captured my imagination and… Continue reading How I grow my Garden Rooms
Category: biodiversity
Plant Profile – Native Violet – Viola banksii
Also known as: Viola hederacea (Not the same plant, as explained later) Australian Violet Growing conditions: Shade/part shade (some sources advocate full sun, but this plant has not survived in full sun in my garden) Tolerant of most soils but prefers moist site Will tolerate boggy sites Will tolerate light foot traffic Tolerant of light… Continue reading Plant Profile – Native Violet – Viola banksii
Plant Profile – Perennial Basil
Also known as: Growing conditions: Propagation: Uses: I originally purchased this plant from Mudbrick Herb Cottage because I liked the idea of fresh basil all year. It has delivered, but I still grow sweet basil for those dishes that need its pungent sweetness. During Wild Pollinator Count Weeks it’s the first plant I visit. It… Continue reading Plant Profile – Perennial Basil
It Starts with a Trickle
Living Upstream and Downstream in a Global Community When you think about it, every revolution in human history started with a trickle, a small group of humans pushing for change. As the trickle moved downstream it gathered volume and momentum, followers, and the push for change intensified until it became a flood that the most… Continue reading It Starts with a Trickle
Plant Profile – Native Mulberry – Pipturus argenteus
This plant is a biodiversity hub in my garden. A few moments of close observation on any given day reveals species galore. From the Eastern Sedge Frog family to Rainbow Lorikeets to countless insects, I am never disappointed. My children are also regularly drawn to the tree to gather and gobble the tiny sweet fruits… Continue reading Plant Profile – Native Mulberry – Pipturus argenteus
Backyard Biodiversity Tip Three – Leave some of the Wild
With the dire warnings of an insect apocalypse and the potential impact on the food chain, encouraging creepy crawlies has never been so relevant. My garden purposely embraces the wild, but the messiness drives my partner crazy. Over time and with compromise I have managed to convince him of the importance of garden debris for… Continue reading Backyard Biodiversity Tip Three – Leave some of the Wild
Plant Profile – Cut Leaf Daisy
Want bees? Grow some Brachyscomes! Also known as: Brachyscome multifida Cut-leafed Daisy Break O’ Day Swan River Daisy Good Old Native Daisy Rock Daisy Native Daisy Growing conditions: Part shade/Full sun (prefers full sun) Tolerates almost any soil/prefers well-drained loam Needs light watering in dry seasons Suitable for garden beds/rockeries/pots/borders Groundcover/living mulch Propagation: Seed –… Continue reading Plant Profile – Cut Leaf Daisy
Plant Profile – Native Elderberry
Also known as: Sambucus australasica Native Elderberry Yellow Elderberry Native Elder Growing conditions: Part shade/Shade Grows in most soils Prefers a moist location Propagation: Fresh seed in autumn subtropics/tropics Will need a cold frame in cooler climates Despite its preference for moist soil, this plant has been one of my drought survivors. It recovers quickly… Continue reading Plant Profile – Native Elderberry
Plant Profile – Aloe Vera
Also known as Aloe barbadensis miller Aloe Barbados Aloe Growing conditions: Full Sun/Part shade/Bright shade Succulent Well-drained soil/sandy loam Suitable for pots/indoor pots/garden beds/rockeries Propagation: Propagation is easiest by separating pups from a “mother” plant. Demonstration available on my YouTube channel Click here to watch When I think of Aloe Vera, I think of sunburn. I… Continue reading Plant Profile – Aloe Vera
Backyard Biodiversity Tip Two – Habitat
Hello and welcome to my garden. This beauty isn’t a dead tree, it’s a sustainable, slow-built, high-rise apartment building for wildlife. In this tree we have observed countless birds, including endangered species, mammals including possums and gliders, reptiles like tree snakes and bearded dragons and various insects and arachnids. Many people have suggested that we… Continue reading Backyard Biodiversity Tip Two – Habitat
Jane Grows Garden Rooms 