Invite Some Garden Friends: Backyard Biodiversity Tip Four

Using nature to control weeds and pests is a great way to garden organically and improve the biodiversity in your garden. It’s been a long time coming, but here it is and it’s all about using nature to control weeds and pests. This is the fourth in a series. You can find the first three by… Continue reading Invite Some Garden Friends: Backyard Biodiversity Tip Four

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

Plant Profile – Warrigal Greens

Also known as: Growing conditions: Propagation: This plant has been used as a Spinach substitute on the coasts of Australia, New Zealand and East Asia for centuries. There aren’t many records of it being consumed by Australian Aborigines, but it’s prevalent in Maori cooking in New Zealand. The Australian colonists used it and that use… Continue reading Plant Profile – Warrigal Greens

Garden to Kitchen – Choc-Mint Ice-cream

This recipe is a companion piece to my plant profile for Mint species coming soon! A vlog version is also available Garden to Kitchen – Choc-Mint Ice-cream on the Jane Grows Garden Rooms YouTube channel. NEW – short version of the vlog. Ingredients: 1 cup cream 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint (I like a chocolate… Continue reading Garden to Kitchen – Choc-Mint Ice-cream

Plant Profile: Slender Mint – Mentha diemenica

Also known as: Growing conditions: Propagation: Named after Tasmania when it was Van Diemens Land, this herb is found on that cool temperate island, as well as in Victoria and New South Wales.  Some sites list Queensland as well, but this could be as a result of the confusion with its cousin, Mentha satureoides. With… Continue reading Plant Profile: Slender Mint – Mentha diemenica

Garden Friends and Foes – what’s that?

I’ve always had “what the…?” moments in my garden and struggled to get information to explain what is it that I am seeing. Here I plan to document some of my findings progressively.  Check back if you’re interested in knowing what those random nests and larvae are in your garden. This is another Lacewing.  It… Continue reading Garden Friends and Foes – what’s that?

Top Ten Tips for Biodiversity in your Backyard – Tip One: Just add water

Hello and welcome to my garden. Today I start a series on biodiversity in your backyard. With ten tips you can improve the biodiversity in your backyard which will get nature to help you with the work of maintenance and pest control. Let’s see tip number one! The first thing you can do to bring… Continue reading Top Ten Tips for Biodiversity in your Backyard – Tip One: Just add water