Entries by Debbie Worgan

C’mon, spring into it!

Keith Mundy

Spring has arrived and with it the start of the gardening year. New growth appears on deciduous plants, perennials wake after their enforced winter hibernation and bulbs pop up everywhere.

This month commences with many tasks in the garden including the preparation and planting of the spring vegetable garden, planting of flowering annuals and the completion of late winter and early spring chores before too much new growth on plants appears.

Pruning of deciduous fruit trees and roses should be well completed. Winter spraying must have been completed. … Read more »

Grevillea – a plant for all seasons

Keith Mundy

The genus of Grevillea has plants that suit a wide range of uses from groundcover to screening and from bird attraction to animal deterrent (prickly forms).

Much work has been done in the breeding of new varieties by hybridisation of certain parent plants that have a particular attribute like size, flower type, drought tolerance and so on. By crossing two plants with different special features a new variety is developed that has all the good features of its parents thus giving us a plant of exceptional value.

… Read more »

A living carpet: ground covers

Keith Mundy

With winter well and truly here and with those cold and blustery winds that seem to come directly off the snow chilling us to the bone, what better time to sit by the fire and do some planning for the upcoming warmer months in the garden.

This month and next I will look at some individual categories of garden plants that not only add beauty to the garden … Read more »

Winter pruning

Keith Mundy

Winter is well and truly here and the time is right to catch up with pruning of roses, fruit trees and many other deciduous plants in the garden that need to be done to form new wood for future flowers and fruiting.

It is important to remember that pruning too early while the sa
p is still flowing can cause the plant to stress with “bleeding” and also allows disease to … Read more »

A herb for all seasons

Keith Mundy

With the ever-increasing demand for food to be labelled with the origin of the supply, one sure method of knowing where it is grown is to grow your own.

A great way of doing this, with the bonus of trying new and exciting taste sensations, is to use the amazing number of herbs that can be grown easily in our own backyards.

Herbs are tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions and they grow well with very little maintenance. However, for the best results … Read more »

The beauty of autumn

Keith Mundy

As we head into the cooler months of the year we should not forget that the garden can be as beautiful in the throes of late autumn/winter as during the warmer seasons.

The cooler months bring with them the interesting shapes and bark colours of the bare trees as they drop their autumn leaves and the first frosts cloak them in a glistening white. What better time to see the amazing colours of the bark of Crepe Myrtle? This beautiful, small tree not only has amazing flowers … Read more »