Food for our garden visitors

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Keith Mundy

With winter well and truly with us, it is opportune to mention once again the care needed for our birds and bees through these colder months. Apart from supplying a reliable water source for them in a shallow birdbath or dish, another important thing is to provide them with food during winter. Food can be provided by either artificially feeding them with purchased seed and the like or, more naturally, with seed and flowers on plants. Birds have a diverse range of diets – from those that … Read more »

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Winter pruning

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by Keith Mundy

As the days are now cooling and with winter having commenced, I thought it was time to remind gardeners that the time is now right to look at the pruning of winter-dormant roses, trees, shrubs and fruit trees. Pruning of these plants needs to be done to form new wood for future flowering and fruiting.

If your garden is a bit closer to the coast pruning can be put off until July when the plants will be even more dormant. It is important to remember that pruning … Read more »

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The last throes of winter       

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Keith Mundy

Well here we are with winter nearly over and after some very much appreciated rain it feels like spring is just around the corner. New growth appears on deciduous plants, perennials wake after their enforced winter hibernation, and bulbs pop up everywhere as new life begins.
For those who had the misfortune to have lost their gardens in the fires, now is a great time to commence the restoration of your garden to take advantage of the warmer spring conditions ahead.
Pruning of deciduous fruit trees and roses should be close to being completed. Winter spraying … Read more »

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Nature’s air purifiers

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Keith Mundy

With the recent devastating fires in our area, many beautiful gardens were destroyed and, along with them, some beautifully established shade trees, the natural umbrellas of our gardens.

It’s important in the re-establishment of our gardens that we consider replacing these essential components of the landscape, and during these winter months many of these trees are available in nurseries.

In making your selection, consideration of … Read more »

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Winter work

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Keith Mundy

It seems like only yesterday we were struggling with the heat and bushfires and now here we are in another winter. This time of the year brings with it many tasks in the garden, to rejuvenate plants and catch up with the jobs that were missed during the warmer months, for one reason or another.

This month, with plants going into dormancy, start pruning in the rose garden and … Read more »

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Grevillea – a plant for all seasons

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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 »

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