Gardening Australia episode 16 2022: Costa Georgiadis looks at Banksias in Canberra, Hannah Maloney visits a market garden; Millie Ross highlights low-cost gardening; Sophie Thomson tours her hothouse; Jerry Coleby-Williams discovers a project creating habitat.
Inspiring, entertaining and full of practical advice, join Costa Georgiadis and the team as they unearth gardening ideas, meet avid gardeners and look at some of the most inspiring gardens from across the country.
Gardening Australia episode 16 2022
Banksia Garden
Costa visits the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra, to explore their new Banksia Garden, planted to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The iconic banksia is on full display at the Australian National Botanic Gardens 50th Anniversary Banksia Garden in Canberra. The layout has been carefully designed for visitors to enjoy the large collection while ongoing research takes place.
The collection is divided into species from Western Australia on one side and eastern Australia on the other as they have different soil requirements. The western species are in beds built up with a well-draining mix of sandstone and ash with minimal organic matter, whilst the rest are planted direct into the soil and watered more often.
The layout also helps to showcase the differences in form and colour. Horticulturist Janine Baines says “There’s a lot more variety among the western species than there is among the eastern, probably because there’s a wider variety of habitats that they live in. So you’ll get really vibrant colours” such as the reds and pinks of Banksia menziesii and bright orange of Banksia ashbyi. The eastern flowers are more subdued in the yellow to orange colour range.
Hothouses
Sophie demonstrates the benefits of her hothouse in a cold climate. Who needs a commercial greenhouse with thermostatically controlled heating and cooling? Instead, Sophie has created something that has proved effective in protecting crops from temperature extremes. Her polyhouse is “working wonders” allowing her to grow all sorts of produce regardless of the weather conditions.
Sophie can grow warm season crops like tomatoes throughout a frosty Adelaide winter, and subtropical plants like ginger and galangal throughout the year.
Soil Toil – Gardening Australia episode 16 2022
Hannah visits some of Australia’s most renowned foodies, Matthew Evans and Sadie Chrestman, to learn how they transformed a bare paddock into a diverse and productive market garden. In the picturesque Huon Valley, farmers Sadie Chrestman and Matthew Evans are tending to their 26-hectare property designed for growing and eating delicious food.
As a chef, Matthew’s interest in food security and quality led to exploring regenerative farming techniques and understanding the importance of soil. For over a decade the pair have been working to regenerate the soils from what was previously grazing land and orchards. “Soil I guess feeds us, but what I hadn’t realised is the living nature of soil and the capacity as people to improve soil, or to ruin soil, and how we can do things to encourage the life within the soil which encourages the plants to grow above it.”
From heavily compacted soil and lots of grass on “cygnet cement” silt stone and clay they added compost and new soil, and most importantly plants. Green manures are a staple practice to increase “fertility for the soil” with a range of grain grasses, buckwheat, mustards and always legumes to work with the soil bacteria and fix nitrogen. This means the soil is never left bare, there is always something feeding the soil. “We’re going to cut it down before it goes to seed, entirely to nourish soil not to nourish us but eventually of course the soil will nourish us in return.”