Gardening Australia episode 2 2021

Gardening Australia episode 2 2021

Gardening Australia episode 2 2021: Jane Edmanson visits a perennial paradise, Clarence Slockee has a native plant for every situation, Tino Carnevale gives a manure masterclass, Millie Ross meets a botanic garden team dedicated to protecting wildlife.


 

 



Gardening Australia has always provided practical, trustworthy and credible gardening advice to inspire and entertain. 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 2 2021

 

A Terrific Terrace

Costa meets a young family that have created a fantastic productive garden in an inner-city courtyard. The thoughtful renovation of this terraced townhouse means it can provide all its own power, capture rainwater, recycle organic waste, grow its own food, raise chickens, all while housing a growing family.

“We said how we wanted to live and we left the design to the designers,” said Geoff. “A productive garden was always very important to us,” added Julie.

The home is split over two levels, with three areas of internal gardens. At the ground level there is a small backyard courtyard with garden beds, plus a planted internal atrium. On the second level there is a substantial external garden, dedicated to food growing. Here are the chickens and an aquaponics set up, feeding a wall-mounted vegie garden. They have found it especially good for leafy greens and taking cuttings. Compost is made and stored under garden seats.

All of the water that falls on the property is stored in a 5000-litre underground rain tank, some feeding the wicking beds where fruit trees and other plants grow. Julie says one of the standouts in this area is the now towering paw paw, bearing fruit and casting shade over the courtyard. “It randomly germinated from the compost. It was strange because we don’t really eat paw paw!”

FAQs – Tree Names | Geraniums and pelargoniums | Lining vegie beds

Gardening Australia presenters answer commonly asked gardening questions.

Perlite in Potting Mix

Jerry looks at the benefits of perlite in potting mix. Perlite is a mined volcanic glass that has been treated with hot steam, resulting in small, lightweight, and airy pebbles.

Jerry uses a mix of half fine-grade perlite and half seed raising mix for growing seeds such as citrus, as the perlite ensures water can penetrate through the soil but will not stay saturated. Perlite is also beneficial for a range of young and established plants, especially succulents and those that need a well-draining mix – simply use a mix of half perlite and half general potting mix.

When it comes to potting a large plant like a pereskia, Jerry combines one third large-grade perlite with one third horticultural sand and one third premium grade potting mix. Perlite can be dusty, so it is recommended to water it before use which will settle the dust so you don’t inhale the dust and it will be easier to handle.

Perlite is particularly useful as it doesn’t break down over time. Regular bark based potting mixes do break down over time, reducing the flow of air and water through the mix, so adding perlite will keep your soil and plants healthier for longer!

Pocket Perennial Perfection – Gardening Australia episode 2 2021

Jane meets a gardener who has transformed their suburban backyard into a colourful perennial paradise. Passionate gardener and intensive care nurse, Wei Jin Yeong has bucked the usual suburban backyard trends and created a perennial paradise with a real wow factor!

Growing up in Malaysia, Wei Jin sought new inspiration for a Melbourne garden as the tropical species of home were not suited to the cooler climate. Perennials fit the bill with their uplifting colours and forms, so Wei Jin turned the entire front and back yards of his home with a combination of different perennials that flower at different times and provide lots of interest.

“Sometimes after work I’ll just stand out here and watch the whole place move as the wind blows by – the whole place seems to shimmer in colour.” There was no initial plan for the garden and no hardscaping, with the plants forming the structure of the garden and trial and error deciding what worked and what did not.

Plant Profile: Tomatillos

Sophie profiles the tomatillo fruit.

Wild Cranbourne

Millie discovers how the team at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne protect and manage remnant bushland and native wildlife around the gardens. The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Cranbourne includes 15 hectares dedicated the beauty and diversity of Australia’s flora. Surrounding the formal gardens are hundreds of hectares of remnant bushland protected and managed by the botanic gardens team.

Ricardo Simao, Manager, Environmental Systems, leads the team that manages how the wild and cultivated areas interact. The heathland ecosystem is one of few areas left intact and “one of the biggest areas closest to Melbourne where you can actually see what used to be in the area prior to European settlement and development” says Ricardo.

The bushland is full of diverse native plants, especially after controlled burns that have allowed understory plants to flourish, such as orchids. It’s not just about the plants though, as Natural Areas Team Leader, Tricia Stewart says, “we can’t have the plants without the animals. We’ve got mistletoes in the trees that really entirely on a mistletoe bird and a mistletoe moth that then relies on the mistletoe plant, and the mistletoe itself is parasitic on the trees, so everything’s a piece of that big puzzle.”

Irrigation Systems – Gardening Australia episode 2 2021

Josh profiles dripline and soaker hose irrigation systems.

Which Poo is Right for You?

Tino gives the lowdown on the world of manure and explains which one is best for your patch.

Ficus Cuttings Tip

Jerry shares an easy propagation method for the popular potted ficus.

Problem-solving Natives – Gardening Australia episode 2 2021

Got a tricky spot in the garden? Clarence shows you some of the many native plants that thrive in difficult conditions.

Tasty Tomatillo Cake Recipe

Sophie bakes homegrown tomatillos into a delicious and simple cake.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Scroll to Top