Gardening Australia episode 8 2020: Jane Edmanson revives indoor orchids, Millie Ross visits a sky-high garden, Clarence Slockee meets volunteering native plant enthusiasts and Sophie Thomson explores a horticulturalist’s home plant collection.
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 8 2020
Tropical Treasures
Costa takes a behind scenes tour of the rare tropical plant collection at Sydney’s Botanic Gardens.
Meeting with David Laughlin, Curator Manager at the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, Costa is led through a series of climate-controlled glasshouses, maybe too warm for human visitors, but the greenlife is thriving. “I would define tropical plants by their geographical region, those occurring between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer to the north, in this part if the world it’s the area from Townsville in Queensland, right up to southern China” says David.
The range of plants occurring in this geographical area is huge, so this collection focuses on those that we traditionally think of as “tropical-style plants – Bromeliads, Anthurium, those foliage-heavy plants that we would traditionally put in a tropical garden” says David. But there is much more to tropical plants, the range so diverse David describes it as “almost infinite”. And some of them are definitely surprising.
Orchid Revival
Jane shows us how to keep indoor phalaenopsis orchids thriving. The name may be tricky, but phalaenopsis orchids are some of the easiest, and most rewarding plants you can have in a home. Jane takes us through the steps to get yours flowering and powering!
Phalaenopsis Orchids, Moth Orchids, Phals – call them what you will, these stunners are hard to resist when we see them sitting at the nursery or the supermarket, their delicate, vibrant blooms beckoning us to take them home. That is, until their blooms fade, fall off and you’re left with a sad looking bare stem and a couple of leaves…. this is the point where most people give up, bin the lot and buy another. But Jane is here to show you that with a little bit of love and some knowledge, you can keep these orchids looking awesome.
FAQs – Palms for Gardens | Space for Magnolias | Fragrant Herbs
Gardening Australia presenters answer commonly asked gardening questions.
Elevating Edibles
Josh shares some tips for growing food at new heights in your garden. Josh’s productive home garden is jam packed, but he knows that there is always room for more – if you think vertically!
Fences are a fantastic, and often under-utilised area of the garden that are perfect for growing produce. Josh has a large back fence that has previously been home to a passionfruit, but now that that vine has run its course, he is utilising the space for a fruit tree – specifically, a self-pollinating dwarf almond (Prunus dulcis cv.).
The grafted almond will grow to an eventual mature height of 2m with a similar width, but Josh is going to espalier the plant, meaning he will train it to grow ‘flat’ and horizontally along the fence. To do this, he removes the passionfruit stump, prepares the soil with compost, pelletised manure and rock minerals and installs some trellis lines horizontally along the fence, using ‘off-the-shelf’ plumbing brackets and some salvaged steel pipe.
Plant Profile – Tamarind Tree
Jerry celebrates the terrific Tamarind Tree. In Jerrys kitchen, Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is just as important as garlic or chilli, but to Jerrys surprise, he has found one growing well as a street tree in a very urban setting in Brisbane. Tolerating poor soils, neglect and no additional water, the tamarind is a tough cookie, and well suited as a street tree, or a specimen in a home garden with a bit of space. But let’s not forget the best part – the fruit!
The Sky’s the Limit
Millie visits an outdoor green space on top of a 30-story building in Melbourne’s CBD.
Up the Garden Path
Tino Carnevale replenishes paths at The Patch.
Menai Wildflower Group
Clarence visits Menai Wildflower Group to discover how they have spent 30 years celebrating, protecting and propagating native plants.
DIY Seed Bed Protector
Millie Ross shows how to protect your seedlings from hungry birds.
You Dirty Rat
Jerry has some alternative ways to rid your garden of rats.
A Plant Lover’s Passion
Sophie visits a horticulturist’s experimental home garden to learn how he is making the most of his own suburban block.
