July 27th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
DESIGN ELEMENTS
with landscape designer Jason Cornish
Have you got a pool that you don’t
use any more?
The kids have grown up and it’s just
sitting there looking a bit green.
You might need more space that the unwanted pool is taking up.
Pools cost quite a bit to put it in so what
happens when they become just one big drain on the pocket?
Filling them in is an option, but
that’ll be quite expensive too.
So what else can you do with that
pool, even with a budget in mind?
Let’s find out what this is all
about.
Something to think about if you don’t want that pool anymore. Besides the unused pool is probably acting like a pond anyway, but you can make it into a more environmentally friendly ecosystem what will attract dragonflies and even small birds if you plant sedges along the edges.
apart from the environmental benefits, you'll be using less chemicals-good for your hip pocket and the planet.
Less power usage if you don't want or need a pump in the pond.
You can still swim in the pool if you like and the conversion is reversible.
Pool conversions are more practical than just filling in the hole
and you have something aesthetic too.
July 27th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
PLANT DOCTOR
with Steve Falcioni from www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au
The caterpillar stage of various
moths, and butterflies eat the leaves and flowers of your plants non-stop and
can destroy your crops almost overnight.eaten by this pest.
Somehow
they’ve eluding being caught because they blend in so well with the colour of
the leaves.
What am I talking about…the not so
friendly garden looper.
Keep the garden free of weeds, check
susceptible plants for garden looper eggs and crush them before they hatch.
They’re quite small so look very carefully.
Check the undersides of leaves for
young looper larvae.
Hand pick and destroy them by dropping the caterpillars in
soapy water.
You can net your veggie bed with
fine netting to stop the moths laying their eggs.
For a rather yukky remedy you can
try Cabbage looper soup spray.Larvae are susceptible to a virus
that kills them.
And infected caterpillars will look yellow or white, and
swollen.
Blend these sick caterpillars with water and spray it on plants to
infect other larvae.
Best thing to apply is Dipel which
contains Bacillus thuringensis when larvae are young.
If you have any questions about garden
loopers why don’t you drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville
NSW 1675.
July 20th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
www.greenharvest.com.au and www.diggers.com.au
DESIGN ELEMENTS
with landscape designer Louise McDaid
Would you like a bunch of flowers in
your house most weeks of the year, even every month would be good wouldn’t it?
Flowers can cost quite a bit but what if it didn’t cost that much at all?
How could we do that you ask, well it’s all from a cutting garden.
We love
flowers in the garden, but they’re lovely to bring inside as well. I love
cutting aromatic foliage – herbs and scented leaves that give off their smell
when brushed – and flowers from shrubs where you cut some of the leaf with the
flower. Camellias are lovely for this – japonicas rather than sasanqua which
shatter and are best enjoyed as a petal carpet on the ground.
You
might have an area of a large garden you can give over to a ‘cutting garden’, as
flowers grown for cutting may have different features to ones you would
normally choose for your garden – for cutting consider long stems, large
flowers and not too much worry about form or foliage – and how it will look
inside your home, what scents and colours you like indoors. Choosing plants for
your garden is how they look in situ so the overall features of the plant are
much more important.
With a designated cutting bed, you can plant and cut without worry.
Select an inconspicuous location -- along a garage or in a back
corner of your yard -- and be sure your cutting bed receives lots of sun and has
some good soil that’s well-drained -- just like your other beds.
A cutting garden has plenty of planting freedom.
Its sole purpose is to produce flowers for you to cut, so don't
worry about how it will look.
You can mix and match colours, textures, heights, and varieties.
Plant all your favourites.
July 20th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
THE GOOD EARTH
with Margaret Mossakowska and Lucinda Coates from www.permaculturenorth.org.au
Suppose someone said to you that
there’s an easier way to garden than those annual veggies that you keep sowing
and growing each year, what would you say?
Also suppose a new agricultural
breakthrough promised more produce, a longer growing season and much less work
would you want to know about it?
These claims aren’t some get quick rich
scheme but does involve a bit of a change in the way we do
our veggie but doesn’t replace it of course.
Nature’s ecosystems always include
not only annual vegetables, but also perennials — edible roots, shoots, leaves,
flowers and fruits that produce year after year. Besides fruit-bearing trees and
shrubs, more than 100 species of perennial vegetables can grow well year after
year in a spot in your garden.
Perennial vegetables are in addition to fruit and nut trees to a productive garden.
You can grow rhubarb, artichokes, asparagus, sorrel, garlic, banana, yacon-apple of the earth, strawberry, arrowroot, and Malabar spinach just to name few.
You will need a permanent spot in the garden for these vegetables-somewhere with a fair amount of sun and where they won't be disturbed for many years to come. Of course, besides you harvesting your crop.
If you have any questions about perennial
vegetables and where you can get them, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644
Gladesville NSW 1675.
July 13th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
DESIGN ELEMENTS
with landscape designer Louise McDaid
Research by the Nursery and Garden Industry of
Australia has shown that a lot of people visiting garden centres find them
intimidating places.
Perhaps it’s the myriad choices,
especially in spring when flowers are in full bloom, or it’s all those botanical
names-a different language really.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed and
buy the same annuals you’ve always had or simply choose plants, seed packets or
bulbs that catch your eye. These approaches aren’t exactly the most inspiring
way to plan a garden.
 |
| Stephanotis climber-highly scented |
And if scent’s important to your you
might want to consider this next theme
Let’s find out what this is all
about.
Themes give you a way to organize plants around an idea.
 |
| Princess Pink Lavender-New Release |
That
challenges you to make it more interesting, and you’re going to come up with an
original idea.
A theme may also reflect your passion. If scent is important to
you, you’ll be attracted to a perfume garden.
As in any garden, it’s important to choose plants appropriate to
your climate and the area’s sun exposure. Plants with similar water and
sun-exposure needs should be planted together.
Plants like rosemary don’t need a lot of water, but thyme and basil
need regular watering, -So that kind of thing can affect your plant groupings.
July 13th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
DESIGN ELEMENTS
with landscape designer Louise McDaid
Research by the Nursery and Garden Industry of
Australia has shown that a lot of people visiting garden centres find them
intimidating places.
Perhaps it’s the myriad choices,
especially in spring when flowers are in full bloom, or it’s all those botanical
names-a different language really.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed and
buy the same annuals you’ve always had or simply choose plants, seed packets or
bulbs that catch your eye. These approaches aren’t exactly the most inspiring
way to plan a garden.
|
| Stephanotis climber-highly scented |
And if scent’s important to your you
might want to consider this next theme
Let’s find out what this is all
about.
Themes give you a way to organize plants around an idea.
|
| Princess Pink Lavender-New Release |
That
challenges you to make it more interesting, and you’re going to come up with an
original idea.
A theme may also reflect your passion. If scent is important to
you, you’ll be attracted to a perfume garden.
As in any garden, it’s important to choose plants appropriate to
your climate and the area’s sun exposure. Plants with similar water and
sun-exposure needs should be planted together.
Plants like rosemary don’t need a lot of water, but thyme and basil
need regular watering, -So that kind of thing can affect your plant groupings.
July 13th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
WILDLIFE IN FOCUS
with ecologist Sue Stevens
 |
| Spotted Pardalote-photo courtesy of Geo Nature |
Do you like bushwalking or just
walking through a park or reserve?As you walk through do you look at
all the different patterns and textures? Parks, reserves and the bush is not
just groups of trees. They’re made up of many different interconnected layers
of plants and animals, all with different sunlight and moisture needs.
Did you know that there were so many layers within a forest, or bushland that birds occupy.
Not just the two or three that are most obvious.
 |
| Spangled Drongo-photo Geo Nature |
Within this layered structure of
plants in the bush or reserve live a vast number of birds and insects.
These animals also occupy different
positions in the various layers of trees shrubs and groundcovers.
For example, the White Browed Scrub Wren lives in thick bush, but the grey fantail prefers thin bush.
Within the tree layers there's top, middle and the trunk that could be occupied by tree creepers, spangled, spangled drongos and spotted pardalotes right at the top.
Some birds
live at the tops of the trees and feed on berries, while others, collect
insects from the bush floor.
 |
| Red Browed Finch feeding on grass seeds-photo Geo Nature |
Some insects live high in the different trees,
feeding on leaves or other insects, some live in rotted logs, while others,
find their habitat in the leaf litter on the forest or bush floor.
Then there's water birds,-shore birds, waders and pelagic birds which are those sea birds that don't come to shore.
If you have
any questions about birds that occupy different habitat layers or have a photo
to send it, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville
NSW 1675.
July 5th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
DESIGN ELEMENTS
with landscape designer Louise McDaid
Shakespeare inspired garden design.
 |
| Ann Hathaway's cottage-Stratford on Avon |
Do you like a good play or going to the theatre?
If you do you might know that one of the world’s greatest playwrights, William
Shakespeare, was a dab hand at incorporating plants into his plays.
He seemed to know so much about them that it’s
thought he was an avid gardener.
For example in Hamlet he uses fennel, columbines, rue, daisy and violets – I love that mix of 3 lovely flowers, an aromatic foliage herb and an edible plant
Midsummer nights dream –
I know a bank where the wild Thyme blows,
Where Oxlips and the nodding Violet grows;
Quite over-canopied with luscious Woodbine,
With sweet Musk-Roses and with Eglantine
For all
the readers and lovers of Shakespeare. You might have a favourite piece of
prose, or remember a particularly touching poetic line – he was and remains the
most prolific author to use references to plants and flowers.
In fact if you visit Stratford Upon Avon where Shakespeare retired to, I fancy you might see a Shakespearean garden at Ann Hathaway’s cottage.
There are even a number of public gardens using that theme around the world.
In Shakespeare’s time, gardens
would’ve been formal as in the Elizabethan period.
 |
| Ann Hathaway's garden-Stratford On Avon, England |
What a great theme for a garden.
You could even put signs near the
plants that provide the relevant quotations.
Ophelia says in Hamlet “There’s rosemary that’s for remembrance,
Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies that’s for thoughts.’
Of course from Romeo and Juliet, the best known quote or misquote-
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet."
If you have any questions about Shakespearean gardens why not write
in otherwise all information will be posted on the website atwww.realworldgardener.com
July 5th, 2014
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney,
streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio
Network. www.realworldgardener.com<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN
edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition. The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album
Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com
SPICE IT UP
with Ian Hemphill from Herbies Spiceswww.herbies.com.au
 |
| Acacia pycnantha |
Did you know that there are nearly 1000 Acacia species found in Australia?
Have you ever thought of eating
wattleseed?
Not all wattleseeds are edible but those that are can be eaten
cooked or dried and milled into a flour.
Acacia pycnantha is on the list as having edible wattle seeds.
The seeds of this genus, or group of
plants has been used by indigenous Australians for thousands of years.
They crushed the seed into flour
between flat grinding stones and cooked cakes or damper with it.
You might be surprised to learn that
wattleseed has been commercially used as a flavouring component in some foods
since 1984.
The main species that have been used traditionally as food and now for seed harvest are
• Acacia aneura – Mulga Wattle
• Acacia pycnantha – Golden Wattle
• Acacia retinodes – Silver Wattle
• Acacia longifolia var. sophorae – Coastal Wattle.
So it turns out that wattle seed
tastes like chocolate, coffee and hazelnut.
It’s often added to ice cream,
chocolates and bread, but don’t stop there,- you can use it in whipped
cream and other dairy desserts.
There’s even a beer brewery that makes Wattle
Seed Ale.
The best thing is that Wattleseed
contains potassium, calcium, iron and zinc in fairly high concentrations so it’s
really good for you.
-
