PLANT OF THE WEEK

Do you want a ground cover that suits shade, still flowers and provides plenty of colour?

William Turner, a 16th century physician and naturalist described it as ‘It is a blacke herbe and it groweth in shaddowy places and moyst groundes.’-

SPICE IT UP 

Have you ever wondered how and when the spice trade started?

Maybe not but did you know that nutmeg was once worth more by weight than gold?

Also that in the 16th century, London dockworkers were paid their bonuses in cloves?

There was so much to tell with the story of this spice that I had to split it up into two parts.

Here's part 1.

I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au

DESIGN ELEMENTS

 Old Fashioned Shrubs: Introduction of 5 part series.

Gone are the days when you had lots of variety in garden centres to choose from.
Now you only get the familiar plants like Murrayas, lilly pillies, star jasmine, viburnum odoratissium, with a spattering of smaller sub-shrubs like Osteospermum with a kaleidoscope of colour.

Lilac: Syringia vulgaris

Thanks for that. Gardeners need colour.

But what happened to the shrubs of old?
Have they just disappeared or can we still get them and which ones suit where?
Let’s find out with this new series on old fashioned shrubs
I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden Designer and project Manager from Paradisus Garden design.
PLAY: Old Fashioned Shrubs intro_24th April 2019 

What could be nicer than a lilac bush ( for colder climates), May bush (most climates) or even a Daphne or two?

You can visit Peter’s garden Sea-Changer’ which is opening Sat 4th May no gate, 10am to 2pm at 21 Lavinia Street Forresters Beach 1 hr from Wahroonga Pacific Motorway on ramp. 
For a day out of the city, lunch at Bamboo Buddha Holgate and BURSTING with freshness & flowers. WHAT could be nicer?

Hydrangeas have a long history and during the period when plant hunters searched the globe for fame and fortune is when the flowers we know today were brought back from China

Let’s find out what else they have to offer.

TOOL TIME

Over the years, gardeners accumulate quite a number of tools that they regard as essential and wouldn’t be without.

Last week we talked about what you might need if you were a beginner or slightly more advanced gardener.

So now we’re going for tools with more oomph and powered by more than your muscle power.

The reason is that it’s the experienced and the mature gardener that’s getting a look in.

Let’s find out what the experts recommend.

I'm talking with Tony Mattson General Manager of www.cutabovetools.com.au

What do you think, do you agree with Tony’s advanced gardener’s tool kit or would you have chosen something else?

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Today is the final in the series about the stewardship of trees.

On the menu is why we need to preserve our trees because in the long run, if you damage trees, you’re actually doing yourself a disservice.

Let’s find out about why we need to preserve trees.

This next plant is a native but is often overlooked because people go for the more colourful and show Grevilleas.

They may come in limited colourways, but their flowers are much more substantial and spectacular, particular if you have several cultivars planted or grouped together.

Plus they provide nectar for wildlife during the colder months of the year.

Let’s find out about them

I'm talking with Jeremy Critchley owner of www.thegreengallery.com.au and Karen Smith editor of www.hortjournal.com.au

PLAY: Banksia spinulosa_11th July 2018

Banksia spinulosa isn’t slow growing at all and within a couple of years, if grown from seed, will have reached over one metre tall and wide, plus provide a least 8 flower spikes.

Banskia flower spikes you can either cut for the vase, or just leave on the bush for the native wildlife to enjoy.

As cut flowers, Banksias can last for months.

If you have a question either for me or the plant panel why not drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

TOOL TIME

Over the years, gardeners accumulate quite a number of tools that they regard as essential and wouldn’t be without.

I’m not talking about anything that is powered, wither by petrol or electricity, but hand tools.

Quite often we even have several of the same too.

If you knew someone who was just starting out in gardening, what would you recommend they have as an essential part of their gardening tool kit?

Limit it to three and see how you go.

Let’s find out what the experts recommend.

I'm talking with Tony Mattson General Manager of www.cutabovetools.com.au

PLAY: Toolbox part 1-11th July 2018

What do you think, do you agree with Tony’s essential beginner’s tool kit or would you have chosen something else?

For the most part, I’m sure listeners would have said a pair of secateurs would be the bare minimum, but one pair of secateurs doesn’t make a kit, you need two more things.

What are yours? If you have any questions either for me or Tony, you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Parsley:

Parsley (Petroselinum hortense and Petroselinum crispum) is an herb that originated in the Mediterranean region of southern Italy.

Parsley is used a lot by some gardeners to feed the winter possums that are looking for something to eat.

It’s used a lot in cooking and much better to grow your own and only harvest as much as you need without needing to store it in the fridge.

Let’s find out what else parsley has to offer.

I'm talking with Simone Jeffries, naturopath and herbalist. www.simonejeffriesnaturopath.com.au

PLAY: Parsley_ 3rd April 2019

Grows as a biennial in temperate climates or annual in subtropical & tropical areas.

Grows a taproots used as a food store over winter.

Others grow parsley and let it go to seed to attract the benny’s which means the beneficial insects.

Really nice in a potato salad.

The secret is to cut it up very finely because it’s quite coarse so it doesn’t get stuck in your throat when you eat it.

Juice it with apple and celery so it doesn’t taste so medicinal.