Episodes
Friday May 20, 2022
Planting for Bright Shade in Garden Design
Friday May 20, 2022
Friday May 20, 2022
DESIGN ELEMENTS
Bright Shade Planting
This design series is about plants that are categorised as non-general lines, in other words, plants that are not production grown that then become available in several different sized pots. This series is also about year round interest in the garden even when plants are not in flower. Imagine opening the back door to look at a sea of just green with no distinguishing features! A tad boring don't you think?
Instead, think of plants with different sized and shaped leaves, that might also have contrasting colours.
Plants we mention in this series, you won’t necessarily find in your big box store or possibly even in your nursery so you may have to search for them.
These plants are so worthwhile that because they provide year round interest with their foliage colour, texture and contrast, not just their flowers.
So you’ve got some shady areas that’s under trees. This spot is usually thick with the roots of the trees so will be difficult to plant anything there that will survive the root competition, or will it?
This is where you have to think outside the square and look at plants that don't need to grow in too much soil.
Cryptostephanos vansonii |
Peter mentioned
- Calanthe sylvatica-a ground orchid-good for moist shade
- Philodendron marshalliana-has storage stems and not a climber.
- Syningia bullata and S. Canescens and S. cardinalis other syningia sp-small cordex that can regrow from.
- Cryptostephanos vansoni
I say every week that Peter Nixon, RWG’s contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops’ which he refers to often.
Don’t be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try.
I'm talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au
Have a listen to the podcast.
Friday May 20, 2022
Mixed Shrub Borders are in again on Real World Gardener
Friday May 20, 2022
Friday May 20, 2022
DESIGN ELEMENTS
This is a series about foliage colour and contrast and textural contrast for year round interest. The focus is also on non-general lines instead of production grown planting. In other words, plants that may not necessarily be easy to find but so worth the effort. We kick off the series with mixed shrub borders.
- MIXED SHRUB BORDER
Are they a thing of the past or a living process that still has relevance for the modern smaller garden?
Hibiscus capitolia 'Apricot Sport' |
This kind of design style has been used for hundreds of years because it has great garden appeal. There is no reason for it be considered irrelevant or 'old hat,' simply because it is so adaptable. It can be either formal or informal, full of colour and contrast or not, annuals, perennials and shrubs.
Today though, it's all about the shrubs and is a start of the design series that covers everything from mixed shrub borders, sub-shrubs, climbers, hero trees to best garden bromeliads.
I have to say, Peter Nixon and Real World Gardener's contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops’ which he refers to often.
Don’t be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try.
Peter mentions the following shrubs as his 'best.'
Posoqueria longiflora |
- Tibouchina multifida-not more than 1.5m in height.
- Hibiscus capitolio 'apricot sport'-double flowering hibiscus, slightly pendulous. 2.5m in height.
- Posoqueria longiflora-commonly called Japanese Needle flower. Has perfumed flowers with a long white tube, height to 3m in semi-shade.
- Brunsfelsia macrantha,
- Acokanthera oblongifolia - Bushmans Poison,
- Gardenia grandiflora ’Star’,
- Rosa sanguineus,
- R. chinensis ’Ten Thousand Lights'
Let’s find out more, I'm talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au,
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
What's The Difference: Garden Snips vs Hand Pruners or Secateurs
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Garden Snips vs Secateurs
You would think that gardening tools would have all the same name pretty much all around the world.
What else would you call a spade ?
Perhaps a trowel may have a few different names, but what about secateurs and garden snips?
Are they the same thing?
- Secateurs are sometimes called pruning shears or hand pruners .
My Toolkit: Felco No8 secateurs - Secateurs can be bypass style, where the cutting blade passes a curved non-cutting 'anvil.'
- Secateurs can also be anvil style where the cutting blade cuts into a 'anvil.'
- Good quality secateurs will cut easily, feel comfortable to hold and spare parts are able to be purchased.
- Secateurs are used for the 'green' wood on plants cutting easily up to the diameter of a person's fingers.
- Garden snips are best used for trimming off spent flowers on plants such as calibroachoa, petunias, and other annuals and perennials. Light trimming of soft 'green' plant material is OK as long as the stems or branches are not too thick. Garden snips don't have the cutting power of secateurs.
PLAY: snips vs secateurs_18th August 2021
Like me, a lot of gardeners would have both types of secateurs-anvil and bypass as well as a pair of snips.
After all, not everything can be pruned with the one tool.