Better Homes and Gardens Australia November 2021

Perhaps it’s something to do with the lure of the great outdoors or the amount of time we spend in our backyards and beyond. Either way, it felt like the perfect time to pull together a special issue celebrating life Down Under. In true blue form, it all begins with pineapple, from the luscious creation that stars on our cover (page 100) to an upside-down cake that’s oh-so easy to make – and eat (page 111). As for scones, we’ve got double the yum with two delightfully different recipes. Check them out on pages 98 and 116. Speaking of scones, they play a small but pivotal role in The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital, the new novel by Sydney-based author Joanna Nell. It’s out this month, so read our interview…

When you think of iconic Australian plants, there are gums, wattles and grevilleas. And they dominate in our backyards and parks. But it’s our minor stars that are having a huge impact in gardens all over the world. They can be as punky as a solitary grass tree pulling focus amid cacti in Central America or as quirky as a mass of kangaroo paws adding spike and spice in the Mediterranean. Even little lovelies – daisies, buttons and sneaky climbers – have infiltrated European, American and Asian gardens. So if you don’t have one, or some, of these in your garden, you’re letting the side down! “MANY NATIVES NEED LESS WATERING AND FEEDING” WHAT MAKES OUR PLANTS SPECIAL • Australia’s geographic isolation has meant many of our flowering plants are very different from…

The rains are uncertain but the sky is huge and blue - one of two factors that set modern Australian gardens apart. The other is the colour of our foliage. Blue-green, yellow-green, silver or grey, soft bronze, rich rust – it explodes against the horizon, especially as the blue sky emerges from a golden sunrise and fades into brilliant reds and golds at sunset. Modern Australian garden design – both here and overseas – exploits these colours and climate and boosts diversity by mixing natives and plants from around the world to suit.…

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN The ancient burrawang cycad (Macrozamia communis) is softly decorative but also extremely hardy – it grows naturally in eucalyptus woodland but doesn’t mind a bit of sun when you put it in your garden. SWAYING IN THE BREEZE Ornamental grasses add volume and softness when planted next to hardscapes such as a rendered wall. SOLID YET SILKY The rectangular-shaped mudstone or mudrock comes in a lovely soft coffee colour. Being flat sided, it’s ideal for stacking. And that’s a great chimney stack! COLOUR YOUR CONCRETE There are oxides you can add to your cement render that will give you rich ochre colours, from red to orange to yellow. You can even get blue or green. Your choice! WHEN STRIPES ARE STARS Make your soft furnishings as striking as your landscape – bands of bright…

LEARN TO LIVE WITH LEAVES Gums drop leaves in your pond all year round. Manage this with regular scooping and filters, or create a wildlife pond you can still plunge into by controlling any excess nutrients with oxygenating water plants. ENJOY YOUR VIEW You may love a traditional gazebo, but you can go modern with one that’s shaped like a leaf and has a filigreed ceiling that allows you to follow the sun as light and shade move across your chairs – and your garden. ARTWORK ADDS INTEREST Garden artwork, such as this giant emu egg, pulls focus and allows you to see what’s around the piece, especially when placed in a corner that may otherwise be easily ignored or missed. SET IT IN STONES Rocks and boulders positioned around the edge of your pond bring the…

BRING IN THE HEAVYWEIGHTS Amid the softy rounded shrubs, plant spiky plants such as the tough New Zealand flax, with its bronzy leaves making a stark contrast. ROCK YOUR GARDEN Instead of lawn, cover your ground with crushed gravel as an extension of the sand on the beach, then plant small rocks under your shrubs! SURPRISES COME IN BOXES Beautifully weathered timber outdoor furniture looks as if you’ve recycled bits of driftwood picked off the beach into classy stools.…