Table of contents for Issue #17.4 2019 in Backyard and Outdoor Living

When Trevor and Gillian Thornton’s daughter Victoria announced she was getting married to her partner Nathan, there was one place that sang out as the wedding venue — the Thorntons’ three-acre property in Nana Glen on the New South Wales mid-north coast. “We’re lucky to have Nana Creek running for about 100m along our border,” Trevor explains, “which affords us a majestic tree line that dominates the property and allows us recreational space along its length.” And the trickling creek isn’t just a delight to listen to — it’s home to a water dragon and various turtles, as well as bass and eel. This spectacular setting provided the perfect backdrop for Victoria’s big day. “The whole family gathered and we had friends from home and abroad,” Trevor reminisces happily. BE…

Springgreen Landscapes principal Jean-Clément Printemps certainly had his work cut out for him with this brief, which required working with a narrow block, sectioning off an area of the space and creating a low-maintenance space with points of interest. The Mount Pleasant home in Western Australia offered plenty of challenges, but with the assistance of Cure Landscaping, construction began, overseen by Springgreen Landscapes’ project management. Not only did the clients want a secure and interesting front garden, they also wanted the ability to maximise the use of the backyard as it was very hot in summer, with no trees or entertaining spaces. At the time the garden was undergoing its transformation, the homeowners were also in the process of building a granny flat at the rear of the property, which…

Wes Fleming was raised growing trees. His father grew them, his uncles, his grandfather. In fact, nearly all the men and women around him during his childhood were tree growers. So it’s no surprise to anyone that Wes is renowned today as one of Australia’s top tree experts. What can be found in this tree lover’s garden in the gorgeous hills of the Yarra Ranges in Victoria? “In the early days we planted a hedge of Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’. It’s an upright-growing hornbeam that we used to separate the garden close to the house from the bush behind. They’re dense and have a wonderful habit that just gets better with time,” explains Wes. “My wife loved the effect so much she insisted on another row of them along another drive…

Helping home heroes and weekend warriors since 1993, Ozito puts the power into power tools. From lawn mowers, blowers, hedge trimmers, grass trimmers, lawn edgers and chainsaws all the way to pruners, all your DIY needs can be met in one place. Gone are the days of oversized nickel-cadmium batteries in large, heavy machines. Recent developments in 18V lithium ion batteries have changed the game for power tools. They’re lighter, more compact and hold their charge well, but can get expensive. So if you’re forking out for a new high-tech battery every time you purchase a cordless tool, it’s going to add up. Ozito’s Power X Change is a game-changer for home DIYers with batteries that are 100 per cent compatible with every power tool in the range. Offering flexibility…

Gardening is a great way to be at one with nature and get your hands dirty. But lurking in that environment are some nasty bacteria and fungi with the potential to cause you serious harm. We therefore need to be vigilant with gardening gloves and other protective wear. Soils contain all sorts of bacteria and fungi, most of which are beneficial and do helpful things like breaking down organic matter. But some microorganisms in soil can cause serious damage when given the opportunity to enter the body. This commonly happens through cuts, scrapes or splinters. Plants, animal manure and compost are also sources of bacteria and fungi that can cause infections. 1. Tetanus Traditionally, the most common and well-known infection is tetanus, caused by Clostridium tetani, which lives in soil…

The pomegranate is among the oldest cultivated fruits, originating from Persia, Afghanistan and surrounding areas. The fruit is striking to look at hanging on the tree, but even more beautiful when you cut it open to reveal the fleshy jewel-like seeds inside. In fact, the name “pomegranate” translates to “seeded apple” and the fruit is seen as a symbol of hope and abundance in many cultures. Rumour even has it that the apple that tempted Eve in the garden of Eden was actually a pomegranate. The pomegranate is one small tree with a lot to offer: glossy green leaves, attractive autumn foliage colour, pretty red-orange flowers and colourful fruit that is both decorative and delicious — and brings that something special to your cooking. Pomegranates are also members of the…

ELEGANCE ENCAPSULATED We all dream of sitting poolside with a good book, and with the right seating this dream can become a reality. The elegant and beautifully crafted Nomad poufs by Cosh Living offer a space for you to sit and enjoy your outdoor area in comfort. The modern design will look classy beside any pool and exudes a timeless style that family and friends will love. coshliving.com.au LIGHT UP THE DARK Create a warm, inviting ambience anywhere in your garden or balcony with the Dahl LED candle lantern. Made with an elegant mesh case, frosted glass cylinder and an LED candle with dancing flame, the Dahl lantern is perfect for long summer nights. The stylish design would suit a range of spaces, from Tuscan-inspired villas to contemporary suburban homes.…

Think you recognise Claudia Bowman, but not quite sure where from? If you’re an Airtasker fan, that’s probably the answer. Currently the face of the online task-sourcing site thanks to her prolific (and successful) pitches, Claudia now runs her own garden maintenance and design business, McIntosh & Bowman Gardens. At the beginning of the year, after 20 years working in hospitality, she decided to take her interest and passion for gardening to the next level. Enrolling in a Diploma of Horticulture at TAFE NSW Ryde, she studied part-time so she could also work on her business. “In the competitive industry of garden maintenance and design,” Claudia explains, “I knew that having an impressive, nationally recognised qualification would provide me with industry credibility and the knowledge to approach projects successfully, as…

While inner-city living has a unique charm made up of a mix of convenience and quirky character, homeowners often have to pay a high price: losing the luxury of personal outdoor space. Most of Sydney’s iconic terrace houses have access to handkerchief-sized back gardens, but these are often messy and challenging to landscape. Add an energetic family dog and young child to the existing pool of potential users and this Probert Street terrace in Newtown needed some serious optimisation of available space. Enter landscape designer Steve Warner and the team from Outhouse Design. “This amazing inner-city terrace had recently been fully renovated with a modern kitchen and dining experience at the rear of the home,” Steve says. “But as so often happens, the creativity ended at the back door, with…

The young owners of this property in Montreal, Canada, though residing in America, wanted the outdoor space transformed into a cosy, welcoming spot, ideal for weekend get-togethers with their friends. So, in stepped designer Martine Brisson and landscape architect Roxanne Miller who together make up MYTO. “This house is our clients’ pied-à-terre,” Martine explains. “They like to visit with a few friends and never have to tidy or maintain the garden when they’re there.” The project was made particularly challenging thanks to the plot’s shape — long and very thin at a little over 40sqm. “We had to work with this particular volume. That inspired us to design linear furniture, stretched out like a ribbon along the entire length of the yard,” Martine says. “So our table becomes a low…

Homegrown produce has so much to offer — greater flavour and freshness, the chance to eat veggies grown without chemicals (if you choose to go organic), and the opportunity to get in touch with the rhythms of nature and feel a connection to the earth. Basically, it’s good for you and for the environment. And don’t forget the sense of satisfaction you’ll feel when you see your patch flourishing and your family tucking in to the meals you’ve prepared using produce harvested that day. Every vegetable has its own requirements, so it’s impossible to list them all here, but the basic principles — such as good soil preparation, only planting veggies suited to your climate and ensuring they get the right amount of sun and water — are the same.…

As spring inches its way towards summer, thoughts increasingly turn to outdoor living — lunches on the deck, picnics on the lawn, dinner under the stars, lounging by the pool. Having a well-furnished, beautifully decorated outdoor living space makes all of these scenarios so much more appealing, and it provides an additional “room” you can use when entertaining. “A great outdoor living area is like an extension of your home — it’s that extra room we all need when we want to gather with friends or family, or simply take some time out for ourselves,” says Steve Warner, director of Outhouse Design. “A thoughtfully designed, well-furnished space doesn’t just add value to your home, however. More importantly, it adds lifestyle value to you and your family.” “Well-selected garden furniture is…

The challenge all gardeners face is trying to grow gardens in tired, depleted soils. It doesn’t matter if it’s sand, clay, rock or silt, if there is no life in the soil, the plants will always be dependent on a gardener to keep them alive. Nature has provided a perfect example of low-maintenance gardening by growing forests for thousands of years without the addition of chemical fertilisers, wetting agents and spray cans. While the temptation is there to add synthetic fertilisers to grow our gardens, embracing a more natural method can produce healthier gardens which, in turn, create healthier people. The solution isn’t just packing up the old soil and replacing it with new, either. Removing a culture of waste and focusing on what’s in front of us can be…

Done right, an awning can be an invaluable addition to your home. Windows and doors usually grab the spotlight, with very little thought given to awnings. However, they’re an asset to your home, place of business and virtually any other architectural structure. It’s no secret that most homeowners are concerned with curbing their energy consumption. One way to reduce your energy bill is by using outdoor shade structures. These provide a cool relaxation area, reducing the need to spend time indoors and in air conditioning. Outrigger Awnings specialises in creating high-quality custom-designed fabric structures for commercial and domestic use. Designs include rainproof and shade-retracting awnings, batten awnings, cantilevered awnings, carport awnings, pergola awnings, outdoor blinds, sails and more, so you’re sure to find your perfect match. A shade or rain-proof…

Allowing your garden to continue to thrive during the drier summer period, and at the same time remain a place of calm and enjoyment, takes a little work. Here are my top tips. REDUCE NOISE POLLUTION Something we don’t often think about is the impact of our own noise pollution. At Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria we use battery-powered garden power tools where possible to produce the least amount of disruption to visitors. Consider replacing a petrol-fuelled mower with a battery-powered lawnmower and reduce your own backyard noise pollution. You’ll be able to mow the lawn in the morning without waking up your neighbours. REGULAR TRIMMING While spring was the time of optimal hedge growth, summer is the time to perfect your hedges, coiffure them and keep them looking nice and…

For most of us, lawnmower maintenance needs to be done by a local lawnmower mechanic, like oil changes and tuneups, but you’ll find the rest is pretty easy to do yourself at home. 1. START AT THE END Every time you mow the lawn, you need to make sure you’re putting away a clean lawnmower. To do so, tip the lawnmower over with the spark plug pointing upwards. One safety caution first — always disconnect the spark plug lead before doing anything under the deck. The reason for this is that if you turn the disc it can sometimes work like an old-fashioned crank-start lawnmower and fire-up the engine unintentionally. If there’s just a little build-up of clippings and muck you may be able to brush it away, otherwise simply…

PAUSE AND PONDER Focal points don’t have to stand loud and proud. In fact, when it comes to the placement of sculpture and art, it can be all the more effective when nestled within a garden bed or placed in front of a vine-clad wall that provides a backdrop and textural contrast. Here, two Boulder sculptures from Entanglements emerge from the midst of a flourishing wildflower “meadow” overflowing with native plants. As your eyes sweep across a garden, focal points should be placed where you want to spark curiosity or where you’d like people to pause and ponder. The 3D-effect, layered-steel sculptures, each boasting a bolt detail and rust finish, lure the eye towards the carefully considered planting. At any given time there will be some plants in bloom, providing…

A SLOW RISE In memory of her mother and grandmother who’d recently passed away, landscape design student Trish Morrison created a garden sanctuary for the Boutique Gardens Competition by Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers. A space to slow down and centre yourself while enjoying the beauty of nature, Remembrance is a reflection of the calm and joy Trish’s mother brought to her life. The garden features pretty coloured flowers in soft tones, a soothing water feature and a gorgeous swinging chair that overlooks the garden. NESTLED AMONG THE TREES Surrounded by trees that soar into the sky, this outdoor space is a rustic hideaway from the world. With lush greenery lining the path to this clearing and a wooden fence that mimics the form of the surrounding trees, this area is…

In Kingswood, Adelaide, a residence with bold, red-brick architecture required a garden that matched the home’s striking aesthetic. The homeowners dreamed of an elegant, formal garden with lush green foliage, a water feature, roses and hedging. Their love of autumn also meant the planting palette had to support a yellow and orange colour spectrum while complementing the architecture and wider landscape. Extra amenities for the design brief included a swimming pool, fences to be hidden, a lawn and space to entertain, as well as a welcoming ambience. Nadia Matijevic, landscape designer at Adelaide Garden Design, conceptualised the garden, while Phil Rogers of Pave Plus brought her ideas to life. Separated into a front and back garden, both spaces needed to embrace the elegant, formal aesthetic while still playing their unique…

With a swimming pool and fully equipped outdoor entertaining area, the rear garden of this contemporary Melbourne home beckons the family to spend time outdoors. And, thanks to the effortless shift between indoor and outdoor areas, the family’s overall living space has been significantly extended. The simplicity of the clean design belies the challenges that had to be overcome. As the home is situated on a sloping block, the owners’ brief for a streamlined design meant the landscape required a specialised design to build the garden up, both out the front of the house and out the back. A 1m-high retaining wall was installed under the new boundary fence to ensure the garden bed and plants became level with the deck. This was quite a task as there was limited…

What’s more important in a backyard than the grass beneath your feet? A soft and lush lawn is the backdrop to your home and the place to hang out on the weekend all summer long. Whether you’re entertaining on warm nights or simply enjoying the sun, the backyard is a household’s connection to nature and an escape from the busyness of life. That’s why choosing once and choosing right for your turf is so important. myhomeTURF helps you select the right lawn for your home and lifestyle. Are the popular Buffalo grass varieties the right ones for you? Or the tough Zoysia turf? Empire, Nara Native and shade-tolerant grasses like Sapphire, Prestige and Palmetto are just some of the types available through myhomeTURF. Make the home turf journey in one…

With many parts of Australia seeing consistently warmer than average temperatures, keeping lawns and gardens lush and thriving throughout the year can be a challenge. Choosing a watering system that gives your green space the best chance of success is the smart way to water. With more than 20 years in the business, and backed by firsthand knowledge in the groundskeeper and irrigation industries, the owners of the Wobble-Tee have successfully created their award-winning sprinkler by listening to their customers and developing a domestic product the public asked for. One hundred per cent Australian made and owned, the Wobble-Tee sprinkler is moulded from high-grade UV-stabilised plastics to ensure a long life in the sun. The Wobble-Tee has been recognised for its sustainability and innovative design, making it a solid choice…

With petite house blocks and the rise of apartment-style living, many would-be home gardeners don’t have enough room to swing a cat, let alone grow a vegetable patch. The good news is you don’t need a lot of room to cultivate fresh produce. With vertical gardening, the only way to grow is up! Growing vertical edibles enables you to produce more for less. Because of the nature of vertical gardening, you can cultivate bigger yields with a smaller footprint. With a vertical garden it’s possible to take an uninspiring wall and turn it into a productive green space. Alternatively, you can use it as an attractive green screen for privacy or segmenting spaces. And if you choose to grow edibles, you can also bring fresh homegrown produce to the family…

Hospitals are seeing about 5000 admissions for falls from ladders every year — and 80 per cent of those are domestic. Many result in brain injuries and some, tragically, in death. Most of these falls are incurred by men, and baby boomers are the most at risk (over the age of 55). The most common reasons for domestic ladder use are cleaning gutters, pruning trees and DIY home renovations. First things first: if you’re afraid of heights or suffer from vertigo, just don’t do it. It’s not worth the risk. Also, if you’re over 55, try to avoid using a ladder as you’re in the highest risk group. If you can afford it, pay a professional to do any jobs that require height. CHECK BEFORE USING Check your ladder is…

The name eggplant seems something of a misnomer when you look at this large, glossy, purple-skinned vegetable. That’s because the eggplants we favour today are different from those grown centuries ago when the name was coined. Early cultivars that were given the name eggplant had yellow or white skins and were thought to resemble a large egg such as a goose egg. If you’re keen to grow an eggplant with fruit that looks like an egg you should seek ‘White Star’ or the long-fruited ‘Casper’. ‘Rosa Bianca’ has round white fruit with purple blushes. There are also varieties with striped purple and white colouration and others with long, thin, almost finger-like fruit rather than the typical large egg-shaped offerings. ‘Slim Jim’ has small and narrow fruit. Adding to its garden…