Table of contents for Issue14.3 Yearbook 2016 in Backyard and Outdoor Living

The smell of fragrant flowers, freshly cut grass and sausages on the barbecue is a wonderful reminder that spring is here. The entertaining season has begun and people are starting to spend more time in their backyards once again. That means it’s also time to make sure your outdoor space is up to the challenge. Our outdoor entertaining guide this issue is packed full of useful information on how to create a comprehensive entertaining hub, from design, cooking equipment and storage to heating, cooling and lighting options. There is even information about including a television in your backyard! Could your outdoor area benefit from a little spring cleaning as well? Our spring maintenance feature has you covered, with plenty of tips to keep your garden in order. Think of it…

“The style is all about celebrating the beauty of the Pilbara” — Liam Wilson Known for its red earth, dry climate and ancient landscapes, the Pilbara is a region in Western Australia that encapsulates the essence of Australia. This garden project, designed by Luke Jones of LARC Collective and created by Yurra, a company that’s 75 per cent owned by Indigenous Australians, is one that steps up to the plate in a demanding climate not for the faint-hearted. The garden is located on the banks of a seasonal Pilbara river so it was essential the ethos of the region was reflected in its design. The brief revolved around creating shelters to protect against cyclones — which are prevalent in the area — along with the inclusion of a fire pit,…

Leylandagreen, in the lush green Southern Highlands of NSW, is a spectacular rural garden setting that incorporates English-style and perennial plantings, an expansive lake and towering hedges that provide clever hiding spots for a pool and tennis court. Designed by Goulburn-based Michael Bligh & Associates Pty Ltd and built by Oxley Landscapes, Leylandagreen is a natural, English-style parkland and garden, with structure in the form of clipped hedging and well-defined spaces created by a canopy of trees and sweeping garden beds. The owners of this grand, picture-perfect property asked Michael to substantially enhance their existing garden. This was to be done by providing a more appropriate garden setting for the house and to complement the existing 10 acres of parkland with a substantial windbreak and the strategic placement of deciduous,…

In many parts of Australia (and indeed around the world), residential blocks are getting smaller and homeowners are working longer hours to pay for the “Great Australian Dream”. The consequences of these two factors are many, but when it comes to selecting plants for your garden it means the plants you choose must perform well, look good, be low-maintenance and often be functional. So what exactly does functional mean? One definition is “designed to be practical and useful”. In the plant world, this may mean using screening plants to provide privacy or to hide an object (such as a shed, fence or barbecue). It may also mean using border plants which have the function of defining a particular area or creating a natural barrier to keep kids in (or out!)…

Spring is in the air! The days are growing warmer and the sweet scent of flowers fills the senses. After cold winter rains, winds and frosts, outdoor spaces are in definite need of a spruce up. So it’s time to shake off those winter blues and get spring-cleaning outdoors. To start, cast a critical eye around your outdoor spaces and make a list of the chores you’ll need to do to take your outdoor areas from winter drab to springtime fab. ALL HANDS ON DECK Hose down your outdoor decks and stain or varnish to give them a new lease on life. Pressure-wash cement, paved areas and stone steppers in the garden to remove mould, dirt and algae. RUB, SCRUB AND SPARKLE Wash your timber furniture with warm soapy water…

Like its close cousin, ginger, turmeric has significant anti-inflammatory properties and a long history of use in Asia and India for arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Of course, it’s also the main spice in curry powders and pastes. Its main constituent, curcumin, is showing promise as a preventative against several types of cancer. It has also been shown to lower cholesterol, support the liver and possess an anti-coagulant action. Recent scientific research has focused on its role in helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. GROWING A perennial and native to Southeast Asia, turmeric is easy to grow in temperate to tropical regions that are frost free; in fact, in subtropical and tropical regions it can grow so prolifically you may have to cull it annually. In cooler climates, grow it in…

GO TROPPO Looking for a unique way to incorporate timber into your backyard? Latte poles might be your answer. They’re crafted pieces of wood made from Australian Eucalyptus grandis. However, the wood is not grown here but in South Africa, where it’s known as latte. It’s grown in sustainable tree farms, which also provide opportunities for local communities. This ensures that we not only protect Australia’s indigenous forests, but also those of South Africa. Suitable for fencing, screening or pergola roofs, latte poles add a distinct tropical vibe to a space.touchwoodtrading.com.au EGGSQUISITE CHOICE An increasing number of people are getting chickens as pets. They are great for kids, supply delicious eggs, and are an all-round eggcellent companion (sorry, I just couldn’t resist). If you’re looking into getting chickens, there are…

In mid-2013 we decided to create a food garden on our nature strip for kids in our street. Our daughters, Jasmine and Alexa (then 12 and nine), delivered invitations to all the kids we knew of in our section of the street (plus a few more neighbouring streets), asking them to turn up at 1pm on Saturday with their gardening gloves and old clothes. We then waited to see what would happen. We knew a few people were interested but really had no idea if people would actually show up. On that first Saturday in August there were 23 of us: 14 kids and nine parents, most of whom stayed all afternoon! The grass was removed and a garden bed built using ACQ (alkaline copper and quaternary) treated pine —not…

Using wood as part of your outdoor design is nothing new. But coming up with a new take on timber is something special — especially when it includes the use of a wood which is protected in Australia. Harry Hopkins and Richard Lubner combined their expertise in landscape design and marketing to come up with the idea of latte poles. They’re crafted pieces of wood made from Australian Eucalyptus grandis. However, the wood’s not grown here, but in South Africa, where it’s known as latte. First introduced around 1885 with seeds sourced from New South Wales, Eucalyptus grandis (also called rose gum or flooded gum) has successfully become the most important hardwood for the South African forestry industry. It’s grown in sustainable tree farms, which also provide opportunities for local…

Owning and tending a vegie patch is beneficial for a number of reasons. You can cut your grocery costs, educate yourself and your children about seasonal produce, and reduce the pressure on food transportation and mass farming. However, if the idea sounds as appealing as it does perplexing, read on — we’ve got the lowdown from experts. Whether you’re a first-time gardener, a small-scale expert, an apartment-dweller or own land stretching as far as the eye can see, the pages that follow prove anyone can cultivate a garden. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Mat Pember and Dillon Seitchik-Reardon of The Little Veggie Patch Co reassure us that it all comes naturally once you get the ball rolling. “The best advice we can give is to start small, use good potting mix and water…

Our enjoyment of spending time outdoors with family and friends, sharing a meal and a drink, is nothing new. It’s our expectations that have changed. Today we’re much more discerning — and demanding. We’re no longer content with sitting on some plastic chairs gathered around a trolley backyard barbecue, an Esky filled with drinks nearby and mum constantly dashing in and out of the house for supplies. Now we want sophisticated outdoor entertaining spaces where everything we need is close at hand. Be it somewhere to dine, cook, watch DVDs, swim or chill with friends, we all want somewhere to entertain that has the amenities and ambience of an interior living room but the openness and connection to nature you can only experience outdoors — and we expect spaces that…

Mowbray Public School has received phase one of a welcomed upgrade, with a stylish new building and outdoor areas finished earlier this year — thanks in part to Futurewood’s cladding and decking products. Cladding was installed on the front and side of the new building, a stand-alone deck was constructed at the back of the school, and shade battens were added to the outdoor eating area. Due to the school’s open, park-like environment, its grounds are subjected to the complete gamut of Sydney weather conditions so it was crucial that the cladding and decking were exceptionally resilient. In addition, it was essential that the products installed could withstand the degree of wear and tear that the combined energy of hundreds of primary-school-aged children would subject it to. Made primarily from…

I am sitting here thinking about the rosellas you eat and hearing rosella parrots prattling away quietly among the camellias. Despite sharing a name, there’s little connection between plant and bird or even any common origin for their identical names. The rosellas we grow in our vegetable garden are a hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and are cultivated for their edible flowers. The Macquarie Dictionary suggests the name is a corruption of roselle or red sorrel — names used in other parts of the world. The plant is native to tropical regions and grown throughout the tropical world. The same dictionary suggests the rosella parrot has a name derived by the corruption of a place name. Apparently, these birds were seen in large flocks at Rose Hill near Parramatta, in what is…

LARGER THAN LIFE With four new designs, the 1800 x 600mm series is a great size format for many projects as it’s OUTDECO’s largest series yet. Featuring a longer architectural proportion, it can repeat vertically or horizontally with a whole new style. It gives greater coverage for larger installations with the same easy-to-handle, sturdy integrity of the classic OUTDECO look. The complete range, including the new 1800 x 1200mm series and the original 1200 x 600 range, is available through stockists Australasia-wide. Pictured is the Daintree design. outdeco.com ROCK ON No longer just the domain of civil engineers, the gabion wall is being incorporated into residential sites, bringing numerous advantages. Simply put, a gabion is a cage filled with rocks, concrete, or occasionally sand and soil. An expert in the…

LEVEL GROUND Often small spaces are also awkward so they require some innovative design. “This site falls more than 3m from the brick fence to the back door. To deal with the fall and create usable spaces, we consulted an engineer and then built a series of retaining walls and planter boxes,” explains Don Thomson, principal of Gardenridge. “The retaining walls were constructed using large blocks that were laid on significant concrete footings with starter bars. Each block was core-filled and then finished with an acrylic render. By doing this, we were able to effectively handle the level changes and provide a series of separate zones for entertaining and active play.” Privacy is created and areas are separated into zones with strategic planting. gardenridge.com.au SMALL PACKAGES The backyard of this…

With its combination of plants, water and rocks with clean lines, there’s something so appealing about a Japanese-style garden. But there’s always room for deviation and when you think outside the square, the results can really be spectacular. Take Japanese food, for example; it is a delicious staple for many Australians though sometimes you might be in the mood for something a little out of the ordinary. That’s where Japanese fusion comes in — it combines the basics of the cuisine you love with a little added flavour. Such is the case with the Windsor project designed by Phillip Withers Landscape Design. “This garden is a play on the traditional Japanese garden — a contemporary fusion that we like to call ‘Japanese funk’,” says creative director of the company, Phillip…

This gorgeous single-fronted Victorian villa in Melbourne’s Camberwell looked out to a car park, neighbouring walls and the garage’s tired facade. Until the call for change was made, the only greenery it had was an uninspiring lawn. As the house had a beautifully ornate interior and a colourful personality radiating from every room, the opportunity to reflect something of each room into the garden was too enticing to ignore. The wall of windows wrapping the new rear extension in light also cried out for an inspiring view — one that didn’t involve mowing. Other aspects in need of change were the existing paving and retaining walls on the lower level, which were functional though lacking intimacy, and the upper level, which made a feature of the garage entrance and interior.…

In the purest sense, vertical gardens or green walls are, as the name suggests, living walls with plants growing vertically using hydroponics or soil. The plants are either attached to a wall, freestanding, or on moveable panels. A CONTEMPORARY TWIST With a green wall you can create a beautiful tapestry of living colour, bringing life, movement, texture and shade into your garden. The idea of green walls was initially developed by ancient civilisations; in fact, one of the first living vertical gardens was is one of the ancient wonders of the world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. While the concept might not be new, the modern take on it is and these days contemporary vertical gardens are used for a multitude of different applications. Nigel Thompson, from Earth and Water,…

As a colour, red has a serious fan club. Red shoes (to die for), red cars (go faster), red lipstick and red roses. Which brings us to red in the garden. Red is the perfect complement for green, which is probably why we often paint the front door red. Or line the path with evergreen topiary balls growing in red-glazed planters. Or tie oversized red bows into the shrubbery come Christmas. Below is a quick look at some brilliant plants that pack a nice red punch. THE LUSCIOUS LEAF It’s not always about the flower, and one look at this Coprosma ‘Pacific Sunset’ certainly proves that. Once you’ve planted a pair of these in pots to flank your entrance, or massed them against strappy foliage in a contemporary garden, you…

After all the hours spent establishing and tending to your beloved garden, there’s nothing more annoying than seeing it overtaken by weeds. They are the constant headache for the avid gardener. While there are plenty of weed killers on the market, an increasing number of gardeners are reluctant to use harmful chemicals in their backyards. Luckily you can take charge of the situation with an organic product that degrades surface-deposited weed seeds. Earthlife Weedless attacks a weed’s seed, rendering it unable to germinate and, as a result, reducing weed populations. Preliminary trials conducted by TAFE Toowoomba on the weed Fleabane achieved more than a 90 per cent reduction in seed germination. Earthlife customers are achieving similar results with a range of other garden weeds including cobbler’s pegs, khaki weed, bindii,…

By now you would have given your roses their winter prune, especially if they are the modern hybrid tea and floribunda roses. But if you live in cold areas, wait until the last frosts have passed as you don’t want the cold to kill off the emerging buds. Also, if you have old-fashioned roses, some climbers and most ramblers, the Alister Clark rose ‘Lorraine Lee’ or a banksia rose, prune them after they have flowered and much more gently. Please don’t prune your old-species roses before they have flowered because you will be cutting off this season’s flowers and many of them only flower once in spring. As ‘Lorraine Lee’ is evergreen and flowers better in winter, it is pruned in March and, if you have a banksia rose, it…