Table of contents for Issue #62 2022 in Backyard and Outdoor Living

The sun is shining and summer is in full force. To celebrate, our Snapshot theme this edition is summer fun. We show you how to create a beautiful and relaxing outdoor space where you can make lasting memories with friends and family. A crucial part of any Australian summer is having the appropriate shading to retreat to. In Best Of, we peruse the latest contemporary outdoor shade solutions, from innovative awnings to thatched pergolas. When all the outdoor maintenance is complete, one of the most enjoyable things you can do to revamp your outdoor room is to buy new furniture. Check out our feature this issue for some great buys. Much like our interiors, hot trends in outdoor spaces currently include curves and natural materials and colours. If your outdoor…

FEATURE An Aussie summer at home is the time to share long carefree days poolside with the family, and to relax on the deck and enjoy a casual brunch, or fire up the backyard barbecue and entertain your friends. The sultry days of summer are longer, so there's more time in the garden to plant festive and fragrant blooms, to nurture your lawn so it's green and lush, and to put your hands in the cool earth to create a vegetable patch full of organic goodness. During the global pandemic we reclaimed our backyards. We created more safe living spaces outdoors to relax in. And that mindset has continued; whether your outdoor spaces are compact or generous in size, a beautiful outdoor oasis at home has become an integral part…

THIS WEEKEND We all love a beautiful garden. Being in nature helps us relax and unwind, while the action of gardening improves physical health and mental wellbeing. A garden is the perfect space for families to play, not to mention the family pet. You can grow your own vegetables for healthy meals and plant lovely flowers to cut and enjoy in vases indoors. Plus, a private garden is the ideal spot for yoga or meditation. In short, a garden gives back tenfold. The only problem for some of us is keeping it alive. This is where Earthlife steps in. An Australian-owned company based in Toowoomba in Queensland, Earthlife manufactures a range of microbial mineral-based soil conditioners and fertilisers for gardening, horticulture and agriculture. A business founded on passion for the…

words angus stewart Worm farming is the process of keeping and using worms to decompose organic matter into rich worm castings that make excellent fertiliser. Worms break down organic matter faster than the cold composting process can. Since most people cannot easily make a “hot” compost heap for rapid composting, worm farms are an excellent alternative, particularly for kitchen scraps. The main type of worm used for worm farming is called the tiger worm (Eisenia fetida), among other common names, and it is one of the best types for this purpose because they naturally live in shallow decomposing organic matter, have high appetites and breed easily. The technical term for worm farming is vermicomposting, and the fertile worm castings are sometimes referred to as vermicompost. Often people use the term…

Thanks to today's designs of contained garden beds, you can turn any outdoor space (think lawn, deck, balcony, driveway or rooftop) into an edible oasis. With a range of helpful features available such as wicking systems, canopies, stands and various sizes to choose from, you can grow your food anywhere, no matter your green thumb ability! LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION From acreage to a small balcony space, you no longer need to dig up your ground to produce a veggie patch. When selecting a suitable spot for your contained garden, the most important factor is sun. We suggest a minimum of four to five hours of direct sunlight for vegetable growing. If you're feeling a little less lucky with sunlight, try shade-loving plants like mint, parsley and some other hardy culinary…

DREAM WEAVERS Being outdoors is great for mind, body and spirit. Children thrive in an outdoor environment; it connects them to the natural world, it piques their curiosity, and fosters imaginative play and resourcefulness. An outdoor tepee not only offers a stylish sanctuary, but hours of fun in the garden at home. thedenkitco.com PASS THE POPCORN Who doesn't love a movie night with the family under a canopy of twinkling stars. On sultry summer nights, set up a movie screen outdoors, grab some cosy chairs, even some outdoor bean bags, and gather the gang together. Add some festoon lights to ramp up the party feel and share summer movie snacks and cool drinks while you watch the latest flicks from the comfort of your own backyard. lights4fun.com COOL CUBBY HOUSES…

With so many gardening products and solutions on the market, making a decision for your garden and budget can be overwhelming. After searching your local store or the internet, and reading endless reviews, you still might not be convinced about the best approach for your needs. At times like this, wouldn't it be fabulous if someone could give you some honest advice that you can trust? Enter Aussie Gardener™, an Australian-owned online garden shop that is committed to only selling products that actually do what they say they will do. Before adding anything to their range, all products are tested by their team and a select group of customers. “Buying online always carries an element of risk, so we want our customers to be 100 per cent confident that if…

Cauliflower has recently morphed from a white vegetable to one with technicolour aspirations thanks to the arrival of green, purple and orange varieties. Whether white or coloured, the head of the cauliflower is a flower referred to as the “curd”. It is made up of a mass of tiny, immature buds much like broccoli. The flower head forms best when temperatures are cool, which is why cauliflower is most successfully grown as a winter or early-spring crop sown in late summer or early autumn. VARIETIES There are many varieties of white cauliflower for home gardens, but the pick of the crop are mini cauliflower varieties such as ‘Snowball'. Harvest the entire 15cm head for a meal. Mini cauliflowers are quicker to grow than large-headed varieties, which means they are also…

During the past two years, multiple lockdowns have shown us just how important it is to have access to fresh air and nature. Backyards and outdoor living spaces have become private sanctuaries in which to unwind and relax. However, not all homeowners that I speak to feel this way. For some, their garden has become a source of unhappiness and discontent. From bland and uninspiring lawns and small spaces to patios that make owners feel like they're “on display”, some yards have lost their magic. Changing how you use and feel about your garden can seem like a herculean task, but the devil is in the detail. One clever design element is often the key to transforming how you see and use your outdoor living spaces. Here are my top…

COSMIC VIBE These glass orbs are a chic garden ornament or a colourful addition to your flower bed or patio pot. Jerpoint Glass Studio's garden orbs are a unique style of decoration that sit at the brim of your flower pot or in the ground throughout your rockery, creating charm and enchantment throughout any garden space. Each of the orbs is individually handmade — no two pieces are exactly the same. These orbs are intended to sit low to the ground on a short bamboo cane (copper pipe is not recommended). jerpointglass.com THE BUZZ This insect habitat is ideal for hanging in a sheltered garden or on a house wall. It is a general insect habitat that may be used by bees, helping to pollinate your flowering plants. The durable…

01. RIGHT ON TRACK The Luxaflex® Evo MagnaTrack awning is the only straight-drop awning system in Australia to boast a self-correcting feature that allows the fabric skin to effortlessly return to its channel if dislodged. It can withstand pressures up to 185kph, making it the strongest straight-drop awning that has been wind-tested in Australia. The use of a quality awning screen, such as Luxaflex® Spectra Fibreglass Sunscreen, along with the Luxaflex® Evo MagnaTrack awning, can eliminate up to 95 per cent of solar heat penetration, making it ideal for improving a home's sustainability and energy consumption, while helping you feel comfortable all year round. luxaflex.com.au 02. IN THE SHADOWS A thatched pergola adds an earthy vibe and a cooling element to an outdoor space. With comfortable furniture, you can put your feet…

Picture this. It's a sunny Sunday and there you sit in your pool house, nice and cosy on a comfy lounge, refreshing drink in hand. In front of you, the cool water of the pool and the luxuriant landscape beckon. For one family in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn, no imagination is required — this is their reality, summer through to winter, thanks to the design and construction expertise of Erin Green, director of Nature's Best Landscapes. “When I was brought on board by the owners, the design was still very much in the early conceptual stage. This afforded me the opportunity to review all the details and fine tune the overall design of the pool house, pool and surrounding garden,” says Erin. “The design is well structured, with the…

THIS WEEKEND Current environmental design employs a combination of passive solar-control strategies to reduce the impact on mechanical air-conditioning and heating systems, with passive design involving the combined approach of reducing unwanted solar gains during summer, while maximising solar gains through winter. In its simplest terms, this means shading of glazed areas during summer while allowing sunlight exposure through winter. By using retractable shade systems, this scenario is easily accomplished. A fully retractable shade system that is fast becoming one of Australia's biggest success stories, Shaderunner® is a unique system made in South Australia by a family-owned business. Developed from more than 50 years of sailing experience and the precision needed for yacht sails, the Shaderunner® is manufactured from a range of rigorously tested fabrics that are as durable as…

THIS WEEKEND A family backyard should offer something for everyone — from play areas to zones for relaxing and entertaining, plus space for a veggie or herb garden as well as the family pet. It should offer the promise of solitude and relaxation, with your garden acting as a buffer between you and the stressors of day-to-day life. For many Australian families, the addition of a trampoline can be a blessing, providing hours of fun and entertainment for the kids and even the adults, keeping the whole family fit and active. On the negative side, even good-quality safety nets can rip due to pesky birds of cat claws, making the trampoline unsafe. Removal and replacement of the net can be expensive as well as time consuming, something every trampoline owner…