Once growing fruit trees at home was very common. Nowadays with gardens being smaller, the availability of wonderful new generation fruit trees has seen a resurgence in growing healthy home-grown goodness in the places and spaces we call home. There are dwarf forms/varieties of most fruits which don’t take a lot of space. These can [...]
Strawberries are one of the easiest fruiting plants to grow and it is certainly a treat to feast upon these sweet delights picked fresh from the garden Strawberries are ground-hugging, herbaceous plants, growing to about 15cm high and spreading into a clump 50–100cm wide. Their flowers are simple, five-petalled blooms that are pollinated by bees. [...]
Growing food at home is very popular and whatever form your garden may take, herbs are easy to grow and very rewarding. Fresh or dried, herbs add zest to cooking, perfume the house and have natural medicinal and cosmetic benefits. Craft making with herbs has wide appeal. Create pot pourri, tussie mussies and infused [...]
Cucurbits include cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, squash, watermelon and rockmelon. These all share traits and enjoy similar growing conditions. All are easy to grow and highly productive in the home garden. Pumpkin and watermelon vines require room to grow but can trained over or structures. Cucumbers and rockmelons require less space and can be grown vertically [...]
Flowering bulbs are a highlight in the garden and home. Spring flowering bulbs begin to flower in late winter and bring with them the colourful promise of the spring ahead. Although all are referred to as ‘bulbs’, there are four different types of bulbs. True Bulbs include tulips and daffodils. Rhizomes are swollen stems such [...]
Spathiphyllum or ‘Peace Lily’ plants are native to tropical regions of the Americas and south eastern Asia. They are a favourite plant to grow indoors with lush foliage and long-lasting white blooms throughout the year. Growing plants in homes and offices has many proven health benefits. Plants are nature’s air purifiers and improve the feeling [...]
With house blocks becoming smaller and homes becoming larger, the garden for many people looks much different to the gardens of the past. The garden may be a small backyard, a courtyard or an apartment balcony. Small areas do not mean that you need to miss out on the pleasures of growing your own food. [...]
The Allium group of plants include about 800 species. There are only a few that are known as edible crops and these have been grown for centuries to add flavour and goodness to food. The main Alliums that we are familiar with are onions, garlic, leeks, and spring onions and chives. When to Plant Most [...]
Cabbages are a fantastic winter crop and are perfect for adding to soups, stews, and salads. Cabbages are planted from seeds or seedlings as the cooler season begins. Choosing the Right Variety Some of the most popular cabbage varieties grown include White (Cannonball), Savoy, Red cabbage and Chinese cabbage. White (Cannonball) cabbage is [...]
Cymbidium orchids are stunning and are a rewarding spectacular living flower arrangement right throughout the cooler months. Their hardiness sets them apart from many of the more tender, tropical orchids such as slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum) and moth orchids (Phalaenopsis), which need warm or hot house conditions outside the tropics. Cymbidiums are available in a wide [...]
