Hello Garden Friends
Welcome to this week’s Sunday Garden Newsletter. We have been lucky to receive some winter rains earlier in the week which I’m sure the gardens have appreciated. I have been checking my flower patch gardens daily over the last week or two. All the daffodils have sprouted and have started flowering however up until a few days ago I had not even seen the Tulips shoot. I was beginning to get worried that they weren’t going to. I know they always flower a lot later than the Daffodils but they do seem slow. Finally on Wednesday I noticed their tiny pointy leaves breaking through the soil. They have arrived !

Also in the flower patch the Italian Colibri Poppies all have buds on them, I have had two flowers on the Anemones - although they are quite short and there is a bud breaking through on one of the Ranunculus. The Primulas, Stock and Pansy are all flowering which is very pretty. I think next year I may decide to have different flowers or more of one species but we will see. Poppies are definitely on the top of my list at the moment. I have been a little slack with fertilising so far but will aim to do weekly liquid feeds of miracle grow to encourage more flowering.

I will make a note here for my reference next year. The Daffodils started flowering at the farm on 25th July this year which is a similar time to last year. The Daffodils here in our home garden started flowering on the 7th August.

In this week’s newsletter we have a garden tip, garden design tip, a growing guide for Rhubarb and my recommendations for growing herbs. I hope you enjoy the read

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN TIP
Now that the grass growing has finally slowed with some cooler temperatures there is less time spent on mowing however don’t forget about keeping all of your equipment in order. Now is a good time to service your mower, whipper snipper and any other grass cutting equipment. You can start thinking about spring renovation season too. Here in the Hilltops region, grass renovation season would start in about October when the soil temperatures get to be about 18 degrees. To complete a lawn renovation the grass really needs to be actively growing so waiting until soil temperatures increase is always best. Making plans now will set you up for an easy start with this.

Growing Guide For Rhubarb
It is throughout the cooler months that you can purchase the dormant crowns of rhubarb from nurseries. This herbaceous perennial makes an interesting and edible addition to any garden. It can reach 1.2 metres in height and width. Rhubarb plants like their own space so when you are growing these plants select an area where they can remain relatively undisturbed for a few years.

It’s leaves are highly toxic but its stems are delicious with a bitter sweet flavour. You can also grow it from seed although if you plant out a Rhubarb Crown it will be quicker to grow and is more reliable. The Rhubarb crown consist of the underground roots, rhizomes and a growing point of the plant. For the best growth they like to be in a full sun position where they will receive at least 4 hours of direct sunlight. In really hot areas you may need to give you some shade to the plants on the hottest of days. It is also worth keeping the plants well mulched to insulate the soil from temperature extremes. If you live in a climate where the rhubarb will dieback I would suggest removing all spent stems and then cover with a thick layer of mulch to protect the crowns from frost.

When planting Rhubarb improve your soil with plenty of aged compost and well aged cow manure. The soil also needs to be well draining as it otherwise the crowns will rot. Often in heavier soils I will plant Rhubarb up on a mound to help improve the soil drainage. I have also grown it well in large containers.

Whilst Rhubarb does not like to be too wet they also do not like long periods of drought. I would suggest you give them long deep waters a few times a week in the warmer weather. They will also enjoy a seasonal application of Chicken manure or blood and bones in spring summer and autumn.

When harvesting the plants always leave approximately one third of the stems. Don’t let the Rhubarb go to flower as this will reduce the number of stems and take energy away from the rest of the plants. If flower spike appears cut off at baase.

Over time the Rhubarb crowns will become spent and exhausted with stems not developing as much flavour. It is best to then lift and divide crowns every 3 - 5 years. This will reinvigorate plants. In warmer climates you may find this needs ot be done more often as they don’t die down in winter so can become more exhausted more quickly. Here in Young I have grown varieties called “Red Dragon” and “Silvan Giant” really well.

GARDEN DESIGN TIP

Lines of the existing architectural and hard structures versus overall shape of the garden.
I think it is important to use the existing lines of the site such as the lines of the existing buildings or pathways, as a guide to follow in new designs. If the house is quite straight, then you could use straight angles in the pathways and the placement of new garden structures or the creation of garden beds. These will all sit either perpendicular to the house or parallel to the house. You might decide in a very midcentury modern style of property that you need to blur the straight angles by creating curved structures. We would suggest that whichever way you choose in your garden design that you try to stick to the one form either straight or curved to give a cohesiveness to the total design. The garden design should respect the architecture of the property and there should be a flow which is seamless between the indoors and outdoors.

RENOVATING AND EXISTING GARDEN BED - How to plant out around existing plants.
Often existing garden beds can require a renovation or a restyling of the planting. Over time plants may become tired looking or they have died for various reasons or you may just decide you don’t like some of the planting and want to replace them. Planting out around existing trees, shrubs and ground covers is usually more difficult than when you are starting out with a blank canvas. Here are some elements to consider when it comes to planting out around existing trees and shrubs.

-Where are and what is the extent of the existing root systems. Over time the existing plants root will have grown (hopefully) significantly. You will need to be careful of where you are planting new plants. Any holes dug close to existing plants may mean you damage existing roots system which will stress existing plants. Also planting within root zones of trees will mean the roots of the new plants have to compete with existing roots. This may prove to be a challenge whilst the new plants are becoming established.

– How big will the existing plants grow to in spread and height. Imagining the mature size all plants will grow to is a good way of working out spacing around existing plants. You don’t want new plants to outgrow existing and then block out existing plants

– What are the care requirements of the existing plants. Selecting plants to grow together means they will all require to have similar watering, soil and fertilizing needs for them to survive.

– What style of plants are they – will new plants tone in with existing plants. This is really a matter of opinion however I do try to group similar style plants together. For example, I don’t particularly like grouping any form of cactus plants with flowering shrubs like gardenias. They both have their own unique look and style however in my opinion they don’t really work well together. They also both have different care and condition requirements

– How will the sun/ shade patterns change as the existing plants continue to grow. As plants become more establish they will be taller, wider and denser this will mean the level of light to every area will be ever changing. Ideally any new plants will need to be able to merge their growth in to complement the existing plants rather than outgrow and overshadow the existing plants.

– What are their watering requirements – all plants in the one garden bed should have similar watering requirements. This really is the main consideration as without watering plants won’t grow. If the amount of water each plant requires is vastly different it will make for a very high level of maintenance and really will not be a successful bed. If I refer back to my example above of planting any form of cactus with gardenias. Gardenias, will require regular watering especially in the summer months whereas a cactus will most likely require none at all.

If your garden is looking a bit stagnant and tired, then a garden renewal may be needed. By taking into consideration the above factors your garden renovation will be a success.

Hello Garden Friends
Greetings from a very chilly Young. I can’t quite believe we only have one month left of Winter. We have been very busy planting out one of my landscape design jobs. Last week I planted out over 1000 plants over 3 days. It was a busy week and lets just say my knees after planting continuously aren’t quite the same. The Radox baths have been very helpful. Yes, Radox does work ! We are now finalising the irrigation.

STRUCTURE IN THE WINTER GARDEN
As the cold winter weather can leave your garden a bit bare and bleak it is important to have good structure in the garden for winter enjoyment. I have a link to a previous post I wrote about structure and flowers in the garden for winter. Please see link below for my garden tips and recommendations to achieve a beautiful garden in winter.

This week’s newsletter has a list of Garden Tasks for the month of August and I answer a few of your garden questions.

Happy Gardening

Glenice

Excited to let you all know that the tickets are now on sale for the open garden day here in the Hilltops on September 13th. Here are all the details.

SUNDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER 2026
THREE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS - ONE FABULOUS DAY
Join us for a delightful day exploring three inspiring local country gardens in the picturesque Hilltops region.
Your $50 ticket includes:
Entry to all three gardens*
Nailanga 10.00AM - 12.00PM
Bullaworrie 12.00PM - 2.00PM
Spring Park 2.00PM - 4.00PM

A stylish Open Day Tote complete with gifts
Delicious picnic lunch, dessert box & water
Along the way, Art of Espresso coffee cart & tasty morning tea available. Take a break & enjoy a delicious picnic lunch & dessert box, browse a selection of stalls & be in the running to win one of our fabulous raffle prizes - over $3,200 in prizes to be won!

End the day in style! Relax with live music, a drink from the Bulla Creek Brewery bar, Freemans Wines, delicious cheese platters & wonderful company surrounded by stunning country landscapes. Whether you’re a passionate gardener, searching for inspiration or simply looking for a beautiful day out, Open Gardens in the Hilltops is an event not to be missed.

LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE!
Optional bus transport available for an additional $20 fee & must be booked with your ticket. *Open Garden address details will be made available via email to ticket holders closer to the event. Don’t forget to bring your picnic rug! All proceeds going to the Young Public School P&C.

This looks like an amazing day! Here is the LINK FOR TICKETS

GARDEN TASKS FOR LATE WINTER

A comprehensive list of garden tasks for the month

The weather here has finally dropped in temperature and we are actually experiencing a colder winter than what we have had in the last 2 months. This month is when I will be completing all of the winter Rose pruning on our roses. I will also be fertilsing and mulching them. I have a full article about how to prune Roses here

Continuing on with the pruning theme I also have some deciduous trees and stone fruit still to be pruned. Here is my guide to winter pruning. The cutting back will continue with our ornamental grasses and perennials.

If you are pruning stone fruits then the key is to first remove dead, damaged or diseased wood. Then remove any lower branches (lift the canopy) and anything that’s considered extension (wayward) growth. Remove crossing branches, then thin out centre of tree so that sunlight can reach the internal sections of the tree when the tree is back in leaf. Some commercial growers also lop back tops so they are flat topped to give maximum light in to these areas. If you do flat top the top of your tree you will need to continue doing this every year.

There are more frosts on the way so make sure you have frost protection over tender plants.

Keep on top of the weeds and try to fertilise and mulch over the areas once weeded.

If you have broad leaf weeds in your lawns (the most common broad leaf weeds in lawns are clover, cape weed and bindi) treat with a broad leaf spray now before the growth starts. Other weeds such as paspalum, winter grass, nut grass will need to be treated with a selective herbicides. In warmer climates you could also start fertilising your lawn. We will aim to be doing ours in September when it is a little warmer.

In the veggie garden you can start prepping veggies ready for the spring summer crops. These could be started in pots that are stored under cover with some protection or in greenhouses. Some plants you could start would be Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Beans and Zucchinis. I’m also adding more leafy greens – I cannot get enough of these!

Check irrigation systems, make sure all systems are working, fix broken drippers, pop ups and joiners. Changing batteries of controllers if necessary. Ensure the systems are ready to go for when the hot weather hits.

If you have any water features or ponds now is a good time to empty out and clean if needed. If you manage to get this done before a shower of rain you could let the rain fill them back up.

Fix up or repair any hard landscaping parts of the garden such as paths, wall, gravel or pebble areas.

ANSWERING YOUR GARDEN QUESTIONS….

QUESTION ONE FROM NICOLE IN GOULBURN
I am in the process of creating a new garden - what would be your biggest tip when it comes to laying out the plants. I have a list of my favourites that are suited to our area however I’m not sure how to set them out and select quantities. I already have garden beds ready to go.

It is good that you have a short list of plants to choose from. That is a very good place to start. I would then think about what you are trying to achieve. Do you need to screen out neighbours? Do you need to let in winter light?, Do you need to soften fence lines, walls, structures or side of houses? Do you need a focal point?

I would always try to select groups of the same species, plant out in groups of 3 or 5 . I would aim to try not to select one of everything. Using less species but repeat planting and then use on mass. Selecting plants for their leaf shape, colour and texture rather than just for flowers. Then consider their heights and forms or habits. Keeping taller plants towards the back of beds with medium and then low plants in front. Creating the layers will give you more depth. If the plants are viewed from all sides you could use taller plants through the centre with medium and low shrubs planted out towards the edges. Before planting out , look at the garden beds from all angles to see what it will look like.

QUESTION TWO FROM TINA IN TEMORA
Despite the cooler temperatures I seem to have a huge number of slaters and ear wigs throughout my garden bed especially around my roses. I also have them in the tops of my pots where I have Buxus Balls, Iris and Correa. What can I do?

The best thing to do is to remove any damp hiding spots. Both pests thrive in dark, wet, and organic-rich environments like mulch, leaf litter, and woodpiles. I would remove or rake back any mulch or leaf litter that has collected at the base of your plants - this will remove the number of places they can hide. It will also open up the area to be bare soil or potting mix which they don’t like to crawl over. Essentially it is best to make conditions less ideal and they should hopefully move on.

Alternatively you could try to trap them - here are some ideas

• Cardboard and newspaper traps: Roll up damp newspaper or use corrugated cardboard and place them in the garden overnight; shake the trapped pests into a bucket of soapy water in the morning.

• Oil and soy sauce traps: Bury small shallow bowls or jar lids level with the soil, filled with a little vegetable or olive oil mixed with a few drops of soy sauce to attract and drown them.

• Fruit peel traps: Place hollowed-out orange halves or scooped-out citrus rinds face down on the soil overnight

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The weather here has finally dropped in temperatures and we are actually experiencing a colder winter than what we have had in the last 2 months. This month is when I will be completing all of the winter Rose pruning on our roses. I will also be fertilsing and mulching them. I have a full article about how to prune Roses here

Continuing on with the pruning theme I also have some deciduous trees and stone fruit still to be pruned. Here is my guide to winter pruning. The cutting back will continue with our ornamental grasses and perennials.

If you are pruning stone fruits then the key is to first remove dead, damaged or diseased wood. Then remove any lower branches (lift the canopy) and anything that’s considered extension (wayward) growth. Remove crossing branches, then thin out centre of tree so that sunlight can reach the internal sections of the tree when the tree is back in leaf. Some commercial growers also lop back tops so they are flat topped to give maximum light in to these areas. If you do flat top the top of your tree you will need to continue doing this every year.

There are more frosts on the way so make sure you have frost protection over tender plants.

Keep on top of the weeds and try to fertilise and mulch over the areas once weeded.

If you have broad leaf weeds in your lawns (the most common broad leaf weeds in lawns are clover, cape weed and bindi) treat with a broad leaf spray now before the growth starts. Other weeds such as paspalum, winter grass, nut grass will need to be treated with a selective herbicides. In warmer climates you could also start fertilising your lawn. We will aim to be doing ours in September when it is a little warmer.

In the veggie garden you can start prepping veggies ready for the spring summer crops. These could be started in pots that are stored under cover with some protection or in greenhouses. Some plants you could start would be Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Beans and Zucchinis. I’m also adding more leafy greens – I cannot get enough of these!

Check irrigation systems, make sure all systems are working, fix broken drippers, pop ups and joiners. Changing batteries of controllers if necessary. Ensure the systems are ready to go for when the hot weather hits.

If you have any water features or ponds now is a good time to empty out and clean if needed. If you manage to get this done before a shower of rain you could let the rain fill them back up.

Fix up or repair any hard landscaping parts of the garden such as paths, wall, gravel or pebble areas.

Hello Garden Lovers
Finally here in the Hilltops Region after a milder start to the cold season, a series of proper morning frosts has settled over the landscape. These freezing temperatures are a welcome sigh of relief for the garden. Frost is nature’s definitive signal for plants to drop their remaining leaves and sink into deep, essential dormancy. Beyond giving our gardens a much-needed winter rest, these sustained cold snaps play a critical operational role—they break the lifecycle of overwintering pests, resetting the clean slate we rely on for a healthy spring burst. Often when we have had a warmer winter the number of pest and diseases a garden will experience the following summer are in much greater numbers. A number of heavy frosts will actually help a garden in the long run.

​There is a quiet, understated magic to a bare winter garden stripped down to its architectural bones. Without the lush distraction of summer canopy and overflowing foliage, the true structure of the landscape steps into the spotlight: the silhouette of deciduous branches, the crisp lines of stone walls, and the textural contrast of bark and bare earth. Embracing this stark elegance allows us to appreciate the bones of our spaces in a way no other season permits, offering a peaceful pause to reflect on garden layout before the rush of green returns.

​Yet even in the depth of winter rest, the garden is far from lifeless. Emerging right through the frosty ground are stunning swathes of winter bulbs, piercing the muted tones with vibrant, optimistic colour. Seeing masses of early blooms push through the chill is a incredible reminder of nature’s resilience and rhythm.

In this week’s newsletter I explain the difference between plant pot sizes. from the smallest to more advanced specimens. I will give you my tips and recommendations for selecting the right pot size for your planting.

Thanks for reading
Happy Gardening

Glenice

Explaining Plant Pot Sizes

Once you know which plant species you want to use in your garden you are then faced with the task of deciding what size plants to select. When I say what size plants to select I mean what pot size you want to select. In the nursery industry whilst you will select the plant species the pot size is what normally determines the cost of the plant. The pot size of the plant should not affect the quantity of plants you wish to purchase or the layout of the plants however it will influence the cost, growth rate and establishment timing.

The standard pot sizes you will see in nurseries are;

Tubestock 20mm 30mm 40mm

Pots - 100mm (4 Inches), 140mm ( 6 inches), 200mm (8 inches), 250mm (10 inches), 300mm (12 inches), 400mm (16 inches), 500mm (20 inches),

Bags - 25 Litre, 45 Litre, 75 Litre, 100 Litre, 150 Litre, 200 Litre, 300 Litre, 400 Litre and larger.

I have listed here the millimetre size and inch sizes in pot as the nursery industry in Australia still switches between the 2 units of measurments. Overseas often all pots are called by the capacity size for example gallons. In Australia the measurements listed above refers to the diameter of the actual pot across the top of the pot.

When you start looking at plant pot sizes you will also notice that there can be a variance in sizing between plants in the same size pot. It can be a little like shopping in a fruit shop. At different times of year you will have different sized plants in the same size pot for the same price. There is an Australian Standard for growing trees. This is supposed to give guideline as to how tall plants / trunk thickness etc should be however very few growers follow this regulation.

My Insider Tips For You To Follow Before You Buy

When you find a reliable grower I think you are best to stick with their stock. Here a few things to look out for when you are selecting your plants.

​Before heading to the register, give your plants a quick check:

• ​Check the Drain Holes: If thick roots are growing heavily out of the bottom, the plant may be pot-bound.

• ​The “Squeeze” Test: Give rigid plastic pots a gentle squeeze. If it feels solid as a brick, the root mass has completely displaced the soil. This plant may be root bound, it may have circling roots which can be difficult to correct.

• ​Check the Stem: Ensure advanced bagged trees are sturdy at the base and haven’t been planted too deep inside the bag (the root flare should be visible right at the soil surface).

• The “Wiggle ” test - Does the plant have an established root system - grip the main stem of the plant at the top of the pot. Gently try to move the wiggle the stem. Does the plant move around in the pot loosely - if so it may have just been potted up into this pot. If there is only a slight movement of soil across the soil surface it should have a good spreading root system.

• Ask about age & propagation: Is it a cutting/graft or a seedling?

• Check the root-to-pot ratio: Is the root ball fully established without being pot-bound? Two plants can look identical on top, but what is going on below the surface can be completely different. If you lift a 200mm plant and half the soil falls away because the roots haven’t filled it yet, you’ve paid 200mm prices for 140mm root mass!

• Look for structure over height: Is the plant bushy and strong, or just tall and stretched out looking for light.

  

Understanding Your Plant Species

Understanding the characteristics of your plants species you are buying is also important. For example purchasing a soft wooded herbaceous perennial is very different from purchasing a deciduous tree. If you understand what type of growth your plant species has you will be able to make a more informed decision when selecting your plants.
A fast-growing, soft perennial like a Salvia or Gaura might fill out a 200mm pot in a matter of weeks. On the other hand, a slow-growing hardwood like a Japanese Maple or Buxus might spend a year or two in that exact same pot size to build trunk caliper and root density.

• ​Insider Tip - Assuming all 200mm pots represent the same value.

  You aren’t just paying for the volume of plastic or potting mix; you are paying for the months (or years) the nursery spent watering, pruning, feeding, and staging that specific plant.

  Another area to understand is the propagation method:

• ​Seedlings (Variable): Cheap to produce, but growth habits, flower color, and hardiness can vary wildly from plant to plant.

• ​Cuttings / Clones (Uniform): Genetically identical, ensuring exact growth habit, colour, and form.

• ​Grafted Plants (Specialised): Combines strong rootstock with premium top growth (common in fruit trees, roses, and weeping specimens). They take skilled labor to produce, making them naturally more expensive than a basic seedling in the same pot size.

​Total Height vs. Trunk Caliper & Branching
When comparing advanced bagged trees (like 45L to 100L):

• ​Height isn’t everything: A tall, whip-thin tree with a single stem that bends in the wind isn’t as valuable as a slightly shorter tree with a thick trunk caliper, well-spaced structural branching, and a developed canopy.

• ​Pruning Hours: That bushy, well-structured tree required multiple hand-pruning sessions by a skilled grower over several seasons to create that form.

Why Tube Stock Often Outperforms Big Trees
Deep native tubes (40mm–50mm) are engineered to force roots straight down rather than around in circles. Because their root systems aren’t constrained or pot-bound, a $5 tube stock tree will often catch up to—and surpass—a 200mm potted tree within three years. If you have time on your side or a lot of ground to cover, start small.

​Beware the “Upsizing Trap”
It’s tempting to buy a small plant and put it straight into a massive pot so it has “room to grow.” However, a small root system in a huge pot can’t drink water fast enough. The surrounding soil stays saturated, cutting off oxygen and leading to root rot. When repotting or potting up, aim for a container just 2 to 3 inches wider in diameter than the current one.

​Bagged Trees vs. Rigid Pots
Ever wonder why advanced trees come in flexible black bags rather than hard plastic? Heavy-duty grow bags encourage “air pruning”—when root tips reach the edge and hit air through the fabric weave, they stop circling and branch out instead. This prevents severe root girdling before the tree goes into the ground.

​Why is it better to buy younger plants?

When you buy a larger pot, you aren’t just buying a bigger plant—you are buying time, soil volume, and root stability. However sometimes bigger is not always better. Smaller plants undergo significantly less transplant shock. Because their top growth is balanced with their compact root mass, they adapt to native soil almost immediately.

​Insider Tip: A small plant in the right-sized pot will outgrow a root-bound monster trapped in a small pot within two seasons.

The Catch-Up Effect: A $5 tube stock tree planted at the same time as a $200 - 45L tree will often catch up in height within 3 to 4 years—and typically turns into a more resilient tree because its roots established deep into the surrounding soil early on, rather than circling in a pot.

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​Toughness in Harsh Conditions
If you are planting in heavy clay, rocky ground, or areas subject to extreme summer heat and frost, smaller plants are far better at adapting:

• ​Less Water Dependency: Large specimen plants need massive, consistent irrigation for 12–18 months to keep their heavy top growth alive.

• ​Hardening Off: Small plants grow with the local climate and soil conditions from day one, building cell density and drought tolerance suited specifically to your site.

​Bulk Economics for Mass Planting
When putting in long hedges, windbreaks, ground covers, or large massed beds, budget efficiency matters:

• ​Cost Factor: You can plant 20 to 30 tube stock plants for the price of a single 300mm feature pot.

• ​Easier Installation: Digging fifty 50mm holes takes minutes; digging fifty 300mm holes requires major soil disturbance and far more manual labor.

​When Should You Buy Large?
Going big still has its place! Reach for 45L+ bags or 300mm pots when:

• ​You need immediate privacy or a focal point right now.

• ​Planting slow-growing species (like Camellias, Buxus, or slow conifers) where waiting 5 years isn’t practical.

• ​You are replacing a single lost specimen in a mature, established garden bed where a tiny plant would get shaded out or trampled.

​From my 30 years of working in the horticulture industry, sourcing plants and selling plants for hundreds of landscape projects I do feel that one of the most advantageous steps to sourcing plants is building good relationships with growers or plant brokers. Educate yourself on what the plants sizes should be and what the level of plant quality should be. This in turn will ensure you are buying good quality, healthy plants from reputable growers. Don’t just go to the big box stores and expect to get a good quality plant. The plants might be cheaper however often they are not any cheaper and have not received the same level of care as a smaller nursery would give them. Always remember a $25 plant in a 200mm pot is not automatically the same thing as another $25 plant in a 200mm pot.

If you would like help with your next plant purchase or garden project please let me know.

​

Hello and Welcome to this week’s newsletter.

Today is National Tree Day in Australia. It was established by Planet Ark in 1996, it is Australia’s largest community tree-planting and nature-care event. Today marks the 30th year of this event. Since its inception, Planet Ark’s National Tree Day has grown into Australia’s largest community tree planting and nature care event. More than just a day, it’s a nationwide movement that inspires Australians to get their hands dirty, connect with nature, and make a positive difference in their local communities.

Over the past three decades, volunteers have contributed more than 10 million hours to planting trees, restoring habitat, and taking part in environmental activities that foster a deeper understanding of the natural world. While National Tree Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of July each year, events can be held whenever best suits your local climate and schedule. Are you planting a tree today ?

In today’s newsletter we have an in depth focus on how to garden organically in your home garden. Often if you see a pest or disease in the garden you will automatically reach for the spray bottle however in todays newsletter I give you some alternative methods to deal with these garden issues. Let me know if you have any queries about pest and disease management in your home garden. As always thanks for being here.

Happy Gardening

Glenice

HOW TO TREAT PESTS AND DISEASES IN YOUR GARDEN ORGANICALLY Managing pests and diseases organically is all about shifting from a mindset of eradication to one of balance. Instead of reaching for a chemical spray the second a bug appears, organic management relies on building a resilient ecosystem where nature does most of the heavy lifting.

In our home garden I try not to use any herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. If the plant is looking sick I will if possible try to cut back the foliage of the plant or hose off the pest. If it’s really bad I will pull it out. I do have the strict policy in our garden if it is not healthy it needs to go. I also believe if you select the right plant for your location and you start off with a healthy soil then the plant will grow, survive and thrive. This may not be an acceptable attitude for the veggie garden as vegetables can be susceptible to everything however in the rest of the garden it is my policy. To be honest as I do select plants that are the best fit for the location I rarely have any pests or diseases to deal with.

Your first line of defence in battling against any pests or diseases is to know your garden, take regular walks, observe the growth and what is happening. By knowing your plants well you will spot any issues quickly. This is the my second line of defence deal with the issue quickly. The sooner a pest or disease is dealt with the easier it will be to control and the lesser impact it will have on the plant and the rest of the garden. If you can treat a pest and disease before it spreads it will be a much more manageable situation.

Once you have identified a pest or disease you can first assess if the pest or disease can be physically removed or can leaves be pruned? You should also check will it sting or injure you ? If it is likely to impact you I would recommend wearing protective clothing, gloves and eye protection. For example bronze orange bugs that are found on citrus (pictured below). These bugs will spray out a liquid that can get in your eyes. The best management practice with these bugs is the manually remove them. I would wear long gloves and eye protection. I would then use long ended tongs to pick up the bugs and drop them in a covered jar of water.

After assessing if removal is an option you could then look at some type of cover to exclude the pests if possible. Alternatively you may need to reach for an organic spray. These will be outlined below.

Here is an outline of my suggested steps for controlling pests and disease in the garden

Cultural Controls (The Foundation)
The strongest defence against any issue is a healthy, unstressed plant.

• ​Soil Health: Healthy soil equals healthy plants. Broad-spectrum chemical fertilizers can cause rapid, sap-heavy flush growth that actively attracts sucking insects like aphids. Stick to high-quality compost, aged manures, and organic rock dusts to build robust plant cell walls.

• ​Air Circulation & Spacing: Fungal spores thrive in stagnant, humid air. Ensure plants are spaced correctly and selectively prune lower or crowded foliage to let air and light move through the canopy.

• ​Sanitation: Remove and discard any diseased leaves or fallen fruit immediately. Never compost material with severe fungal infections (like black spot or powdery mildew) or viral issues unless you are running a strictly monitored, certified hot compost pile.

• ​Watering Habits: Water the soil at the base of the plant rather than overhead wetting the foliage. Doing this early in the morning allows any accidental wet leaves to dry out quickly in the sun, drastically reducing fungal risks.

​Biological Controls (The Clean-up Crew)
​Instead of spraying, invite predators in to do the work for you.

• ​Attract Beneficials: Plant a diverse mix of flowering species—especially those with umbrella-shaped flower clusters (like dill, fennel, yarrow, and cosmos)—to provide nectar for ladybirds, lacewings, hoverflies, and predatory wasps.

• ​Accept Thresholds: To keep beneficial predators in your garden, there needs to be a small population of pests for them to eat. A few aphids on a rose bud aren’t a disaster; they are breakfast for a ladybird larva.

Physical & Mechanical Controls
Before applying any spray, try physical removal.

• ​Hand-picking: For larger pests like citrus bugs, snails, or caterpillars, physically removing them and dropping them into a bucket of soapy water is highly effective.

• Pruning off / Cutting back - Remove affected or damaged fooliage and branches.

• ​The Hose-Down: A sharp blast of water from the garden hose can easily dislodge heavy infestations of aphids, spider mites, or whiteflies, breaking their breeding cycle without damaging the plant.

• ​Exclusion with Netting and Barriers: Fruit fly netting, exclusion bags, and copper tape for snails create simple, highly effective physical boundaries.

  

​Targeted Organic Treatments
When an outbreak threatens a plant’s survival and physical controls aren’t enough, use targeted, low-toxicity organic remedies. Always spray in the early morning or cool of the evening to avoid leaf scorch and protect foraging bees. If there are alot of flowers out in the garden you will impact the pollinators that are alasi attarcted to the garden.

​For Sucking Pests (Aphids, Mites, Scale, Thrips)

• ​Horticultural Oils & Eco-Oils: These work by smothering the insect rather than poisoning it. They are incredibly effective against scale, mites, and citrus leaf miner. You will need to spray both top and bottoms of leaves to the point of runoff (the leaf should be dripping with the liquid) . You will need to apply at least 3 times at five day intervals. Do not apply when the temperatures are over 35 degrees.

• ​Potassium Soap / Insecticidal Soap/ Horticultural Soap: These sprays break down the protective outer shell of soft-bodied insects, causing them to dehydrate. You can use on aphids, mites, whitefly, fungus gnats, thrips and mealybugs. You will need to spray both top and bottoms of leaves to the point of runoff (the leaf should be dripping with the liquid)

​For Chewing Pests (Caterpillars, Beetles)

• ​Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt): A naturally occurring soil bacterium sold under names like Dipel (YATES). It targets the digestive system of caterpillars specifically, making it safe for birds, frogs, and other beneficial insects.You will need to spray both top and bottoms of leaves to the point of runoff (the leaf should be dripping with the liquid) Repeat spray every 7 - 10 days.

  

  For Fungal Diseases (Powdery Mildew, Black Spot, Rust)

  ​

  Potassium Bicarbonate / Milk Sprays: For powdery mildew, a preventative spray made from 1 part milk to 9 parts water alters the pH on the leaf surface, making it inhospitable for fungal spores. Add in a horticultural oil to this to increase its effectiveness. You will need to spray both top and bottoms of leaves to the point of runoff (the leaf should be dripping with the liquid)

  Copper & Sulphur Fungicides: Organic-approved elemental sprays can be used as a preventative or early-stage treatment for severe fungal issues, but use them sparingly as continuous over-application can lead to heavy metal buildup in the soil. Copper Hydroxide will treat peach leaf curl, leaf spots, rust, downy mildew and fruit rots.

  Lime Sulphur will treat powdery mildew, leaf curl, rust, mites and scale. You will need to spray both top and bottoms of leaves to the point of runoff (the leaf should be dripping with the liquid). Do not apply this when the temperatures are above 32 degrees, if there is a frost and or if the plant is suffering from any moisture stress.

VALE PETER NIXON
Last Sunday, the horticulture industry lost an icon, Peter Nixon, landscape designer, and plant expert from Paradisus Design. He is someone I considered to be a friend and colleague who I learnt so much from. He has been designing gardens and working in the horticulture industry for over 40 years. Back in the early days of starting my business (20 years ago) I was lucky enough to work for Peter on some of his garden design installations. He always said to me I needed to be there to do all the little fussy detailed things like dividing hundreds of pots of mondo grass into 3 or 4 smaller plants. We then used this to plant out an area as a “lawn” of mondo grass. It looked amazing. I was in charge of handling the fragile orchids or bromeliads that needed to be attached to a tree or tree fern. Thinking back now, I worked on at least ten of his gardens, many of which I was asked to then continue on with the garden maintenance once completed. I always appreciated that he trusted me with his garden creations, especially as a young designer / horticulturist, newly in business. I enjoyed my days working in his gardens, they had a unique feeling. They were lush, bold, architectural, tropical but also very soft and relaxed.

At a similar time as I started my business Peter founded the Designer Growers Network (DGN) back in the early 2000’s, to bring growers and designers together in one place. This was with the aim to bridge the gap between designers and growers of the unusual plants. It was aimed to have one place where you could find interesting plants to make your garden beautiful. I know this opened up many plant sourcing channels for me and made my garden designs more interesting as I could source so many different plants. The networking events that he held were brilliant ways of meeting other industry people too.

If I ever had a plant or business question, Peter was always very supportive and helpful. Within minutes of sending him a plant ident question I would have a cheerful reply email with an answer along with in depth information that a book or a google search could never give me. He taught me so much about plants, garden design and business. I always appreciated his generosity in sharing his knowledge and contacts. His enduring attitude was that you should help each other out even if you might be in direct competition. I have always had this same attitude and will continue to do this - “a rising tide lifts all boats”. His philosophy that shared knowledge helps everyone and will lift and improve the industry, is insightful and one that I will live by.

Thank you Peter for your friendship and your mentorship.

If you would like to read a little about one of Peter’s cool sub tropic gardens here is an article I wrote back in 2014 for Garden Drum about garden care of one of his gardens. Images included in this article are all taken in a Peter Nixon designed and planted garden Link here

If you would like to see some of Peter’s gardens you can refer to his website here. He was featured on Better Homes and Gardens - link here

He was also featured on Gardening Australia numerous time - link here to the green wall project or to Oasis in the Sky a gorgeous roof top garden that I was lucky enough to maintain for a few years before I moved to Young link here

You can refer to his website where there are many very helpful videos about his garden designs tips.

Hello Garden Friends

I took the above image as I stepped out of our office yesterday. I love seeing this green on green colour palette. It is green in all the shades. I can see at least six different greens in this image. Such a gorgeous spectrum for any garden. These are plants waiting to be planted at an upcoming project. Recently I was interested to hear that some people consider green a polarising colour. They say it is a stark contrast to use on a building and that it is very dated - almost old fashioned. I couldn’t believe my ears as I feel there is a shade of green for every type of architecture. Garden Lovers - What do you think ?

This week we have just had the first glimmers of blossoms bursting on some of the Prunus trees here in Young. They do seem early this year, maybe because we have only just had a burst of cold weather over the last week or 2. I love seeing the blossoms although that does also mean that Spring is on its way which I’m not ready for. I do love the winter coolness. I much prefer this to the heat of a summers day.
We are back to our monthly mow visits this week for our lawn mowing clients and I have to say I can’t get over the growth we are still experiencing. Here in Young we have really only had 1 or 2 frosts so far. The Kikuyu lawns in our area would normally by now be a golden yellow colour due to the cold but they are all still quite lush and green. It has definitely been warmer than normal winter so far.

Below I have this week’s four garden recommendations along with a garden tip

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN TIP
Look out for Lily Caterpillars, these are the huge black and orange caterpillars that seem to adore munching on the leaves of strappy leaf plants such as clivias. You may first notice their green or black slimey excrement in the base of the leaves. These caterpillars can skeletonise leaves of hundreds of plants almost over night. If it is a small infestation you could attempt to remove by hand. Otherwise you will need to use Dipel a few times to prevent kill all of the pests.

Amazing Arid Australia Conference

The conference theme is dedicated to the 70 per cent of Australia that is arid or semi-arid. Over five days the conference will be your chance to hear about and see native plants and their habitats in central Australia. There will be three days of keynote talks, themed breakouts, two afternoon outings and two days of excursions into the MacDonnell Ranges and special places around Alice Springs. For more information go here

MONTY DON’S RHINELAND GARDENS

Monty Don's Rhineland Gardens premieres on Australian television on Friday, July 24 at 7:30pm on ABC TV. In this three-part series, Monty follows the Rhine River over 1000 kilometers from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea. He visits beautiful gardens and learns how the river shaped them. For more information go here

Ancient ‘Robin Hood’ tree is dead, experts say

The Major Oak, one of the UK’s most iconic trees due to its vast age, size and links to the legend of Robin Hood, is believed by experts to have died. The ancient oak is estimated to have lived in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire for up to 1,200 years, and is considered one of Britain’s biggest oak trees.

Conservationists worked to protect the tree, which attracted millions of visitors over its life, but in recent years the natural giant was in decline. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) - the conservation charity which manages the forest - added after the tree’s first spring with no leaves this year, scientific experts said the Major Oak had died. Read more

IS GARDENING THE SECRET TO LIFE ?
It was interesting reading this post on instagram from Dan Buettner - founder of the blue zone kitchen also the host of the netflix series - Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. We all know about the benefits of gardening but now the scientific research is confirming it all. Gardening improves cognitive health, lowers stress, improves mental health, helps with weight management, gives you time in the sun for vitamin D uptake. All of these combine to give you a longer life. To read the full article go here

Hello Garden Friends
On our recent trip away we took daily morning walks through the beautiful Noosa National Park. It would have to be one of the most scenic walks you could possibly do on the east coast of Australia or I might be biased but I would say in the world. The timber boardwalk starts at the eastern end of Noosa Main Beach. The path winds through Coastal Eucalyptus forest with the occasional Pandanus Palm spiking its heads through the canopy. You will first pass First Point and the sandy shores of Little Cove. The elevated walkway continues on up the hill and down again past Second Point which is where many surfers will drop their boards in to catch a wave. You then enter the gateway into Noosa National Park. A paved pathway will take you from here to Boiling Pot, Tea Tree Beach (named for the forest of Tea Trees that grow on its shores) and then Dolphin Point. Continuing on from Dolphin Point there is a loose granite pathway that will take you to Granite Bay and then end up at Hells Gate and Alexandra Bay. Our daily wander took us through forests of Tea Trees (Melaleuca quinquinervia), stands of anceint Pandanus Palms, windswept north face slopes of coastal heathland and rocky granite outcrops. All of these beautiful natural landscapes can be experienced in less than an hour and all with a back drop of the azure blue waters of Laguna Bay. If you’re lucky you may also see a dolphin or a whale swimming through the waves.

Whilst I was taking in this scenic beauty of the Sunshine Coast I started thinking about how I truely appreciate nature and spending time amongst the trees. I see it as a true blessing that I can get a sense of calm just being there. I wondered if this appreciation for nature came before my love of gardens or if my love of all things gardening came first or did they both come at once. Is it an appreciation that was inherited from my gardening and nature loving parents or is it something I learnt due to exposure. I know as children we did many bush walks around Ku - Ring - Gai National Park and I grew up across the road from Blue Gum Reserve which is a section of Lane Cove National Park. Many a day was spent having adventures in this bushland with the neighbourhood kids. We would build cubby houses and forts amongst the trees, catch tadpoles in the Blue Gum Creek, play jumping gym on the huge moss covered boulders and we always had to climb up Tiger Rock.

I wonder if this exposure to nature early on and for so many years lead me towards gardening or was it always meant to be. I’m sure there are people out there who love nature but can’t be bothered with having a garden and vice versa. Which ever way I came to have this appreciation of both nature and gardening I feel very grateful that both give me so much.

On that note I better be off for my morning walk - unfortunately not past Laguna Bay but still quite scenic. This time it will be on a dirt road, past some beautiful early flowering canola with a backdrop of the Illuni Mountains.

In this week’s newsletter we have the link to a previous post I wrote about Winter Tree Pruning, a Growing Guide for Aspargaus, My Garden Tips fro Mid July and how to deal with pests and diseases organically in the garden.

Happy Gardening

Glenice

Growing Guide for Asparagus
Asparagus prefers a sheltered site with free-draining soil. It can be planted out as a dormant one-year-old plants known as crowns or it can also be grown from seed. Winter is the perfect time to find the area in your garden to plant out and grow asparagus. They prefer to have a dedicated space in the garden where they can settle in and grow. The growing soil needs to be highly organic. I recommend adding well rotted cow manure and compost to the bed before planting. They will thrive best in cool to warm-temperate climates (from Melbourne up to Brisbane). Because the plants can produce for up to 20 years, it requires careful soil preparation and patience as the plant crowns really can’t be disturbed once planted. In fact you must wait 2 to 3 years before harvesting your first spears. You should let the spears go to the tall ferny stems for the entire summer and then cut them to ground level in autumn. They should start re-sprouting in spring. Once the plant becomes established it should produce 10 - 15 spears per season. To have a sizeable harvest you will need to plant more than one crown.

Avoid planting potatoes, beans and alliums (like onions, garlic, and leeks), close to the asparagus. These plants will release compounds that can stunt the asparagus growth. They will also compete for soil nutrients and may attract shared pests.

GARDEN TIPS FOR MID JULY
*Keep adding winter flowering annuals to the garden. Pansy, Violas, Wall Flowers, English Chalet daisy, Primulas will bring some joy and brightness to the grey gloomy days of winter.

*I will also continue to fertilise winter annual flowers fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser that is high in potassimum. I normally use miracle grow. I also continue to dead head the flowers as they die. I cut off the flowers at the base of the flower stems. This will help encourage more flowers

*Prune the dead flowers off the autumn flowering bulbs however I will leave the foliage above ground to die off as this will give energy to the bulbs for next year. This week I have cut back the dead flowers from the Nerines and Acis where needed.

Read more

Hello Gardening Friends
Hope this week is going well for you. We are back to work and in the full swing of school holidays. If you are going through the juggle of school holidays and trying to work I feel for you and totally understand. It is definitely a balancing act. A few frosts this week have definitely helped sweeten up the Oranges and Mandarins on our trees. I’m looking forward to picking a few every few days for all of us to enjoy.

Above was a piece of living garden sculpture we saw a few years ago whilst travelling around the Cotswolds. We were exploring all the glorious gardens of the area and stopped off in the town of Morton on the Marsh for lunch. This succulent horse sculpture was right in front of the pub we had lunch at. I thought I would include this in today’s newsletter as it shows what you can do with succulents which relates to this week’s garden tip. These Echeveria would continue to grow over time so they may need some thinning however they fill in nicely and make a lovely show instead of say a Buxus topiary or Ivy grown on wire supports which would be the more commonly used species to get this same effect.

This week’s Garden Tip and Garden Recommendations are listed below

Thanks for being here

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN TIP
Winter is a good time to take leaf or stem cuttings from succulents. Fill pots with well drained sandy soil or succulent / Cacti mix.

-Make the cut: Use a sharp, sterile knife or scissors to cleanly snip a healthy piece of the stem (about 5-7 cm long).

-Remove the lower leaves: Gently strip away the lower leaves on the stem so you have at least 1-2 cm of bare stem to insert into the soil.

-Dry it out: Place your cutting on a dry tray in a shaded spot and leave it for a few days to callous.

-After 3 - 5 days - Place the leaf cuttings on the top of the soil to allow them to set out roots. Try not to disturb them once they are placed in.

11th Australian Wildflower National Conference & Expo
Friday 14 August 2026 and Saturday 15 August 2026
WildFlowers Australia is hosting the 11th Australian Wildflower National Conference & Expo at Marcoola on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The Conference and Trade Expo will be held over two days with presentations and a gala dinner on the first day and visits to local farms on the second day. A limited-space pre-conference tour will also be offered. The event will bring together industry members from around Australia and internationally to learn and network. It follows on the highly successful conference held in Echuca-Moama in 2023 and seeks to build on the energy and enthusiasm generated there. For more information go here

HARVEST AND HANDMADE IN FORBES
Formerly known as our much-loved Dirty Gloves Nursery Open Day, this event is returning in 2026 with a fresh new name and an even bigger experience.
DATE : Sunday, 6th September 2026

Harvest & Handmade – a celebration of gardening, creativity, community, and local talent.
Explore an incredible range of plants, trees, pots, and gardening essentials
Learn from inspiring guest speakers and industry experts
Participate in hands-on workshops and demonstrations
Discover unique handmade goods from talented local artisans and makers
Browse homegrown produce, homemade treats, and locally crafted products
Connect with fellow gardeners, plant lovers, and creative minds
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, a weekend plant enthusiast, or simply looking for a wonderful day out, Harvest & Handmade promises something for everyone. Follow Dirty Gloves Nursery here

Forget minimalism: Aussie experts reveal the top 2027 gardening trends you’ll want to adopt early
I was interested to read about these garden trends from Australian garden experts in Better Homes and Gardens. Some of the key takeaways from the article are listed below.

• 2027 garden trends in Australia focus on personalising your garden to you and creating a space that celebrates nature.

• Sustainability and wellness are popular considerations when designing, planting and maintaining gardens.

• The top 5 garden features our experts are seeing are water features, rocks and boulders, native planting, layering and ‘edimentals’.

To read more of this article go here.

A recent report has warned that London could lose most of its trees by the end of the century due to climate change

Research from Kew Gardens and the Greater London Authority has revealed that the capital’s urban canopy is at huge risk.ecent research has revealed just how bleak the future of London’s leafy landscape could be looking by the end of the century if urgent action isn’t taken. The research in question comes courtesy of the Kew Gardens Tree Collections and Arboriculture team and the Greater London Authority who assessed 1.2 million trees across the city.

With temperatures in the capital continuing to rise, their findings revealed that 62% of London’s trees have ‘low suitability’ and a further 10% of them are considered to be ‘vulnerable’. This means that by the end of the century, a whopping 72% of the capital’s urban canopy could be at risk. To read more go here.

Hello Gardening Friends
I hope this email finds you well. We have just had a week away on the Sunshine Coast which was lovely. The weather was fairly fine even if it was coolish. It wasn’t cold like it has been here at home in Young. Many of the locals on the coast were saying it was colder than normal however we still managed to swim most days. The water temperature varied from 19 - 21 degrees. I have to admit when the water first hits your body it took my breath away for a second but once you were completely immersed in the water it was so refreshing. There is nothing quite like taking a dip in saltwater.

Driving along the Pacific Highway through the North Coast area it was a spectacular sight seeing all of the Wattles in flower for kilometres and kilometres. At a few of the rest stops we stopped at the fragrance of wattles was so strong. I love smelling the deeply sweet, powdery floral aroma that is layered with warm notes of honey. I was very impressed with the state of cleanliness in these road side public bathrooms and even the picnic tables and park land areas. They were much nicer places to stop than the service stations.

In this week’s Dig Plant Grow Newsletter we have a garden term explained, my garden tip for the week and a garden design tip to consider. We also have a focus on growing some more unusual fruit that I adore to grow and of course to eat. All three trees develop delicious fruit however they also make beautiful ornamental trees to use in your garden.

I hope you enjoy this week’s issue

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN GLOSSARY - A SINGLE FLOWER VERSUS A DOUBLE FLOWER
Often when you are reading plant labels or descriptions of flowers in a plant encyclopaedias they will be described as having a single flower, a semi double flower or a double flower. This description is referring to the number of petals you will have per flower. It is important to understand these terms as it will affect the appearance of the flower. Some common plant species that are known for having different types of flowers are Camellias, Roses, Gardenias, Hibiscus.

A Single Flower - has one layer of petals around a central point. For example a Marguerite Daisy or a Camellia sasanqua “Setsugekka” have single flowers

A Double Flower has several layers of petals from a central point giving a full rounded appearance. For example, Camellia japonica “Desire” or “Betty Ridley” are both double flower.

A Semi-Double flower - is a flower that is between a single and double, with a few layers giving depth, but not fully rounded. For example, Azalea “Autumn Ruby” and “Autumn Twist” have semi double flowers.

GARDEN TIP
Now the leaves are falling off your deciduous shrubs you can start pruning back your Hydrangeas and Ornamental Grapes. In warmer climate you can start pruning Roses now however in our climate here in Young I normally wait until late July/ August to prune Roses.

GARDEN DESIGN TIP
When designing any form of seating for your garden you need to consider what height you would like to sit at. The industry standard is to have a seat height of 500mm above ground level. This will vary depending on your location. When designing a seating space you may like to have built in benches that also function as a retaining wall. This could mean the height changes however usually as a general guide if you do want to encourage people to sit on top of a wall it should not be much more than 700mm in height.

OUR GROWING GUIDE FOR PERSIMMON, POMEGRANATE AND TAMARILLO

Persimmon
A deciduous, small to medium sized tree, these fruit trees are beautiful as an ornamental tree with the fruit being an added bonus. The most commonly sold variety “Fuyu” is a non- astringent variety. Always check what type of Persimmon you are purchasing as the astringent varieties will need to ripen a lot more and some are not as appetising as others. The astringency refers to the number of soluble tannins in its flesh, these will directly affect the flavour of the fruit. The non – astringent varieties can be eaten whilst the fruit is still firm whilst the astringent varieties will need to be left to become soft before they are appetising. Persimmons can grow in a variety of soil types however they do like a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. They like a sunny location, they will need good moisture through the warmer months. Here in the Hilltops Region I would recommend planting them with protection from the western sun. You will also need to give them a cool root run whilst they are establishing with reliable moisture. They can be quite slow to grow however it is important whilst the trees are young to give them some formative pruning and training. The astringent varieties are mainly self-fertile, so you will only need one tree for pollination to happen however the non-astringent varieties, are best planted with two trees to ensure you have a good production of fruit. Fruiting normally happen through Autumn into early Winter.

Read more

Hello Garden Friends

It has been a very wet week. The dams are spilling over their walls, the paddocks are extremely muddy and the garden tanks are full. All of our lawn areas are squelchy under foot and have well exceeded their water holding capacity. The dirt road to The Berkshires garden is now awash with streams of water running in new directions across the road and new pot holes seem to be appearing every hour. These conditions are brilliant for planting out new plants however you may struggle to get a break in the conditions to actually dig the planting holes.

The heavy rain this week will put any mowing on hold as the sodden soils will not react well to having a ride on mower running over them or a push mower digging through their spongey layers. Last Wednesday evening was particularly ferocious as we had rain along with wind. I was especially grateful when I woke up on thursday to find that we had not lost any new or old trees to the storm. The very wet conditions prior to Wednesday night, along with over 56 mm of rain falling in less than 12 hours plus the gale forced winds are a recipe for disaster when it comes to trees. Trees will fail when the soil is wet and not able to provide its normal structural anchorage against blowing gales. On the Olympic Highway north of Young I noticed a number of casualties from the storm in the form of Eucalyptus that had blown out of the ground. There were also some limbs that had snapped off and then smashed into pieces when they hit the ground.

It is good to be having winter rains now, hopefully it will mean it will be an abundant spring in the garden and on the farm. I was pleased to see all our water tanks were full because then we know we are ready for what could be a hot summer. Whenever I’m asked by clients about what size water tanks they should purchase I always say select a tank or tanks that have the largest holding capacity possible ,that you can fit in your space and that budget will allow. You will not regret it. It is now in these wet times that I am happy we have a good amount of water storage. We have now been lucky enough to fill them to the brim. These can then be saved for when you may need them.

Here in Young it looks like we have much cooler weather to come with not much rain. I’m very grateful to have the rain that we have received. In this week’s newsletter we have my monthly garden tasks for July, I answer two of your garden questions and I have a plant profile on one of my many favourite Salvias.

Thanks for reading

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN TASKS FOR JULY

Mid winter is a great time to reflect, to think and to consider what you want in the garden, what works in the garden and what doesn’t work. I like to look at the garden critically to see what sections don’t have enough green or those that have too many gaps. I know I need more evergreens throughout the garden. I think starting with some more evergreen trees would be good. Reflecting now on why I chose so many deciduous trees in the first place I think I have made the realisation that when we started the garden more than ten years ago I wanted to embrace all of the deciduous trees or as many as possible. This was because at the time I was living in Sydney and these deciduous trees would not grow well in that environment. I couldn’t use them in my design projects in Sydney but I could plant them out down here in the gardens of “The Berkshires”. They have all grown really well but we now need to add some more evergreen structure. The Olives have grown so well! I’m now thinking some evergreen oaks like Quercus suber (Cork oak) and the Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) would be good.

Some of the tasks I will be doing in the garden this month are;

Potting up some flowering annuals for a splash of colour in the garden – see article above

Mulching a few of the outer beds.

Bare rooted trees and roses are now available – I have mixed feeling on these but worth a try,

Order my summer flowering bulbs like Lilies, Gladioli and Hippeastrum. Also ordering my Dahlia tubers.

Shaping some of my evergreen shrubs – most of these are in sheltered location so won’t be affected by frost.

Winter pruning on our deciduous trees will be in full swing this month – see my article about this topic on my blog here

Planting out some seedlings of beetroot, cauliflower, sprouting broccoli and kale. I’m also giving all of the plants a liquid feed with seasol.

Indoor plants – They are all getting some extra attention this month I will be feeding them with a weak liquid fertiliser, top dressing soil in pots and removing any old leaves.

Make sure your frost protection is ready to go on your frost sensitive plants – we have only had one or two hard frost so far but they always happen when you least expect it. For all the info on frosts and protection check out my blog post here

Spray lawns with a broadleaf herbicide to kill off clovers, cape weed etc. You need to get to all of these before they go to flower If they go to flower and seed you are almost guaranteeing they will be back next year.

Pruning roses – I normally start mine here in the Hilltops region (Southern NSW) Late July /early August. If you’re in a warmer climate you may have already started. For all the info on rose care, pruning etc go to my blog post here.

Check the moisture level in garden beds and most importantly pots.

During winter we seem to get more regular rain fall, foggy mornings, heavy dews and lower temperatures. These conditions lull many gardeners into a false sense of security and they tend to forget to water their garden beds and potted plants.. However if we are having bright blue skies and sunny days through the cooler months with windy conditions, the beds and potted plants will begin to dry out. The wind really can be the main culprit for drying out beds and pots at this time.

ANSWERING YOUR GARDEN QUESTIONS…..

QUESTION ONE FROM SARAH IN CONDOBOLIN

My vegetable garden and potted annuals are being eaten by something - what do you think it is? There are silvery trails left on the soil and some leaves

In Winter, surprisingly snail and slug activity will continue to happen in fact in my garden it actually seems to increase. Around my vegetables and softer leaved annuals I apply the snail and slug pellets that are safe for cats, dogs and wildlife. You can apply a copper tape around the edges of the pot or garden bed. This is used as a natural, chemical-free deterrent for snails and slugs. When these mollusks try to crawl over a copper surface, their slime reacts with the metal to produce a mild electrical charge or chemical irritation, causing them to turn back. Another natural way of trapping snails and slugs is to use beer traps. You can do this by placing a saucer of beer approximately 2 to 3 cm deep just below or at soil level. They will be attracted by the yeasty, fermented aroma, pests will fall, and drown in the beer. Some other methods you can use is to spread crushed egg shells or saw dust around plants to act as a barrier. The snails and slugs won’t like the uneven /rough surface so it will act as a detterant.

QUESTION TWO FROM STEVE IN YASS

Can I change the colour of my hydrangeas?

If you’re not happy with the colour of your hydrangeas, Winter is a good time to start the process of changing the flowers colour. If the soil in your garden has an acidic pH (pH less than 7) your Hydrangeas will have blue flowers. f the soil in your garden has an alkaline pH (pH greater than 7) your Hydrangeas will have pink flowers. If you have pink flowers and would prefer to have blue flowers - you can use the pre packaged blueing tonic which can be purchased from garden centres. The blueing tonic is aluminium sulphate it is a soil additive. It works by lowering the soil pH and providing aluminium, which the plant needs to create intense blue pigments. This needs to be applied as per instructions on package. If your Hydrangeas are blue and you would prefer pink flowers you can add garden lime to the soil, which will raise the pH. Both of these options are time consuming processes that will not happen over night.

PLANT PROFILE - Salvia “Anthony Parker”
This is one of my favourite Salvias especially as it continues to flower well into winter in our gardens here in Young. The deep purple to blue flowers put on a spectacular show for months at a time. Their flower spikes will grow to 10cm in length. The foliage of this plant seems to sit just below the flower spikes acting as a podium of a frame to the flowers. The foliage is slightly soft textured, slate-green in colour. Flowering throughout autumn and well into winter. It will grow to approximatley 1.2 metres talls and wide. Growing into a neat rounded mid-sized shrub. It is best grown in full sun in well drained soil. It will require some supplementary water in extended dry periods. Prune back by half after flowering (normally late winter ir early spring) has finished to maintain a compact growth habit. It can be pruned back to ground level every 2 or 3 years to reinvigorate it if needed.

Mid winter is a great time to reflect, to think and to consider what you want in the garden, what works in the garden and what doesn’t work. I like to look at the garden critically to see what sections don’t have enough green or those that have too many gaps. I know I need more evergreens throughout the garden. I think starting with some more evergreen …

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HELLO! GOOD MORNING !

This week we have attempted to do our garden work in between showers and downpours of rain however on each day despite wearing water proof everything we still ended up drenched and having to call it a day. Sitting in the car for an hour or so in damp clothes is a guaranteed recipe for catching a cold. It also not pleasant at all. I hate wet clothes! I really don’t mind gardening in the rain it is just the extra mess you make and the mud that seems to attach itself to your boots and tools that is not pleasant. Also if the ground is really sodden then it can actually be quite harmful to garden beds and lawn as you will cause extra compaction that then affects soil structure and drainage. Another factor we also need to consider is access for vehicles. If we can’t get our trailer or farm vehicles close to where we aer

One piece of joy I noticed this week is the Jonquils Erlicheers (pictured above) in many gardens have started to bloom. Now you often smell them before you see them. Their scent is a heady very sweet strong fragrance that is often described as a rich blend of warm honey, hyacinth and jasmine. It is definitely not subtle. Whilst I love this scent in the garden I really can’t cope with it indoors. It is too over powering for my sensitive nose.

The Jonquil Erlicheers have delicate double blooms that are a blend of ivory petals with soft, buttery centres. The flowers are in clusters like small white fluffy clouds that sit on top the top of dark green slender stems. It is always nice to see them at this time of year when there isn’t as many splashes of colour throughout the garden. These soft fluffy blooms will soon be followed by the single white star shaped flowers of Jonquil “Paper Whites”. These are another early flowering bulb which are high value in the winter garden.

Jonquils were never a favourite of mine when I gardened by the coast. I almost looked at them as being weeds and I could not stand the smell. I think the main reason I disliked them was that there is still so much colour and interest in the winter garden when you garden in a frost free area. Whereas here in Young where we get hit by the colder weather, the garden starts to look a little dull. Then if we have a patch of endless grey days and rain the garden can look even more wintery. A few clumps or many clumps of these beautiful bulbs becomes a welcomed sight and for some reason my sensitive nose does not find their fragrance offensive anymore.

In this week’s newsletter we have my weekly garden tip and my four garden related recommendations for the week.

I hope you enjoy this newsletter

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN TIP
Now is a good time to plant out seedlings of Delphinium, Larkspurs and Hollyhocks. Planting them now will allow them to settle in for the spring season of flowering. They are brilliant spring flowers as they are a little tougher than the normal annual spring flowers. They don’t have high water requirements and they will self seed for next years crop. These plants should give you some flowers from spring through to late summer.

GARDEN RECOMMENDATIONS

TONKINS BULBS
Last week I was excited to see the latest stock list of bulbs and other plants, was released by Tonkins’s Bulbs and Perennials. They are a family business run by Jane & Shirley, situated at Kalorama in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. Their mail order business dates back to the 1960’s. It was borne of Bryan’s love for rare and unusual bulbs & perennials, often unavailable in Australia. This together with his very keen interest in propagation & hybridization is the soul of the business that they are aspiring to nurture.
They have a particular love for cool climate woodlanders, but also have a keen appreciation of something special for a warmer spot. They are Fully Accredited to send bulbs/perennials to All States of Australia. Appropriate paperwork will be sent with orders to NSW, ACT, SA, WA, NT and TAS to Meet Quarantine Requirements.
To join their mailing list or to see their full stock list go here

WERRIBEE PARK HERITAGE FRUIT TREE FESTIVAL - 9th August 2026
The Werribee Park Heritage Fruit Tree Festival is the largest fruit tree gathering in Australia. It is a day to celebrate growing fruit trees and preserving heritage varieties.
Pick up top tips at grafting and pruning demonstrations or learn about the historic site on an orchard tour or Werribee River walk.
Scion will beavailable to purchase to add to your fruit trees, as well as rare and heritage fruiting plants and trees to complement the collection in your patch.
Enjoy some live music, grab a bite to eat, and browse the stalls selling all things gardening. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the orchard and farm. Be inspired by the thriving community gardens and explore the historic buildings dating back to the 1800s. All activities are free, with a gold coin donation for parking. Lots of fun, lots to learn, lots to taste - come and be inspired. The festival is a must-attend event for all gardeners, from novice to seasoned green thumbs. For more information go here

DIGGERS WORKSHOP - Growing food all year round - Dromana - 9 August 2026

I LOVE scrolling through the Diggers Club website. There is always so much great information. I was very interested to see their list of upcoming workshops, especially this one.

Growing your own food can be one of the most rewarding parts of gardening. Working with the seasons and planting crops which suit our climate are essential for a successful food garden. Join Diggers’ Head of Gardens, Julian Blackhirst to learn how to plant, grow and harvest heirloom vegetables all year round from your own backyard.

What you will learn:

• Selecting heirloom varieties to suit the season, climate and your garden.

• Planting times for common vegetable varieties in our Mediterranean climate.

• Crop rotation, companion planting and succession sowing methods to get the most out of your garden and growing season.

• Seed sowing and transplanting techniques to ensure success growing from seed, whether direct into the soil or in seedling punnets.

• How to spread out the harvest to avoid gluts and ensure a continuous supply of fresh heirloom produce.

This Masterclass is designed to teach you everything you need to know to grow abundant food gardens in every season. for more information go here

LIGHTSCAPE HELD AT MELBOURNE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Step into a winter wonderland as Lightscape returns to Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. New installations. New artists. A breathtaking NEW journey.

Whether it’s your first visit or a returning tradition, Lightscape 2026 promises an unforgettable night under the stars. From 12 June - 2 August, Melbourne’s award-winning immersive light experience transforms Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne with a spectacular collection of brand-new installations created by leading artists from around the world, including exceptional Australian and First Peoples talent - creating a magical after-dark experience unlike anything else in the city this winter.

Wander along glowing pathways, encounter breath-taking large-scale artworks, interactive experiences and lose yourself within a landscape of colour and music as the Gardens are transformed beneath the night sky. Perfect for families, friends or a romantic evening out, Lightscape 2026 is Melbourne’s must-see winter experience. Now easier to get to than ever, located just moments from the new ANZAC Station.
For more information go here

Hello Gardening Friends
Welcome to this week’s Sunday Garden Newsletter - Dig Plant Grow. It has continued to be quite a wet June with more rain predicted for next week. Winter is definitely here as I am starting to see the bare rooted plants arriving at local nurseries. With this in mind I have shared below my recommendations and tips on how to properly plant a bare rooted tree. Whilst overall it is cheaper to buy a bare rooted plant they do require more work and care to get them to establish. To be 100% honest with you I actual don’t plant out bare rooted trees in any of our landscape design projects as they are too fussy and I find success rates can be low if they are not given the extra care they need. I also find as we receive so much winter rain here the bare rooted trees can rot out very easily. I much prefer planting out a tree with an established root system so that they can cope with our conditions and our clients know what they are getting. Despite that if you are prepared to do the extra work then all my growing tips are below.

Also in this week’s newsletter we have my essential growing guide for Stone Fruit, Apples, Quinces and Pears. These are another group of trees which are often purchased as bare rooted specimens.

I hope you enjoy this issue

Thank you as always for being here

Happy Gardening

Glenice

TIPS FOR PLANTING BARE ROOTED TREES/SHRUBS AND ROSES
When your talking about planting in winter, bare rooted plants really have to be discussed. Now is the time they will start to become available in nurseries to purchase. The main plants you will find bare rooted will be deciduous trees, deciduous fruit trees like cherry, peaches, plums etc and roses.
You have to remember these trees have been dug up out of the ground and roots have been cut so they have gone through some shock before you purchased them.

A few planting tips...

🍂They will most likely be wrapped in saw dust you should shake this off gently. Don’t leave the saw dust wrapped around the roots.

🍂Before planting soak the roots in a bucket of water and seaweed solution. Mix as per rates on directions.

🍂Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and one and half times the depth of the root ball.

🍂Mound the soil up in the middle of the hole at the base so the main centre of the root ball is sitting at the correct height. You should be able to see the line of where the soil had previously been on the plant This level will need to be the same level that it was planted at.

🍂Ensure the graft sits above soil level otherwise it will sucker.

🍂Back fill the hole with a good quality soil and compost mix.

🍂Water in well

🍂Cut back the above ground part of the plant by about one third. With fruit trees and roses take this from the top with feature trees that have a natural leader remove the lower branches to not ruin the shape.

GROWING GUIDE FOR APPLES, PEARS AND QUINCE

Pome Fruit - Apples, Pears and Quince
Fruit trees that develop a Pome fruit are all members of the Rosaceae family for example Apples, Pears and Quince. All forms are deciduous trees and all tend to have their fruit ripening in the late Summer to Autumn months. They also have the added benefit of gorgeous Spring blossoms.

In general they like a sunny location with free draining soil and protection from strong winds. They prefer a slightly acidic soil of 5.8 to 7. If trees require pruning this is best completed during winter whilst the trees are still dormant.

However you need to be aware of when and where the fruit develops on the trees for example the fruit on many apples starts to develop on two year old or older wood so you need to ensure whilst you are pruning that you are not pruning off next seasons fruit. It is beneficial to ensure the trees like stone fruits have more of vase shape habit with open centres so that sunlight can reach the centre of the trees and there will be good air ventilation around the branches. Allowing the sunlight into the centre of the tree will increase the number of flowers and therefore fruit developing. It will also help prevent disease from developing.

Most trees will need two trees to pollinate or you need to choose self pollinating varieties. You need to select two species that will flower at the same time or at least overlap in their flowering for a period so that the trees can cross pollinate. They all enjoy a good winter chill to help bring on the fruit set however there are some trees that will still set fruit with less of a chill than others. These are the ones for you if you are living in a slighter warmer climate. Fertilise trees in Spring, Summer and Autumn with a well balanced organic fertiliser and then use a fish or seaweed emulsion in between these times. There is no need to fertilise in the middle of Winter.

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This week winter has really shown its presence here in the Hilltops region of NSW. We had our first frost of the year today, 25th June, although the day has now turned into a brilliant blue sky day.

I have to say I logged onto Substack this morning to write my newsletter for today and ended up getting completely side tracked by all the brilliant content you can access on Substack. Some of it free and some of it paid. As a reader to my newsletter I wonder what other newsletters you subscribe to? Please do let me know via replying to this email or using my email address glenice@glenicebuckdesigns.com.au

Fellow Substack author and podcaster “The Sentimental Gardener,” Cass Dowding posted an interesting call out on her page this week about what other Australian garden writers can be followed on Substack. It did make me realise that most of the Substacks I follow are from overseas. I would definitely like to follow more Australian Gardeners if you have any recommendations let me know. I will post here a few of the Australian garden related Substacks that were mentioned by Cass this week Casey Lister , Duncan Cocking, The Garden at Moorfield, Louise Brown and Cerina Triglavcanin . These should all be linked so you can simply click on them to check out their pages. Thanks for sharing Cass. Also to my readers you should make sure you check out her wonderful podcast - The Sentimental Gardener - Link here

It was also interesting to see that since May 2026 Substack has had a Home and Garden Category which previously it did not have. I know when I first started this Substack page I had to select the design and education categories to be listed in. Both of these categories in theory did not exactly match what I write on here every week. The Home and Garden category fits much better with my writing topics and I judging by the list of rising and best seller writers there will be even more great content available to read.

In this week’s newsletter I have my weekly garden tip and then my list of garden recommendations for the week.

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN TIPS
I’m still completing our autumn clean up as the autumn leaves on our Pears trees are all yet to fall. They actually only changed colour about 10 days ago. I’m raking up all the fallen autumn leaves over lawn areas and along pathways. The ones that have fallen in garden beds I am actually going to leave them in beds as a mulch. They are so wet and not too large or thick so they will break down nicely in garden beds to give more organic matter to the soil. The leaves I rake up will go into the compost pile. If your leaves are large (like a London Plane tree leaf) or thick and leathery (like a Liquid Amber leaf) they are probably best put in a compost pile or at least mulched down and made smaller. You can make leaves smaller and easier to compost down by using a chipper or you can run the mower over them to make them smaller. In the compost I will add in layers of leaves (“Brown” ingredients) with a few handfuls of dynamic lifter, grass clippings, vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and green weeds that don’t have any seeds attached. By adding these “Green” ingredients more nitrogen will be added to the compost and it will help encourage the bacteria to multiply faster.

GARDEN RECOMMENDATIONS

NATIONAL TREE DAY - 26TH JULY 2026

30 years of National Tree Day

Planet Ark’s National Tree Day started in 1996 and has grown into Australia’s largest community tree planting and nature care event. It’s a call to action for all Australians to get their hands dirty and give back to the community. While every day can be Tree Day, we generally celebrate Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day on the last Friday and Sunday in July.

2026 DATES

National Tree Day - Sunday 26 July

Schools Tree Day - Friday 24 July

Tropical Tree Day - Sunday 6 December

Over the past 30 years, millions of Australians have volunteered their time to do something good for the environment and their community by planting a tree as part of the National Tree Day celebrations. If you would like to be part of the 30th anniversary celebrations this year you can go here for more information.

CJ HENRY’S WORLD FAMOUS FLOWER SHOP IS COMING TO BRISBANE.
You may remember the flower shop pop up store was held in Sydney’s Domain a few months ago. It was a sold out success. If you are in Brisbane in coming days you will be able to visit her latest exhibit from internationally acclaimed artist CJ Hendry. She is bringing her wildly popular Flower Shop experience to Brisbane, and it’s set to be one of the city’s hottest pop ups of the season.

Taking over the corner of Arthur and Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley from 25 June to 12 July, the immersive experience will give visitors the chance to shop Hendry’s iconic plush fabric flowers in vibrant colours and surreal oversized designs.

Inspired by her global Flower Market installations and SoHo storefront, the Brisbane Flower Shop is expected to attract huge crowds, with long queues likely as fans race to secure a bloom that never fades.

If previous events are anything to go by, this limited time experience is one Brisbane art lovers won’t want to miss. More information here

1 Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley

25 June to 12 July

ORANGE OPEN GARDENS

SAVE THE DATE 25TH OCTOBER 2026

Visit Orange for a day exploring some beautiful gardens around Orange and support Orange Public School. All funds raised go towards school projects like garden upgrades, classroom and school resources.

Tickets: $25 per person (Kids under 16 free)

Garden details, addresses & map: Available on their website closer to date of event.
Start your day at The Hub (Orange Public School Infants campus) from 9am – 12pm to buy tickets, grab a garden map, enjoy a coffee and bacon & egg roll, while checking out their plant and merchandise stall before setting off on your garden adventure.

Don’t miss this great community day out –Visit orangeopengardens.org.au for more details

ST ANNES TEMORA - GARDEN VIEWING DAY -

SAVE THE DATE 25TH OCTOBER 2026

A beautiful day of gardens, food, and community spirit!
Tickets are just $25 per person, with school-aged children only $10 each—a fun and affordable outing for the whole family.
Tickets are available for purchase on the day at the school grounds.
Local gardens will be open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, giving you plenty of time to explore and admire a variety of stunning private and community gardens around the area. Locations of participating gardens will be advised on the day.
Market stalls will be set up in Callaghan Park, offering local goods, crafts, and produce for you to browse and buy.

Whether you’re a garden lover, foodie, or just looking for a great day out, there’s something for everyone. Visit here for more information

Hello Garden Friends

Today I thought I would focus on the not so pretty topic of Garden Fertilisers Whilst its definitely not an aesthetically pleasing topic it is an important topic to understand.

Do you feed your plants?

This is a question I get asked whenever I post an image of our fruiting Avocados or fruiting Citrus trees. The answer is yes we do feed our plants but probably not as much as what we should and or judging by the amount of fruit we do get not as much as what people might thing we do. We always get an abundance of fruit on our fruit trees and I think the main reason for this is we improved the soil before planting, our soil is already quite organic and has a balanced nutrient profile. We have also selected plants that will thrive in our conditions. This in my opinion is the golden rule of all gardening - you should always select the right plant for your location. For example don’t try growing a Citrus tree in full shade - you will have an uphill battle to grow any fruit. In my opinion no matter how much fertiliser you add to your beds you will not get a lot of fruit and your plant will suffer.

You first need to understand your soil. What type of soil do you have, what is the pH of the soil, does it drain well, how deep is your top soil, what is the nutrient breakdown of your soil. I always look to what plants are growing well already in the garden to give me a deeper understanding of a gardens soil conditions and which plants will be suited to your garden.

Today I want to explain the different types of fertiliser, to demystify fertilisers for you and also to help stop you from having to buy one of every fertiliser. Feeding your garden can sometimes feel like a balancing act. With hundreds of products on the nursery shelves, it is easy to get overwhelmed by labels, numbers, and conflicting advice.

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Hello Garden Friends
Welcome to this week’s Garden Newsletter. Winter is now definitely settling in around us, with winter comes Citrus season. There is nothing quite like picking a homegrown orange or lemon. I love being able to walk out our back door and collect a few oranges to juice for breakfast. Pictured above are some gorgeous potted lemons that we saw growing at Villa Massei, which is located near the tiny village of Massa Macinaia which is about 15 minutes from the city of Lucca, Italy. We had the great privilege of staying at the Villa many years ago. I love seeing citrus used in this way. it is commonly seen in many Italian gardens due to the frost or snow the gardens will experience in the cooler months. The citrus are grown in pots so that they can be moved into more frost free areas or into a greenhouse for winter. The potted citrus on these stands can be enjoyed through summer and act as garden features for this time without killing off the grass underneath. We saw citrus used in this way in a few different gardens in that time. At Villa Gamberaia the gardener told us when the threat of frost was about they would move their large potted citrus via trolley or a few very strong people into the Villa’s Orangery or greenhouse. Where they would be kept for cooler weather.

We noticed in our garden travels that many of the grand old houses, palazzos Chateaux and Villas in Tuscany and the South of France all had some type of Orangery. These orangeries were typically a dedicated room of the house or a seperate building constructed close to house. They were used to protect citrus and other non hardy fruit trees like bananas. They differed from a greenhouse as most often rather than being made of glass and metal they were made of bricks and mortar but would have large floor to ceiling (usually arched) windows down each side of the room. They sometimes would have sections of glass in the roof or wood panels that could be removed.

On further research I discovered that the concept of an orangery blossomed in Italy and France during the Renaissance. Gardeners or at least the higher classess of society developed the orangeries so that they could grow citrus through the winter. Clear glass was a rare and a highly expensive luxury, early versions were simple brick or stone structures with removable wooden covers or solid roofs to protect the prized citrus trees from winter frost. I guess as citrus are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia having the ability to grow them in Europe 400 or more years ago would have been a desired ability.

In this week’s newsletter we have my guide to growing Citrus Trees along with a garden term explained. I hope you enjoy this week’s issue

Thanks for reading

Happy Gardening

Glenice

GARDEN GLOSSARY - Explaining garden terms
Hardening Off Seedlings
This is an unusual term to hear to a new comer. It refers to the process of slowly acclimatising young seedlings from growing indoors or in a greenhouse to growing in outdoor conditions. This means they will adjust to the weather conditions like sun, wind, temperatures. It is good to harden off seedlings slowly before you go and plant them outdoors straight away. If this process is completed correctly they will be more likely to survive the outdoor elements and will settle into their new garden location.

Let me know if you have a garden term for me to explain

GROWING GUIDE FOR CITRUS
Citrus trees are a versatile bunch! Whether you grow one single tree in the corner of your yard or you have a whole orchard you will be surprised at their hardiness and unique character. Most species can be hedged, topiarised or be a lovely evergreen feature tree. They can also be grown in pots quite happily. Always select the largest pot you can fit in your space to give the citrus the greatest amount of growing space. If you don’t think you have space for a fully grown citrus tree you can always try a dwarf variety.

I think Citrus trees are often forgotten about when you are selecting a small evergreen tree for your garden. Whilst they may not have the longest life span they can have a high amenity value in your garden plus they produce the delicious fruit throughout winter.

Preferred Conditions
The key to growing citrus is that they all require full sun and lots of it. They do not like windy locations as this can damage the flowers and in turn the fruit production. Citrus hate a heavy soil so they need a very well drained soil but it will need to be highly organic. They tend to like a soil with a pH of 6 – 7.5.

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Hello Garden Friends
I hope this email finds you well. Back at the end of May the annual Botanic Gardens Week was celebrated in Australia and New Zealand. It is an annual week of celebration to highlight the role of plants in our lives and the important work botanic gardens and arboretums undertake every day to conserve them for future generations. By coincidence in recent weeks I have visited two beautiful regional Botanic Gardens in Wagga and Orange and our gorgeous Chinese Gardens here in Young (pictured above). They are all well worth a visit. When I started doing a little more research I found out that within Australia there are over 200 gardens registered as Botanic Gardens across Australia and New Zealand. It is not just the famous botanic gardens found in our cities that are worth visiting. May I suggest when you are next visiting a regional town or are planning a road trip holiday you should check and see what Botanic Garden might be close by or on your driving route.

Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand (BGANZ) is the peak body representing botanic gardens across Australia and New Zealand.

According to their website;

“What makes a botanic garden unique is the fact they hold documented collections of living plants for the purpose of scientific research, conservation, display, and/or education. They play a significant role in safeguarding our flora through science, research and conservation programs and importantly they are the interface between plant conservation and the public. They are responsible for educating and empowering communities in safeguarding our plants. They provide significant benefits to our health and well-being and are vital green spaces of social, cultural and heritage value within communities”. If you would like to read more about the Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealand you can see all the members here

In this week’s newsletter we have the Planting Tip for the week, a Garden Design Tip and my four garden recommendations for the week

Happy Gardening

Glenice

PLANTING TIP
In our garden at home we are watching the sprouting shoots of all of the corms, bulbs and seeds of spring flowering plants which we planted a few weeks. To give them extra energy and encourage growth I am fertilising them with a fish emulsion liquid fertiliser. I am applying this once every 2 weeks.

GARDEN DESIGN TIP - Designing steps within your garden
When you design steps, stairways, level transitions within your garden area you should always aim to have your step risers (height of step) within the expected Australian Standard range of 110 - 190mm. The most comfortable step height for most people is 150 - 170mm. You do need to consider how many steps you will need to get from one level to the next. You need to think about who will be using the steps, their mobility level and also how often you will use the steps. Usually it is better to have groups of fewer steps stretched out across a space rather than one large step of steps. However sometimes this is not possible due to a short steep incline. In this case you are best to work out a total number of steps required and then introduce level platforms / landings to act as a transition zones between each section of steps. According to the Australian Standard you should not have more than 18 step risers per set of steps however in a residential situation I would suggest this number is best kept under 10.

THIS WEEK’S GARDEN RECOMMENDATIONS

GROW - PRE ORDERS NOW AVAILABLE
Aleisha Lynch’s second book is now availble for pre - order. Following on from her successs with her first book the Complete Patch you can now pre - order her second book - Grow. In this book Aleisha expalins how to “Create your own beautiful garden through thoughtful plant design you can connect with, grow with, and enjoy through every season. Grow is your heartfelt guide to the art and mastery of plant design, blending practical planting advice with thoughtful reflections to help you create a home garden you feel deeply connected to as it grows and evolves through every season”. For more information

ROSE PRUNING WORKSHOPS AT SWANES NURSERY IN JUNE
If you’re located close to the Dural site of Swanes Nursery in Sydney and need some tips for rose pruning then be sure to check out the rose pruning master classes at Swanes Nursery. These are being held every Tuesday (at 10am) and Thursday (at 1pm) in June. For more information go to their socials here

Makers & Creatives Dinner - In Conversation with Tim Pilgrim & Michael McCoy
Hosted by Brookfield Gardens & Wild Canary in Brisbane

Based in Central Victoria, Tim Pilgrim is celebrated for his naturalistic cottage-style gardens that blend the traditional and contemporary, edible and ornamental. With more than 15 years of experience and exceptional knowledge of plants, Tim creates immersive landscapes rich in texture, seasonality and atmosphere.

Michael McCoy, host of ABC’s Dream Gardens, is one of Australia’s most respected voices in horticulture and garden design. Known for his thoughtful observations and ability to articulate why gardens move us, Michael brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of designing, writing and exploring gardens both in Australia and abroad.

Together, Tim and Michael will discuss the evolving role of gardens, the influence of plants in shaping a sense of place, and the ideas and experiences that have informed their celebrated careers.

For more information

PLANT LOVERS FAIR
The Plant Lovers Fair features over 30 Exhibitors offering plants for collectors and garden lovers from ornamental to food gardens, trees, shrubs and ground covers plus quality garden products. The exhibitors at the Plant Lovers Fair are specially chosen to offer ‘something different’ – rare, unusual or collectable. The selection of plants on display are not commonly available in Garden Centres. Despite being rare these plants are not difficult to grow! You will always find a great assortment of interesting species that will look great in your garden. Please see our exhibitors list as we also have some very exciting new exhibitors for 2026. For more information go here

Hello Gardening Friends

Welcome to this week’s Dig Plant Grow Newsletter. Here in the Hilltops region the cold wet weather of winter has definitely arrived on time. It has been a juggle for us this week trying to get into our garden maintenance jobs and planting projects. We just had to give up outdoor on some days as we were making too much mess and getting very wet. On these days both Phil and I just had to retire to the office. Phil always has his lawn You Tube videos to edit and I always have something to do. Whether its office admin, organising life, writing my book or trying to pull together content ideas for here on substack or instagram. Anyone who owns a business will know there is always something to be done. I cannot ever remember a wet weather day where there wasn’t a list of work tasks to wade through. Small business ownership is definitely not for anyone who wants to have spare time to enjoy! I’m not complaining. 20 years in and I still love it.

If you would like to check out Phil’s Lawn You Tube channel you can find him here - The Down Under Lawn on You Tube or on his instagram or facebook pages. He is a lawn fanatic and has brilliant information on lawn care, lawn tools and lawn products for you to learn from on all of his channels.

In this week’s newsletter we have my monthly garden tasks, a plant profile of one of my favourite flowering plants for this time of year and I answer your garden questions. If you have any garden questions you would like answered in next week’s garden Q and A, please email them through to me.

Hopefully we will have some sunshine to enjoy in coming days.

Happy Gardening

Glenice

Monthly Garden Tasks

Garden Tasks For Early Winter

A comprehensive list of your monthly garden tasks

Winter has arrived. I can never really explain it but Winter for me is an energising and inspirational time in the garden even if it is pouring with rain. Probably the part I love the most is the coolers temperatures we experience here in the Hilltops region. I don’t mind layering up with thermals, woollen jumpers, polar fleeces or a Drizabone and gumboots to get out in the garden. I just seem to achieve so much more in a day compared to the hot sweaty weather in Summer. Hopefully you feel the same because now is the time to take advantage of the cooler temperature as the growth on the plants, trees, lawns and even weeds is really slowing down. You now have a bit of time on your side to get ahead with all things in the garden.

Here are some early winter garden tasks along with some specific planting ideas for the winter garden.

Now is the time to prune Hydrangeas and other deciduous shrubs such as May Bush and Buddleias.

We are yet to receive much frost so we will be feeding out lawns with a liquid fertiliser high in nitrogen. This will strength the roots and help maintain some green - ness to the lawn. There is no point in using a granular fertiliser at this time on the lawn as it won’t be taken up quick enough before a frost.

It is time to prune your stone fruit trees such as Cherries and Peaches

Protect any frost tender plants – see Feature on Frost in previous posts.

Start preparing garden beds for bare rooted trees and roses. They should all be available in coming weeks. Dig through organic garden compost or composted animal manure to build up the soil.

Continue to mulch all garden areas as mentioned last month it is good to do this after fertilising beds. Giving the beds a blanket of mulch now will help protect plants from frost damage, suppress weed growth and prepare them for the start of spring. If you do have lots of fallen deciduous leaves don’t forget you can use these as mulch, ideally compost first.

Garden Planting Ideas
For a splash of colour through the cooler months plant out a mix of flowering annuals such Violas species such as Pansy. Their happy faces bring a lovely pop of colour to your garden. You can also use Calendula.

For the herb garden don’t forget there are many perennials herbs that you can use in your garden that will remain evergreen throughout the cooler months. For example Rosemary, Thyme, Sage. You can also sow seeds of parsley and coriander

In the Veggie garden continue with succession planting of your cool season/winter vegetables – depending on your climate these will need to be in the form of seedlings rather than seeds ( as it is later in the season for winter vegetables) . Veggies to plant out now anything in the Brassica family (eg cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts, broccolini) turnips, onions, leeks, carrots, Asian greens including bok choy, rocket, Mesclun mix (leafy greens), silverbeet, celery, beetroots, snow peas, spinach, spring onions, road beans, radishes and rhubarb.

You have time still to sow the seeds of Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas.

If you already have Broad beans growing remember you can snip off the new tips to eat. It is also important to do this as they can become top heavy and fall over in the veggie garden. Adjust stakes as needed.

Research some ideas for companion plantings to use in your garden – this can help in your veggie garden or even on some of your ornamental plants to help prevent insect attack in the warmer months. An example is use sage around members of the Brassica family to repel caterpillars and moths or use Petunias and Nasturtiums under citrus trees as sacrificial plants to attract aphids away from the citrus trees.

With Winter’s arrival I love this slow down in our garden as it will give me a chance to get on top of a few things. I’m aiming to have all the weeding completed, whipper snip all edges and start the winter pruning on our deciduous trees.

Now is the time to dig up Dahlias if you haven’t already done this. These will need to be lifted, divided, washed, dried, divided and stored. I normally cut the tubers down into individual tubers being careful to include the necks of each tuber. I then label each tuber either by writing on the actual tuber with a sharpie or tage the tray they will be stored in. I use the plastic foldable rectangular containers with a lining of saw dust in the bottom and over the top of the tubers. If the saw dust feels a bit dry I lightly sprinkle some water over the top. The Dahlias need to be stored in a cool dry dark location.

As the growth does start to slow down in the garden it is a good time to get to all of those tasks that you never have time to do in the busier warmer months. Tasks you have put on the back burner. A couple of things that come to mind are; repair any irrigation systems breaks, tighten up any leaking taps, clean off the moss from paving.

Be aware of frost on hoses, exposed pipes and taps. If you do get heavy frosts wrapping exposed pipes and taps with some hessian can prevent them from being damaged by frost. Also if you normally leave hoses rolled up close to the taps covering them over or moving them into a garage or shed will help preserve their life span. A heavy frost can cause the outer layer of plastic to crack.

Spring bulbs – get them in NOW. I have finally planted out my hundreds of daffodil bulbs– a little late but should still be ok. This year I have planted them out in groups along the edge of the front lawn. This should hopefully prove to give us an amazing display of their yellow trumpets come spring. I have also planted out bulbs of Tulips, corms of Ranunculus and Anemones ,and Italian Poppies

Continue to take cuttings or division of perennials such as sedums, society garlic and all the salvias.

Lift and Divide herbaceous perennial herbs like marjoram, catmint, oregano, mint, bergamot and chives

Lift and divide Strawberries. Remove dead or damaged foliage. Replant with a good quality compost . Continue to Fertilise Strawberries with high potassium fertiliser to promote flowering and fruit size. Apply organic pelletised fertilisers or well-composted animal manures regularly. Also monthly applications of seaweed emulsions will help strength the plant roots.

Start the winter pruning on your deciduous trees

Pick your olives. Ours are the “Manzanillo” variety and they are ripe now for the picking. After picking we will also do a light prune on the trees

PLANT PROFILE - GLADIOLI DELANII (Dragon Heads Lily)
This corm is a native of South Africa. It is a clump forming perennial that has sword shaped leaves through the warmer months with tall spires of flowers through autumn and early winter. The spikes of flowers are either orange edged with a yellow flush or plain scarlet orange flowers. It is best grown in full sun with very well draining soil. Its flowers are well suited for picking and will have a long vase life. They are quite drought tolerant.

“UP THE GARDEN PATH GARDEN QUESTIONS“ FOR APRIL
Continuing on with my “Up The Garden Path” column that I write for our local paper, “The Hilltops Phoenix”. In this column I will answer a few of your garden questions. If you would like to send me any of your garden or garden design questions please do so my replying to this email or send to me on glenice@glenicebuckdesigns.com.au
If you require plant recommendations then please include your location, soil type, aspect etc.

QUESTION FROM COREY AT COWRA - I have planted out avenues of trees throughout my garden - Do I need to stake my newly plant trees ?

Ideally I try to avoid using stakes on new plantings as often stakes can do more damage than good. If they are not installed correctly they can cause the tree to become weaker and or prevent them from developing strong root systems as they become reliant on the stake. You also need to be careful that they are not tied off too tight as they can also rub against trunks and branches which can cause damage. If you have planted the trees in a very windy location or where they can be knocked by pedestrians or kids sporting activities then they might need to be staked. These could then be staked for a period of time however they will need to be monitored.

If you do stake always use sturdy timber stake or metal star pickets - place them outside the root ball. Use 3 stakes or 2 if it is a more linear type planting.Tie the tree to stakes with a stocking or hessian. Use a figure 8 loop which wraps around the trunk and then around the stake. Tie the hessian off at the stake. Make sure they are not too tight. If trees are staked they should be checked regularly as the ties can slip and or stakes can become loose.

QUESTION FROM LEANNE IN LITHGOW - Can I grow Hellebores in my garden here in Lithgow, NSW. I was going to plant them under deciduous trees where they would receive shade from western sun.

Yes I think your location and that garden area would be well suited for Hellebores. They enjoy a cooler climate and protection from hot afternoon sun and wind. They also don’t like humidity too much. I would suggest using a highly organic soil with compost . Keep the plants well watered and mulched whilst establishing. In autumn cut back leaves to ground level opening the plants up for the flowers to appear in winter. In Autumn you can also lift and divide plants. We normally fertilise with a slow release fertiliser every 6 months and a pelletised organic animal manure fertiliser once a season.

Hello Garden Friends
Welcome to this week’s Gardens at a Glance Newsletter. Despite the lack of sun over the last few weeks our Citrus trees are in full fruit. They will need a few frosts to sweeten up the fruit but gosh there is a lot of fruit ripening. In our home back garden the Imperial Mandarins, Washington Navels and Meyer Lemons are fully loaded. It is hard not to start picking them but I know from past years they need to experience atleast 3 frosts to get them to their prime flavour profile.

Interestingly frosts will cause the water within the fruit’s juice vesicles to expand and break open allowing the water to evaporate through the skin/rind of the fruit. This water loss will then allow the existing sugars to become more concentrated and therefore sweeter in flavour.

In this week’s newsletter we have our weekly garden tip and the four garden recommendations for the week. As always thank you for being here. This sunday being the first sunday of the month will mean that all subscribers (both paid and non paid subscribers) will get access to the full newsletter including my monthly garden tasks. I hope you enjoy the read.

Happy Gardening

Glenice

WEEKLY GARDEN TIP
If your citrus trees are in full production at the moment make sure that they do not dry out at anytime. Consistent moisture ensures the fruit continues to ripen and the trees will not become stressed. Remove fruit from heavily weighted branches to prevent snapping. Continue to fertilise Citrus trees seasonally with a Citrus specific granular feed and regular applications of a pelletised animal manure fertiliser every 6 - 8 weeks.

THIS WEEK’S GARDEN RECOMMENDATIONS

MOORELAND GARDEN FESTIVAL
Moorelands Garden Fest is coming on Sunday 30th August 2026 in Roma, Queensland.
There will be guest speakers, market stalls, hands-on workshops and food from The Feed Shed. Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or still figuring out which end of the trowel goes in the dirt, there'll be something for everyone.
Location -
📍 1344 Dargal Road, Roma
🕗 8am – 2pm

More information Here

STREET ARTIST - TANG ZIXI
Street artist or guerilla gardener artist, Tang Zixi is a Chinese street artist who transforms cracks, grass, and plants on city walls into parts of her playful artworks. Her creations feature charming animals and small fantasy creatures that seem perfectly at home within these imperfect urban spaces. Using vivid colors and delicate details, she turns broken walls and pavements into whimsical little worlds, encouraging people to see everyday surroundings through a more imaginative lens. To find out more go to link go to

NARRANDERA OPEN GARDEN DAY - SAVE THE DATE 25th OCTBER 2026

A self-drive Town and Country Open Garden Day to raise funds for the work of CanAssist. Mark it on your calendar and get your friends together for a great day out visiting beautiful and varied local gardens in and around Narrandera, NSW.

This annual event is not to be missed! READ MORE HERE

KARWARRA BOTANICAL GARDENS
A few weeks ago there was a week to celebrate the Botanical Gardens of Australia and New Zealand. This brought to my attention so many regional Botanical Gardens. Here is another botanical garden to add to the list of botanical gardens to visit. It is a two hectare public sanctuary showcasing over 14000 species of native Australian plants. It features a well-stocked nursery, landscaped garden beds for design inspiration, and scenic mountain views. To read more