By Jenny Indian A friend of mine recently lamented that when she planned her garden she failed to take into account the importance of planting native vegetation to attract native birds. Although she had planted some natives, her feeling was that she should have planted a total native garden. On reflection, I thought that was …
By Anne Stelling, Parklands Albury Wodonga It’s frog season and anyone walking in the parks will be well aware – in some places the evening chorus can be almost deafening! Hearing their combined calls, I find myself listening for one in particular – the big, intermittent ‘gulp’ call of the Eastern Banjo frog. I haven’t …
By Chris McGorlick It’s little wonder to me that so many writers find success, fame or resonance when using their garden as muse or subject. Gardening is literally the act of coaxing life to flourish, so naturally it follows that it should also represent ‘fertile ground’ for euphemism and metaphor of human life. All the …
By Sue Brunskill I sit at my computer near a large glass window, looking out on a red salvia that has been flowering for many months. I have been seeing many interesting nature interactions – and we are supposed to look away from the computer regularly aren’t we! While I would much prefer being out …
By Chris McGorlick At the height of summer, and as the cusp of Autumn approaches, there is a highly seasonal occurrence that I relish every year. It’s not the flowering of an exotic plant, nor the arrival of a migratory creature, nor the fruiting of a particular vegetable. But rather, the proliferation of harvest …
By Lizette Salmon, Gardens for Wildlife Albury-Wodonga Project Officer Gardens can provide vital stepping stones for native animals moving through the landscape for food, water, breeding or migratory purposes. Even small habitat gardens have the potential to provide temporary and longer-term refuge for native birds, insects, reptiles and small mammals. A case in point is …
By Karen Retra Did you know there are about 500 species of ladybird beetles in Australia? Of these, I regularly see five species in my garden. Ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae family) are terrific pest controllers. For many species, both the larvae and adults feed on small, soft-bodied and sap-sucking insects like aphids, scales and mites. Maybe …
By David Thurley The Roman philosopher Cicero once said “If you have a library and a garden you have everything you need.” Gardens mean so many things to different people and that may vary from time to time. Our native garden changes with the seasons as the various native trees and bushes flower and grow. …
By Jonathon Howard I’ve built a series of ‘leaky weirs’ on my property. A leaky weir is a structure designed to slow water flow, filter the water through the vegetation, and reconnect the water to the surrounding floodplain. People might be familiar with these structures if they have seen Peter Andrew’s ‘Natural Sequence Farming’ on …
By Charles Robinson Autumn is compost-making time and I love it. About twelve years ago I planted an extensive deciduous forest comprising English Oaks, Liquidamber, Claret and Golden Ash, Tulip Trees, Ginko Biloba, Red Oaks and Pin Oaks. These trees have many benefits but, best of all, they provide masses of leaves for the compost. …