You’ve got to admire ingenuity. This guy Peter is over 90 years of age and a few years back, he got his son to put these baths up on solid wood stands so he didn’t have to bend over. As it turns out, they grow vegetables beautifully and of course drain very well. Real do-it-yourself stuff ! You must remember when doing something like this that you need to over engineer with the construction. People underestimate the weight of potting mix and then watering it and how much weight it can add to the weight of the planters. There have been many stories of people putting large planters on old decks ..read more

Sunday 25-02-24 – Day 2 of The State Dahlia Show of Victoria The humble digs of the Mt Waverley Community Centre were today full of floriferous florals that visitors from around Australia and the world came along to appreciate. There were people of all ages, including competing home growers who proudly waxed lyrical to their guests about the particular qualities that the highly experienced judges were looking for in terms of size, colour, form and health that winning blooms in their prime so need to be. Within 30 minutes of opening, it was standing room only ! Most outsiders just think this is ..read more

Avocados Have you ever considered growing an Avocado tree in Melbourne? Well I’m Suzi from Gardenworld and let me tell you that it is possible! If grown in the correct position, these wonderful trees are highly productive, bearing delicious, creamy and as some would describe a buttery or nutty flavoured fruit. They are also very nutritious packed with vitamins and antioxidants. These evergreen rainforest trees can make a great addition to any garden, courtyard or possibly balcony. They have a gentle weeping habit with lush, glossy, green foliage. They can make a great screen or feature tree an ..read more

As Autumn leaves fall, and the cooler weather creeps up on us, many of you may be forgiven for thinking that the action-packed splurge of growth in the World around us is winding down, however, in some parts, things are just getting interesting. Under our feet is a giant network of interconnected tiny threads, burrowed into, or wrapped around the roots of plants and trees, working together to share nutrients, water, carbon and nitrogen between plants across the planet. The Mycorrhizal network made up of the roots and the mycelium that connects them, thrive in the cooler, wetter conditions o ..read more

Join James in the nursery as he explains the difference between Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua. Find out how to best grow them in your garden and you never know, you might discover some new hybrids along the way!  Key Points: Camellia japonica - needs more shelter, best grown in morning sun Camellia japonica - feature plant - larger foliage and flowers Camellia sasanqua - Better for hedging - smaller foliage and flowers Camellia sasanqua - More sun tolerant Two main types of Camellias - japonica and sasanqua Bonnie-Marie Hibbs Gardenworld Ambassador, Marketing Manager ..read more

Another Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) has come to an end. The 2023 show was on the same week as The Melbourne F1 Grand Prix but that didn’t matter. Who knows, it may have even helped. There were over 100,000 visitors to the Garden Show which was a wonderful outcome considering the rain we got on the Wednesday and the Friday night session which was basically a washout. “Lunaria Pods” by Inge Jabara Landscapes Gardenworld was pleased to be selling plants with 4 other retail nurseries with the help of around 10 suppliers. The camaraderie between all these businesses was g ..read more

Every so often a new plant comes along that gets ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’. The Davana fern is one of theses. We just got back from a garden show and this new release plant was our number one seller. People loved it. Advertisement The plant is a Phlebodium aureum (pronunced Fle – bode – ium) – but don’t hold that against it! Phlebodiums are a small genus of ferns, many of them native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America. One thing people really liked was the bluey green colour – I guess you’d call it glauca. They just thought it looked beautiful, and when you pick the plant up, it ..read more

Succulents are some of the most versatile species in the whole plant kingdom. The shape and design of succulents gives them the ability to store water. Originating in often arid, desert conditions, they are uniquely adapted to the toughest of spots, and there is a succulent for almost every possible space in your home. Sun tolerant aloes and agaves through to shade tolerant Sansevieria (Mother in Laws Tongue) and prickly Cactus like the Golden Barrel (Echinocactus grusonii)  and the Monkey Tail (Cleistocactus colademononis) all form part of this fascinating family of plants. Aloe: &nbs ..read more

It’s been wet, it’s been cold, days are short and grey. It really is hard to get motivated to get out in the garden. But there is always something to do out there. So here’s some ideas to get you up and about, and out in the garden this weekend.   Preparation   Garden Beds sitting idle in anticipation of Persephone’s triumphant return in spring, are a fantastic target of focus for these winter months. There are several ways you can improve the soil viability and increase productivity in your veggie patch. Plant a green crop. Quick growing, nitrogen rich green compost crops like pea ..read more

As we near winter, the soil temperature decreases. Our garden beds begin to slow their growth, and the plants that thrive thru Spring and Summer, come to the end of their growth cycles, and begin more dormant periods. Lawns need less mowing, and thankfully so, because motivation to get out in the garden is definitely decreased in sync with the drop in temperature. However, some plants are just begining their period of dominance. Some may even be undesireable, case in point, Oxalis in your lawn. Often considered by some, to be a weed, Oxalis actually has many benificial properties, some types ..read more