I remember tasting my first Feijoa when one of the guys at University brought a bag of them on a class field trip. I was dazzled by these delicious little fruits and I can tell you that the bag of them did not last long! Feijoas, also known as Pineapple Guavas or Guavasteen, are native to Southern Brazil and Northern Argentina. You could be forgiven for assuming they are also native to New Zealand due to the way they are commercially grown there in the cool climate.
Continue reading »
The new Banyule Gardeners’ Almanac is very useful booklet for those new to vegie gardening, or those wanting to learn more. It’s packed full of info to help you start and plan a vegie garden, month by month guides on what to plant and what gardening tasks you should be doing, with pages to keep your own notes. Even though the Almanac has been produced in Banyule, much of the information is relevant to all municipalities around BAAG. The almanac is based on information collected from gardeners and speakers at the various Vegie Swaps in Banyule and has been supported by a Banyule Council grant. It has been beautifully illustrated by local artist Felicity Gordon. The Almanac costs $5 and is available now here at Bulleen Art and Garden. For further enquiries about the Almanac contact Julie on 0438 115 853 or email montymoves@gmail.com
Winter can be a challenge, but it sure puts a rosy hue in your cheeks when you rug up, brave the elements and go about doing some of those winter gardening tasks which have been beckoning from outside. Enjoy a warm drink – and the satisfaction – when you come inside.
18 June – 18 August
Includes sculpture made from recycled metal by Sean Diamond. Silky Oak hand carved relief panel is by Matt Baird. This exhibition features some fantastic sculpture made from recycled metal by Sean Diamond, from a detailed copper logging truck to a giant metal rose to tree made from metal salvaged at the royal Children’s hospital, to a number of large spheres. Click here for more images and info.
Please join us on Sunday 27th July from 10am – 12pm and help us plant indigenous seedlings into the Little Bolin area. We’ll start from Kim Close and make our way through Little Bolin and White’s Flat where you’ll hear from our revegetation expert Glenn about what BAAG has being doing in the Little Bolin area over the past 17 years in conjunction with Parks Victoria. We will be joining the Friends of the Yarra Valley Parks http://www.yvfriends.org.au/ for this planting. They are a group who are regularly involved in revegetation projects along the Yarra from Warrandyte to Burke Rd and welcome new members.
As a thank you you’ll take home a locally native indigenous seedling to plant in your own backyard. Refreshments will be provided. Click here to sign up or call Jane or Kat (Monday to Friday) on 8850 3030 to register your attendance.
IMPORTANT – Could all attendees on the day please park in Kim Close… NOT at Bulleen Art & Garden
Paul Nieuwesteeg of Nieuwesteeg Roses will be onsite at BAAG on Sunday the 20th July at 11am to give a free rose pruning demonstration. Paul is a second generation rosarian who is passionate about growing roses organically. Come along and hear from Paul the story of how to select, plant, grow, prune and care for your roses in an organic way. We are excited that our bare root roses from Nieuwesteeg Roses have now arrived and are available in the nursery. We are stocking new and recent releases, David Austin, bush, old fashioned and climbing roses. We are also very excited to be stocking a range of Australian bred Alister Clarke roses this year.
In lots of ways I think of this as the native Daphne. Small, difficult, subtle, and then there is this show stopping fragrance that knocks you over and you WANT one.
The boronia with the best fragrance is Boronia megastigma known as Brown Boronia. This should be the floral emblem for the Hawthorn Football Club, with dark brown petals on the outside contrasting with bright yellow on the inside. Every organ of the flower has scented oil glands (the source of the essential oils for the perfume trade) and the fragrance is superb. There are numerous cultivars of this Boronia, all have pretty flowers and a lovely scent, look for ‘Heaven Scent’; ‘Jack Macguire’s Red’ and ‘Harlequin’.
Continue reading »
Nashi or Asian Pears (Pyrus pyrifolia) are native to China, Japan & Korea and date from about the 16th Century. They have been produced commercially in Australia for about 25 years.
Nashi Pears are more round like an apple, rather than European varieties that are a true pear shape. The fruit has brown, white or yellow skin and is very juicy, crisp and rather grainy compared to the smoother, softer more buttery flesh of European pears. Asian Pears are ripe when firm & have a sweet smelling aroma. They store very well in the fridge.
Continue reading »
The humble parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) may not be everyone’s favorite vegetable, but grown well and prepared to a good recipe in the kitchen these white carrot relatives can be a delicious variation in your home grown meals.
A vegetable grown from ancient times, Parsnip was a solid staple harvested for winter eating where other foods may have been scarce. Parsnip is a good source of fibre, Vitamin C, Folate and Manganese.
Continue reading »
BAAG will once again be hosting an Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea to raise money for the Cancer Council. Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is an opportunity for friends, family or workmates to come together, share a cuppa and some delicious food, whilst helping those affected by cancer. We would love you to join us in our classroom on Thursday June 12th from 10:30am until 12pm. You are welcome to bring a plate of food to donate, or you can just come along with an appetite and your donation! If you plan to bring a plate, please list the ingredients on a sheet of paper for those with allergies.
Great memories of running through piles of leaves, all rugged up, having a ball. Probably not shared by my father holding the rake – but I love this time of year. The satisfaction of a major tidy up, planting for spring with all the hopes and promise ahead, the camellias starting to bloom and wondering if I can squeeze in just one more gorgeous tree only available in the bare root season. It may be getting chilly, but there are still loads of winter gardening jobs to keep you warm. Read on!
Veltheimia bracteata
Lush and luxuriant looking but deceptively tough, wonderful for those difficult dry shade to semi shade spots. Also makes a truly excellent pot plant for the shady porch or verandah. Summer dormant, the shiny broad green ruffled leaves appear in late summer / early spring followed by flower spikes in winter and spring.
Plant in shade / semi shade and leave undisturbed where it can happily grow for many years. Will cope with light frosts but not heavy frosts. Fertilise during spring and winter. Generally disease free, but protect from snails, slugs and caterpillars.
Autumn in Melbourne is my favourite gardening season. It is the time I can get into the garden and plant with confidence because the soil is still warm and we have enough lovely rain to settle the plants in well. This year I am planting to ensure a cheery and tasty winter. Flowering bulbs, annuals and garden cyclamen, and vegies like broccolini (broccoletti) and spinach. Plus Brussels F1 Hybrid (which are able to be planted a little later than normal Brussels). I think they are yum, and by growing them at home I know they haven’t been sprayed. I am netting with the new insect exclusion netting to keep the cabbage moth at bay.
Thank goodness for maples and camellias which are coming into their own right now. I admire them for the hard workers they are in the garden. Maples are have gorgeous new growth in spring and are soothing in summer and add autumn colour in buckets. Camellias are hard at work being beautiful with their evergreen lushness. They flower reliably and prolifically in autumn and winter too. Oh, and I am also starting to plan for spring blossom, which gorgeous deciduous fruit trees provide.
Happy Gardening!
Jane
Click here to read the rest of the newsletter. If you would like to sign up to the email newsletter click here.
Continue reading »
Look no further than BAAG this Mother’s Day. No matter what your Mum’s taste, we have her covered. Green Thumb Mums, Arty Mums, Bookworm Mums… your Mum. Go on, spoil her. Click through to see a few more great Mother’s Day gift ideas.
Signs of winter may be appearing, but this month still provides time for planting many varieties and tackling a few maintenance jobs. It isn’t all just hard work either, take the time to enjoy the autumn colours, the late flowering salvias, wonderful quince fruit (with their heady scent) and savouring the late season apples. So rug up and enjoy May in your garden!