Home & Garden

gardens and plants

Home & Garden

Posted by: gatesy45

11th Sep 2011 01:28pm

do you put a lot of work into your garden in order to keep it nice i do i love my garden and potter around out there each day i love planting new flowers and plant is it a watse of water to keep your garden healthy so that you and anyone comes to visit can see a lovely garden an feel comfortable like at home.


Comments 28

Anonymous
  • 23rd Jul 2018 10:01am

That is so fantastic. I used to plant flowers in my garden followed by regular watering. Till rain arrives all the flower pots are moved onto the balcony. Pleasing to see their appearance differs regardless of dry humid forecast.

spdmstr2009
  • 14th Mar 2017 04:13pm

I love to garden, find it very stress relieving, only problem is there aren't enough hours in the day or it's too hot or raining .... and out of the good weather days I have several appointments having 4 kids to look after... it never ends, wouldn't have it any other way though... pity you can't garden at night or I would... too many bugs, get eaten alive.. :-)

AnneS
  • 27th Mar 2016 02:41pm

I have a large vegetable garden and I love going out each morning and picking the vegetables that are ready to use. I process a lot of my excess by cooking and freezing or making sauce and chutney. I also have a large plum tree which produces lots of fruit. I stew and freeze plums to have each day with our home made muesli and dry the split plums in a dehydrator. These dried plums can be used to eat as they are or substituted for other fruits in fruit cakes as well as adding them chopped to our muesli. My grand children love the plum leathers I make into fruit roll-ups.

Captured
  • 4th May 2015 01:25am

My garden is approximately 18months old now.

Out the front consists of many native and exotics and now that it is established, it is quite low maintainence.
I keep it mulched with sugar cane mulch, only have to prune stray branches a few times a year and i am even very lucky with my annuals as instead of them only lasting 3-5 months, i'm finding some last over a year- and i let some of the flowers go to seed so the plants have been self seeding too which is great. My garden has turned into a great little microclimate.

Out the back i have the majority of my fruit and vegies- chillis, citrus, capsicum, herbs, corn, snow peas, beans, beetroot, carrot, radish and other vegies are doing quite well. They get a feed of seasol about once a month, some twice a month or more regularly if we remember.

we don't get many visitors but i do often get compliments from the neighbours and people walking their dogs in regards to the front garden. :)

Anonymous
  • 5th Feb 2015 01:53pm

We just bought our first home 2yrs ago, I never really had a garden before which was a total mess when we moved in, esp the front of the house.
It took me a while to get motivated to know where to start after we finished the renovations on the house, we had a landscaper come out and remove some trees etc which then we could start creating. We worked very hard and proud to say we have now transformed the back and front completely , even neighbours compliment on what a great job we have done.
My weekends used to consist of lunches and shopping now its visits to the nursery! And I love it!! :0)

shazzahughes
  • 13th Dec 2014 08:26pm

yes

jtmorri
  • 2nd Aug 2014 11:34am

I have to weed my lawn a lot as our neighbours don't look after their gardens or lawns. Our garden is watered from a bore which does not impact the scheme water. I think a well kept garden reflects a well kept house and people with values. It is like when a person has a messy car it reflects they are disorganised and have a messy home too.

vallentinesday
  • 1st Aug 2014 09:40pm

It absolutely is NOT a waste of water/time to keep a garden healthy and beautiful!
I love gardening and the satisfaction of watching things that I put in the ground as seeds grow into flowering plants, it's the most incredible thing!

debbib
  • 13th Dec 2014 02:19pm
It absolutely is NOT a waste of water/time to keep a garden healthy and beautiful!
I love gardening and the satisfaction of watching things that I put in the ground as seeds grow into flowering...

I love my garden too but unfortunately I hate weeding... i really should get out there and do it though

Janmarie
  • 18th Jun 2014 04:36pm

I love my garden. It has taken me a long time to get it right. And I'm still working on it. I live in Broken Hill (desert). Water is hard and limited. I grow plants, flowering plants for color, veg's and fruit trees. Some how even though I love gardening non of my 4 children or my husband do! I found as a child gardening got me out of the house when things were bad. I would walk around the town and take pieces of plants and 9 times out of 10 would get them to grow. From then I try to match up different plants to tell a story, when flowers don't grow for color I started putting in colored pots with different color green leaf plants. So what is the most colorful plant you know that will grow in such harsh conditions.

purpleboo
  • 4th Jun 2014 07:47pm

I love my balcony garden. It is like a jungle and would put more plants there but I am not allowed to! We have two ficus trees shading a vertical swing seat, lots of palms, small indoor plants shaded from the sun in one corner, three tubs of Papyrus, a Twisted Sister which is my favourite, geisha girl, calathea which is huge, a devil's ivy that grew huge leaves and looked amazing but then had to move it indoors as the sun was killing it (now it's not as happy), 100 litre fill-up yourself water tank, lots of decorations sticking out of the pots and a flamingo + a huge peacock! It is north-facing and everything is doing very well. We tried to grow veggies and herbs a few years ago but they all died from bug infestation and nothing we used killed them off. I have indoor cactus in the kitchen and all doing well. Also have a few spathifillums indoors and an anglomeana. Now, I have gone mad for terrariums and am running out of space in the apartment!

Janmarie
  • 18th Jun 2014 04:47pm
I love my balcony garden. It is like a jungle and would put more plants there but I am not allowed to! We have two ficus trees shading a vertical swing seat, lots of palms, small indoor plants...

When living in apartment you should choose a plant that will show off you artistic style and stack the terrarium up. You can have different holes cut into to glass and have colored sand, pebbles, also different shapes. You can put up industrial shelving in a corner and put your terrarium on them. But tell a story or set a mood make them a fetcher you will find that they will grow better and they won't become a chore.

simla
  • 12th Oct 2012 09:52am

Hi gatesy45, the garden is very important for the mental health and happiness, and so is never a waste of water.However you can employ "wise water" policies, such as drip systems and lots of mulching. Even grass clippings,composted, with the additions of blood and bone, kitchen scraps, almost any organic matter, leaves, sticks, prunings. When you can afford it, buy pea straw, barley straw, sugar cane mulch, lucerne to put on the ground, inhibiting weed growth, and reduce the amount of water needed, saving HEAPS of water. Recycle washing and bath water.Over time a 'microclimate' will be established.This is the secret to a successful garden that needs little attention/water, but it takes time to establish.

Anonymous
  • 1st Oct 2012 06:27pm

im a 27 year old landscaper and i could not imagine duing anyother job, i lover being in the garden a building thing in the back yard

Deb
  • 29th Sep 2012 09:58pm

I love my garden. I have created what I call my International Garden where I have selected plants from various countries and have put them together with artefacts. I wish we could upload pictures so I could share this wondrous area. I have a Mexican area with fuschia's and miniature bougainvillea - Alice in Wonderland area with roses, cottage garden type plants and giftware of mushrooms, big cups and saucers and flamingo's.

skarlet
  • 20th Apr 2012 10:22pm

its so nice to hear how others spend there spare time in the garden as I do

Anonymous
  • 27th Mar 2012 06:20pm

you need to use the right products in term of getting the right organic output from your garden

gatesy45
  • 21st Mar 2012 10:32am

ive grown my own vegies as well as pland fowers and shrubs love sitting outside seeing all the work ive down and feel quite pleased with my self with what i have acomplished

gatesy45
  • 21st Mar 2012 10:30am

u could mix some potting mix and some fertalizer aand mix it through that would help a great deal

tiger
  • 16th Mar 2012 06:58pm

I would like to be able to have a nice vegie garden but I just cant seem to get the soil in great condition it is very hard and dry I am not much of a gardener but could do with some simple tips

simla
  • 12th Oct 2012 10:18am
I would like to be able to have a nice vegie garden but I just cant seem to get the soil in great condition it is very hard and dry I am not much of a gardener but could do with some simple tips

hi tiger, sounds like what you have is a "new" vegie garden. This is always a problem, to get it up and running in a hurry. the problem sounds like that there is little organic matter incorporated in the soil. That can be remedied quickly with the addition of some fish based compost like" Charlie Carp", lots of straw around the plants and regular watering to keep the soil microbes active.(they die off if it dries out, then have to start all over again). These microbes are responsible for breaking down the organic matter/ manures and making it available to the plant.Get the "microclimate" happening and watch the vegies go! Cheers- Simla

Linda
  • 4th Oct 2012 11:34am
I would like to be able to have a nice vegie garden but I just cant seem to get the soil in great condition it is very hard and dry I am not much of a gardener but could do with some simple tips

Try having some plants in pots they can look good if you colour the pots up.

wrighty
  • 24th Feb 2012 05:30pm

yeah luv the garden have lots of bromilliads and agaves and built an outdoor deck and garden boxs for a garden.

lisa170
  • 21st Oct 2011 11:26am

I love my garden. My friends all think its a bit weird... kind of a nanna hobby right up there with knitting (which I'm also into) and not really something a 28 year old should care about. But in spring especially I get so excited to see so much incredible colour from plants that I make grow.
I love my vegie garden even though its about a tenth of the size I'd like it to be. I don't even like vegetables!!
I only water my pots and my vegies... the rest of the garden has to learn to be tough or it'll just die. Things might get a bit of a drink to get established but thats it. And it seems to be working because it's all looking great after 3 years of work.
We're only renting at the moment so I can only imagine how much more I'll do when we actually own a house!!!

sweetsunshine
  • 10th Oct 2011 02:20am

I Love my garden too and have planted lots of flowers and have got a great veggie patch going as well. Even though we are renting, it doesn't stop me from investing in lovely surroundings, and it makes it feel like it's my "home', I also propagate a lot, so I make plenty of cuttings and therefore extend the garden at very little cost. It is so rewarding and makes me feel great!

Poly
  • 19th Oct 2011 02:52pm
I Love my garden too and have planted lots of flowers and have got a great veggie patch going as well. Even though we are renting, it doesn't stop me from investing in lovely surroundings, and it...

Angelina, I too love my garden, it is my passion. I have a large garden and I also propagate whenever I can and enjoy potting up plants for family and friends. I also have a vegetable patch and a herb garden. There is nothing like picking and eating from your own garden. Rosemary

gatesy45
  • 23rd Sep 2011 04:55pm

well thats great to know that you help your mum like that theres not very many young one that like gardening so good on ya im sure your mum really appreciates it a lot

zera
  • 23rd Sep 2011 12:29am

i live with my mother at the moment and have a regular lawn service maintain the mowing,i try and do as much of the weeding when i can and try to have it looking tidy for mum.

Help Caféstudy members by responding to their questions, or ask your own in Café Chat, and you will get the chance of earning extra rewards. Caféstudy will match these and donate equally to our two chosen Australian charities.

AMCS
Australian Marine Conservation Society are an independent charity, staffed by a committed group of scientists, educators and passionate advocates who have defended Australia’s oceans for over 50 years.
Reach Out
ReachOut is the most accessed online mental health service for young people and their parents in Australia. Their trusted self-help information, peer-support program and referral tools save lives by helping young people be well and stay well. The information they offer parents makes it easier for them to help their teenagers, too.