On Friday, our new street tree was installed in line with the blue dot by two friendly workmen from the BCC.  They called it a “Lop Con” short for Lophostemon confertus (Queensland Brush Box), and it’s the same as the others in the street. One neighbour who is also missing a tree has already ordered [...]

Early this year, I finally got rid of the last bit of the dreaded couch lawn – from both inside the yard and out on the verge. No need for all the mowing paraphenalia. No need for the shed. Then I went to the Nambour Garden Show and saw a stand with Zoysia Nara Native [...]

For me, the first role of the garden is to provide habitat for the many beneficial creatures – from the native bees and lizards to the small birds to the possums. There was a front hedge when we moved in – extremely trimmed lillypilly, now much less formal. It’s on the south border so it [...]

Stenocarpus ‘Doreen’ – according to its tag is an attractive medium shrub with delicate mid-green foilage and large clusters of creamy flowers in summer. Full sun to part shade, 2m high and 1.5m wide. It has done well but a couple of years later it is more like 4m high and .75 m wide – [...]

This is reason enough to grow sunflowers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYSLYrHalOs This sunflower is beside the pond and gets the morning sun. It has lots of tiny native bees and a single larger one. I’m not sure what type of bee it is. And here are some more against the fence facing west. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxJxmnMzVu0 Note to self: get [...]

Also known as Tie Bush, Bootlace Bark and Bushman’s Bootlace Evergreen perennial shrub with dense rounded habit  to 1.5 Shade / Semi-Shade Soil/Conditions: Adaptable / Moist Dark Green leaves to 6 cm, Dull underneath Green tubular flowers to 7 mm in Spring to Autumn Orange to Red berry fruit to 7 mm – TOXIC Family: [...]