Gardening Australia

Australia’s number one monthly gardening resource, ABC Gardening Australia magazine is packed with step-by-step advice and stunning design ideas from its popular team of experts. Whether you are a novice gardener or have a green thumb and years of experience, you’ll find the advice you need.

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Gardening Australia

December • News and happenings for gardeners and nature lovers

PLANTS • Add splashes of vibrant red and swathes of beautiful blue and lilac to your outdoor space for a boost of summer colour

BOOKS

Oh, what fun! • Herald the festive season with a living wreath and decorations of hanging greenery, writes TAMMY HUYNH

festive favourites • Looking for plants that celebrate summer? These gorgeous natives thrive in the heat, adding colour throughout the festive season and beyond, writes AB BISHOP

aloha, HIBISCUS • Whether you’re gardening in the tropics or yearning for that bright and verdant style in cooler climes, hibiscus brings the colour and the vibe, writes CLAIRE BICKLE

attention seekers • The bold colours and shapes of celosia flowers will turn heads through summer, but they aren’t for the faint hearted, writes STEVE FALCIONI

NATURAL attraction • Meandering paths, gentle steps and perfectly placed seating encourage the slow and steady exploration of this superb native ‘stroll’ garden

just hanging • Hanging baskets always catch the eye, and with so many suitable flower and foliage options, it’s easy to bring beauty to any vertical space, writes AB BISHOP

child’s PLAY • A unique ‘bush kinder’ program on the Mornington Peninsula is adding a new dimension to the way children learn and develop skills

comfort and joy • December is a month of sun-kissed fragrant fruit and conviviality, writes JACKIE FRENCH, who shares a few ways to ‘zhuzh’ the garden for visitors

IN THE PATCH • Whether you have 15 minutes or an hour to spare, you can always put your time to good use in the productive garden. Here are a few suggestions…

royal treatment • Now is the time to plant brussels sprouts. They’ll take a while to grow and require careful management, but you’ll reap rich rewards, writes PHIL DUDMAN

how to... SUMMER-PRUNE PEACH AND NECTARINE • Pruning peaches and nectarines straight after harvest sets them up for next year’s production. PHIL DUDMAN shows where to make the cuts

MYTH or FACT? • Do lemon-scented plants repel mosquitoes? PHIL DUDMAN buzzes in with the answer

bean fly • Do you live in a hot climate and grow beans? Here’s how to ward off a problem visitor...

ready, set... GROW • In her new book, Good Life Growing, HANNAH MOLONEY gives practical, empowering advice on growing fruit and vegetables in all climates around Australia. Here are her tips for growing leafy greens, tomatoes and pumpkins

DECEMBER a month in the GARDEN • More than 50 seasonal jobs to do

take a break! • Put the kettle on – it’s time to relax! Solve our puzzle to be in the running to win a Fiskars garden tool prize pack

YOURS FOR GARDENING

the big picture • The key to creating magnificent potted displays is to treat your plants as if they’re carb-loading before a marathon, writes MICHAEL McCOY