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Heartless theft from "Garden of Little Angels"

In a despicable act of heartlessness, dozens of bronze plaques dedicated to children have been stolen from a memorial park in Melbourne's southwest. The theft not only deprives grieving families of precious mementos but also desecrates a sacred space meant to honour the memory of lost loved ones. Victoria police were alerted to the crime when it was discovered that 75 plaques had been taken from Altona Memorial Park on Doherty’s Road. These plaques, erected in the "Garden of Little Angels", were loving tributes from families who had lost children, serving as symbols of remembrance and healing for those who visit the park. The theft, which occurred sometime between March 12 and 13, has left the community shocked and appalled. It is a violation not only of property but of the sanctity of a space meant for solace and reflection. The perpetrators have callously disregarded the pain of grieving families and the significance of the memorial to the community. In response to this reprehensible act, detectives have issued a warning to scrap metal dealers in the area to remain vigilant against any attempts to sell the stolen plaques. These plaques, though they may hold some monetary value as scrap metal, are priceless to the families who placed them in the memorial park, with their sentimental worth far outweighing any material gain. The police are actively investigating the theft and are urging anyone with information to come forward. The return of the stolen plaques to their rightful place is paramount in restoring a sense of peace and closure to the families affected by this crime. Images: Altona Memorial Park

Legal

Better Homes and Gardens star's dream rural property up for grabs

Better Homes and Gardens star Charlie Albone and his wife interior designer Juliet Love, have listed their dream Ourimbah home. The 2.07ha property located on the Central Coast has been listed by McGrath Gosford agents Peter Morris and Nate Waters with a $3m to $3.2m price guidance. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home sits deep behind a gated entry, which ensures privacy and is surrounded by plenty of greenery with its garden alcoves, a stunning wisteria-covered arbour, fruit trees, and a few garden beds for vegetables. There is also a feature dry-stone wall fire pit built by Scottish stonemason Callum Grey, that's perfect for winter and colder nights. The English cottage-style home comes with a separate self-contained unit that includes a bedroom and kitchenette. The home is every animal lovers' dream with five paddocks that come with animal shelters, plumbed water troughs and a three-stall stable. For those hot summer days, whoever the new owners are can dip into the saltwater pool located on the property. The property is equipped with 100,000-litre tanks and has town water. Albone and his family bought the property in 2012 for $840,000 which means that if it was sold at the price guide then it's almost four times the original price they bought it at. The top acreage sale at Ourimbah currently sits at $3,725,000 for a 13.93ha Dog Trap Rd six-bedroom house, which sold in 2021. Images: news.com.au

Real Estate

“Don’t be alarmed”: Better Homes and Gardens star makes shock announcement

Better Homes and Gardens star Karen Martini has announced she will be “stepping back” from her role on the program. After almost two decades on the show, the 52-year-old admitted she has “so much on my plate” this year as she balances a range of different projects. The chef and restaurateur will be taking a break from the show to focus on work, while also making more time for her teenage daughters, Stella, 17, and Amber, 15. She told <a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment/tv/better-homes-and-garden-star-karen-martini-makes-shock-announcement-stepping-back-c-13310981">7News</a>, “With my two new restaurants— Johnny’s Green Room already open and Saint George set to launch soon — as well as so many other projects on the go, 2024 is shaping up to be my busiest year ever.” “My daughters are in their last teenage years too — it’s quite daunting as Stella is in year 12 and also on her Ls.” “With so much on my plate, I’ve made the decision to step back from Better Homes and Gardens (BHAG) this year while I focus on some of my other exciting projects.” “So don’t be alarmed if I’m not in your living room every Friday night.” Karen will continue to make the occasional guest appearance on the show, but will not feature in every episode. After the news of Karen’s departure was announced on the Better Homes & Gardens Instagram account, longtime viewers shared their messages of support to the chef in her next ventures. One person wrote, “Been watching since you joined in 2007 and I’ve loved watching you in the kitchen. All the best.” The 52-year-old also shared her excitement over the newest addition to the Better Homes line-up: chef and MKR judge Colin Fassnidge. “I’m so excited that my mate Colin Fassnidge is entering the Better Homes kitchen,” she went on. “I think his cheeky flavour is sure to spice up the show and I can’t wait to see him on air when we are back on Friday, February 2.” Image credits: Instagram

Better Homes and Gardens unveils new celebrity chef

Last November, Better Homes and Gardens <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/better-homes-and-gardens-star-announces-exit-after-20-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farewelled</a> chef "Fast" Ed Halmagyi, after 20 years on the show. Fans have since been left wondering who will replace him, but the wait is now over. Celebrated chef and My Kitchen Rules judge Colin Fassnidge is set to join the cast from Friday, 2 February 2024. The Irish TV personality will share his much-loved family recipes as the show celebrates it's 30th anniversary. “Working on Better Homes and Gardens really feels like coming home,” he told 7Life. “I’ve been friends with Johanna Griggs ever since I started at Channel 7, and the rest of the cast and I get on like a house on fire. “I can’t wait to get out on the road and travel around this beautiful country, cooking with some of the best and freshest produce in the world.” He also added that he is a bit intimidated as he has big shoes to fill in after Fast Ed's departure. “It’s a little bit scary, but it’s a good challenge and a lot of fun as well,” he said. Fassnidge also shared what he is planning to bring to the table in the coming year. “This show means a lot of things to a lot of people. I’m going to bring a bit of Irish spice to the table! “I want to do fun, affordable cooking — I’m a chef, but I’ve also got kids as well, so I know how hard it is to put food on the table in this day and age with the cost of living and interest rate rises. “I want to show people how they can use cheaper cuts of meat, how to save time, how to feed the family on a budget, but still make delicious meals.” Better Homes and Gardens executive producer Russell Palmer said he was excited to welcome the MKR star to the team, saying it marked the beginning of a new chapter for the show. “He’s a talented and well-respected chef and brings his own charm and innovation, which is sure to inspire our audience,” he said. Images: 7News

Food & Wine

Better Homes and Gardens star announces exit after 20 years

After 20 years of sharing his quick and easy recipes on Better Homes and Gardens, Ed Halmagyi - or as viewers know him, Fast Ed - is leaving the show Ed will step away from the show in two weeks to focus on a personal business venture, with his final appearance airing on Friday December 1. “I got closer and closer to marking 20 years of Better Homes and I thought about what I want to do in the next 10 years,” he told 7News. “I’ve been incredibly lucky over the course of the last 20 years to be able to tell some really cool stories about some really amazing people.” “I have been honoured to get the chance to tell stories to people who love food every week and be part of this amazing show that is part of Australia’s fabric. “I will certainly miss being a part of Australia’s Friday nights and working alongside my Better Homes family.” Ed also said that agrees with his friends who have told him that his role on the show is the "best job in the world." “It’s pretty darned incredible,” he told the publication. “I’ve worked with the most incredible places, with the most incredible team. “I’ve had the best time, and will be forever grateful to Joh, my fellow presenters, the Better Homes team behind the scenes and to everyone who watches our show each and every night.” Prior to starring in the show, Ed was running a restaurant in Sydney, and was recruited after he impressed the producers with his upbeat personality when they filmed a Sydney Weekender there. “Twenty years ago, after what I considered an unremarkable Sydney Weekender appearance, I was asked to do a screen test,” he recalled. Ed never thought he would get a career in media, and it all worked out for him in the end. “To be honest, I never felt more ridiculous in my life than I did on that day, but I just kind of decided to be me, and…..what the hell. “That I’m still doing it 20 years later is equal parts fantastic and bizarre.” Although Ed's replacement on the show is yet to be announced, the one piece of advice that he has for them is this: “Be you and start out with the absolute most sincere respect for your audience.” Image: Seven

No more brown leaves: sage advice from a gardening expert

We’ve all been there before. We’re watering our seemingly healthy houseplant when suddenly there it is: a tinge of brown on the plant’s leaf. Yikes. But what do brown tips on leaves mean for your plant, and what can you do to make them go away? Read on to find out. Lack of water or humidity If your plant is sporting crispy, dark, or brown tips on its leaves, it may mean you need to water more often. Check the soil moisture and slowly reduce the number of days in between watering. Watch your plants for signs of improvement. Lack of humidity could also be the cause. Tropical plants prefer higher humidity levels than we have in our homes. When we turn on the heat in winter, there’s even less moisture in the air. Group plants together so that as one loses moisture through its leaves, the neighbours benefit. Or place plants on saucers or trays filled with pebbles and water. Set a pot on the pebbles above the water. As the water evaporates, it will increase the humidity around the plant, where it is needed. Lack of nutrients A lack of key nutrients may be behind the brown tips on leaves of your plant. Burned-looking leaf tips, or old leaves with dark green or reddish-purplish colouring, may indicate a phosphorus deficiency. With a potassium deficiency, you may see yellow or brown along older leaf tips and edges, yellowing between veins, curling leaves, or spotting. For potted plants, add a slow-release type of fertiliser to the soil mix before planting. Every time you water, a little fertiliser is released, providing a steady flow of nutrients. But depending on the growing conditions and number of plants in the container, a midseason boost may be needed. Stay on top of your fertiliser applications by making notes on a calendar. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/gardening-tips/why-does-my-plant-have-brown-tips-on-the-leaves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

Why you should never throw out an old garden hose

Make a snake decoy to scare birds If flocks of birds are making a mess of your pool (or stealing from your backyard veggie garden), try replicating their natural predator to keep them away. Cut a short length of hose, lay it on the grass – poised like a snake – and the birds should steer clear. Stabilise a tree A short length of old garden hose is a good way to tie a young tree to its stake. You’ll find the hose is flexible enough to bend when the tree does, but at the same time, it’s strong enough to keep the tree tied to its stake until it can stand on its own. Also, the hose will not damage the bark of a young tree as it grows. Cover swing set chains To avoid kids getting hurt on a backyard swing, put a length of old hose over each chain. This will prevent little hands from getting pinched on the swing chain. If you have access to one end of the chains, just slip the chain through the hose. Otherwise, slit the hose down the middle and slip it over the swing-set chains. Close the slit hose with a few wraps of duct tape. Protect your handsaws Keep your handsaw sharp and safe by protecting it with a length of garden hose. Just cut a piece of hose to the length you need, slit it along its length and slip it over the teeth. This is also a good technique to protect kitchen knives when you pack them for a camping trip. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/diy-tips/why-you-should-never-throw-out-an-old-garden-hose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

Better Homes and Gardens star reveals health scare

Better Homes and Gardens star Melissa King has revealed the details of her "terrifying" health scare, which began with a series of migraines. King wanted to keep her condition away from the public eye, until her face went into an uncontrollable spasm live during a broadcast segment on Sunrise. The spasms have now become a part of Melissa's life, after she was diagnosed with a benign tumour on the lining of her brain. Chatting candidly with Australian Women's Weekly, the mother-of-two revealed when she was diagnosed with the meningioma, and when she decided it was time to tell others about her health battle. “I could feel the stretching and tightening as the right side of my face contorted, and I knew everyone watching at home could see it too,” she told the publication. “That morning was awful. I could hear the producers say, ‘Melissa, are you okay?’” Melissa first began experiencing migraines in her teenage years, before going to see a doctor in 2017 as they progressively got worse. She was then referred to a neurologist, who recommended an MRI which revealed a meningioma, a non-cancerous tumour located in her brain lining, a discovery Melissa said was “terrifying,” despite her tumour being classified as benign. Whilst a meningioma is most often benign - many people may have one without even knowing - in other cases it can be potentially life-threatening. After her initial diagnosis, Melissa underwent six-monthly MRI scans to monitor her tumour, and for four years, it remained stable in size. But in 2021, when Melissa had become a mother of two boys, Noah, now 11, and Marlon, nine, doctors had noticed her tumour had grown in size. Doctors offered her one of two choices - brain surgery to remove it, or radiotherapy to shrink it. She chose the "less invasive" option of radiotherapy, and incredibly, during a two-week break from work, she undertook her entire 15 sessions, heading off to the hospital each morning and coming home to sleep at night. Relatively new to her role on Better Homes and Gardens, she decided to keep her health ordeal quiet. “I just wanted to be able to take each step quietly with my family around me,” she told Australian Women’s Weekly. <div class="hide-print ad-no-notice css-qyun7f-StyledAdUnitWrapper ezkyf1c0" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “They wrapped me up in so much love and I felt very supported by them.” Melissa said she also wanted to protect her boys, knowing that to them the word “tumour” would sound very scary. After her appearance on Sunrise when the facial spasm took over, it was then Melissa decided it was time to tell her Better Homes and Gardens colleagues about what she’d been through. <div class="hide-print ad-no-notice css-qyun7f-StyledAdUnitWrapper ezkyf1c0" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “They’ve been amazing,” she said. "Most of my segments are filmed so we can stop the camera if I need to wait until it passes." “People have been incredibly understanding and supportive, and I’m so grateful.” “It was a lot of trial and error for me, working out what triggered the migraines and what didn’t,” she said. “(Now) I’m feeling really good and my health is great.” Image credits: Instagram </div> </div>

Caring

How a garden hose dispute between neighbours ended with a 30-year jail sentence

An Aussie man has been sentenced to 30 years in jail after shooting two of his neighbours, in a months-long dispute that began over a disagreement over a garden hose. Rodney John Lee, a 74-year-old from Melbourne's south-east, was sentenced to 30 years behind bars in court on Monday, after showing little remorse for pulling out a shotgun and murdering Saumoto Gasio and Tibor Laszlo, who lived in the same unit block. The dispute between the neighbours began several months ago, with tensions escalating quickly in the lead up to the shooting, which occurred on January 13th 2022. Lee had accused one neighbour's grandson of being a drug dealer, and was angry others would turn off a hose he used to water a communal garden. On the day of the killings, Lee left the hose running and went inside his apartment, later screaming in anger when he realised that the water had been shut off. According to court documents, Lee yelled to his neighbours, "You turn the hose off again you bastards, I'll f***ing kill you." Later that night, Lee confronted residents in the garden when he got into an argument with Mr Gasio, who told him he would ignore demands about the hose because he was wasting water by leaving the hose running unattended. Lee then went back to his apartment and armed himself with his grandfather's shotgun, before he headed back to the group and from close range fired at Mr Gasio, who was sitting on a bench. Other residents of the building fled the scene looking for safety, while a badly injured Mr Gasio stumbled into a neighbour's unit. As neighbours tried to help Mr Gasio, Lee came through the door and fired the shotgun again, this time hitting Mr Laszlo. Both men died at the scene. Before handing down the sentencing, Justice James Elliott described the killer's actions as "senseless and brutally violent". "Nothing could justify the disproportionate, senseless and brutally violent way in which you responded," Justice Elliott said. <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "You murdered two people in their places of residence, where they were entitled to feel safe, in the presence of other residents of the unit complex." </div> "Both victims were completely defenceless against you." Lee is likely to die in jail, as he will be aged 97 by the time he is eligible for parole in early 2046. "You'll almost certainly be imprisoned for the remainder of your life," Justice Elliott said. Image credits: ABC News

Legal

10 surprising health benefits of gardening

If you’re looking for ways to stay fit and healthy, chances are exercise ranks high on the list. Lifting weights can help maintain and even strengthen muscles while yoga can boost your flexibility and balance. But have you ever thought of gardening? Gardening, no matter your age, is a physical activity that can reap many unexpected health benefits. “When I think of the health benefits of gardening the first most obvious benefit is getting outside and into the fresh air,” says horticultural therapy manager Gwenn Fried. But there are plenty more benefits for the mind, body and soul. Makes you (and your kids) love veggies Were you the kid who fed your peas to the dog under the table? Or faked a stomach ache every time Brussels sprouts were served? Simply growing older may not have changed your feelings about eating your greens, but growing your own vegetables just might. A 2017 review of studies published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that kids who were introduced to gardening ate more fruit and veggies. Helps you control weight Avoiding weight gain – or trying to shed a few kilos – is a popular health goal for many people, and gardening can help you achieve it, according to a 2013 study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Gardeners have a significantly lower body mass index, as well as lower odds of being overweight or obese, than non-gardeners, the researchers found. Provides a great workout that feels like fun Think puttering around in the garden is just something your elderly neighbour does when she’s bored? Think again. Carrying bags of mulch, pushing a wheelbarrow, hoeing rows, picking weeds, planting seeds, toting equipment, shovelling manure, moving pots, pushing a mower, and other gardening tasks provide a whole-body workout, suggests a 2014 review of studies published in the journal American Society for Horticultural Science. Even better, it’s exercise with a purpose. “This goal-oriented activity entices you to stay for a longer time and therefore reap more benefits of the aerobic activity,” says Fried. Nourishes your spirit Call it the ‘gardening glow’ – working with plants provides serious stress relief and positive sensory stimulation, suggests an experiment done by NASA in 2016. That’s right, the scientists responsible for hurtling humans into space have discovered that gardening can keep astronauts sane and happy in the severe environment of outer space. In their research, they found that planting and nurturing seeds, even just in small pots, provided lifted mood and eased stress. And if it helps astronauts, it can definitely help us. Cuts your risk of heart disease Even though not all gardening tasks are a high-intensity cardio sweat fest, they still provide powerful heart health benefits. In fact, gardening can cut the risk of a heart attack or stroke and prolong life by 30 per cent, according to a study published in 2013 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The benefits appear to come from the combination of physical exercise and stress reduction that playing in the dirt provides. “The stress-reducing capacity of gardening starts with reconnecting us with the natural world,” says Fried. “Pruning, weeding and watering all provide a cathartic experience. Something as small as tending a plant on a desk or as encompassing as a vegetable garden allows the user to immerse themselves in a green, growing, healthy environment.” Helps slow climate change When it comes to reversing or stopping global climate change, there’s a lot you can do on an individual level. Recycling, carpooling, using energy-efficient appliances, and electric cars all help. But did you know that you can add your backyard garden to that list? Gardens provide vital green space to reduce greenhouse gases, reduce your need to buy things, allow you to compost food waste, and many other positives for our planet, according to report by the National Wildlife Federation. Boosts your immune system Having dirt under your fingernails may be a sign of poor hygiene, but scientists say it could also be a mark of good health. Thanks to beneficial bacteria found in soil, gardening may improve your immune system, helping you get sick less and fight off infections easier, according to research, including a 2015 study published in Immunotargets and Therapy. Increases hand coordination and strength A powerful grip is important for more than just rock climbing or intimidating people with your handshake. Hand strength, flexibility and coordination are essential for everyday tasks like opening jars, carrying packages and picking up children. And gardening is the perfect way to hone those fine motor skills and muscles. A few minutes of weeding every day may even help offset some of the strain caused by repetitive use like typing or phone swiping. Gives you hope for the future Arguably the most surprising benefit of gardening? It restores your faith in the future. “When you garden, you expect growth and change,” says Fried. How so? “When someone plants a seed and waters it, they have faith that the seed will send roots into the soil to support stems and leaves above,” she says. “When people see that faith come to fruition, it helps carry the same kind of faith and hope into everyday life.” Sharpens your brain More than just good exercise for your body, gardening provides a healthy workout for your brain, suggests a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Researchers measured brain nerve growth factors related to memory in study participants – all seniors – before and after they created a vegetable garden, and found that their levels of brain nerve growth had increased significantly. Arguably “the most surprising benefit of gardening is the capacity for gardeners to become life-long learners,” says Fried. “It’s important to stimulate our brains throughout life. With gardening, there’s always something to learn about new plants and techniques or history and folklore from our past.” Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-gardening?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

8 mind-boggling facts about your favourite flowers and plants

We’ve found some fun, quirky and downright mind-boggling facts about our favourite flowers and plants. 1. A sunflower is not just one flower. Each head is composed of hundreds of tiny flowers, called florets, held together on a single seed. This is the case for all plants in the sunflower family, including daises. 2. Apples, pears, peaches, cherries, raspberries, strawberries and more are actually in the rose family, making them cousins to the long-stemmed flower of love. 3. During the 1600s, tulips were so valuable in Holland that their bulbs were worth more than gold. No wonder the Netherlands is known for their tulips! 4. Bamboo is the fasted-growing woody plant in the world. The current Guinness World Record title is held by a certain species of the 45 genera of bamboo, which have been found to grow at up to 91 cm per day or at a rate of 0.00003 km/h. 5. Strawberries are the only fruit that bears its seeds on the outside. It has on average 200 seeds. 6. The oldest known flower was discovered in 2002, in northeast China. The flower, named archaefructus sinensis, bloomed around 125 million years ago and resembles a water lily. 7. The titan arum is the world’s largest flower. The circumference of the flower can be over three metres and a single leaf can grow to the size of a small tree. However, it smells horribly like rotten flesh, earning its nickname of corpse flower. 8. You can change the colour of your hydrangeas by altering the pH level of the soil. Alkaline soil will create pinker blooms, while a more acidic soil will produce blue blooms. Image credit: Instagram Related links: <a href="../lifestyle/gardening/2015/05/gardening-and-soil-ph/">What you need to know about your soil’s pH levels</a> <a href="../lifestyle/gardening/2015/05/over60-community-gardens-part-4/">Take a look inside the beautiful gardens of the Over60 community</a> <a href="../lifestyle/gardening/2015/06/attracting-birds-to-the-garden/">Top tips for attracting birds to the garden</a>

Home & Garden

Five easy ways to use less water at home – and not just in a drought

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/niko-wanders-1234321">Niko Wanders</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/utrecht-university-1354">Utrecht University</a> With so much of the world suffering from drought, you might think your ability to help is minimal. But when you consider the average person in the UK uses around <a href="https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/vast-majority-of-brits-have-no-idea-how-much-water-they-use-each-day/">142 litres of water a day</a>, it’s easy to see how small changes to your routine can add up. More than half of the water that is extracted from rivers, streams and aquifers in the UK feeds the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env15-water-abstraction-tables">public water supply</a>. These abstractions, as they’re called, worsen drought conditions by draining local waterways, depriving vegetation, fish and other aquatic life of the water they need to survive droughts. Filling paddling pools to cool off, taking multiple showers each day to stay clean, watering the garden to revive wilting plants – all these extra activities contribute to a sharp increase in public water use on hot and dry days. And these impacts can endure for months, as freshwater systems need a lot of additional rainfall to recover from droughts. If each person can reduce their water use during a drought, it would significantly benefit the natural world in its recovery. Here are five things you can do, starting today. <h2>1. Shower less</h2> Most of the water you use is <a href="https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/vast-majority-of-brits-have-no-idea-how-much-water-they-use-each-day/">in the shower</a>. For every minute you’re under the shower head (depending on how powerful it is), around 10 litres of water drains away. Since most people shower for <a href="https://www.mirashowers.co.uk/blog/trends/revealed-what-brits-are-really-getting-up-to-in-the-bathroom-1/#:%7E:text=Most%20Brits%20(62%25)%20bathe,latest%20UK%20shower%20habits%20survey.">an average of seven minutes</a>, half of your daily water use takes place first thing in the morning. Turning off the shower while shampooing your hair or applying shower gel can help conserve water, as can shortening the length of your shower overall. Be sure not to switch to a bath though – the average soak in the tub uses <a href="https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/vast-majority-of-brits-have-no-idea-how-much-water-they-use-each-day/">around 80 litres of water</a>. <h2>2. Use rainwater in the garden</h2> <figure class="align-right zoomable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure> During a dry spell, the average gardener can use <a href="https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/siteassets/documents/uwu-0618-web-version.pdf">hundreds of litres</a> of water to keep their plants hydrated. Some people will use a watering can (good), others might leave a sprinkler on all day (bad). Most use drinking water, which is a waste – plants are happy with rain water. Add a water butt that collects the rain which falls on your roof and use it for the garden. To find out how to install one, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jk0lstsu5o">watch this</a>. <h2>3. Use the short flush</h2> Per flush, your toilet uses about <a href="https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/vast-majority-of-brits-have-no-idea-how-much-water-they-use-each-day/">5 litres of water</a>, and up to 10 litres in older models. If available, use the short flush to significantly reduce how much water is wasted. <h2>4. Cut back on car washing</h2> If you need to wash your car, do it the old-fashioned way with a bucket and soap rather than hosing it down. The water contained in a bucket (<a href="https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/vast-majority-of-brits-have-no-idea-how-much-water-they-use-each-day/">roughly 30 litres</a>) is significantly less than the average that flows through a hose (around <a href="https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/siteassets/documents/uwu-0618-web-version.pdf">15 litres per minute</a>). Better yet, avoid washing your car entirely during a drought. <h2>5. Reuse water</h2> If you’re washing vegetables, you could collect the water in a bowl in the sink and later give it to the plants in your house or outside. While you’re waiting for warm water to come out of a tap, use the cold to fill the kettle. Close the tap while you’re lathering your hands with soap or brushing your teeth. Though these are only small savings, they do make a difference over time. Inflatable pools are lovely for cooling down on the hottest days. A cleaning pump can filter the water and recycle it without you needing to use more water to keep the pool clean. <h2>Save water, save money</h2> All these tips can significantly reduce your water use and combat the effects of drought on the environment. They can also save you money. If you’re able to renovate your home, it’s worth installing a system for collecting rain water which, combined with a pump, can flush toilets. In Belgium, for example, it is common practice to have such a system installed (effectively, a large underground water butt) in newly built houses. Most people would struggle to afford these kinds of measures, and so drought-proofing homes and communities should be part of the effort to adapt countries to the extreme weather expected in a rapidly warming world. Image credit: Shutterstock <hr /> <figure class="align-right "><figcaption></figcaption></figure> Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like? <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeTop">Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead.</a> Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeBottom">Join the 10,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.</a><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187885/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <hr /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/niko-wanders-1234321">Niko Wanders</a>, Assistant Professor in Hydrological Extremes, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/utrecht-university-1354">Utrecht University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-easy-ways-to-use-less-water-at-home-and-not-just-in-a-drought-187885">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

Don’t kill the curl grubs in your garden – they could be native beetle babies

<figure><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tanya-latty-132">Tanya Latty</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-reid-1402564">Chris Reid</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></figure> Have you ever been in the garden and found a large, white, C-shaped grub with a distinctive brown head and six legs clustered near the head? If so, you’ve had an encounter with the larva of a scarab beetle (family: Scarabaeidae) also known as a “curl grub”. Many gardeners worry these large larvae might damage plants. So what are curl grubs? And should you be concerned if you discover them in your garden? <h2>What are curl grubs?</h2> Curl grubs turn into scarab beetles. There are more than 30,000 species of scarab beetles worldwide. Australia is home to at least 2,300 of these species, including iridescent Christmas beetles (<a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetle/">Anoplognathus</a>), spectacularly horned rhinoceros beetles (Dynastinae), and the beautifully patterned flower chafers (<a href="https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/aus_museum/flower_chafers/key/Cetoniinae/Media/Html/key.htm">Cetoniinae</a>). While the adults might be the most conspicuous life stage, scarabs spend most of their lives as larvae, living underground or in rotting wood. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499922/original/file-20221209-25133-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A bird holds a curl grub in its beak." /></a><figcaption>Curl grubs make an excellent meal for hungry birds. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> <h2>Scarab larvae can help the environment</h2> Soil-dwelling scarab larvae can aerate soils and help <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.library.sydney.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0006320708001420">disperse</a> seeds. Species that eat decaying matter help recycle nutrients and keep soils healthy. Most scarab larvae are large and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684676/">full of protein and fat</a>. They make an excellent meal for <a href="https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2018/08/12/organic-control-of-curl-grubs-in-lawn/#:%7E:text=The%20most%20useful%20natural%20enemies,digging%20them%20out%20of%20lawns.">hungry birds</a>. Besides being important for ecosystems, scarabs also play a role in <a href="https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=entomologypapers">cultural celebrations</a>. For example, the ancient Egyptians famously worshipped the sun through the symbol of the ball-rolling dung beetle. In Australia, colourful Christmas beetles traditionally heralded the arrival of the holiday season. Sadly, Christmas beetle numbers have <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetles/">declined</a> over the last few decades, likely due to habitat loss. <h2>Are the curl grubs in my garden harming my plants?</h2> Most scarab larvae feed on grass roots, and this can cause damage to plants when there’s a lot of them. In Australia, the <a href="https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/517487-Cyclocephala-signaticollis">Argentine lawn scarab</a> and the <a href="https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/olives/african-black-beetle-horticulture">African black beetle</a> are invasive pest species that cause significant damage to pastures and lawns. Native scarab species can also be pests under the right circumstances. For example, when Europeans began planting sugar cane (a type of grass) and converting native grasslands to pastures, many native Australian scarab species found an abundant new food source and were subsequently classified as <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/1/54/htm">pests</a>. Unfortunately, we know little about the feeding habits of many native scarab larvae, including those found in gardens. Some common garden species, like the beautifully patterned <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/fiddler-beetle/">fiddler beetle</a> (Eupoecila australasiae), feed on decaying wood and are unlikely to harm garden plants. Even species that consume roots are likely not a problem under normal conditions. Plants are surprisingly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-011-2210-y">resilient</a>, and most can handle losing a small number of their roots to beetle larvae. Even while damaging plants, curl grubs may be helping keep soil healthy by providing aeration and nutrient mixing. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/502386/original/file-20221221-18-bs2txf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="manicured grass and garden" /><figcaption>Most plants can handle losing a small number of their roots to beetle larvae. </figcaption></figure> <h2>How do I know if I have ‘good’ or ‘bad’ beetle larvae in my garden?</h2> Unfortunately, identifying scarab larvae species is challenging. Many of the features we use to tell groups apart are difficult to see without magnification. While there are identification guides for scarabs larvae found in <a href="https://cesaraustralia.com/pestfacts/scarabs-and-cockchafers-identification/">pastures</a>, there are currently no such identification resources for the scarabs found in household gardens. Since identification may not be possible, the best guide to whether or not scarab larvae are a problem in your garden is the health of your plants. Plants with damaged roots may wilt or turn yellow. Since most root-feeding scarabs prefer grass roots, lawn turf is most at risk and damage is usually caused by exotic scarab species. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501443/original/file-20221215-14-rbzlz0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Unfortunately, identifying scarab larvae species is challenging. </figcaption></figure> <h2>What should I do if I find curl grubs in my garden?</h2> Seeing suspiciously plump curl grubs amongst the roots of prized garden plants can be alarming, but please don’t automatically reach for insecticides. The chemicals used to control curl grubs will harm all scarab larvae, regardless of whether or not they are pests. Many of the most common treatments for curl grubs contain chemicals called “anthranilic diamides”, which are also <a href="http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/chlorantraniliprole.html#howwork">toxic</a> to butterflies, moths and aquatic invertebrates. And by disrupting soil ecosystems, using insecticides might do more harm than good and could kill harmless native beetle larvae. So what to do instead? Larvae found in decaying wood or mulch are wood feeders and are useful composters; they will not harm your plants and should be left where they are. Larvae found in compost bins are helping to break down wastes and should also be left alone. If you find larvae in your garden soil, use your plant’s health as a guide. If your plants appear otherwise healthy, consider simply leaving curl grubs where they are. Scarab larvae are part of the soil ecosystem and are unlikely to do damage if they are not present in high numbers. If your plants appear yellow or wilted and you’ve ruled out other causes, such as under-watering or nutrient deficiencies, consider feeding grubs to the birds or squishing them. It’s not nice, but it’s better than insecticides. Lawns are particularly susceptible to attack by the larvae of non-native scarabs. Consider replacing lawns with <a href="https://www.sgaonline.org.au/lawn-alternatives/">native</a> ground covers. This increases biodiversity and lowers the chances of damage from non-native scarab larvae. Scarab beetles are beautiful and fascinating insects that help keep our soils healthy and our wildlife well fed.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191771/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image credit: Shutterstock <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tanya-latty-132">Tanya Latty</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-reid-1402564">Chris Reid</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor in Zoology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-kill-the-curl-grubs-in-your-garden-they-could-be-native-beetle-babies-191771">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

6 best screening hedge plant

<h4>Lillipilly</h4> With its dense screen and fast growing habit, lillipilly can grow up to eight metres tall but should be pruned to thicken the foliage. The Syzygium smithii variety is commonly known as ‘Neighbours Be Gone’. <h4>Juniper</h4> A conifer such as Juniperas spartan is an excellent choice due to its dense evergreen dark blue-green coloured foliage. This column-shaped hardy plant grows to three metres in 10 years and no trimming or pruning is required. <h4>Camellia</h4> Camellias come in two main varieties, japonica and sasanqua. For hedging, the sasanqua is the preferred choice with its faster growing habit, smaller leaves and better sun tolerance. The flowers in autumn are an added bonus. <h4>Photinia</h4> Photinias come in larger and smaller leaf varieties with the smaller leaf types more suitable for hedges up to two metres. With an overall deep green leaf appearance, the new growth comes as striking red foliage. <h4>Murraya</h4> A great alternative to box hedges with a somewhat similar texture but lighter green leaves, murraya is fast growing and easy to care for, with a pretty flush of orange blossom scented flowers in spring and summer. <h4>English Box</h4> Box is the most popular choice for hedging and is the best choice for a more formal look. Its slow growing tendency means it will not provide privacy for several years, but the bonus is it’s easy to maintain. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/gardening-tips/best-screening-hedge-plants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

16 ways to kill garden weeds

<h2>How to kill garden weeds with ease</h2> Looking for a safe way to keep weeds and grass from growing in the cracks of your paved patios, driveways and footpaths? Here are a few tricks that will keep weeds at bay. <h2>Baking soda</h2> Sprinkle handfuls of baking soda onto the concrete and simply sweep it into the cracks. The added sodium will make it much less hospitable to dandelions and their friends. <h2>Bleach</h2> Pour a bit of undiluted bleach over them. After a day or two, you can simply pull them out and the bleach will keep them from coming back. Just be careful not to get bleach on the grass or plants bordering the path. <h2>Boiling water</h2> Put on the kettle and pour boiling water over cracks where weeds grow. This will kill the stubborn weeds. <h2>Vinegar</h2> Are dandelions a problem? Make them disappear for good by spraying them with full-strength white or apple cider vinegar. Early in the season, give each plant a single spritz of vinegar in its midsection or in the middle of the flower before the plants go to seed. Aim another shot near the stem at ground level so the vinegar can soak down to the roots. Keep an eye on the weather, though; if it rains the next day, you’ll need to give the weeds another spraying. <h2>Borax</h2> Sprinkle borax in the crevices where you’ve seen weeds grow in the past. It will kill them off before they have a chance to take root. When applied around the foundation of your home, it will also keep ants and other six-legged intruders from entering your house. But be very careful when applying borax – it is toxic to plants. <h2>Bottles</h2> When using herbicides to kill weeds in your garden, you have to be careful not to also spray and kill surrounding plants. To isolate the weed you want to kill, cut a 2-litre soft drink bottle in half and place the top half over the weed you want to spray. Then direct your pump’s spraying wand through the regular opening in the top of the bottle and blast away. After the spray settles down, pick up the bottle and move on to your next target. Always wear goggles and gloves when spraying chemicals in the garden. <h2>Corn gluten meal</h2> This non-toxic herbicide kills weed seedlings within just a few days of application. An organic byproduct of the corn milling process, corn gluten meal is made up of 10 per cent nitrogen. It works by inhibiting weed roots from forming, according to <a href="https://www.thespruce.com/corn-gluten-herbicide-careful-timing-2152947">TheSpruce.com</a>. But the timing is important: You have to apply corn gluten meal to soil before weeds emerge. <h2>Landscape fabric</h2> This all-natural method takes longer to decompose than mulch. But don’t buy just any type. “Hold the fabric up to the light and make sure the pores in the fabric are small enough to prevent weeds from growing through the barrier,” recommends the Family Handyman. “Also, a good-quality landscape fabric is one you can’t tear or stretch easily. It should feel stiff, not flimsy and limp. <h2>Carpet scraps</h2> Alternatively, if you have scraps of carpet lying around, us these to suppress weeds in you garden. Place upside down in your garden or along your garden path and cover with bark mulch or straw. Use also around your vegetable garden. <h2>Newspaper</h2> Like carpet, laying down newspaper will block sunlight, prevent oxygen from reaching the soil and smother weeds that are already growing. Put down 10 layers of newspapers on the soil, wet it with water to hold it in place and then cover with mulch. <h2>Salt</h2> Bring a solution of about 1 cup salt in 2 cups water to a boil. Pour directly on the weeds in the cracks of your path to kill them. Another equally effective method is to spread salt directly onto the weeds or unwanted grass that come up between bricks. Wait for rain to rinse it off. <h2>Shower curtains</h2> Those old shower curtains will also come in handy next time you do any landscaping with gravel or bark chips. Just place the shower curtain under the mulching material to prevent annoying weeds from poking through. While weeds can be pests, bugs can be beneficial. <h2>Spray bottles</h2> Fill a spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar to get rid of the weeds and grass poking out of the cracks in your concrete, as well as ants and other insects. Be careful not to spray it on your plants though, as the high acidity could kill them. <h2>Vodka</h2> For a quick and easy weed killer, mix 30mL of vodka, a few drops of dishwashing liquid and 2 cups water in a spray bottle. Spray it on the weed leaves until the mixture runs off. Apply it at midday on a sunny day to weeds growing in direct sunlight, because the alcohol breaks down the waxy cuticle covering on leaves, leaving them susceptible to dehydration in sunlight. It won’t work in shade. <h2>Trowel</h2> <div id="page6"> <div id="test"> <div> Looking for an extremely hands-on approach to how to kill weeds? A trowel is an easy way to dig them up, particularly if they’re big weeds. <h2>WD-40</h2> Don’t let pesky prickly weeds ruin your garden. Just spray some WD-40 on them and they’ll wither and die. <div data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/gardeningtips/16-ways-to-kill-garden-weeds"> </div> </div> </div> </div> Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/gardeningtips/16-ways-to-kill-garden-weeds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

How to decorate with indoor plants

If you want to add colour and freshness to your home, why not bring the outdoors in with some strategically placed indoor plants. Not sure where to start? Follow our tips to make the task simple and stylish. <ul> <li>Buy the best pot you can afford – it really does add the wow factor when you see a plant inside in a fabulous pot. In the same way, a great plant will lose its pizzazz if it is housed in a dull or cheap looking pot.</li> <li>Stay in fashion – always choose plants that won’t go out of fashion, even if you change your décor. Your local garden centre is a good source of information on the best plants for your climate.</li> <li>Keep your options open – there’s actually no need to pot your plant into your new pot. Just sit the plant inside and cover the top with stones or coconut fibre. This means you can easily move it around if you find it’s not working in its current home.</li> <li>Liven up your space – choose a plant that is an unusual colour or has an interesting leaf shape. </li> <li>Don’t go overboard – it’s best not to put too many plants in one area. Keep it simple.</li> <li>If in doubt, throw it out – if your plant starts to look a bit tired or sick it’s best to remove it from the indoors and try to revive it outside. You can easily replace it with a new plant for inside – after all it’s still cheaper than a bunch of flowers.</li> </ul> Related links: <a href="../lifestyle/at-home/2015/07/fragrant-plants-for-home/">5 plants that will keep your home smelling lovely</a> <a href="../lifestyle/at-home/2015/08/coat-hanger-hacks/">Genius things you didn’t know you could do with coat hangers</a> <a href="../lifestyle/at-home/2015/07/bathroom-storage-solutions/">7 creative storage solutions for your bathroom</a> Image credit: Shutterstock

Home Hints & Tips

Gardener exposes neighbour over loud mowing complaint

A neighbourhood “bully” has been slammed online after threatening to call the police on a gardener for making “too much” noise while cleaning up an overgrown property. James Selmes, from Lush Cut Lawns, was tidying a garden of a home in Blacktown, west of Sydney, when the disgruntled neighbour approached him to complain about the noise. “Mate, I’m just from up the road, how long are you going to be doing this for?” the miffed man asked. Mr Selmes told him he had been working on the lawn for a couple of hours, and that he’d likely be working a few more. “All morning you’ve given me a f***ing headache. You need to finish it up,” the man demanded. The gardener said it had only been two hours and that he was “allowed to mow lawns”. “It’s as simple as that. The neighbours have seen this lawn bad, and no one has even bothered to come and help them,” Mr Selmes said. “Perhaps if you guys helped, we wouldn’t have this issue.” The neighbour rejected his comments, responding “Do you think I care about that?” “Let me tell you again, I’m going to be a nice guy, 15 minutes alright? 15 minutes before I call the police. I can’t have this all morning. “So are you going to be here another two hours?" Mr Selmes advised him there were no laws against mowing during the middle of the day. “I’m allowed to mow lawns in the morning or any time during the day between reasonable hours,” he said, with the neighbour hitting back, “yeah, reasonable!” Mr Selmes again attempted to argue his point. “I’m here mowing the lawn, I’m here to help somebody out, that’s all I’m here to do,” he explained. It was clear the neighbour paid no mind to Mr Selmes’ remarks as he maintained he was going to call the police. “Fifteen minutes, I’ll call the police. You make up your own mind,” he said. At his wit's end, Mr Selmes encouraged the neighbour to call the police if he deemed it necessary. “Go and call the police then, I don’t really care. Seeya!” he said. Once the neighbour left, Mr Selmes said it had taken 18 months for him to receive a negative reaction to his work. “Well, that’s a first. It took me a year-and-a-half for someone to complain about the noise. Oh well, what’s he going to do? It’s not against the law." “Tough sh** as they say. I’m just here to do a job and that’s it. People can be kind of weird, hey.” The video of the encounter was uploaded to YouTube, attracting more than 1.8 million views and nearly 5,000 comments of support. “I bet that guy is a pain in the a*se to the entire neighbourhood. You did a great job on this lawn. And you told the guy what you thought of his threat,” one comment read. “After that encounter with that miserable neighbour, I would have definitely taken my time and made sure every inch of that property was perfect,” another added. “He is the same type of neighbour I had who would yell at the kids for laughing too loud as they played outside. Blessings to you for not letting him bring you down,” a third wrote. Image credit: YouTube

Home & Garden

What To Plant For An Impressive Winter Garden

In some areas of Australia and New Zealand, winter is a season of ample rainfall and cool temperatures that can be enjoyed in the company of numerous garden plants. Although many plants slip into dormancy where winters are mild, there are plenty of evergreen trees, shrubs and perennials, as well as hardy annuals, that will keep the garden vibrantly alive with greenery and flowers through the slow season. The right time to landscape? If you are developing a new landscape, winter may not be slow at all. I n many mild-winter climates, autumn is the preferred planting season for perennials and evergreens, both large and small. When planted in the autumn, these plants will benefit from the cool temperatures and winter rains. By the time the hot weather returns the following summer, they are comfortably settled in with strong, deep roots established in the soil. In addition, autumn is the best time for dividing some perennials, such as daylilies, which can become crowded if they have spent several years in the same spot. When divided at the appropriate time, they will be well rooted and ready to bloom when spring arrives. The tyranny of the lawn The main feature of many gardens is a lush, green lawn. In warm climates, warm-season grasses, such as couch, buffalo and kikuyu, are the favoured grasses. During spring, summer and autumn, these lawns are green expanses that demand regular mowing, watering and lots of fertiliser. As the weather cools, warm-season grasses will wind down and may become dormant. In areas that experience winter frosts, warm-season lawns are liable to turn brown and lifeless with the first frost. While some varieties claim to hold their green colour through winter (including ‘Wintergreen’ couch and ‘Sir Walter’ buffalo), most warm-season grasses languish between dull green and straw colour. Some buffalo lawns may develop a crimson tinge, which can be removed by mowing in late autumn or early winter. If the thought of a brown lawn over winter is unappealing, it can be disguised under a blanket of green by oversowing it in autumn with cool-season grass seed such as rye or tall fescue. In climates with cold to mild winters and mild summers, cool-season grasses are the preferred choice for lawns, provided adequate water is available. These lawns demand lots of summer watering, but become lush and green in winter, and provide a pleasant green contrast to the bare branches of deciduous trees and shrubs. As the winter draws to an end, they are often starred with English daisies. Willing winter bloomers If you have acid soil and partial or filtered shade to accommodate them, camellias can be counted upon to colour up winter in mild climates. Sasanqua camellias lead the show with their first flowers opening in late summer and progressing through autumn into early winter. In late autumn and winter, the japonica camellias feature, with varieties opening progressively until spring. Camellias are a good choice for an evergreen hedge, or can be the central feature of your winter garden. For extra interest, edge with other winter-flowering plants such as pansies and primulas, or early-flowering jonquils and narcissus. In mild-winter climates gardens can be a mass of flowers with careful planning. In sunny spots, deciduous magnolias are stunning as they come into bloom in late winter while their branches are still bare. The display lasts into early spring as the leaves appear. Surround them with Marguerite daisies, African daisies and narcissus for a breath of spring in winter. In some areas of Australia and New Zealand, winter is a season of ample rainfall and cool temperatures that can be enjoyed in the company of numerous garden plants. Although many plants slip into dormancy where winters are mild, there are plenty of evergreen trees, shrubs and perennials, as well as hardy annuals, that will keep the garden vibrantly alive with greenery and flowers through the slow season. Colourful winter annuals In any mild-winter climate, there are lots of cold-hardy annuals waiting to be discovered for wintertime entertainment. Consider planting dusty miller, dianthus, ornamental kale, poppies, pansies and snapdragons. You can find them in garden centres in punnets from autumn onwards. They may not bloom much during the shortest days of winter, but will provide great colour again in early spring. When in doubt about the staying power of not-quite-hardy plants, such as snapdragons, plant them in a sheltered place. A wall or building can absorb heat during the day and radiate warmth to nearby plants at night. Such a sheltered spot also helps to protect plants from being damaged by harsh winter winds or frosts. In mild-winter climates, planning and preparation for the spring and summer garden continues through the colder months. In frost-free climates, make the most of the cool conditions to prepare new garden beds, or rework and replant existing ones. In subtropical areas, spring comes early in the garden as petunias and annual phlox burst into bloom. These annuals can be started in winter as seeds or seedlings. In all areas, you can keep winter and spring annuals such as pansies and sweet peas blooming for many months by regularly picking or deadheading spent flowers. The application of a fortnightly dose of liquid fertiliser will also help to keep your annuals growing and blooming well. What to look for: Compact plantings A mild winter usually means a long summer is ahead, giving you time to grow both cool-season and warm-season annuals. When looking into a design, group pansies, primulas and other cool-season annuals close together so that nearby permanent plants won’t be disturbed when you pull them up and replace them with summer annuals. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/gardening-tips/what-plant-impressive-winter-garden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

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The public history, climate change present, and possible future of Australia’s botanic gardens

Can we justify maintaining water-hungry botanic gardens in an age of climate change and rising water prices? Perhaps such gardens are no longer suited to Australia’s changing climate – if they ever were. It is easy to argue Australian botanic gardens are imperial remnants full of European plants, an increasingly uncomfortable reminder of British colonisation. But gardens, and their gardeners, aren’t static. They are intrinsically changing entities. <h2>A brief history</h2> Most Australian botanic gardens were established in the 19th century, starting with the garden in the Sydney Domain around 1816. The earliest gardens served multiple functions. They were food gardens. They were test gardens used to establish the suitability of crops and vegetables introduced from Europe and other colonies. Nostalgia, European ideas of beauty and the desire to test introduced varieties meant botanic gardens were planted with trees familiar to British visitors. Oaks, elms and conifers were all planted, along with the kinds of flowers and shrubs naturalised in British private and public gardens. Introduced plants and trees were distributed to settlers as part of acclimatisation – the introduction of exotic plants intended to transform the Australian landscape to a more familiar one and make it “productive”. Botanic gardens also reversed this exchange by collecting, cultivating and internationally distributing Australian native plants deemed potentially useful or beautiful. Finally, and <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/reading-the-garden-paperback-softback">most controversially</a>, they were public spaces. Australian public gardens drew on <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1587004">then new ideas</a> from European social reformers and progressive politicians. These gardens were seen as providing healthy air for the citizens of increasingly crowded cities. They were also built on older ideas about commons and provision of shared public space for the recreation of the poorer classes. These different uses sometimes clashed. Ferdinand Mueller, director of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, was <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/INFORMIT.614393203501639">arguably displaced</a> from his role because his vision of the garden was as an instructional botanical nursery. Public demand had shifted to a desire for a more aesthetic and usable garden. <h2>Facing the climate emergency</h2> Water for trees and decorative plants drawn from very different climates were always an issue for these gardens. As early as 1885, Richard Schomburgk in his role of director of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/034558a0">told Nature</a> about the drought affecting that city and the drastic impact it was having “upon many of the trees and shrubs in the Botanic Garden, natives of cooler countries”. As the climate has shifted, droughts, changes in water table and climate change uncertainty have foregrounded the plight of these thirsty trees, and <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/from-small-acorns-botanic-gardens-looks-to-climate-proof-its-future-20220922-p5bk47.html">some have died</a>. The Geelong Botanic Gardens, established in 1851, <a href="https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/gbg/about/water/article/item/8cbf37aecae738a.aspx">provide an example</a> of water demand and the work done to retain historic trees, using wastewater to maintain these plantings. The garden also now has a “21st-Century Garden” focused on sustainability, containing hardy natives including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia">acacias</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eremophila_(plant)">eremophila</a>, saltbush and grasses. Today’s botanic gardens are still test gardens, and are now <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.10356">important sites</a> for global climate change research. They demonstrate what not to plant, but also that not all introduced plants are unsuited to Australian conditions. Adelaide Botanic Gardens offer a <a href="https://plantselector.botanicgardens.sa.gov.au/home.aspx">plant selection guide</a> where residents can check whether a plant is suited to their local conditions. The Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens have a <a href="https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/discover-melbourne-gardens/melbourne-gardens-living-collections/climate-ready-rose-collection/">“climate ready” rose display</a>, a reframing of the decimated species rose collection, which adjusts exotic planting to climate change, without throwing the baby out with the (diminishing) bath water. Some European, Mediterranean, North and South American plants are exactly suited to Australian climates, or are robust enough to adapt to changes which include increased drying and heat in many areas, but also the possibility of increased humidity in formerly arid zones. <h2>Colonial memorials</h2> There has been a <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/statues/">recent trend</a> to erase reminders of our colonial past. Do the best lessons come from removing colonial memorials, or from rewriting their meaning? Pull out the giant trees and exotic gardens, or use them to demonstrate and examine the assumptions and mistakes of the past, as well as to design the future? Various garden exhibitions, such as the touring <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/digging-deep-into-the-politics-of-gardens-20210217-p573co.html">Garden Variety photography exhibition</a>, do the latter, foregrounding the problematic history as well as the future possibilities of the space. Many gardens also now include <a href="https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/learn/secondary-excursions/connecting-to-country/">Indigenous acknowledgement and content</a>: heritage walks, tours, and talks by Indigenous owners to demonstrate the long history, naming and uses of local plants which overturn their colonial positioning. <h2>Shifting landscapes</h2> Australia’s botanic gardens have changed a lot over the past 200 years. Botanic gardens <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468265917300288">are adapting</a> to climate change, replacing dying and stressed trees and outdated gardens with hardier varieties and new possibilities, conserving endangered species and acting as proving grounds for climate impacts. For decades, state and national gardens like the <a href="https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park/area/wa-botanic-garden">Western Australian Botanic Garden</a> and regional gardens like Mildura’s <a href="https://aibgdotlive.wordpress.com/">Inland Botanic Gardens</a> have installed indigenous, native or climate-focused gardens, as well as or instead of the traditional heritage European style. Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand offers a landscape <a href="https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/initiatives/climate-change-alliance/landscape-succession-toolkit/">succession toolkit</a>: a guide for mapping out what is doomed, what most needs preserving and what adaptations are most pertinent for our botanic gardens of the future. Finally, we don’t need to rip out non-hardy introduced trees: climate change will progressively remove them for us. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-public-history-climate-change-present-and-possible-future-of-australias-botanic-gardens-198864" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

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How to have success with succulents

Sensational succulents Succulents have long been recognised as pot-plant superstars. They look good throughout the year, feature an enormous variety of leaf shapes and sizes and are low maintenance. Some even have beautiful flowers. Perfect for time-poor gardeners, they won’t die if you are occasionally too busy to water them. And when released from the confines of containers, succulents can be used to create fantastic contemporary garden beds. Succulents live naturally in dry and arid parts of the world so they are very waterwise and perfect for those hot, dry sunny areas in gardens where little else will grow. Known as xerophytes, they have developed storage structures in their leaves, stems or roots that hoard enough water to survive periods of drought. Succulents are very hard to kill but give them some TLC and you will be rewarded. Position your succulent in a sunny spot. Lack of light will cause it to become elongated and turn the leaves pale, and eventually it will collapse. Plant in a potting mix especially formulated for cacti and succulents. Feed in spring with a six-month slow-release fertiliser such as Osmocote. Or use a soluble fertiliser in early spring, summer and autumn. Water when the potting mix is nearly dry and do not overwater, as succulents dislike wet feet. Once established, a weekly watering is sufficient for most potted succulents. Grow in garden beds Create a stunning contemporary garden bed with a mix of succulents. Use different heights and shapes to create interesting foliage forms and combine them with waterwise perennials and shrubs for a low-maintenance bed. Mulch around the succulents with black, greyor white pebbles for a stylish look and to prevent weeds from growing. Prepare well-draining soil – a sloping bank is ideal. If drainage is a problem, use a raised bed. Do not overwater, as most succulents can survive on rainwater only. Feed in spring and summer with an all-purpose plant fo Design ideas Group various types together with different leaf shapes and colours to create interesting displays in pots and garden beds. Use any container that has drainage holes. It doesn’t have to be a garden pot – old shoes, baskets, teapots, tins, even old benches can all make interesting receptacles for succulents. Plant flat, rosette-shaped succulents such as echeveria and sempervivums in low bowls. Grow tall sculptural plants such as agave in large pots to make a statement. Position low-growing succulents such as sedums, echeveria, Cotyledon orbiculata, sempervivum and Senecio serpens as groundcovers. Establish succulents in hot, dry, sunny areas where it is difficult to get other plants to grow. Arrange large succulents in a minimalist style with just a few sculptural plants set in areas of gravel or stone. Display trailing succulents like rhipsalis, jelly bean plant and burro’s tail in tall urns or hanging baskets. Grow succulents under eaves on hot, west-facing sunny walls. Increase supply Succulents are easy to propagate in spring and summer. Pot some for Christmas presents and swap extra cuttings with gardening friends. We show you how to increase your supply. Offsets and suckers Offsets are small plantlets that develop from the parent plant and are simply detached and replanted. Suitable succulents: Some echeveria, aloes, agaves and sempervivums. How to: Remove the parent plant and offsets from the pot or ground. Gently pull the offsets from the parent plant or cut them off with secateurs. Remove any old leaves around the bases and replant into new potting mix. Stem cuttings Succulents are one of the easiest plants to grow from stem cuttings. Suitable succulents: Aeoniums, cotyledons and kalanchoes. How to: Cleanly cut the stem from the parent plant to the length you want and place it in a dry, shady spot for about one week to callus. Then plant the cutting directly where you want it to grow. Read on for 8 of the best succulents to grow. Agaves Agaves, especially the popular greyish green-leaved Agave attenuata, have a great architectural shape. Most have spines on their leaves so take care where they are placed. Echeverias Echeverias are great for pots or rock beds. There is a good choice of leaf colours, sizes and their bell-shaped flowers look good in a vase. They can withstand the cold if the soil is dry and they’re not exposed to too much rain. Sempervivums Sempervivums are commonly called ‘hen and chickens’ because of the way they multiply. The ‘chickens’ grow from the base of the ‘hen’ and are attached by a thin stem which can be detached and replanted. They revel in cool climates and don’t need much soil to survive. Aeoniums Aeoniums range from groundcovers to branching plants up to 1.5m high. The bronze and green-leaved Aeonium atropurpureum and its dark maroon-leaved cultivar ‘Schwartkop’ look stunning in pots. Aeonium undulatum has large rosettes, 15-30cm in diameter, and green leaves. Cotyledons Cotyledons are loved for their showy thick grey or green leaves and pretty bell-shaped flowers. They don’t mind winter rainfall and they can tolerate frost. Yuccas Yuccas have great architectural shape but many grow leaves with a terminal spine, so take care where you place them in the garden. Look for Yucca elephantipes that is spineless and will grow in sun, shade and even indoors. Kalanchoes Kalanchoes are grown for their interesting leaves and pretty flowers and range in size from groundcovers to large shrubs. Foliage colours vary from silver, grey, green and pink to red, and they can be flecked or variegated. Sedums Sedums range from groundcovering plants to the autumn-flowering Sedum spectabile, which reaches a height around 60cm. Most are evergreen but some die down during winter and reappear in spring. Jelly bean plant (Sedum rubrotinctum) and burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum) have a trailing habit perfect for hanging baskets. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/gardening-how-to-grow/how-to-have-success-with-succulents?pages=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

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