Designer Growers Network

Microbes Make Gardens Grow

At Islands in the Stream, compost worms feed microbes that new gardens need for plant growth. Vermiculturist Lee Fieldhouse has confirmed a deep suspicion I’ve always had, that my gardens were missing something during their early establishment. Some plant families like Rutacea (citrus, murraya) and Acanthacea (mackaya bella, ruellia) seemed especially affected showing persistent chlorosis well into the second year.

Cow paunch, you know you're standing in it — Cow paunch, you know you’re standing in it

Turns out the humble earth worm has a lot more to do with this than I ever knew. It appears their castings and spit are colonised by very specific microbes that contain chemical signatures unlocking nutrient gates to plant root systems. So no worms, no castings/spit, equals no or low microbes, means limited or no nutrient availability to plants.

Designers necessarily import rather large quantities of “soil-less” component parts (sand, spent mushroom compost, ash, recycled sewerage waste and composted wood chip in one form or another) comprising imported mixes that pass for “dead” top soil, devoid of beneficial soil bacterium and fungus.

This means nutrient is locked up from plants in new gardens, while we wonder why they sometimes fail to thrive despite slow release, organic nitrogen like manures and other goodies used at planting time.

Having used Lee’s odourless, fairly light weight worm processed, microbe enriched paunch with all new planting here at the “Sea-Changer”, I can attest the new garden has been far more robust and pest resistant than usual. The sterile mix I brought in to correct levels and plant in over underlying estuarine silt, is now bulging with worms where there were none and has lost the nasty anaerobic “stink” it had .. Used in another new garden at MacMasters Beach for Tania Wilson to equal effect, I’m now sold, BIGTIME.

Microbe enriched worm processed finished product — Lee grinning into microbe enriched worm processed finished product

Aside from bagged product, Lee also has a liquid form available soon, that I used at planting to bring root systems into instant contact with nutrient and as a foliar drench without a single loss to “plant shock” during heat wave conditions. This combination resulted in far less time for plants to “bite” into top soil at planting.

Islands in The Stream – Lee Fieldhouse

66 Tea Tree Lane
Mitchells Island NSW 2430

leefieldhouse@rocketmail.com

0429 197 596

Semi-shade gravitas

Vriesea continues to evolve into larger plants that pull focus in garden designs like few alcantarea can in the shade.

Bob & Gleness Lanarch together with their son Jamie at Bromeliads Australia on the Central Coast, have made great strides in hybridising V. fosteriana patturns with the larger V. seideliana species. “Snake skins” of rich ruby claret colours have brought plants the size of most Alcantarea imperialis without a tendency to “shade stretch” out of shape and loose condition.

Bob says the sun hardiness of his beautiful hybrids would withstand all but the harsh west sans scorch, so its wrong to tar them the “shade only brush”. Best time to introduce these excellent hero plants into your north facing design would be now until end October.

Bob & Gleness and Jamie Lanarch, Bromeliads Australia 4359 3356 & 0416 188 812 sales@bromeliads-australia.com.au

Auckland Garden Art for Your Client’s Garden

Kevin Kilsby for years been associated with beautiful ceramics in New Zealand, as homewares and for use as art in the garden.

A visit there last month with Garden Photographer Gil Hanly, revealed a lot more than Kevin’s home studio and showroom. Adjacent garden space has evolved into a jewel box cornucopia of horticultural delights, blended with his own glossy ceramic treasures FOR YOUR GARDEN OR OTHERS. Catching the eye on entry is a patio wall encrusted with mini neo’s and orchids and a nearby ceramic leaf wreath.

One of the New Zealand Toetoe Beach Grass (Cortaderia spp.) has also been ingeniously formed in ceramic … as bright dragon flies flit

Kevin’s Garden in Auckland at 4 Weston Avenue, Mount Albert NZ: +64 9 846 8954 kilsby@xtra.co.nz

“Sea-Changer” Shade Hut

House of Bamboo shade & screen — House of Bamboo shade canopy & Sanctum screen

Divide & Shelter as the “Sea-Changer” garden continues to take shape this winter. The fragrant thought of a November open date drifts across my mind… & maybe some ideas here for your designs !

A Natureed canopy now makes possible a hammock somewhere beneath its double layer and while not rain proof, is shower resistant. Semi-transparancy through the new Sanctum laser cut panel is bringing enough street front separation. Both canopy and screen from the lovely Jennifer Snyders at House of Bamboo and thanks to these, the open front of this Shade Hut space allows low northern sun, irresistible winter heat sink seating remains intact.

After the gal. steel frame has a lick of matt black paint, floorspace will comprise random formed concrete slabs with a few centimetres grow slot space between for something aromatic that will release when stepped on by the careless passerby (like me ..). A blend of light neutral stone oxides with salt textured finish, using scant but contrasting dark pebbles tapped into the surface here and there I think. With a coloured glass fun bead or two to glint nicely against random frangipani leaf stencils pressed into a few blank spots…

Jennifer Snyders – House of Bamboo 13 Erith Street, Botany 1800 211192 and 9666 5703 Screen & Canopies

Simon & Hayden Jones – Green Elements 0431 752 436 & 0401 473205 Green Elements Facebook