Life Begins At.....
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/47118
GARDENING Where to grow herbs Because they're generally used in small quantities, herbs are very easy to fit into the garden. They can be slotted in amongst existing vegetables or ornamentals, they can be grown in a dedicated herb bed (there are many traditional designs worth copying), or they can be grown in containers. Most herbs need a sunny spot, although leafy herbs like parsley and lemon balm can cope with a small amount of shade. Mint grows reliably in even more shade but will be fuller and leafier in a sunny position. A herb wheel is an attractive way to develop a picturesque herb bed. If you can get hold of it, an old cartwheel makes a wonderful template for the bed. Lay the wheel flat on the ground and plant different herbs in the sections created by the wheel spokes. Of course cartwheels tend to be in short supply these days but the segmented pattern is easily copied, with the divisions being made by something as simple as lines of bricks or a mini hedge of chives. Mediterranean herbs such as oregano, rosemary, marjoram and sage are very happy in a raised bed where drainage is guaranteed and the leaves receive maximum sunshine. The addition of a handful of Yates Garden Lime or Dolomite once a year will sweeten the soil and do much to convince the herbs they are in their natural Mediterranean habitat. Potted herbs can be planted together into one largish pot. A 40cm Yates Tuscan Edge pot is ideal because 154 THE RETIREE SUMMER it has a self-watering base. The Tuscan Edge trough is another self- watering option. When grouping herbs together, choose varieties that require similar conditions. Don't plant all-conquering herbs like mint that will attempt to smother their neighbours. Such invaders are best kept in solitary confinement. Which herbs to grow? Spring is the best season for sowing and planting basil, which is a warm season plant with tropical origins. Yates seed range includes three basils – the traditional Sweet Basil (beloved component of pesto), a Gourmet Mix blend of different varieties and Purple Basil which is particularly ornamental. All do well in moist soil with good drainage. Feed regularly with a liquid plant food such as Uplift or Thrive Soluble. Dill is another summer annual in the Yates seed range. Sow seeds in situ every few weeks. Harvest the aniseed-flavoured leaves from the centre of the plant – they're especially popular with fish dishes. Chives, thyme and rocket are all easily grown from seed. Coriander has a reputation for being temperamental and rushing to flower and seed as soon as its growth is checked by heat, drought or, at the other end of the spectrum, cold. Sow new seeds every few weeks and, in hot climates, grow coriander in light shade through the summer months. Statement plants Structural plants are used to make statements in the garden. They may have striking shapes, like bromeliads, cycads and cacti, or use their verticality to create garden accents, as with ornamental grasses and strappy-leafed plants. Modern garden designs have made a feature of these types of plants. It's said this fashion is waning and we are returning to softer, billowy, flower- filled gardens, but a visit to an up- to-date housing estate will suggest that they're holding their popularity. Here are some hardy favourites: Bromeliads With alcantarea's leaves reaching up to two metres across, this huge bromeliad almost shouts out its presence in the garden. The red-leafed 'Rubra' version is the most widely sought after because the leaf colour adds a special touch. After a few years the plant produces a three to four metre tall flower spike. Then, like other bromeliads, the mother plant will gradually fade and be surrounded by clonal babies. Puyas tend to be more cold tolerant than most bromeliads. Puya berteroniana forms a spiny plant about 1 m high and produces a tall stem of metallic blue-green flowers in summer. Cacti and succulents The slow growing golden barrel cactus may, after many years, reach its maximum size of about 1 m high and wide. It is unlikely to bear its yellow flowers until it is 40–60 cm wide. The spherical ribbed body is dark green and covered in fierce