Create A Garden That Will Surprise Everyone – Even You!

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There is nothing like a newly created garden to update an old-fashioned front yard, or to create a relaxing space outside the back door. It is also the perfect opportunity to unleash that creative streak lying dormant within you. It isn’t difficult, but there are some basic steps to take for the best results.

What Type of Garden will it Be?

Once, it would have been enough to pick a spot, turn over the soil with a shovel and throw in some flower seeds. Nowadays that simply will not do, so to get an outcome that will knock the socks off the neighbours, start with a firm decision about the type of garden you wish to create. Will it be a formal, structured affair with plants in neat rows, or will it ramble unconstrained and encroach onto the lawn?

The answer to this question will determine the course of the whole project including the types of plants and the landscaping features to be used. At this point, we suggest a visit to Bacchus March Redgum and Garden Centre. We have a comprehensive range of decorative rocks, several varieties of mulch, a number of different soils and toppings and experienced staff members who will offer advice and share their knowledge.

Put Your Creative Thoughts on Paper

The next step is to sketch out a rough plan of how the garden should look when it is finished. This is where the home gardener can demonstrate that creative streak mentioned earlier. The plan should include things like overall size, number and placement of features like a birdbath or pond, the style of edging if any, and of course, the number and type of plants.

Prepare the Soil

Next, mark out the perimeter of the garden bed, and remove any grass and weeds from inside it. Now it is time to prepare the soil and this could be a good time to ask for assistance from our staff. Plants will not thrive in unsuitable soils. We have sandy loams, triple mix and mushroom composts to enrich any soil, however poor, readily available at our premises.

Choose the Best Plants for the Location

Researching the right type of plants for your conditions can be done at any stage but most certainly before any planting is done. For the inexperienced gardener, a good rule of thumb is to use plants that are indigenous to the local area. They evolved there, thrived in the local climate, and make for an easy maintenance garden. Other plants may also do well but understand that they will need more attention.

Feed, weed and water regularly, maintain the right environment and you will soon have a place of beauty to show off your creative skills.

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A Quick Lesson in Caring for Plants

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It seems that some people can plant almost anything in their garden and it will flourish without much attention, while others spend time and money tending to their plantings only to see them wither and die. Our grandparents would have said that the successful gardener had “green thumbs”. Now we realise that putting the right plants in the right places during the right season was probably the reason for that success.

Beautiful Landscaping Needs the Right Plants

Our customers come to us for landscaping materials like mulches and decorative rocks, as well as various soils and compost. A lot of money, time and effort go into creating a beautifully landscaped garden. Here at Bacchus Marsh Redgum & Garden Centre, many of our customers are do-it-yourself types doing the hard work.

We hate to see them put in all that effort only to hear that the plants they used in the new garden failed to flourish. It is in our interests that they succeed, as their plantings will draw attention to our landscaping materials. Here are some “do’s and don’ts” that may help when choosing plants.

Correct Placement Essential for Plants to Thrive

Before buying any plants, look at your garden and identify the areas that are always in the sun, always in the shade, exposed to harsh winter winds, or are in difficult places like high traffic areas. Then ask the local nursery to show you those varieties that are the most suitable for these areas. Plants purchased from nurseries have tags in each pot with all the information you will need to choose the right spot in your garden.

Follow the Planting Instructions

Now that you have the right plants for the different conditions in your garden, follow the planting instructions. You may need to gently tease out the roots if they have been in a pot too long. Some plants can tolerate poor quality soil, while others need mulch or a soil conditioner to loosen and treat the garden soil.

Fertilise with Care – Watch for Signs of Overwatering

Be careful about the type of fertiliser you use, again following the instructions. Many native varieties, for example, do not respond well to certain fertilisers, and some find phosphorous lethal. All plants need nutrients to thrive so do not assume that just placing them in soil will be enough. Water is the other vital element, but again, get to know your plants. Some love damp soil but others cannot tolerate wet soil, for instance, and will rot in the ground.

Zap Those Pests

Finally, watch for pests that, if left unchecked, can decimate some foliage in a matter of days. Where possible, use natural control methods, or you risk killing off natural predators, thus creating an imbalance in your immediate environment.

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Selecting The Right Mulch For The Job

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When you start to plan out a new garden or even revamp an existing garden it is important to give it the right tools with which to produce the flourishing garden you dream of.

What you want to grow will definitely factor in what sort of mulch you should select for your garden.

Basically, you have two choices — organic mulch and inorganic mulch.

In this particular case, Bacchus Marsh & Redgum Garden Centre** **is not referring to that which you may know as organically grown produce. This employs the use of natural weed and pest prevention as opposed to harsher man-made products that can allegedly cause problems.

Organic Mulch

Organic mulch is that which will break down. This product serves two purposes:

The first is that it helps provide sufficient protection to the soil and plant roots from our harsh Australian elements and assist with soil erosion control.

The second is that as the mulch breaks down it will contribute valuable nutrients to the soil, thus offering a good base in which to grow some fabulous plants.

This is especially favoured by vegetable and fruit growers but is not limited to this style of gardening. The rule of thumb with all organic mulches is that they must be given sufficient time to compost. As an example, wood chip requires to be left to sit for two years. If this is not done the mulch can leach valuable nutrients from the soil instead of offering them.

Inorganic Mulch

Inorganic mulch is that which will not break down and includes such products as stone, gravel, black plastic and any other item that will not break down. Whilst this selection of mulch does not necessarily offer nutrients to the soil it can still be a good choice to assist with weed control as well as helping to condition the soil.

This style of mulch can help the earth hold water, assist with soil erosion and keep the earth warm, thus increasing the bacterial activity in the soil.

The greatest benefit of this style of mulch, however, lies in the fact that it does not need to be topped up or replaced every two or three years.

We hope this has helped you in your garden planning and design. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to drop in and chat with one of our qualified professionals.

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The Importance of Top Dressing

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To understand why top dressing your lawn is so important you must first understand why you do it. We all like to have a nice green lawn that is soft under bare feet. Somewhere nice to stroll and for the children to play on without fear of getting sharp dead grass sticking into our feet.

So What Is Top Dressing?

Top dressing is a carefully crafted mixture of sand, compost and other nutrients to assist in the growth of your lawn by supporting the root zone of the plant.
Reasons to do this include:-

• Increases water conductivity
• Improves soil structure – known as tilth
• Decreases compaction
• Adds quality organic materials to improve growth
• Smooths a rough surface
• Protects against winter cold.

Top mix is not just one third this, one third that and a little bit extra of the other. The blend must be created for each individual garden’s needs. Even the sand must be the correct particle size to suit your lawn’s environment.
Top dressing correctly does not stop here. It is also important to apply the right amount of top soil to ensure that distribution is even and consistent to ensure that layering does not occur.

But Wait, There’s More

To achieve the best results from your top dressing efforts there are other steps required for its total success. The first step after applying your top dressing is aeration. Multiple core aerification that passes in different directions is highly recommended if you want to increase growth.
Aerating may also be used to rejuvenate compacted soil in high traffic areas. In some cases where traffic may be heavier, it may be necessary to actually till the soil and mix your top dressing with the existing soil.

Another important part of this puzzle is to ensure that the right balance of moisture is available to assist in your efforts. Not enough moisture may mean that the actual organic materials in the top dressing may take moisture away from your lawn, thus creating drought stress.

Professional Advice and Service

Don’t despair! We know that all this sounds confusing but honestly, it’s as easy as falling off a log. Bacchus Marsh & Redgum Garden Centre is experienced in helping you assess what sort of blend you require.
Our friendly and professional staff members are here to help you grow your Garden of Eden. We can mix up the right quantity and quality of top soil and deliver it to you at very moderate prices.

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Plants That Thrive In Australia’s Hot Sizzling Sun

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There is no doubt that if you are living in Australia you are living in the lucky country. We are so blessed with such wonderful weather that it can be hard to pick your favourite season. For some, summer can be the toughest to endure due to the sizzling heat us tough Aussies are required to withstand. At least we can escape indoors, shaded areas or even the swimming pool.

Not so for our gardens.

There are plenty of plants that thrive in these harsh conditions. With a little love and the addition of protective layers of mulch or rock, you will have your garden singing and offering up wonderful growth.

So what plants best suit this climate and what can you do for your garden to help it cope with soaring temperatures?

Australian Natives

Any gardening centre in Australia worth a pinch will tell you that you can’t go past Australian Natives and Bacchus Marsh & Redgum Garden Centre is no different.

It’s just common sense that if you plant out offerings from your own environment you will enjoy the success and beautiful garden you desire. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some great plants that have adapted well to our environment.

For a hardy, flourishing garden you can’t go past :

• The delightful and showy Kangaroo Paw. This stunning plant is available in an array of colours.
• Cordylines are also available in a range of colours, the strappy leaves of this plant offer colour and feature well in any Australian garden.
• Gazanias are also a firm favourite. This native from Southern Africa thrives in our conditions. They flower just about all year round and offer great ground cover to taller plantings.

If you are looking for a vine to grow over an arbour or patio to offer some shade, these plants all work very well:

• Lilac Vine is a delightful draping creeper with showy purple flowers.
• Grapes! Why not grow a vine that will also offer a sweet treat? The bonus to this vine is that is dies back during the winter months when you may prefer to let the sun shine in.
• Bougainvillea is also very popular in our gardens due to its hardiness and beautiful flowers.

If its shrubs and trees you are after then we suggest:

• Callistemon viminalis from the bottle brush family has beautiful 15-25mm red stamens that will appear all year round that attract the birds.
• The hardy Banksia is also a must for any Australian garden for its bird attracting qualities and easy cultivation.

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Vegetable Garden Woes

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Having a vegetable patch is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your family.

We hear a lot of talk in the media about the benefits of organic gardening and if you have your own veggie patch then the chances are you want to do it as naturally as possible and avoid using synthetic chemicals.

The truth is that there are many things you can do without resorting to this drastic state. And Bacchus Marsh Redgum & Garden Centre have a great line-up of tips and tricks to help you achieve the top results you dream of.

Getting Started

Now think about how a human body responds when it has nutritious food, a good night’s sleep, sunlight, and regular exercise and avoids stress.

If you get a little sniffle you might take some vitamin C or olive leaf extract and it goes away. You only get out the big gun antibiotics for really bad infections.

The same is true with your garden. There is no point in attacking it straight off the bat with the big guns if you can handle minor issues in a gentler way to avoid stressing the plants.

Garden Soil

The soil is your plants’ foundation. It is where your plants will get their nutrition from. It is important to add plenty of lovely compost, worms and mulch.

There are plenty of soil conditioners and fertilisers on the market that are safe to use on your vegetables. Just ask our friendly staff to steer you in the right direction when you are in the store.

A healthy plant will not attract pests or sickness.

Safe Watering

Keep the plants regularly watered but don’t water at night as this means there is a chance they will get root rot or fungus. Early morning is best for your plants.

Become an Observer

Not all creepy crawlies in your garden are pests. Some, in fact, are exactly what you need to gain a good crop as well as feast on the bad guys, so it is wise not to spray indiscriminately.

Ants can be a good indicator. You may think they are scurrying up and down your plant because it is going to rain but the truth is they may be feeding off the juices that a parasite secretes. Gross but true.

Controlling the Bad Guys

The truth is that the damage is usually caused by insects such as mites, slugs, snails, nematodes, cutworms and inchworms.

A sticky environment will go a long way to preventing these critters. You place it around the base of the plants on a plastic band. This will prevent their advance as they become stuck in it.

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Landscaping Tips for Beginners

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A great home will not be complete without a beautifully designed garden. Many homeowners depend on the services of a professional landscape designer to realise the garden they have in mind. But for DIY enthusiasts, it is possible to make a great looking garden without having to go to a professional designer. It can be quite fulfilling to work with the garden and dirtying one’s hands, digging the soil, planting and installing garden items.

Beginners are sure to be overwhelmed by the choices available to them that they will not know where to start. Here are some tips for people wanting to start their own garden.

Make a Plan

Before doing the dirty, make a solid plan for the garden. This can be done by first listing down the spaces that are desired for the garden area. For example, does the family want to have something like a patio as an addition to the house? Or perhaps, a gazebo can be accommodated and the homeowner wants to have that sophisticated piece in the garden.

Maybe the family wants to incorporate a fountain or a water feature in the garden or a place where groups can sit around and enjoy each other’s company. The wish list items will help the newbie landscaper to come up with a plan.

Make Small Changes

Beginners should not stress themselves to finish the garden right away. Make small changes at a time. It may take years for the entire garden to be completed. Besides, plants need time to grow.

Consider Orientation

One of the most important things to consider when doing landscape design is the orientation, particularly, the east and west orientation. The western side will get the hottest time of the day, so it is important that shady trees or canopies are erected on this side of the garden. Try not to place important spaces like patios on the west side, unless there are solutions to reduce the heat during the hottest afternoons of summer.

Have a Central Point

When creating a garden, it is important to make a focal point that can be the central piece of the design. Use a sculpture to realise this or a fountain with sitting areas. All the other elements can be made to emanate and harmonise with the central point of interest.

Beginners can also seek help from a trusted name in landscaping. Bacchus Marsh Redgum & Garden Centre can help the beginner by providing top quality landscape supplies. To find out more, visit Bacchus Marsh Redgum & Garden Centre’s website.

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Ideas For Decorating your Garden with Stones and Pebbles

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A garden appears bland and boring if it contains flowers and plants only. Add a decorative element, which can be as simple as beautiful pots or as grandiose as sculptures or fountains, to draw the viewer’s eye. Another decorative element to consider is pebbles and stones. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours to complement any type of landscaping design.

Pebbles can bring different colours and textures to a garden. Arranged artfully and beautifully, the empty spaces in a garden can turn into an interesting and stunning visual display. Aside from enhancing planting schemes, pebbles can serve as mulch and deter weeds. Here are some creative ways pebbles and stones can be used in a garden.

Build a Pathway

Would you venture in a garden where all you can see is vegetation? You’d hesitate, wouldn’t you? There should be a visible path along a garden to invite people to come in and visit. You can achieve this by simply marking off a path, lining it with large rocks and filling the path with small pebbles. A garden path can also help contain the dirt and minimise dust problems.

Make a Tree Base

Do you have a tree in your yard or garden with a worn ground and an unappealing base? If it detracts from the overall design of your garden, use rocks and pebbles to improve its appearance. Use pebbles to even out the grounds around the tree. Then, surround the tree with bricks or large rocks, and the fill the centre up to the tree trunk with pebbles. A pebble base will hide anything that is unsightly in your tree and give your garden a polished, finished appearance.

Create Yard Art

Pebble art dates back to ancient times. In fact, there are complex pebble mosaics still in existence in parts of the Middle East. You don’t need to create intricate yard art; this is a job for the truly artistic. You can experiment with simple designs using pebbles in various colours and sizes. Examples are a miniature maze and an abstract pattern that features different colours.

Make a Desert Landscape

Do you live in an area where the cost of water is so steep that keeping a grass lawn is not practical? Or do you want to create a garden that requires little watering? Either way, there is a solution for you—a desert landscape. Instead of grass, use pebbles to make a smooth, even base on your garden grounds. Again, the huge variety of colours and sizes available will allow you to create a beautiful cover for your yard. Pebbles are a cheap way to cover large areas of your yard as they do not require maintenance and watering.

For your source of landscaping supplies including decorative rocks and superior sand, contact Bacchus Marsh Redgum & Garden Centre. Prompt, same day delivery and great customer service are guaranteed. Bacchus Marsh Redgum & Garden Centre is a reliable supplier of landscape, garden and building materials. Visit http://www.bacchusmarshredgumgardencentre.com.au/ for more information about their products.

Resources: http://www.ehow.com/list_7532209_ideas-landscape-pebbles.html

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/river-pebbles-landscaping-57289.html

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Tips on Creating a Sustainable Garden

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One of the ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and help protect our environment is by creating a sustainable garden. What does a sustainable garden look like? It has several species of plants that are growing closely together, yet are happy and independent. This is because they have been planted in the right soil; they are growing in mulch and fed with compost. A sustainable garden does not require much water and does not need to be mowed.

The Role of Mulch in a Sustainable Garden

Conservation of water is one of the main features of a sustainable garden. Water can easily be conserved by proper mulching, watering and smart choice of plants. When organic mulch breaks down, it brings nutrients to the soil, keeps moisture, moderates the soil temperature, enhances soil texture, fights weeds, and makes your garden look great. Remember to add mulch to your garden beds generously to see the benefits.

You can make your own mulch using yard debris such as grass clippings, bark chips and leaves. There is a step by step process you have to follow to make sure you make good mulch. If you are not inclined to make your own mulch, you can buy it from a gardening supplies store.

There are two types of mulches: organic mulches and inorganic mulches. Organic mulches include chopped or shredded leaves, straw, newspaper, grass clippings, compost, salt hay, cardboard and rotted hay. Inorganic mulch includes clear, black or coloured plastic, polyester garden fabrics, gravel or stones, and carpet remnants.

With so many mulches available, choosing the right mulch for your garden can be confusing. When choosing mulch for your garden, try to match the mulch to the crop, weather conditions, and soil. For example, find out which mulch is perfect for hot or cold climates.

Where to Source Mulch

Bacchus Marsh & Redgum Garden Centre, a supplier of quality sand as well as garden materials, offers a variety of mulch for your garden, including Tree Mulch, Pine Chips, Pine Mulch, Pine Bark and Red Mulch. With years of experience in the garden supplies industry, the company can advise and recommend the ideal mulch to use on your garden.

Bacchus Marsh & Redgum Garden Centre also offers other products that you can use in your garden project. The company supplies soils, including top soil, sandy loam, triple mix and mushroom compost; toppings, including Tuscan toppings, Lilydale toppings, Rainbow toppings and Seymour toppings; and decorative rock, including granite and varied sizes of river rock. For more information about mulches, visit http://bacchusmarshredgumgardencentre.com.au/.

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