The days of reaching for a chemical spray every time a weed pops up are thankfully fading. We now know the damage those products can cause to fauna, our soil and our waterways. Glyphosate, one of the most common herbicides, has been linked to cancer and shown to harm pollinators. And when toxins leach into the water system, it affects all of us. 

So, what’s the alternative?

Scarlet runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are, in my opinion, the quintessential ornamental edible plant. They quickly cover a trellis or fence, put on a show of bright red flowers, and reward you with nutritious beans.

Alyogyne hueglii are wonderfully versatile, resilient native shrubs. Their evergreen foliage and long flowering season mean you’ll get year-round interest, whether you pop them into a mixed border or let them shine as standalone feature plants.

Along with wattles, this is one of our native plants that is always a welcome signal that spring is not far away.

As we wait for spring to arrive, citrus comes into its own, and that includes the bitter zing of grapefruit. This grapefruit and thyme shortbread takes just an hour to make and features olive oil for an earthy richness that keeps it from being too sweet.

There’s something very satisfying about watching a tomato plant grow all the way from a tiny seed to a delicious fruit.

If you’re in Melbourne, late winter to early spring (August–September) is the perfect time to sow tomato seeds indoors. You don’t need a bigbackyard—just a warm windowsill, a few recycled containers, and a little patience.

In its native habitat in arid Australia, this low-growing perennial erupts into masses of feathery mauve flowers after spring rains, and continues flowering for most of the year. It’s best suited to dryer climates in temperate, arid and dry tropical regions; growing well in rockeries and containers with a good free-draining potting mix.

As a South African-born Australian, I was thrilled to see quite a few gardens at this year’s Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show celebrating the connections between our diverse plants and cultures.

This is my favourite salvia and one of my favourite perennials, being long-flowering from late summer through to winter and easy to maintain with gorgeous colour.

During my 2019 trip to Europe, I came upomn the Kleingartenanlage Grönland (1904) in Berlin. They had little summer houses and were surrounded by fences low enough to see over, or dense conifers, and so many colourful flowers.

During my 2019 trip to Europe, I visited Monet's place, staying for almost the full 3 allocated hours walking back through the colour-coded beds and taking different photos as the light changed.

Zinnias are well-suited to our warming Australian climate, providing bursts of colour and attracting beneficial insects.