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Written and edited by Tammy 11th April 2023 I spent a most enjoyable day out wood cutting with some lovely friends over the weekend, and we were most entertained by a curious audience of steers coming right up almost close enough to reach out and touch them. While avoiding treading in their land mines I got to thinking about the process of them eating grass, then converting it into the most amazing fertiliser, depositing it back onto the ground to nourish the soil and plants to begin the cycle all over again. We garden gurus constantly speak of adding organic matter to your gardens, but what exactly is 'organic matter'? From a gardening perspective think of organic matter as being anything that comes from the earth that completes its lifecycle breaking down back into the earth. Composted green waste/ fruit and vegetable scraps, animal manure, straw, leaf litter, it's all organic matter. Benefits of Cow Manure But what's so good about cow manure? Fresh cow manure is full of good bacteria and enzymes, and it's an amazing source of nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, magnesium and calcium; the very things plants need to grow and thrive. Worms love it as do the microbials. And if that wasn't enough, cow manure, whether it's fresh or composted helps to improve the structure and water holding capacity of soil, particularly when added to sandy soils which tend to be non-wetting and lacking in nutrients and structure. If keeping a cow in your backyard or collecting a trailer full from out in the paddock isn't an option for you, pre-packaged bags of composted/ aged cow manure is readily available from most Nurseries and Garden Centres. There are pros and cons for both. Fresh Manure Fresh manure has a higher water content making the soluble nitrogen in it far more readily available, that being said, there's always a risk of burning vulnerable new young plants if you're not careful. There's also a risk of pathogens and weed seed being introduced to your garden too. Bagged Manure Bagged cow manure on the other hand undergoes a process of composting or aging. The heat generated in a composting pile of manure kills any pathogens and weed seed so there's no chance of introducing those to your garden. The downside perhaps is the fact that the dry composted product has a lot less readily available Nitrogen. Both fresh and bagged cow manure will improve the texture and structure of your soil and aid its water retention abilities, so really it just comes down to what option is more convenient for you. It can be a little daunting and confusing trying to decide which animal manure to use. **Tip** manure from animals that are herbivores, they primarily eat grass and hay, will have a higher carbon to nitrogen ratio making it a 'cooler/ safer' manure to use in your garden. Chickens eat bugs, grubs and other food scraps. Their carbon to nitrogen ratio is a lot lower making it really hot in comparison to cow manure, so there would be a higher chance of burning your plants when applying it. If you're wanting to improve your soil for a veggie patch, they are hungry little things and need a lot of nutrition and energy to get then up and going and producing for you; they would benefit more so from a higher nitrogen manure like chicken manure. If things in your garden are already established, they are not crop producing or at a time of the year when they're using a lot of energy, then cow manure would perhaps be perfect. I hope this makes sense. As always, you're more than welcome to message me if you have any questions of want me to clarify anything. If you're ever in the market for a new lawn mower, why not consider a cow! Happy Gardening! 😘🪴🌺

Written and edited by Tammy 15th April 2023 We've all heard the expression 'Stop to smell the roses' and of course we know it means, to stop, slow down and take time to appreciate the little things in life. Life can seem so hectic and overwhelming sometimes making us feel like we're being dragged along by the scruff with our feet barely touching the ground. You think to yourself, and when am I supposed to find five minutes to actually smell the roses? And that's reality, sadly that's how we miss those little things. That beautiful smile or twinkle in someone's eye. Walking along looking at the seedlings at work yesterday and I stopped to marvel at how fresh everything looked with the recent rains. I found myself lost in a moment, appreciating the droplets of rain being held suspended on the tiny leaves of some lupins. The droplets couldn't be any more perfect, almost like diamonds no two the same, each one unique. I noticed the fine hairs on the edges of the leaves, then looked at the almost smiling faces of the neighbouring punnets of pansies also hanging on to their share of liquid gold. I watched a bee busily 'doin his thing' in a Marigold amongst the Potted Colour and smiled again thinking about the whole process of that little bee being responsible for the honey in my pantry, and how happy he looked. Feeling sorry for it I bent down and rescued a damp, fatigued and struggling rain moth from the ground so the next trolley that came through wouldn't run him over and squish him. I giggled to myself when his sticky fury legs tickled as he gratefully climbed up onto my hand then I let him crawl off onto a plant to the side. I looked up to see a customer genuinely smiling as she watched me. I pondered to myself that it's those little things in life that we can so easily miss; they're worth more than anything money can buy, quite simply because money CAN'T buy them. I still pinch myself every day and think I am one of those lucky people as I've found myself doing something that I genuinely love doing. Rescuing rain moths!🤪🦋🪴 Smile back in gratitude when somebody gives you a smile, remember the fragrance of your favourite rose or fresh cut lawn, and pause to watch next time you see a bee crawling in and out of the flowers with his little legs heavily covered in pollen. Don't miss those little things no matter how small they are, even rain drops. Sweet dreams and enjoy your gardens tomorrow.😘🐝🌸

Compiled and edited by Tammy 7th May 2023 You've heard of fairy rings? As a little girl you were told when you see a ring of toadstools in the lawn that fairies had danced there; it was something magical. Some might think they are a jolly nuisance as they ruin the visual appearance of the lawn, others believe in all thing's fairies and folk laws but either way, they are not harmful to your lawn at all. Toadstools in your lawn are actually a good sign, an indication that everything beneath the lawn is thriving and healthy. You don't see them in the Summer when everything is hot and dry. Perhaps the only time they are an issue is when our pets decide to try them. If you think your beloved pooch or kitty has curiously added toadstools to their daily menu, don't hesitate to take them to your local veterinarian to have them seen to. Watch my short video to see what to look out for and learn a few tips on how you can possibly prevent them. Hoping your week gets off to a good start, Happy gardening!😘🪴🍄

Written and edited by Tammy 25th April 2023 What is Black Spot, why does it happen and how do we treat it? Black Spot Quite simply, Black Spot is a highly infectious fungal disease that most roses will suffer at some stage. As soon as the climatic conditions are favourable, there's enough moisture, humidity, and there's a lack of air circulation in the canopy of a plant, you have the perfect environment for fungal diseases such as black spot to take hold. Like anything, prevention is better than cure. Try to keep your roses in optimum health. Mulch around them to maintain moisture throughout the dryer months and feed them regularly with a quality rose fertiliser like Richgro Black Marvel or Neutrog Sudden Impact. Give them a 'pick me up' with a health tonic like Seasol to keep them robust and powering on and, dead head them as each flush of flowers finishes. Be vigilant for the first signs of disease or pest infestations and, treat them before they impact the health of the plant. Watch the little video I've included to see how I treated my standard Icebergs today that have succumbed to a bout of black spot. Admittedly, we're at the tail end of the growing season now in Autumn and my roses have (as always) put on the most amazing continuous display of blooms all Summer long. Despite the black spot getting the better of them, the foliage was still a healthy, lush green colour indicating that they weren't malnourished or lacking in nutrition. There was no sign of an insect infestations, I'd just been too preoccupied with life as we all get, and missed the window of opportunity to treat them when I should have. Don't be like me! Happy Gardening!😘🪴 Leat we forget.

Saturday 29th April 2023 Get a little bit creative, fill your pots with other annuals to surround and compliment your bulbs. Read my earlier post "Autumn is here" to learn more..

Written and edited by Tammy 15th May 2023 If a splash of colour was a requirement for the Adelaide side entrance to our town, then planting a row of Chinese Pistachios has definitely ticked that box. You can't help but slow down to admire the gorgeous display of Autumn colour from oranges through to flame red as you drive past them. Chinese Pistachio Chinese Pistachio pistacia chinensis-native to Western China, are deciduous ornamentals. The leaves comprise around half a dozen pairs of opposing long slender smaller leaves that start out a lush, lime green in Spring then go out in a blaze of glory in Autumn. Female trees also produce brightly coloured clusters of inedible berries that create another point of interest. They are relatively quick to establish, reaching heights of up-to 8-10 meters tall and equally as wide. You will need to prune them as they're establishing to achieve symmetry and ultimately a lovely, rounded shade tree. Make sure you give them a full sun aspect, and water them regularly as they're establishing in the first season. They like to send their roots down nice and deep and once they do so you'll find them to be relatively drought hardly needing next to no supplementary watering. Chinese Pistachios are not fussy with their soil preferences providing it's relatively moist and free draining. All in all, a lovely small to medium feature tree or perfect for lining an avenue. Claret Ash Now I can't not mention the Claret Ash trees fraxinus oxycarpa 'raywood ' that you would've noticed establishing well in the same location beside the pistachios. Their cool claret red through to mauve shades in Autumn are equally as eye catching. They are large trees though reaching heights of in excess of 15 meters tall and 10 meters wide, so you will need to allow them plenty of space and of course keep them a good distance away from buildings and structures. Similarly, to the pistachios, the ash tree also has multiples of soft fine small leaves. They don't bare berries, but they do produce, then go on to shed thousands of little seed pods. Tolerative of most soil types providing it's free draining, they're relatively low maintenance and like the pistachios, are drought tolerant once established. The Chinese Pistachios and Claret Ash are just two of many many beautiful deciduous ornamental trees that grow well here in our region. Give them plenty of room to grow in full sun and, water them thoroughly and regularly while they are establishing, and you shouldn't have any troubles. If these two don't tickle your fancy you could consider a few of these. Golden Elm Ulmus glabra lutescens Crepe Myrtles Largerstroemia indica Ornamental plums Prunus cerasifera Ornamental pears Pyrus Crab apples Malus sylvestris Silver birch Betula pendula London Planes Platanus Honestly these are only a few other that you will see growing well here everywhere around our town and throughout our region. That in itself tells you something, clearly, they'd be good options to consider. It's going to come down to the space and location you're wanting to fill, and your own personal preference for styles and colours. Don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to know a little more about any of these trees I've mentioned or even anything else you might have heard of or seen. Have a wonderful Monday, and as always Happy Gardening! 😘🌸🌼🌸🌼

Written and edited by Tammy 19th May 2023 With June just around the corner our attention turns to a few different things.... stock take, tax time and bare root season. And well I'm more interested in talking about the later of the three😝 So, what is bare root season, what's it all about? Maybe I first need to clarify what deciduous means. Deciduous Deciduous as opposed to Evergreen are any trees and plants that loose their leaves and shut down over the Winter months. Plants continuously produce a chemical compound called Chlorophyll, and its chlorophyll that's responsible for leaves being green. A combination of shorter day lengths and cooler temperatures tells the plant to slow down its production of chlorophyll and stop directing nutrients and energy into the leaves. The absence of chlorophyll lets us see the true colour of the leaves (the beautiful Autumn colours) and gradually the plant drops it leaves becoming dormant. Right, now that we understand what deciduous means, what relevance does that have to bare root season? In bare root season growers lift the dormant young trees from the ground, the process doesn't shock stress or upset the trees in any way as they're asleep, they're not actively growing. The trimmed root systems are then wrapped in sawdust in plastic to keep them damp, and at that point they're distributed to retail nurseries for you to buy. Bare root Pros They're cheaper than potted trees. Can be forward ordered and plentiful in supply. Convenient to transport a large quantity of trees in a small amount of space. Can be settled into their new location whilst the tree is still dormant avoiding transplant shock. Bare root Cons There's always going to be an element of gamble if the tree will be viable or not. The root system will be trimmed, diminished and void of any fine feeding roots. There's no knowing how long the roots have been exposed to the air potentially becoming too dry and hard. They are going to need to be planted as soon as possible, they can't stay in sawdust in bags long term. Potted trees Pros The tree can be selected for its healthy full foliage appearance. It has a healthy active growing root system within the pot. If disease is present, it would be evident. They can potentially stay in the pots for a while until you're prepared and have time to plant them. Potted trees Cons They will be more expensive. Potentially less stock available. Can take up a lot of space or cost more to freight potted trees. Always a chance of the plant succumbing to transplant shock or not settling into its new environment. These are some of the things you'll need to take into consideration when deciding whether to buy bare root trees over the winter months or buy actively growing potted tree throughout the growing season. Either way there are some good valid points for both options, it's just going to come down to what your priorities are. Consider your budget, the cost of freight if applicable, or practicality of transporting them, your time frame for getting them planted and of course how much of a gamble you're willing to take on the potential viability of the tree. As always if you're wanting to know a little more, please reach out, send me a message, an email or our local folk reading this will know where to find me. Rug up, keep warm, enjoy your Friday and happy gardening!😘🪴🍂

A common issue we all deal with at some stage as gardeners is yellowing foliage. Take a look at the example pictured above, it's my own Trixzee™️ Miniature Peach tree which always looks amazing, lush and green each season, but, for some reason in the last 6 weeks it's turned a horrifying yellow colour. There are a number of possibilities. To better understand what causes yellowing let's back up a little first and look at how and why plants are green. Healthy plants produce chlorophyll, chlorophyll is the pigment responsible for them appearing green. Plants need to be green to be able to photosynthesise, it's how they harness energy from the sun to generate food for themselves. Possibility #1 - Incorrect pH If the pH is too high (Alkaline) or too low (Acidic) this will result in either 'nutrient lock up' an inability for the plant to access nutrients from the soil, or toxicity, essentially poisoning the plant. Symptoms Not only might the plant appear yellow, but it could possibly have burnt crispy leaf margins, possibly be stunted in growth and overall, be performing poorly. Remedy Determine the soil pH with a soil pH test kit and amend with either Sulphur if it's too Alkaline or Dolomite Lime if it's too Acidic to bring it back to within the ideal range recommended for the plant. Once the plant is back within its recommended pH range it will be better able to derive nutrients from the soil when you feed it. Win a Manutec soil test kit! Subscribe now throughout January for a chance to win a free Manutec soil test kit. Existing members entered for referral on new subscribers. Subscribing is FREE! Possibility #2 -Hunger, lack of nutrients Plants use a massive amount of energy and nutrients Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) to grow and bear fruit and flowers. Reason A plant may be hungry and lacking in nutrients due to it not having been fertilised, it's ran out of nutrients as it's taken up all that was there available, or perhaps recent heavy rains has leeched the nutrients from the soil. A lack of nutrients can be responsible for yellowing. Remedy Apply a soluble fertiliser such as Seasol Powerfeed weekly to fortnightly alongside a quality organic pelletised fertiliser such as Neutrog Rapid Raiser. The soluble fertiliser will benefit the plant by being taken up straight away, and the pellets will be taken in gradually as they break down. Possibility #3 - Magnesium deficiency Magnesium, a secondary macronutrient is a close runner up behind NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) in its importance to a plant, it's the central core ion of chlorophill. It also plays a vital role in the metabolism of phosphorus and is responsible for the uptake and mobility of water within a plant. Sandy and acidic soils are more likely to be magnesium deficient. Symptoms Yellowing between the veins (interveinal chlorosis) initially in the older mature foliage progressing to the younger foliage as well. The plant may also be slow in its growth and development, and the fruit or vegetable yield may be low. Remedy Apply Epsom Salts (which is Magnesium). Possibility #4 - Iron deficiency Poor quality soils lacking in organic matter, heavy rain events or over watering, incorrect pH, or an imbalance of nutrients are all issues that could result in an Iron deficiency. Iron deficiency is a common issue in acid loving plants, Hydrangeas, Blueberries, Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Symptoms The new young foliage may appear pale yellow to almost white. Remedy Apply chelated iron as per the instructions for rates on the label, it may take a couple of applications to see the plant green up again. Along with applying iron, aim to rectify the underlying issues that led to the deficiency in the first place. Apply sulphur or lime to bring the pH back to the preferred range for your plant if the pH was the issue. If your soil lacks organic matter, add compost, animal manures and mulch to feed and improve the quality of the soil. Take a look at the image here below which shows the distribution of the yellowing. A visual cue might help you determine what's caused your yellowing. Yellowing plants It can be like solving a jigsaw puzzle trying to determine what's causing your yellowing. Climatic factors such as recent weather events, the type of soil you have, and pH or nutrient imbalances can all be responsible. Try using a process of elimination beginning with the pH to determine which it is. Feel welcome to ask a question or share your experiences in the comments below. Have a lovely weekend, and as always Happy Gardening!😘🌸🌿

written and edited by Tammy 5th June 2023 You've weighed up the pros and cons and decided bare root trees are the right choice for you. Welcome to bare root season! If you're super organised and know what you're planting where, you may have already pre-ordered your trees to avoid the disappointment of missing out, or you may be simply planning on wandering around and choosing based on what's available and jumps out at you at the time. There are so many varieties to choose from that it can be quite overwhelming. Pollination🌸🐝 When it comes to fruit trees do a bit of preliminary research first. Be armed with the knowledge of which ones are self-pollinating such as peaches, nectarines and apricots, verses apples, pears, plums and most cherries with the exception of Stella, which will all require a pollinator to successfully produce fruit. **Little Tip** It will generally tell you on the back of the product tag on the tree if it is self-pollinating or not and, if not, what a suitable pollinator would be, taking the guess work out of it for you. Choosing something that requires a pollinator means you're going to need to have enough room for two trees, or perhaps consider a multi-grafted tree. Space requirements If you are faced with the constraints of being limited for room, perhaps consider planting dwarf trees, these days there are almost as many dwarfs to choose from as regular size fruit trees. Dwarf trees take up half the amount of room, can be grown in large pots or half wine barrels, and still grow regular full-sized fruit like their big sisters. Keep in mind though, you won't get quite the volume of fruit from a smaller tree and, the life expectancy of dwarf trees is roughly half that of a regular sized tree. Now that we've established what you're looking for, it's time to choose your trees. What to avoid Look for trees that have multiple good strong laterals (leaders). The wood should look hydrated and a healthy colour with plenty of plump fuzzy little buds along the stems. Avoid anything where the wood looks dry and shrivelled, diseased, has damage or open wounds, or is very dark in colour indicating that it's quite likely very dehydrated or worse-case scenario not viable. Most trees come from the growers with their roots packed in damp wood shavings or sawdust and wrapped in plastic to preserve them. Sometimes the trees will be freighted to your retailer unwrapped where the retailer will make them available to you in raised beds or containers full of compost, and just remove them from the damp soil and wrap them as they are selected. Pruning The canopy of your new trees will need pruning back by 1/3 to 1/2 before planting them. This is done to proportionate the tree and lessen the workload for the diminished root system. If the tree is disproportionate and the workload is too great quite often, they will fail to successfully establish. If you're not confident or unsure how to do this yourself, ask the qualified horticulturist when you purchase your trees to do this for you. If you do feel confident and comfortable to have a go at pruning them back yourself, ideally you want to keep three to four good strong laterals, take them back to an outward facing bud by 1/3 to 1/2. Remove anything damaged, dead or irregular looking, or anything crossing over one another inwards towards the centre of the tree. Planting preparation While preparing the hole give your tree a soak in a solution of Seasol in water. Seasol Health Treatment is a seaweed enriched health tonic that helps to boost a plants immune system, stimulate root growth and help overcome transplant shock. You'll need to dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball but only as deep as the tree was originally growing. There should be a colour change evident on the lower part of the trunk somewhere half-way between the graft and the commencement of the roots, that will be your guide as to what depth the tree was originally in the ground at. The graft should always be above the soil, never below. Mound up the soil a little at the bottom of the hole and spread the roots out over and around the mound in the hole and then back fill the hole packing it in as you go. Leave a recess or well around the base of the tree so when you water it the water soaks down into the root zone as opposed to running off away from the tree. Use the seasol solution you soaked the tree in earlier to water it in with. Look for air bubbles rising up out of the soil within the water to indicate the roots are thoroughly watered and there are no air pockets remaining in the soil. Add some organic fertiliser such as Rapid Raiser or Dynamic Lifter as per the application rates on the bag, so there are some nutrients in the ground to nourish the tree as it comes out of dormancy and begins growing in spring. Support If you live in a wind prone area, while your tree is still young and establishing, it might be a good idea to support it with a hardwood stake or a trio of stakes. Water Water your trees regularly and thoroughly throughout the first season as they 're establishing particularly if the seasonal rains are few and far between. By following these measures you'll be giving your trees every opportunity to take and grow successfully. As always if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to message me or get in-touch. I'm looking forward to unpacking a fresh delivery of new seasons bare root trees next week myself!🙊🤭 Rug up, keep warm and enjoy your gardens.😘🪴

Written and edited by Tammy 2nd July 2023. Winter is finally here and with it comes an abundance of annual weeds! It can be a little confusing at times identifying plants and knowing what's a weed and what's not. Something new randomly pops up in your garden with a pretty little flower, and you hesitate before rushing to pull it out...you think to yourself that's pretty, it might be worth keeping. That's a gardener prerogative, isn't it?😜 Fumaria Capreolata Let me introduce you to this one, Fumaria. Fumaria capreolata a member of the poppy family. If you've got some poppies in as I have, run out and look at their foliage right now and you might see some similarities. Take a look at the pictures here below, kinda cool hey! Often referred to as climbing or ramping fumitory due to its growth habit, it climbs, scrambles and rambles everywhere and almost overnight you've gone from nothing more than one or two random plants to having it choking out and taking over an entire garden bed. Fumitory is a herbaceous annual that pops up this time every year once the ground is cool and damp, it needs the sub soil moisture to trigger germination. Delicate lime green fern-like foliage, and the give-way for this particular species is the purple tipped white flower. How much of an issue it is and how to deal with it will come down to the individual. In my yard, I have a small amount of it that comes up between the edge of the lawn and the base of my Pittosporum hedge amongst the mulch on the ground. It tends to come up anywhere there's enough light and bare soil and nothing to compete with it. It's a manageable amount that in all honesty, when the sun is shining with a coffee in hand, I'm happy to do some stretching and pull it out. The roots of the plant are fine and shallow making it easy to remove by hand. As with any weeds, removing them entirely and regularly, preferably before they have a chance to flower and set seed, replenishing the seed bank is a no brainer. I could also put down a thick layer of newspaper, cardboard and or fresh mulch to smother and suffocate, them. This is a 'win win' approach because not only does it deal with the weeds, but as it breaks down carbon is added back into the soil feeding all the microorganisms. If pulling it out or smothering it really aren't options for you, let's say it's taking over your garden bed you could perhaps try spraying it out. I would still pull up as much as possible, and then perhaps try Richgro Beat-A-Weed. Always opt for a natural alternative where possible. For optimum results, wait for a calm, still, sunny day. The active ingredients in beat-a-weed are acetic acid and sodium chloride, essentially, salt and vinegar. Glyphosate free, nothing harmful. Be sure to read the instructions prior and use the product as per the directions on the label. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has winter weeds going crazy everywhere right now, it's a case of trying to manage and prevent them multiplying in the best way we can, in a way that is kind to our environment. For now, put another log on the fire, keep warm and enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Happy Gardening😘🌸🪴

Written and edited by Tammy 25th July 2023 I remember wandering around amongst the plants in the first garden centre I worked in thinking how will I ever remember all these 'fancy' plant names, I can't even pronounce them! Fast forward to now and I'll let you in on a little secret...I still can't pronounce OR spell a lot of them, but I have become familiar with quite a few now and more importantly, I understand the significance of them. Firstly, what's botany? It's the scientific study of plants. Botanists study plant DNA/genetics, their physical appearance, their biology, a plants origin and its coping mechanisms for the place it originates and a whole lot more. It's these scientists who create names for plants, and not just any old name, formal names that conform to an international code so they can be recognised in all languages anywhere in the world. And why Latin? Well, because back in the 'old days' when they first began naming plants, Latin was the universal language used by scientists... so it makes sense, it's just stuck. When you pick up a plant in a garden centre, you'll see it's got a "common name" (it's generally something easy to pronounce) like Pom pom, Pink Splash or Grey Box. Often the name has some relevance to the plant's physical appearance, or colour. It may even have been given in honour of the breeder or founder of the plant or someone of significance. Common names can change from one season to the next or even from one company to the next, different retail growers will put their own trademark name to a plant, but at the end of the day the botanical name for that plant will ALWAYS be the same. It could be an Ornamental plum Ruby Flare, or a Crimson Spire, depending on which company you buy the tree through, but both trees are a Prunus cerasifera. The botanical name for that tree doesn't change because it's what it is. Take the example of our pets. We can call our cat or dog whatever name we like, Fido or Rover, but the scientific name will always be Canine or Feline. And just to take it a step further, our pet dog, Fido? Fido is a Canine and he's a part of the terrier family. Terriers, cattle dogs, pointers, hounds are different breeds or families. So Fido's a terrier canine mammal in the animal kingdom. And back to our plant.... commonly known as Pom pom? It's a daisy, the formal name is Argyranthemum, it's in the Asteraceae family, of Angiosperms, which are flowering plants in the plantae kingdom. Next time you find yourself in a garden centre looking for a little red flowering plant called pom pom, or an upright ornamental plum tree with red foliage, keep an eye for those big tricky names on the back of the description tags, they might just help you to put the puzzle pieces together or help you to find or identify other similar plants in the same family. Happy Gardening!😘🪴

Written and edited by Tammy 20th August 2023 There are lots of reasons we might want to identify a plant. It might be something you found growing in your garden and you're concerned is it a weed, or something worth keeping. You may have seen something you fell in love with in someone else's yard, or perhaps you're looking for plants based on their characteristics for a sandy, sunny hot spot in your yard. Whether it's one of these reasons or something else, there are a few different options, so lets delve in and look at how to identify a plant. Tip number 1 Try taking a small cutting of foliage, maybe even a flower, or a few different pics into your local garden centre for them to identify for you. Tip number 2 Buy yourself a botanical field guide. You can pick one up from most leading bookstores or online for under $15. It's a simple pamphlet style reference tool complete with images and labels of every type of plant, correct foliage description terminology, and more, that will give you the knowledge to be able to correctly describe and narrow down what it is you're wanting to identify. Tip number 3 Armed with your new botanical vocabulary, try searching the internet, or perhaps borrow some plant related books from your local library. Tip number 4 Reach out to a plant group in your local area through social media, chances are someone might have either seen the plant too or may even have it growing in their own yard. Tip number 5 There are some really helpful plant identification apps you can put on your phone too. My favourite is 'Picturethis'. The app utilises an internet data base to match up your image (the photo of the plant you've just taken) with the most likely match for the same plant. All the details will be there for the botanical name and common names for that plant, its origins, growing preferences, characteristics and more. It can also be used as a diagnostic tool for identifying what might be wrong with your plant, so it's a really handy app that I myself love and use. Tip number 6 And if it's still proving to be a tricky one, there's the Australian National Botanical Gardens Herbarium. It's a wonderful resource jam packed full of information about almost every plant imaginable that just might help you identify what you're looking for. For a small fee you can even send them a sample. You'll find details and instructions on their website for the requirements for submitting a sample. In time you'll begin to recognise similarities in the foliage or flowers of plants within the same family. That same type of flower of anything in the daisy (Asteraceae) family, or the seed pods and cute little hooded flowers of anything in the pea/bean (Faberaceae) family. Perhaps you'll notice the aromatics of the foliage of any plant in the Lamiaceae family, which includes your Salvia's, Sages, mints and lavenders. Next time you're out for a walk or exploring, rub the leaves of a plant and see what it smells like, do you think there's a possibility it's in the pea/bean family or do you recognise the flower straight away and have a good idea that it's in the daisy family. Armed with these few ideas, you'll be identifying plants left right and centre, like an expert in no time. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, happy gardening! 😘🌸🌼