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Guilfoyle’s Volcano

The View from the top of Guilfoyles Volcano

Newly planted Lava Flows

Queensland bottle trees around the Volcano base.

Photos reproduced with kind permission from the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/rbg-melbourne/landscape-projects/guilfoyles-volcano

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Going Bush – Seed Collecting – Further Information

The information in this episode is relevant to parts of Victoria Australia but the principles remain the same.  Depending of where you are collecting, check with your local conservation/park authorities, local councils, land owners and road authorities before collecting native seeds.  You may need one or more permits/permissions.  Remember that you will also need to consider OH&S and you may need some training before you can pack your lunch and thermos for a day out seed collecting.

Here is a link to Flora bank with a great .pdf download with guidelines to collecting native seeds.

http://www.florabank.org.au/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=878

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Sheoaks – up close and personal

Forest or Rose Sheoak – (the jury is still out on the variety).  The corky bark in the foreground and the whispy weeping foliage in the background.  As I mentioned on the podcast, this is the best photo I can get of the foliage as there is so much greenery in the background that the fine weeping branchlets are hard to see.

Up close with the fine foliage.  These trees are sometimes thought to be conifers but they are true flowering plants.

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Book Review : The Alternative Kitchen Garden by Emma Cooper

For further information about our feature book review and ordering please see : http://coopette.com/books

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Dig It Down Under Community : In the members area this month there is a competition/givaway of Emma Cooper’s wonderful book ‘The Alternative Kitchen Garden an A to Z’.  There is also a list of the Top 10 plants used around Guilfoyle’s Volcano.

It’s simple to register to be a part of the Dig It Down Under Community, just REGISTER HERE It’s free to join and your privacy is respected.

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• I visit the Orchid show and learn about growing Australian Native Orchids
• Permaculture – A view from the outside looking in.
• The Dirt on Rock Dust – a chat over the back fence with Tim Bratton from FCRD.
• Luculia vs Hydrangea
• Fukuoka Revolutionary Gardener
• Quick Start Veg Patch in a weekend

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Masanobu Fukuoka : more information

http://fukuokafarmingol.info/

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Rock dust is available to purchase Australia wide at:
https://myfabstore.com.au/garden-gifts/

Dig It Down Under Members can purchase (from 22 Nov 2009) at:

https://myfabstore.com.au/DDUmembers/?

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Quick start veg patch cheat sheet is available for download from the members area.  It’s free to join and you will have access to all the information sheets and any special offers in the future.  Simply sign up for the newsletter.

I respect your privacy and will not pass on your details to third parties.
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In Episode 12 – Australian Native Special Edition

• Interview over the back fence with John Arnott from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne
• Interview over the back fence with with Heino Lepp about Australian Native Fungi and the Fungi Map Project
• Feature Plant – Pink Mulla Mulla, this pretty plant was a favourite at the recent Flower and Garden show in Melbourne
• I ponder the possibilities of a bush tucker veg patch and I go hunting for plant ideas
• The Veg patch report and much more…

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Royal Botanic Gardens – Cranbourne

Interview with John Arnott – Horticultural Manager RBG Cranbourne

The dry creek bed comes alive after rain and the red soil representing the heart of Australia sets off this stunning feature bed.

Information about the garden including visitor information can be found at:

http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/rbg_cranbourne

Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens – Cranbourne

http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/support_us/RBG_support_groups/friends_cranbourne

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Interview with Heino Lepp, honorary scientific associate at the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG).

Fungi Map web site :  http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/fungimap_/welcome

Heino Lepp has written articles about Australian Fungi on the fascinating ‘Fungi of Australia’ Web site at:

http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/index.html

You’ll find Episode 20 of Gardening Australia and the segment on growing Shitake mushrooms here:

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/video/download.htm

The first 5 photos are taken by my friend Lorraine on her Fungi Map walks.  The last picture (fluffy white) is taken by my friend Andi Crosser on one of her many bush walks.

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Jon & Janet’s Herb Spiral :

Following up from Episode 11, Jon & Janet built this spiral a while back and were kind enough to send photos and information to share.  For the full story please follow this link:

http://digitdownunder.com/vegetable-gardening/?p=470

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Some ideas for bush tucker for my garden:

Vic/NSW:

Tree Orchid (Cymbidium Canaliculatum)

Climbing Fringe Lily (Thysanotus Patersonii)

Milkmaids (Burchardia Umbellata)

Dodder Laurel (Cassytha Filiformis)

New Zealand Spinach aka Warrigul Greens

Northern Australia:

Macadamia Tree

Quandong (Santalum Lanceolatum)

Apricot Fig (Ficus Leptodada)

Pandanus (spp)

Bush Tucker resources :

Bush Tucker Field Guide by Les Hiddens – Published by ABC Books

Useful Bush Plants by Peter Bindon – Published by Western Australian Museum

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You can find my music site here : rileyjordan.com.au

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The download gifts for this month are part II of the Fungi interview with HeinoLepp and a mini podcast where I talk through my veg patch set up for spring 2009.  It’s free to join, simply sign up for the newsletter on the contact page.

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In this episode:
* Sweet Hokowase Japanese Strawberrys
* Mint Bush – Drought tolerant and beautiful.
* Oxalis – Weeds of our lives
* Apple Blossom Time – Takes my breath away
* Lettuce Pray – The first seedlings hit the dirt & the Vegie Patch Report.

Strawberries – History of Cultivation
http://www.nal.usda.gov/pgdic/Strawberry/book/bokeight.htm

Here is a picture of the protective Strawberry Cone. Just dangle the fruit inside it, with the stalk still connected to the main bush.

Mint Bush
http://www.rainyside.com/features/plant_gallery/herbs/Prostanthera_rotundifolia.html

Oxalis

Here is a picture of a particular weedy variety of oxalis. There is a larger leaf variety that’s a bit of a problem too. There are some ornamental oxalis that aren’t invasive and they must not die!

The apple blossom knocked me off my feet this year. Photo’s never do justice to the real thing.

Would love to hear from you. Please click on the ‘feedback’ link below. You can find a copy of the comments policy at : http://www.digitdownunder.com/commentspolicy.html

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