Episode: #13 9/12/06
Presenter: Melissa King

We got an email from the foster family wanting to know some great gardens to visit this summer, so Melissa visited the Mornington Peninsula at Heronswood, one of Victoria?s premier gardens and it is full of some plants that are simply stunning.

If you are after a plant that is a little bit different, perhaps slightly old fashioned and guaranteed to attract attention then say hello to Wigandia (Wigandia caracasana).

It has large deep purple blooms with a white throat and is very generous with its spring flowers. It also has big bold foliage and grows up to 4 metres tall so makes quite an impact.

Speaking of dramatic plants, the Tower of Jewels has a pretty impressive flower spike. Also named Echium simplex, it can take 3-4 years to produce a flower spike but it is worth it and the foliage looks great year round. This beauty loves to soak up the sun.

With so much colour interest in our gardens, it is nice to bring some of it indoors. Crambe scaberrima looks a little bit like a large gypsophila with a very wistful romantic look about it and it flowers right through spring.

Ants don?t directly harm plants but they have been known to steal seed. They can also feed on honey dew which is that sticky substance that is caused by sap sucking insects. By being there they actually encourage those insects because they protect them from predators.

So if you want an easy solution to an ant problem which also targets fleas and ticks, particularly those that hang around your garden bed, leaf litter or under pavers and rocks then Yates Blitz Em Ant Flea and Tick Killer is for you.

All you do is sprinkle it in those areas it is needed most. It is biodegradable so it won?t harm your plants or soil or even your pets.

Now for this weeks water saving tip.

If you are gardening on a sloping site sculpt the soil around the base of your plants to form a dish that catches available water and directs it to the roots of your plants. Sounds simple but it does the job.

Yates Blitz Em Ant Flea and Tick Killer

• handy shaker pack of sand-like granules impregnated with the effective synthetic pyrethroid, Bifenthrin
• simple-to-use shaker pack means no measuring or mixing
• stands up well to sunlight and heat and, most importantly, isn't affected by rain.
• is of low toxicity to mammals and isn't scheduled as a poison
• safe to plants so can be spread over lawn grasses or other low-growing ornamental plants without causing any problems