Your Garden Questions Answered - Van Loons Nursery
Episode: #5 21/04/07
Presenter: Melissa King
When Mel visits a garden centre these days she is always torn between the plant-filled outdoor areas and being indoors surrounded by gorgeous home wares. Then of course there is the café.
If it is the kind of experience you are looking for then visit Van Loon's Nursery, which ahs been inspiring people in the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong to create beautiful homes and gardens since 1965. Water is a hot topic these days and the area has had it tough, but gardens are still thriving and it is because Water Saver Garden Centres like Van Loon’s are leading the way.
The key to a dry tolerant garden is sensible plant choices. Melissa takes a look at a fantastic idea for a display. Not only does it show you the range of plants that you can grow in dry conditions, but it splits dry-hardy choices into 3 different levels; those that need watering once a fortnight then others like Cannas, flax and Dwarf Sacred Bamboo (Nandina domestica nana) that can be watered just once every three to four weeks and even real toughies like Banksias that need water just once or twice a season.
It always helps to see plants growing and performing in a garden situation before you buy so keep an eye out for the miniature displays which are full of great take home ideas.
There is one for the succulent lover, filled with real gems like the richly coloured Aeonium ‘Schwarzkopf’ (Aeonium arboreum ‘Schwarzkopf’) and a tapestry of Echeverias in all their foliage shades.
If you prefer to mix things up a bit then you will love the combination which teams succulent sedums and portulacas with tough, colourful ivy geraniums.
Collecting rain water and making the most of grey water can also make a big difference and if there is a product or gadget to help you do it then you will find it at Van Loon’s.
Here is a simple way to recycle bath water. Use a submersible pond pump which has two extra attachments, an elbow of pipe on the intake to suck water right from the very bottom of the bath and a garden tap click-on piece connected to the outlet. You can simply attach a garden hose and run it out the nearest window or door and straight onto the garden.
For more waterwise ideas don’t forget to check out Trevor’s article on Sustainable Gardening in the Autumn Issue of the Garden Gurus Newspaper and remember to send us your water-saving ideas. If we publish your waterwise hint in the paper, you could win a hamper filled with waterwise gardening goods worth $200!
Van Loon's Nursery
405 Grubb Road,
Wallington on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong
Presenter: Melissa King
When Mel visits a garden centre these days she is always torn between the plant-filled outdoor areas and being indoors surrounded by gorgeous home wares. Then of course there is the café.
If it is the kind of experience you are looking for then visit Van Loon's Nursery, which ahs been inspiring people in the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong to create beautiful homes and gardens since 1965. Water is a hot topic these days and the area has had it tough, but gardens are still thriving and it is because Water Saver Garden Centres like Van Loon’s are leading the way.
The key to a dry tolerant garden is sensible plant choices. Melissa takes a look at a fantastic idea for a display. Not only does it show you the range of plants that you can grow in dry conditions, but it splits dry-hardy choices into 3 different levels; those that need watering once a fortnight then others like Cannas, flax and Dwarf Sacred Bamboo (Nandina domestica nana) that can be watered just once every three to four weeks and even real toughies like Banksias that need water just once or twice a season.
It always helps to see plants growing and performing in a garden situation before you buy so keep an eye out for the miniature displays which are full of great take home ideas.
There is one for the succulent lover, filled with real gems like the richly coloured Aeonium ‘Schwarzkopf’ (Aeonium arboreum ‘Schwarzkopf’) and a tapestry of Echeverias in all their foliage shades.
If you prefer to mix things up a bit then you will love the combination which teams succulent sedums and portulacas with tough, colourful ivy geraniums.
Collecting rain water and making the most of grey water can also make a big difference and if there is a product or gadget to help you do it then you will find it at Van Loon’s.
Here is a simple way to recycle bath water. Use a submersible pond pump which has two extra attachments, an elbow of pipe on the intake to suck water right from the very bottom of the bath and a garden tap click-on piece connected to the outlet. You can simply attach a garden hose and run it out the nearest window or door and straight onto the garden.
For more waterwise ideas don’t forget to check out Trevor’s article on Sustainable Gardening in the Autumn Issue of the Garden Gurus Newspaper and remember to send us your water-saving ideas. If we publish your waterwise hint in the paper, you could win a hamper filled with waterwise gardening goods worth $200!
Van Loon's Nursery
405 Grubb Road,
Wallington on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong
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