Feeling the slug and snail pressure? Get a bluey…

For anyone just getting started on their gardening or cut flower journey, there is perhaps no easier place to start than with zinnias.

It’s summer. It’s hot. We’re in the middle of a drought. There are water restrictions. How on earth are you meant to keep seedlings alive and thriving?

If you’re anything like me, your Instagram feed will be full of images of frothy English, European and Northern American gardens. Cottage gardens, wildflower gardens, blousy vintage gardens and traditional borders - I absolutely adore all those whimsical floral styles! But our harsh Australian conditions can be tricky. Unless you live in Tasmania or high on the Great Dividing Range, many of the flowers I so admire are off limits. But there are still many beautiful traditional flowers that can grown very well here. Here’s five I recommend.

For the last few years, I have been supplementing my expensive dahlia bulbs with dahlias grown from seed. Dahlia seed is CHEAP - usually less than $5 for a packet of 25-50 seeds.

Hey there flower lovers.