Gardens around Australia have experienced one of the most unpredictable summers in a long time with extreme heat, flash flooding and cyclones in some areas.With autumn just around the corner, now is the time to give the garden a much needed overhaul to prepare for the winter months ahead.

Mr. Sean O’Brien, Award Winning Horticulturalist at Hunter Valley Gardens says, “Many people who visit Hunter Valley Gardens during the winter months are unaware of how fantastic gardens can look during colder periods, with many leaving their gardens bare during this time. “

“What many aren’t aware of is that the autumn months are actually just as busy as springtime in the garden. Autumn, like spring is the time to give the garden a fresh start and ensure everything is in working order.If the right preparation is put into the garden it will come alive beautifully throughout winter and will reap some beautiful rewards.”

Sean’s top tips to ensure that the garden is at its best for the coming winter months are:

Make a vegetable and herb garden– Winter is an excellent time for vegetables and herbs. A vegetable garden can be a great family project and will ensure you have fresh, delicious vegetables available in your backyard. Veggies, such as broccoli and cauliflower, are simple to plant and make a fantastic addition to the winter casserole! Other leafy herbs and vegetables such as coriander, rocket and lettuce also grow best in cooler months.

Plant your spring flowering bulbs and annuals – Plant your annuals while the soil is still warm. By doing this they will start flowering earlier.

Divide perennials – Dividing your perennials like Phlox and Michaelmas Daisies ensures your garden does not become overcrowded and also boosts your plant stocks!

Fertalise plants and lawn - Fertilise your azaleas and camellias using a fertiliser designed specifically for acid-loving plants. Fertalising the lawn at the same time will help keep the weeds away during the winter months.

Revamp the compost heap – Revamping the compost heap by turning it over will allow air to circulate through the pile and ensure that materials are being broken down correctly.

“By following these steps your backyard will be in great shape and provide you with beautiful flowering plants in winter. It will also leave you in good stead for the spring and summer months.”

Click here to download a copy of this document.

Weird and wonderful facts you didn’t know about the plants in your garden……………

Flowers are often used to show appreciation, express love or to apologise for wrong doing however many people do not know the story behind the plants in their garden or the flowers they receive.

Mr Sean O’Brien, Hunter Valley Gardens’ Award Winning Horticulturalist says, “There are many fascinating stories relating to plants which are common to the Australian garden.

“Plants have been used in many ways throughout history, for example, as a source of food, miracle cures or even to poison one another!”

“In Victorian times rose petal sandwiches were viewed as a delicacy with wealthy people placing the dark red petals on sliced brown bread!”

There are many quirky facts relating to plants with some listed below:

~ Eating the fruit of a miracle plant will enable you to eat a lemon or lime without the sour taste.  The miracle plant removes the sourness and gives it a sweet taste.

~ Flogging the bottom of your Citrus tree with your garden hose is a great way to bring it back to life! Once you have given it a good flogging the tree will then go on to produce a mass of delicious citrus fruit.

~ The name tulip derives from the Arabic word for 'Turban' in reference to the flower shape and originated from Turkey! In fact while Holland is considered the Home for Tulips and other bulbs, no bulbous plants are actually native to them.

~ Willow leaves and bark contains salicin. A natural compound very similar to Aspirin, which can be used to control the pain of tooth aches, headaches and other ailments.

~ To remove a red mulberry stain from your clothing, simply rub over the stain with a green mulberry.

~ Achillea may be a favourite plant for some men as it is believed to prevent baldness if used in shampoo!

~ Most figs need to be pollinated by a tiny wasp that crawls into the flower. Once there, they pollinate and then promptly die inside the fruit!

~ The pineapple was a symbol of Welcome in the 1700 –1800’s and in New England you will see many doorknockers in the shape of pineapples. Pineapples were also brought home by seafarers as gifts!

~ Ginger has been clinically demonstrated to work twice as well as Dramamine for motion sickness

Beautiful flowers do not always have a meaning to match. Flowers are often given as a gift without knowing the meaning behind them. Below is a list of flowers whose meanings do not necessarily reflect their breathtaking scent or blossoming appearance:

~ Angels Trumpet has a meaning of separation, so it is not a flower you should give your loved one!

~ While the white carnation means sweet, innocent and loving, a stripped carnation is a refusal to marry or date someone.

~ The Endive flower, which belongs to the Daisy family, has a meaning of frugality, a sentiment you would not wish to express when giving a gift!

“There are literally hundreds of thousands of interesting facts on the delights and dangers that one would never know is hiding in their garden,” says O’Brien.

Click here to download a copy of this document.