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Sean O'Brien CNP, Horticultural Manager, Hunter Valley Gardens
As the hot summer months approach, Hunter Valley Gardens’ award winning horticulturist Sean O’Brien reveals that by far the biggest issue faced by people looking after their own gardens is keeping them looking good with the currently imposed water restrictions.
“I get many people visiting our displays wondering what our secret is to maintaining the gardens as spectacular as they are,” says Sean O’Brien, Horticulturist, Hunter Valley Gardens. “The most common questions I get asked are around water restrictions and garden pests, which can be so frustrating that they often give up over this period which is a shame as there are some really easy and simple hints that anyone can implement.”
 
Sean’s top tips for keeping the garden as beautiful as it can be during sweltering temperatures are;
Water Restrictions:
- Always water in the cool of the evening. This will stop precious water being lost to evaporation, and water will move through the soil more effectively. Planting at this time of the day also helps as it gives the plants a chance to settle before the heat of the next day.
- Install a water tank and recycle grey water. or a colourful garden, only plant water wise annuals. Petunias, Marigolds, Portulaca, Zinnia, Vinca and May More are very tough and prefer less water.
- Mulch is the easiest way to conserve waste and it also stabilises soil temperature and builds a better soil profile. Lucerne, sugar cane and pea straw mulch can all be utilized, but before you put the mulch down, use up all the old newspapers by laying them down on the soil.
- There are also plenty of products on the market that will help save water and help maintain the perfect garden.
Pest and Diseases:
- Summer is the time for a number of garden pests and diseases. Azalea lacewing and 2-spotted mite are always active and need to be watched. They both will cause spotting of the leaves and need to be sprayed on a regular basis.
- Lawn army worm can be a problem too and can cause a lawn to disappear literally overnight. The easiest way to test for army worm is to mix up some detergent in a bucket of water and pour it onto areas that look like they are going yellow. If the army worm is present, they will all come to the surface of the grass. There will also be a lot of bird activity on the lawns normally in the early mornings or late afternoons. Once detected a simple application of Baythroid will fix them.
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