Friday 22 July 2011

Hip Houseplants


 From what I hear indoor plants had their heyday in the 1970’s, where living rooms began to look more like jungles with palm trees, hanging ferns and climbing plants. These days when it comes to plants it’s becoming a more architectural, minimalist look where choosing the right plant and pot is like selecting a piece of art.

So it’s not surprising that potted plants are quickly becoming my favourite obsession. And not only because they significantly improve indoor air quality, but because they create the most amazing statement pieces.

So if you're looking to reinvent your indoor/outdoor spaces without spending a fortune, here is some inspiration and tips:

Group plants for extra impact. Make sure they vary in height for the most pleasing outcome.
It’s all about the pot – spend the time finding the right one. And please.. no more terracotta.
Liven up otherwise dull spaces such as window sills & awkward corners
Select flowering plants that coordinate with your decor and colour scheme.
Be creative!

Saturday 9 July 2011

Get things growing


Delights from my garden

A new generation of veggie gardeners are transforming the urban environment and the way we are thinking about food. They are digging garden plots in city parks, tearing the turf out of their back yards and filling their balconies with pots full of herbs and greens. It’s the young, the urban, the cool.. and hopefully the rest too.

Waves of immigrants from Europe brought gardening knowledge and tradition with them to Australia in the years before and after the war, but the gardening bug skipped a generation as many children of the immigrant families rejected those “old world” ways (yes I’m talking about you Mum and Dad). Fortunately, the grandchildren – the new generation of veggie gardeners - are driven by the search for unique produce, heightened flavours and organic pesticide-free food. And so, the simple garden-to-plate approach is finding new relevance.

And here’s why:

·         Simply seeing how long it takes for food to grow gives a whole new respect for the ingredient. 

·         Fresh, flavourful, more nutritious produce. Vegetables and fruit grown in nutrient-rich soil and picked minutes before eating is much tastier and much more nutritious than produce that was picked two weeks ago, shipped across the country and artificially ripened.

·         Pesticide free produce. If you actually knew how many times store bought produce was sprayed with artificial fertilizers, synthetic pesticides and growth promoters - the chances are you probably wouldn’t eat it. Many pesticides and herbicides were registered long before extensive research linking them to cancer and other diseases could be established. They are poisons designed to kill living organisms and can therefore also harm humans. 

·         Getting your kids to love vegetables. Kids who grow vegetables are more likely to eat vegetables. This is also a good way to foster a child’s connection with the natural world and sense of environmental responsibility, and to help them to establish a lifestyle that includes good eating habits and outdoor activity.

Whether it’s a move to the future or back to the way we were.. it’s a move in the right direction.

More of my home grown delights

Friday 1 July 2011

Chicken Coops: The New Dog House


Raising poultry has long been a task associated with pastoral settings and wide open spaces. However, many urban city dwellers have opted to ruffle some feathers right in their own backyards, and the resident canines are having to move over to make room for the ladies. The movement for backyard flocks has definitely gone from folksy to chic..

Having four chickens myself in my inner city backyard, I can see why! Apart from laying the tastiest eggs you’ve ever eaten, they are ridiculously cute – each baring their own little unique personality. 

These feathery friends have real merits that go beyond producing ordinary eggs
These eggs are super fresh, beautifully coloured (inside & out), highly nutritious and delivered daily! Feed them only organic feed and keep a pesticide free yard for them, and you have nutrient rich organic eggs high in omega 3’s and Vitamin E (essential nutrients most store bought eggs lack).


Move over Rover let Ms. Hen strut over
Chickens make great pets for the entire family. They provide an excellent opportunity for children to learn about pet responsibility and nurturing, combined with sustainable living practices. Plus, each chicken has a distinctive personality which will win you over.  

Going green in the garden
No more pesticides, dumped leftovers and food scraps, or costly fertilizers.  Your backyard chickens love to range freely and eat all the nasty garden pests so you don't need to use poisonous pesticides. They also eat almost everything we do, therefore most food scraps and leftovers can be fed to them.  This reduces the amount of food waste going into our landfills, which in turn has a multitude of eco friendly benefits. Equally as important, all this eating leads to nitrogen rich compost 'black gold', a fertilizer that's the envy of all your gardening friends (my grass has never looked so good!).  However, as I learnt the hard way chickens may devourer your (entire) vegetable garden; it is important to be mindful as to where you let them range.

Having backyard chickens is incredibly fun and rewarding for the entire family. Researching and understanding the full scope of what's involved will lead to an even more enjoyable experience for all.  Chickens come in a wide variety of colours and sizes as do the houses they live in. Have fun with selecting what's best for your needs.