Jennifer Stackhouse

The answers to these five often-asked questions will help your indoor plants to thrive. Which light is best for indoor plants? Indoor plants like bright light but should be out of direct sunlight which can burn their foliage. Bright light can be assessed by holding your hand over a sheet of white paper. It should cast a clear shadow. The...

Spring is the season that entices even non-gardeners into the garden with a yen to plant, prune or simply enjoy the flowers. Felt the pull of spring but not sure about gardening ideas and projects you can manage? Fear not! Here’s our pick of spring ideas to get you growing. Spring Gardening Ideas from The Garden People No matter the...

Palms have shone as indoor plants since their introduction to indoors back in the 19th century, when there was a craze for lush, leafy house plants. But for all their elegance, are palm trees good indoor plants? Good news - many are remarkably resilient to life indoors. Indeed, Chamaedorea elegans is known as the parlour palm as it does so...

The chrysanthemum is a flower closely associated with Mother’s Day in Australia. The flowers are long lasting and in full bloom in autumn when Australians celebrate Mother’s Day. While bunches of chrysanthemums are popular gifts, many people now give mum a pot of chrysanthemums, often called ‘mums’. Chrysanthemums come in many floral colours including yellow, white, rust, pink and mauve...

After a bit of a break with gardening through the depths of winter, the warming conditions that herald the approach of spring make gardeners keen to get outside into the garden and check out what’s in flower at the garden centre. But picking the right plants is only part of it - getting your garden ready for planting in spring...

Gardens are remarkably resilient and most survive winter quite well - especially those gardens that include established plants. In recent years, however, many areas have experienced weather extremes, with very cold weather experienced in areas that don’t normally have harsh winters - meaning winter garden care is a hot topic. For more information on coping with changing weather conditions in...

Pruning plants is a garden task that worries many gardeners as it can seem bewildering and confusing. Many are also concerned that pruning at the wrong time or in the wrong way may harm plants or could even kill them. In most cases, plants recover even from a bad pruning job, but here are some very simple tips to help...

Far from being a drab time in the garden, the winter garden can be filled with colour if you find the right plants. After all, winter-flowering plants are plentiful if you know what to look for! The best winter plants have developed over time to withstand cold conditions. Most are long-flowering and have flowers with tough petals and stems. They...

The quickest and easiest way to turn dirt into lawn is to cover it with a roll of turf. Laying turf is the garden equivalent to putting down carpet in the house. Lawns also help keep outdoor areas cool and make a pleasant surface for children, pets and entertaining outdoors - but it's important to choose the best turf to...

Camellias are among the best of all evergreen flowering shrubs for Sydney gardens. There are many species and named cultivars to grow for flowers from late summer to spring. As well, they tolerate shade to full sun and grow in the ground or in containers. No matter which camellia you are growing, they need similar care.   How to plant...