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Midyim Berry are sweet and tangy, and may be eaten fresh or used in pies and preserves.
Midyim Berry (Austromyrtus dulcis) is a shrub which occurs naturally throughout the coastal areas of northern New South Wales and south east Queensland. It produces pretty white flowers and an abundance of fruit. The soft pulp is described as being one of the most delicious of all bush foods. This is my first crop, barely a mouthful,…
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Warrigals an update: flourishing in semi shade
Yikes, they are like a weed! I’ve recently been forced to re-imagine my courtyard garden due to degradation caused by heavy rain over the past 9 years. Completely demolished and started again with the placing of 30 tonnes of rock to form a large rock garden. Now the warrigal greens have chosen where they wish…
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My beleaguered Finger Lime is finally flowering
I bought this finger lime as a seedling 9 years ago. I know my climate is not the best as any resultant fruit will suffer skin burn however I love the fruit so I persist. I have had a couple very tiny fruit from it but they were nothing to write about. Like most of…
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Pruning saltbush in a region to which it is not endemic
I raised this saltbush from seed a few years ago. My climate is not conducive to its growth so I placed it in a pot fashioned from an old pool sand filter. This year has been extraordinarily dry so you would think that the saltbush would thrive and perhaps even reach the width and height…
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River mint has edible, mint-flavoured leaves – which can be brewed into a tea and may help to relieve cold symptoms
River Mint is endemic to rivers edges, bogs and other damp, shaded places as it loves moisture and shade, and does best in boggy soil. But you can grow it in dry areas, with extra watering and plenty of organic matter in the soil. I have mine in a pot where I can administer its…
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Desert Lime is a beautiful and productive garden fruit tree with high levels of natural Vitamin C, Lutein, Folate and the antioxidant Vitamin E.
Desert Lime Trees are the quickest citrus species in the world to set fruit after flowering. The fruit has been used by generations of outback people to make thirst-quenching infused drinks and cordial and delicious sauces, marmalades, pickles and chutneys. You can purchase trees and learn how to grow them for best results from Jock…
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Time for Native Thyme – flowers in early spring, with lots of small, bright pink/purple flowers that become a haven for bees.
Native Thyme is a highly aromatic shrub, rich in essential oils, giving off a minty aroma when crushed or rubbed. With hints of pepper and earthy tones, it makes a great flavoursome herb for a range of meats such as chicken, fish, emu, kangaroo and lamb. Both the leaves and flowers have minty qualities, and…
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Saltbush grows strongly after periods of summer rain, producing long tassels of flowering seed heads.
If you’ve driven into the outback in any state you will have seen many many greyish blue green sprawling bushes holding the red dirt together. They like lots of air around them and dry conditions however I have managed to grow them in a pot. It’s a straggly gangly looking specimen but its leaves are…
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Native Tamarind is an attractive rainforest tree that is valued for its prolific sweet-tart fruit.
I planted tube stock in 2015 and as you can see it is growing quite well – at least 4 to 5 metres now but has yet to fruit. I expect it to reach 10 metres and it is already producing wonderful shade. Fairly insignificant creamy flowers form at the leaf base in spring. They…
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Greg’s wampee is an uncommon and endangered native plant
When I first moved to this location in 2015 one of the many plants I planted was the rare Wampee. Named after its discoverer Greg Smyrell. It is an evergreen shrub reaching 6 metres and native to subtropical eastern Australia. Leaves are lemon scented when crushed and form a dense canopy of shiny green foliage,…