The 80′s was the time of pizzazz, money and boom times. Australia won the America cup, Alan Bond was big; people were wearing shoulder pads, with permed hair. It was a questionable phase of all things design. 70’s retro plants and garden style’s had seen a big push for the introduction of native species, however the general school of thought leading into the 80’s was that the use of native plants didn’t look ‘gardenesque’.

The booming 80’s saw a more European approach to garden design and planting styles. Using species such as Camellias, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Hebes and in particular Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’. This tree was widely used in residential gardens and by councils as street trees, due to its small  size and pretty colouring.

Retro plants and planting styles: 1950′s, 1960′s, 1970′s

Absolutely covered in violet/purple flowers throughout autumn to winter – Tibouchina makes a bold statement in any garden. A small evergreen tree, it grows to about 5 metres tall, can be pruned to form a more shrub-like shape and has a lovely light-coloured mottled trunk and branching habit with lots of character.  The most popular cultivar grown in Australia, it carries the name of the northern New South Wales town it was produced in. It affords an established look to Federation, Tropical and Asian themed gardens. A lovely tree that looks great with feature lighting shining up its trunk or carefully positioned to allow beams of sunlight to illuminate its flower display from behind. This is a low water use plant once established.

Botanical name:      Tibouchina lepidota ‘Alstonville’
Common name:       Alstonville Tibouchina
Family:                      Melastomataceae
Origin:                       South America – Namely Brazil

The free love continued into the 70′s with the hippie generation. The 70′s started a mainstream affirmation of the environmental issues that early activists from the 60′s brought to the public. Popular retro plants of this decade were independent, hardy, bold plants that could be used to create microclimates anywhere. Potted plant arrangements and indoor foliage colour plants were used extensively in offices and at home.

Some of  these hardy plants included the Ficus elastic (Rubber Plant), Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant), Crassula Ovata (Money Plant) and Sansevieria (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue). These plants not only reflected the popular bold trends seen in fashion but also a living connection with ‘nature’.

Retro plants and planting styles: 1950′s, 1960′s, 1980′s

Two of Secret Gardens of Sydney’s rooftop gardens are featured in the new European ‘Gardens on Top’ book. Take a look at the gardens below or view the portfolio for the Rooftop Penthouse Garden and Sculptured Rooftop Garden.

3 garden tips for lawn in Autumn:

1. Time to aerate the lawn after the heavy summer traffic from kids, dogs, tents, cocktail parties and mowers! There are various pieces of equipment available however a common garden fork and a spare hour or two can be just as effective. Before aerating ensure you don’t have subterranean drip irrigation which can be easily punctured. If you do have irrigation use a sandy top dressing mix for aeration.
2. Give your lawn one final feed before winter using a slow release fertiliser. Now is the best time to lay new turf rolls over any bare areas as it is cool and grass will have time to establish roots before growth slows and stops over Winter.
3. Keep an eye out for early signs of lawn grub (dead patches or soil mounds). Spray with Bathyroid or use Grubkill granules. Winter grass may also start to appear around now so get ahead of it by spraying with a selective winter grass spray or take advantage of the soft wet soil and start hand weeding!

5 tips for managing garden pests and diseases in Autumn:

1. Aphids still have plenty of time to be active in your garden on new shoots and roses. Spray with Confidor or Pest Oil.
2. Keep on top of Black Spot on roses, always removing any spotted leaves you find and spray with a good quality fungicide if outbreaks are severe.
3. Citrus Leafminer will also be a problem at this time of year and is easily identified by silvery lines on the surface of leaves or curling of the leaf usually on new shoots. Remove as many damaged leaves and shoots as possible and then spray the whole tree with Pest oil ensuring both sides of the leaf are contacted.
4. Spray Camellias and Azaleas for mites and lace bugs (look for silver/rust coloured leaves or fine white dust near the midrib). Azaleas and Camellias will be flowering soon which will be followed by new growth that will be easily re-infected with mites and lace bugs if not treated beforehand. Use Confidor spray also available in easy to use capsules.
5. And lastly don’t forget potted plants, you may think with all this rain you can stop watering pots however most rain falling on potted plants hits the foliage and is deflected to the ground leaving the soil dry.

Enjoy your garden.

The swinging 60’s was not just about a decade of peace, love and war. It was also a time of great change in the garden. The outdoor garden had grown to reflect the cultural and social conditions of the time with a strong emphasis on family in suburbia. Having a truly landscaped garden and lawn was all the rage.

The 1960’s had its share of in-vogue plants, some can still be seen used today. House plants also became fashionable. Here’s a list of a few retro plants you may recognise:

• Pothos (Epipremnum aureum var) trailing plants
• Philodendron spp
• Wandering Jew (Tradescantia fluminensis)
• Grapevines (Vitis spp)
• Avocado (Persea Americana)
• Iris spp
• Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
• Lantana (Lantana spp)
• Orchid varieties
• Lawn, lawn, lawn

Retro plants and planting styles: 1950′s, 1970′s, 1980′s

We continue the Autumn gardening tips with advice on pruning and fertilising. Autumn is the time to dead head roses, remove all spent flowers and any rosehips (seed pods) that may have formed. Hydrangeas should also be cut back now, remove spent flower heads down to the nearest healthy double bud (one bud either side of stem). Cut back spent perennials however some flowering grasses (Miscanthus, Pennisetum) should be left as both foliage and flower heads will produce autumn colour well into winter. Frangipanis should be checked for any signs of tip rot.

Remove any branches that are obviously dead (no green leaves) or are soft to the touch. Cut back soft branches until you reach hard healthy wood, you will know you have gone far enough when the white milky sap is visible. Remember to disinfect your secateurs before pruning other trees to prevent the spread of fungal spores.

FERTILISING

Time to feed Azaleas and Camellias with a good organic fertiliser or thin covering of cow manure. Ensure fertiliser is watered in and not allowed to contact the trunks and stems as collar rot may result.

Spring bulbs are available in nurseries now but wait until the weather cools before planting bulbs. All bulbs will flower better if left in the chiller for two weeks but this is particularly true for Tulips and Hyacinths. Plant bulbs in the ground if you have good drainage but bulbs will do better in Sydney when planted in pots using a good quality bulb mix. Place a small piece of shade cloth and some gravel over the drainage hole before filling. Plant bulbs pointy end up,  and approx 3 times deeper than the thickness of the bulb.

In the April issue of Home Beautiful Magazine Secret Gardens Matt Cantwell discusses the in’s and out’s of paving your garden or patio and provides advice in selecting the correct pavers for the job.