Retro hipsters have embraced the macrame tradition that I was brought up on during the 70s. Travelling along Melbourne’s - too cool for school – Brunswick Street in Fitzroy one will find a giant overscaled hanging planter x 2 in the front of hairdresser’s salon. I love the idea….its always fun to experiment with [...]
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Post Christmas: trees and decorations in the new year
I love this. I have waited 10 months to show this image and finally its the right month! If you are living in the northern hemisphere and you have not ventured to Australia during Christmas you may have little idea how disconnected our European influenced Christmas decorations and traditions are from the hot Australian [...]
Coco Loco: urban red ribbon planters for Christmas
What a grand little hanging planter is this? Coco Loco -a flowering beauty wrapped in coconut fibre and lipstick red ribbon. Designer CommuniTree has launched this fab gift item for Christmas 2011. The planters are designed and made in Melbourne, Australia. The planters retail for approximately $35. CommuniTree, directed by Catherine Duniam, is focused on [...]
A cheap vertical garden idea – edge your climber
This vertical garden is primarily made from ficus creeper. Its not a new generation living wall (ie made up of plants that do not normally creep up a wall such as ferns, grasses etc) but it certainly tricked me. The sharp edges of the creeper gave the appearance that it was a vertical garden made [...]
Front gardens are active play spaces
A family actively using the front garden rather than allowing it to become yet another space for plants animals and other critters . I asked the owner was there enough space in the back garden for the trampoline and she replied ‘oh yes but we wanted to make use of the back and the front’ [...]
‘it just looked ordinary’ – a quick design conversation with Jacqueline O’Shea
“Jeese Jack that Tasmania Devil in a cage looks great…..Why did you put it on the wall?” “…oh it was sitting on the ledge and it just looked ordinary” “Oh gosh that is what we are about…brilliant …oh no. …oh no …we are shallow” “No its about making the most out [...]
How to get help to grow your own food ?
Sometimes the biggest challenge in getting your fruit and veg garden started is the need for help. Its hard yakka getting all the weeds under control. Plus digging the beds in preparation for the seedlings is not much chop either. And if you have children it can be even harder! I was most excited [...]
London Design Festival: A recycled curtain made from Bloomberg’s waste
A London Design Festival update just flew into Garden Beet’s inbox – its all about recycling – I realise it aint in the garden but it could be outdoors. Its all food for thought and I like it a lot – so lovely to share – thanks Rachel for the update on your design [...]
The best way to get your lawn mown. Get a lawn mower man called Mark.
My lawn mower man – the lovely Mark Galligan – has a socialogical impact on every street he visits. Not only does he make the garden a nice place to hang out but he also injects a community reminder to the surrounding home owners to mow their lawn. According to Mark he will frequently [...]
Is Garden Beet a fraud? Article writing, gardens, media and academia
For some reason I ended up in a garden forum ‘punch-up’. And it was in linked-in! I am sure I did not start the argument but somehow I managed to be called a fraud and I got into trouble for being rude about an imaginary group of people which I referred to as the blah [...]
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