Attract Birds Into Your Garden. - Oct 10, 2025
Dear gardening friends
It's funny how you meet people by accident. I was driving through Menangle a few days ago and I saw this beautiful yellow Banksia rose in my peripheral vision. I kept driving but I thought to myself "I should have taken a photo of that".
Well today I was driving past and I decided to stop. There was a guy out the front, so I got out of my car and introduced myself. Turns out I do know Matt Deeth, I sold him a flowering Cherry tree last weekend.
But today I wanted to know all about his Banksia rose. Matt grew up in Thirlmere and he could see a Banksia Rose growing up a gum tree just outside his bedroom window. He told me he could smell the perfume.
So when he and his wife Sarah moved into this old house in Menangle he just had to plant one. It's obviously in the perfect position where it gets lots of sun and the long branches are weeping over making it look like a weeping spring blossom tree.
It's actually a climbing rose that has no thorns, it comes in yellow or white forms, and it does have a mild perfume that I'd never noticed before.
Matt's a Councillor on Wollondilly Shire Council and he ran to help make sure the new estates in the area were going to have trees. He's helped ensure a 40% tree canopy will be achieved in all the new estates council approves.
The new homeowners have to plant at least two shade trees and the developer has to plant street trees.
Matt's house over looks the new development in Menangle, and we could already see the trees starting to grow above the buildings. I also noticed the Community playground is surrounded by shade trees.
As you know I'm a tree lover, so I admire anyone who is helping to green our environment. It's not easy because nobody wants development and we hate how so many trees get bulldozed at the start.
But I admire people who try to make a difference.
It's hard to please people and not everyone will be happy but it's nice to know Matt's a tree lover. He had beautiful trees in his garden which he shares with a dog and a goat.
What do you plant when you've got a hot spot with reflected heat from paving and bricks? Well grow Lavender plants of course.
I spotted this beautiful Lavender filled garden in Elderslie, just up from the Fruit shop. It's growing so beautifully and the grey foliage and purple flowers go so perfectly with the bricks.
When I looked closely I noticed that the Lavenders have been pruned with a hedge trimmer and that's why the new growth is covered in flowers.
Gardeners don't prune Lavender plants because they always have a few flowers even in the hotter months. Gardeners don't like cutting off flowers. But if you don't prune them, they grow taller and taller and they get old and woody. They stop flowering because Lavender flower off new growth.
If you let them grow big and then prune them they often die so the secret really is to prune them late spring and early autumn. This actually keeps them alive and happy!!!!
We have heaps of Lavender plants in the nursery today. Before planting dunk them in a bucket of water until all the bubbles stop. Lavender plants are always pot bound and if you plant them dry they often drop dead.
There is a belief that Lavenders don't need water. This is a myth. If you don't water newly planted Lavender plants they will die. If you're growing them in pots and don't water them, they will die even quicker.
Once established, Lavender plants are tough. I'll be watching these Lavender plants in Elderslie to see how they travel over time. They made me smile yesterday.
Supertunias are amazing, you can grow them in pots, hanging baskets or gardens. They flower non stop for 9 months. I've noticed men grow one colour, while women like to put several colours together. Is this you too?
We are more than happy to sell you several plants, we are here to make you happy, we have most of the colours in the nursery today.
I'm sorry if you can't find these in your local nursery but you really should come for a drive today and get our Tim's Best Potting mix too.
Tim's Best makes your Supertunias reach their full potential. After Christmas feed your Supertunias with Tim's FAST FOOD and give them a haircut. The plants will respond with fresh new growth and more flowers through summer. Repeat this process in autumn and they will flower again.
Supertunias cost $18.99. One plant will grow one metre wide and about 45cms high. They are spectacular!!!
I drove up Lawn Street in Bradbury this week, I have to say the lawns were disappointing. But I came across this garden that was bird paradise. It was full of bird attracting plants like Bottle brush, Banksias and Grevilleas.
There were two Cockatoos hanging upside down enjoying the nectar filled flowers. They love to eat the bottle brush flowers fresh.
You could hardly see the house from the street, it was hidden behind the foliage and flowers.
When you plant bird attracting plants, you provide food for feathered friends who will visit you everyday. They get to know you, they trust you. They will be watching you, while you're watching them.
WARNING Check the new growth on your roses. You'll notice thrips and aphids are on the new growth. You need to spray now or the flowers won't open or they will be distorted.
We have so many beautiful plants for this weekend.
Its time you came for a visit, our nursery has never looked this good.
Happy gardening
Tim