Costa Comes To Visit My Garden Tonight. - Mar 06, 2026
Dear gardening friends
Costa is coming to look at my garden tonight on Gardening Australia. I've just been telling my friends in Queen Street that they have to watch me, apparently I'm on for at least 15 minutes, so it's almost my show.
I was telling them it's on the ABC, they hadn't heard of that station. They were telling me they only watch Friday Night Football and it's not on the ABC.
But tonight they have all promised me, they will watch today, but it could just be at half time. I'll be happy if they tune in. I've got a great story to tell, you probably don't know that I've been busy planting trees all around Macarthur, trees grow wherever I go. You'll find out how that started tonight.
Costa has a walk around my garden, we feel the difference that trees make to the environment. We have a laugh too. I talk Costa into helping me plant a tree in my neighbour's place. Their new house was crying out for a tree.
You'll be amazed to learn how to plant a tree. There's a few simple things that will make your trees grow faster, it's so simple, but most gardeners don't do it.
I live in a park, it will remind you of Mawson Park, you'll understand why I've also planted trees in this beautiful park in Campbelltown.
I'm a tree lover, I'm hoping to turn you into a tree lover too. It was great spending the day with Costa, he's a nice guy and he's a tree lover too.
The story is called "Branching out". This story will go to air on ABC TV tonight, at 7:30pm and will be repeated the following Sunday at 1:30pm.
The episode will also be available to watch on ABC iview, from 7:00am on the morning of the day it goes to air and can be streamed from ABC website after the first broadcast.
You know how sometimes you meet someone and you like them straight away, well I've just had that experience.
Craig Rich has been in the Nursery Industry for ever, I've bumped into him when he worked at Parker's Nursery. He started there just after Kevin Parker sold it to Helen Knight, I loved that nursery, just walking through it made you feel good.
Craig told me he had great respect for Helen knight, she was a Pioneering Business Woman in The Nursery Industry.
Craig worked there for 20 years, then he moved to Alpine Nursery where he also worked for 20 years. He's told me he won't be working at Garden City Plastics for that long, but he just might.
Garden City Plastics supplies the Nursery Industry with plastic pots, they are made in Australia and they make their pots out of pots. Almost 98% of the pots are made from recycled plastic. A lot of that plastic comes back from nurseries, who didn't use the pots and labels, or they have just got old.
Pots are made from PP5 Plastic, it's special plastic, it holds up well. We've had used pots put in our pot recycling bin that are 40 years old and still useable.
Craig was happy that we are reusing our pots here in the nursery, we give them away for free in the carpark recycling bin. They come and go, they all get used again.
Craig lives in Turramurra, he's a tree lover, the two biggest trees in the street are in his garden. He loved how our nursery still has trees for sale. Isn't that Interesting and sad.
Tibouchinas are about to burst into bloom around Macarthur. They always flower best after summer rain so they are going to look spectacular right through autumn.
The most popular variety is called Tibouchina Alstonville. It grows into a small tree. We have a fabulous smaller growing Tibouchina called "Carol Lyn". This new variety flowers twice a year and it has these spectacular purple flowers with white stamens.
The shrub gets covered in these flowers and they look so beautiful against the dark green leaves.
Tibouchina "Carol Lyn" grows 1.5ms high by 1.5ms wide. They grow best in a sunny position with protection from frosts.
They could be grown in a big pot using Tim's Best Potting mix. They would need daily watering in summer. They are much tougher in the ground and they always flower best after rain.
We have the full range of Tibouchinas in stock today. You will love these amazing plants.
Josh came in yesterday looking for an indoor plant. He's my Chiropractor and I noticed his practice was missing something. He had the perfect spot beside a big widow, where a Kentia palm would just look amazing.
Josh has a beautiful window that looks out onto trees. I find it very therapeutic. But he needed foliage inside the room and when you've got big windows that let in the light, then your indoor plants are going to thrive.
I found him a nice Kentia palm and a bigger pot, that will give the palm lots of room to grow. We repotted it using Tim's Best Potting mix. I gave it a good watering so all the soil was moist.
I've told Josh to water his Kentia Palm once a week, but give it at least 1-2 litres of water. Josh was going to water it every day. If you do that, Gnats will thrive in your soil and drive his patients crazy. Once a week is all plants need, and it dries out the soil surface, so Gnats don't breed.
Josh owns Revive Therapy Performance in Lithgow street. My back is warn out from so much lifting over the years, he knows where all my sore spots are, he plays me like a piano. By the end of the session I'm feeling better.
Happy gardening
Tim