What Smells Better Than Donuts? - Jun 04, 2026
Dear Gardening
I've never understood David Austin Roses but in November I went to Berry on a day trip, I may have been going to get Donuts, I'm not saying.
But it was a busy day in Berry, the sun was out, and it seemed like everyone was dreaming about Donuts that day. I had to park a long way from the Main Street, I don't mind walking, you see things.
As I came around the corner, I discovered an amazing Rose garden. It was in a retirement village, the houses had all been built to look old, they matched the residents.
This rose garden was spectacular, it was full of David Austin Rose bushes, you could smell them, it looked like a David Austin Catalogue. I was expecting to see David, perhaps he's moved to Berry, he might love Donuts?
A guy came out of the house, he wasn't that old, he might have been younger than me, he had a Rose Spray in his hand, it might have been Yates Rose Shield?
"I love your garden, mate". He looked like he was about to spray me, but he didn't. He smiled.
That garden has made me buy David Austin Roses again this season, we have so many, it's worth a drive, I'm expecting the guy from Berry, I hope he brings Donuts.
I'll list the varieties we have soon. But we have a newbie that's been rereleased. It's called "Queen Of Sweden". The pink flowers stand upright so they are perfect for picking. The fragrance is amazing, you'll close your eyes. You might get petals in your nose!
I'm drawn to interesting people, Peter and Tom came in yesterday and it felt like I knew them. Tom did all the talking, his mate Peter kept going to tell me something but Tom was too fast off the mark.
They live in Macquarie Fields they are both gardeners, Tom came to get a Flower Carpet Rose. These were an overnight sensation 30 years ago. A ground cover rose that flowered for 9 months, everybody wanted one. Turned out it was like planting Barbed Wire!!!!!
We still sell a few.
Tom was telling me how his wife had loved Oklahoma Roses, he's planted a couple just so he can remember her. He's also planted a George Brown Frangipani. He can't wait till it flowers, it's one of my favourite colours too.
He also asked me about Liquid Fertilisers, which one do I use? It's interesting Liquid Fertilisers are fabulous but most gardeners never use them, they get used once then put in the scary cupboard. You know the cupboard where all the gardening chemicals get put. I bet most of my readers have a scary cupboard.
I tell Tom about our Tim's FAST FOOD Fertiliser. It's granular, you apply it every 3 months, every time you water your plants it releases food. This fertiliser is amazing, it contains all the trace elements plants need too. A lot of the chemicals you've got in boxes in your scary cupboard are in this fertiliser. It replaces most of them.
Tom's excited about that, his mate Peter can't stop smiling too. Sometimes I forget how excited some people get when they go to a nursery. It's like the feeling some people get when they go to the zoo. When I go to the zoo I see the Monkeys and the Gorillas, then I'm ready to go home.
Peter and Tom linger, they are wanting more, I'm their Gorilla, I might be the Monkey too. I shake their hands, I've made friends, I'm sure we've already met. I like Peter's cap.
Zac served me yesterday when I was buying some Chicken wings in Campbelltown Mall. "Hello how are you" he asked.
I'm fabulous was my reply.
"Your fabulous? Wow, how can you be fabulous?"
Well I've just decided I am, you get to decide what you want to be, and I've decided that I'm fabulous.
"Well that's a great way of thinking about it, you're the first fabulous person I've served today". He was laughing of course but he had banter, he was full of life.
"I'm one of The Volleyball Boys" he told me.
"You wrote a story about us once, my cousins and I play Volleyball in the park". Yes mate I remember, that story was huge.
He charged me $3.80 for 6 chicken wings, can that be right I was thinking, chicken is so cheap here. Turns out Zac went to school with my son Dan and they are good friends. It's the first time I've met Zac but he was a winner. How lucky are we to have Zac and his family here in Australia selling us chicken and making us smile.
If you following me on Facebook you'll know I have a collection of vintage blankets, all made in Australia by Onkaparinga. When I put one over my legs I warm up instantly, I love the vintage colours, they are spectacular.
Yesterday a newbie turned up in the post, it was made in Geelong by Godfrey Hirst in the 50s. It's super warm, I love the colours on this one. It's a travel rug.
Vintage wool travel rugs from Australian mills like Godfrey Hirst, Onkaparinga and Waverley are now very collectible because they are durable and genuinely wool-rich. The colours are amazing, they warm your room.
I bought my first one at Lifeline in Camden, it was in the window, I loved the colours, I was hooked. You can buy them for around $45 to $100.00. Check the photos on market place to make sure they don't have holes or rips.
They are made from wool so they need special care to wash them. But you don't have to wash them often, my mother would get them dry cleaned.
Postage costs around $20.00. It's an addiction just warning you. Onkaparinga is such a lovely word.
It's the name of a place in South Australia.
I'll have to go there one day.
We have some great news for Zygo cactus lovers. We've just received our winter stock from a specialist grower in Victoria. We have 11 colours, and they are all named varieties. Yes they have names and a picture label, and you can see what colour they are going to be, because they are in flower now. Plants cost $18.99. Pot them up using Tim's Best Potting mix. It makes them grow faster!!!
Happy gardening
Tim