Hi guys,
As a keen gardener here in the UK I'm bothh excited and nervous about the prospects of starting a new garden in Australia - getting used to new conditions, what will grow what won't and getting used to the new bugs Was worried about watering but after the hosepipe bans over here have figured don't need half as much as I thought and can adapt with different plants etc.

Just wondering what the ex-pat experience has been like - what's been difficult and what's been great? (BTW we're moving to Gold Coast).
Cheers,
Ed

We don't have a garden, but wandering round the botanical gardens here, and working in the water industry, there's lots of advice out there on how to make your garden water-wise. I guess the challenge could be amazing fun for someone with green fingers (not me!).
On the subject of bugs, our friend in Perth gardens away quite happily - just wears gloves and keeps an eye out for redbacks. She's more worried about the sun than the bugs!!

Anything that requires a frost won't be too happy but apart from that I recon you'll be fine, from the seeds for sale in Bunnings pretty much everything seems available

Hi Harry, I am too a keen gardener, especially love growing my own veggies and fruit. I'm looking forward to being able to grow some things that need a slightly warmer climate.

One thing you and I are going to have to be very careful with is exporting any kit - I intend to take everything with me including propogating kit etc, have to keep AQIS happy and ensure everything is cleaned and disinfected with Jeyes Fluid!



Buzzy

As some on who has just started to grow my own veggies, i wondered is a green house necessary? i have wanted a one for ages but at the moment make do with plastic sheeting and a bench by the window in my shed.
Mandy

A greenhouse is not necessary here in Qld but some form of sun shade usually a roll of shade cloth and some posts are required for some of the younger less hardy plants.
As far as what grows, you have to look around other gardens in your area as the soil conditions vary so much here that what grows on one estate will wither and die on another. If you plant it and it dies don't plant it again.
Best source of books are the many Sunday markets, ditto plants and cuttings you need to be there at sparrows fart though or all the best specimens are gone. My mum's an avid gardener and she was often back planting her new purchases by 6.30 am.

Thanks for that advice, i shall bear that in mind.
Mandy

Some good books to look out for are:
Australian Gardening by Valerie Swane
Palms in Australia by David Jones
Botanicas 500 Popular Vegetables, Herbs,Fruit & Nuts For Australian Gardeners
The last one is excellent if you want to try your hand at some of the more exotic veggies.
With bananas at $12 bucks a kilo and cucumber hovering around the $10 buck mark growing you own fruit and veggies could be a very nice little money spinner

I really want to make a smart arsed comment about the thread tittle, but I'm torn between my love of Humour and my love of Gardening. So I'll pass.

PMSL!

Oh the people on this site are soooooooooooooooooo witty

Hi,
My daughter who lives in Brisbane does a really nice veg patch, not that big the things you get from it. Potatos,beans,lettee,tomatos,onions,pumkins. Cabbage you have to cover be cause of the butterflies. There's all the fruits, my son-law takes cutting pineapples they so easy to grow!!!! Hope this helps you. Yours Pauline

My mum has a great vege / fruit patch in her garden on the gold coast and is growing stuff all year round, something we plan to emulate when we arrive back in Oz later this year. Would definitely agree with cresta57 about shadecloth and markets - shadecloth in particular... I have lost a few good crops of beans and lettuce to the sun in Brisbane!

Most garden centres will give you free advice, particularly on being "water-wise". There is information on being water wise here. Ashmore Garden World is pretty good (although a bit expensive sometimes!) - they will offer loads of free advice and have regular workshops on different types of planting, garden design etc. Their website has an online plant database so you can read up on plant types.

There is loads of info and links to info on gardening on the Gold Coast on this site.

The Gold Coast City Council also offers free trees / shrubs to rate payers.

Good luck!

The Springfield Lakes/Forest Lake areas of Brisbane also operate a free plants system for rate payers. I think at the moment they supply 6 native plants per season
We are moving there in October and when our house is complete I am looking forward to growing some of the unique plants and shrubs that are part of the project.

Loz x

Same up here Cooloola shire & Tairo shire both have a free native tree scheme, take in your rates notice and collect your native trees once a year