The Hovea is a fast growing shrub to 2m bearing purple pea shaped flowers in spring.
This is a busy shrub growing around 2m. It bears yellow pea shaped flowers with red markings.
This iconic Australian native flowering plant can be grown in the subtropics if given excellent drainage and good airflow around the plant itself.
Thryptomene saxicola ‘F. C. Payne’
hebaceous perennial bearing the infamous papery daisy-like flowers in a range of colours.
This is the pink form of rice flower commonly used in flower arrangemenst it also makes a great backyard shrub. Comes in white also.
This particular tea tree cultivar is a favourite amongst many a home gardener for it’s delicate pink flowers. Growing to around 1.5m.
A wonderfully hardy native shrub growing 1m. it also comes in a pink and a white flowering form.
Growing to around 6m the flowers are actually white and it is the calyxes that appear afterwards that are red.
Saffron our Speckled Sussex is one the most spectacular plumage wise in the group.
Snowball our Coronation Sussex cruising the backyard with fellow Sussex Saffron.
Dot and myself having a cuddle. She is the most passive and friendly chook we have at the ripe old age of nearly 10.
One of our lavender coloured Araucana hens clearing the vegetable garden of the season past it edible crops.
Rusty the Buff Silkie Rooster
This is the late Araucana rooster Caspian, he was one of the most wonderful natured roosters I have ever had the pleasure of owning.
Bottoms up at the water bucket!
Blue/Araucana, Khaki/Araucana X, Cream/Sussex
Our lavender Araucana hen Stella is favourite of mine to take out for chook keeping workshops and talks.
This is Betty a white Araucana hen cross, she lays the most beautiful olive green eggs.
Belgians are a great bantam breed for the smaller backyard.
This is Betty’s sister Tiger, another Araucana cross.
This is Dot our oldest chook in the flock at the ripe old age of nearly 9-10 yrs.
The team out in the garden. I find they do a lot less damage compared with other breeds due to the smaller size, five toes and feathered feet.
Bea free ranging.
White Silkie hen ‘Princess’ is one of the most loved by all children who meet her.
Silver laced Wyandotte are a real show stopper in the backyard with their stunning plumage.
Flash our Araucana cross rooster – close up
Our Buff Sussex hen Bea. I love all the Sussex, they come in a variety of colours and have wonderful personalities and are reasonable layers too.
This is Flash our Araucana rooster cross having fun picking the last of the kale.
I never cease to be amazed by the beautiful intricacies of nature.
A collection of herbs, salad greens and marigolds planted together just go to show how attractive they can be in any garden situation.
This collection of greens are great to grow in the subtropics for yourself and even your chooks. Sorrel, Amaranth, Ceylon spinach, Pak Choi, Comfrey, Pigeon pea, Brazilian spinach, Chicory.
This is our beloved Phryne the Plymouth Rock chicken, she comes along to a lot of the workshops and talks that I deliver on keeping backyard chooks.
Tahitian limes are the best variety to grow in South East Qld.
This is the stunning flower of the Purple podded Dutch Pea.
I love having a range of different chook breeds so that we have a rainbow of egg shell colours.
This is our Slate coloured male Turkey. We just love our turkeys they add a lot of character to the backyard.
This is our original edible patch at our old house. Biodiversity is one of the keys to success I reckon.
This is the caterpillar of the double headed Hawk Moth. Getting rid of such wonderful creatures in the garden means you will reducing the number of butterflies and moths, which is never a good thing.
I love sunflowers and so do our native bees, if you look closely enough you see a couple busy at work on this sunflower.
Having trouble getting your children to eat broccoli? Then have a go at growing some purple broccoli this aut/winter and watch their eyes light up at harvest time.
Letting your brassicas go to flower once you have had several harvests means that the bees and various other insects get to enjoy them too.
The cocoyam is not only a wonderful source of starch but an attractive and majestic plant to have in both edible and ornamental gardens.
The Nasturtium is one of the easiest edible flowering plants to grow. You can use the flowers and leaves in salads and the bees just love them too
The flowering annual Cosmos makes a great addition to the flower garden but the edible garden as well due to it’s attractiveness to beneficial and pollinating insects.
Gardening for the Good Life!
Claire Bickle 