In the know

GET THAT GOLDEN HOUR GLOW

Enhance your alfresco dining experience with the Golden Hour collection from Kip & Co featuring beautiful tableware and cutlery that celebrate the joy of “nourishing and fl ourishing our bodies” and sharing that with those we love most. A selection of linen tablecloths is also on the Golden Hour agenda. Sporting original prints designed in Melbourne, the pieces are made from pre-washed linen to provide a more intimate look and feel. kipandco.com.au

THAT’S HOW WE GROW

Award-winning gardener and television personality Charlie Albone has teamed up with leading garden power tool brand STIHL to launch “That’s How We Grow”, a podcast designed to inspire gardeners. Released weekly, the podcast allows avid green thumbs to learn game-changing tips for a range of garden projects including creating luscious fl ower and vegetable beds, achieving the perfect lawn, caring for hedges in high temperatures, perfectly pruning trees and much more. Tune in to hear Charlie share his passion and knowledge for gardening along with expert advice from a breadth of guests including renowned Australian cook Maggie Beer, property expert Andrew Winter from Selling Houses Australia, and Joe Rogers of Lawn Solutions Australia. To listen, search “That’s How We Grow” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or on your favourite podcast app. stihl.com.au

POINTING THE FINGER

Point outdoor collections celebrate the joy of living life outside. Founded in 1920, Point began as a small workshop in Jalon, Spain. Today, the brand continues to produce elegant, innovative furniture inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle. Pictured here is the Min three-seater sofa with powder-coated aluminium frame. Available to custom order in eight colours (cream, grey, snow white, sand, oxide, terracotta, fi cus and sky blue), the sofa is fi tted with a high-resistance cushion in 35kg polyurethane foam with fabric cover from Point’s sample book. domo.com.au/brand/point

PARTY TIME

Unwind beside the pool with the bright and bold Pool Party beach towel. And if you’re hosting a pool party, why not stock up and send your guests home with a fun reminder of your party prowess. pillowtalk.com.au

PICKING THE PERFECT POOL

As we head out of summer and into the cooler months, now is a great time to consider installing a pool so it is ready to go by the time next summer rolls around. Pool installation is a signifi cant investment, so you want to be sure to get it right.

According to Eddie Lloyd, director at Theralux, there are a number of fundamental aspects to consider before purchasing a pool. “One of the fi rst decisions you’ll likely have to make is whether you go for an in-ground or above-ground pool,” he says. “The primary advantage of an above-ground swimming pool is cost. Without question, an above-ground pool is going to cost less than any type of in-ground pool. Although beware — building a large deck around it could shoot the cost up so much that you could have got an in-ground pool for the same price.”

If you are investigating the idea of an in-ground pool, you will fi nd that some pool builders offer you a choice of either concrete or fi breglass. Fibreglass pools are durable, strong and fl exible and unlike others, should not need resurfacing during their lifetime. They come in a huge array of pre-moulded shapes and sizes to meet almost every requirement. One of the primary advantages of fi breglass pools is that they arrive on site, ready to go, and therefore installation is quick. There are different fi breglass manufacturers out there, so make sure you choose one that is reputable.

“Always make sure the manufacturer of your pool is certifi ed to build to Australian Standards,” advises Maree Voss, marketing manager from Aqua Technics Pools. “Obtaining accreditation means being measured and tested by an authorised, independent auditor. Anyone can say they build to the standard, but for your peace of mind always ask for a licence number.”

However, if you’re after a completely custom design, a concrete pool can be built to meet any shape or design requirements. Concrete pools have been around a long time and are reliable and strong, and new pools are aesthetically pleasing with a range of different surface fi nishes available to suit your taste and budget. “We always recommend installing concrete pools for a variety of reasons,” says Chelsea Watters, designer and project administrator at Outside Signatures. “You can customise the pool into any shape or size, add any bench, stairs or beach area, and you can even choose from a huge variety of fi nishes to line the pool. This means the pool can be designed to fi t each and every project while meeting council compliance. Every job is different, so every pool needs to be designed differently to get the best out of the backyard. Concrete pools are also great for sites with limited access — all you need is a small access path so you don’t have to watch a crane carry the pool over your house.” theralux.com.au

BEES KNEES

Backyard Bees is the fully revised and updated best-selling beginner’s bee book, now with information on the Flow Hive and bee-friendly planting plus more on native bees. Author Doug Purdie offers friendly, expert advice on keeping happy, healthy bees and harvesting the liquid gold, including tips on choosing a hive and equipment, and an all-new chapter on the Flow Hive, the innovative beehive design that has taken beekeeping by storm. You’ll also fi nd case studies and anecdotes from beekeepers from all walks of life, and 20 delicious recipes for all that honey, from Toasted Honey Granola to Bees Knees Cocktails. Not ready to keep bees? This edition also includes new chapters on supporting your local bee population without a hive, with tips for planting beefriendly gardens and creating habitats and homes for solitary bees. murdochbooks.com.au

TERRIFIC TERRACOTTA

The Manetti x Interno Italiano Gioi table and Cave stool are a match made in heaven. The Gioi outdoor terracotta table is composed of just two parts — the top and the central leg — with a very simple assembly method: the top fi ts over the leg and its weight keeps the table perfectly stable. The warm colours of the clay make it perfect for outdoor settings as it completes the Cave family of seats, also in terracotta. Cave is an informal terracotta stool, designed for outdoor spaces. The choice of a natural material like clay, shaped to become terracotta, and the completely manual workmanship based on the ancient production technique of orci — jars used in ancient times to store foodstuffs and wine — have inspired designer Mario Scairato to develop “an object that can exist in symbiosis with nature, tamed or otherwise, but above all can take on charm, ageing and freely braving the elements”. artedomus.com

MY FAVOURITE 5 C rus trees

Citrus trees could almost be described as perfect plants. Glossy green foliage, beautifully fragrant white spring flowers and mouth-watering brightly coloured fruit. They tick so many boxes. They’re also versatile, being able to be grown in the ground or in pots, and can be used as a hedge, feature plant or trained into an espalier across a wall. Citrus are maturing their vitamin C-packed fruit during autumn, ready to be eaten in the coolest months. Here are my five favourite types of citrus to inspire you to get growing at home.

words angie thomas

1.

MANDARINS

Mandarins are an absolute favourite in our house during autumn and winter. Being able to head out into the backyard and pick our very own fresh mandarins is pure joy. Imperial mandarins begin their peak harvest season in late autumn and have bright-orange sweet and juicy fruit. Slightly later fruiting emperor mandarins are delicious and having puffy skin makes them super-easy to peel (ideal for kids’ lunchboxes). The key to getting lots of mandarins is regular feeding throughout the year. Citrus trees are always hungry! Feed mandarin trees each week with a liquid fertiliser like Yates Thrive Natural Citrus Liquid Plant Food. It will promote healthy green leaf growth and lots of fl owers and fruit.

2.

ORANGES

Some of the most popular oranges include winterfruiting Washington navel and Valencia. The fruit matures in late winter and into spring and is the prime choice for juicing. To fruit at their best, oranges, like other citrus, do best in a sunny spot that receives at least six hours of sunshine a day.

And well-drained soil is important, as oranges and other citrus do not like waterlogged soil. For poorly drained areas, plant oranges in a raised mound of improved soil or grow a dwarf variety in a pot. New citrus foliage is vulnerable to attack by citrus leaf miner, which results in leaves becoming twisted and covered in silvery trails. Protect new spring and autumn leaves from citrus leaf miner by spraying with PestOil.

3.

LEMONS

Whether you love making lemon curd, lemon loaf or lemon meringue pie, or just enjoy a fresh squeeze of lemon on your fi sh and chips, growing your own lemons means you’ll always have them on hand, plus save you a bundle at the supermarket. Some of the most popular lemon varieties include eureka, meyer and lemonade. Eureka are juicy and very tart and have their main picking season in winter, but can also give you smaller amounts of fruit throughout the year. Meyer are rounded, slightly sweeter golden-yellow lemons and ‘lemonade’ lemons are even sweeter. For small gardens and pots, look for dwarf varieties of lemons, which produce standardsized fruit on more compact trees.

4.

KAFFIR LIMES

Also known as makrut limes, kaffi r limes are mostly grown for their fragrant and unusual hour-glassshaped leaves that are a star in Thai cooking. They also produce small knobbly fruit that can be juiced and used for zest. Kaffir limes need a warm, frost-free spot. I grow our tree in pot on a sunny protected deck, making it quick and handy to pick leaves for marinades, stirfries and curries.

5.

FINGER LIMES

Sometimes referred to as “caviar limes” due to the fruit being fi lled with tiny pearls of tangy juice, fi nger limes are native to rainforest areas in Queensland and NSW. The fruit, which comes in a rainbow of different colours, from dark purple and red to lime green, teams beautifully with seafood and salad but is just at home in desserts. Growing best in full sun to part shade, these thorny plants can grow up to 6m tall. Feed fi nger limes with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser, which is safe to use on Australian native plants and provides the lime with gentle, slow-release organic nutrients.