Open Garden: Ridgefield

RIDGEFIELD is a country garden of about 1.2ha bordering a vineyard in the Yarra Valley.

Ridgefield garden.

Ridgefield, Victoria: 58 Boundary Rd, Coldstream

Owners: Paulette and Warwick Bisley. Open this weekend 10am to 4.30pm, entry $7, under 18s free.

Describe your garden: It’s a country garden of about 1.2ha bordering a vineyard in the Yarra Valley, with views in all ­directions. It has evolved through 15 years, with the first phase completed in early 1999. Robert Boyle designed it for us to preserve the views as much as possible yet provide sufficient windbreaks to ­afford protection from north and south winds. It includes a formal garden, crabapple lawn, croquet lawn, walled garden, birch walk, succulent garden, rose beds, an orchard and vegetable garden.

What makes it special: The combination of the views and the garden. I love colour and plants spilling into each other, with one colour leading to another. The views are wonderful from a large pavilion on the brow of the hill, which is used by artists, meditation groups, the Country Fire Authority and for family events.

Biggest challenges: Many years of drought — and this summer has been exceptionally hot and dry. Rabbits and bush rats are the biggest problem now; we’ve had to put cages around the dahlias.

Favourite part: It’s called the formal garden but only the structure of four quadrants and a central water feature are formal. Perennials and roses intermingle like a tapestry. It’s a challenge to plant successfully because each bed is seen from all sides so the height has to be in the centre.

What’s in flower: Roses, dahlias, salvias, penstemons, alstroemerias, gauras and verbenas.

Extras: Devonshire teas and sausage sizzle in the pavilion for Gruyere CFA.

FLORA

WITH cooler weather arriving, it is time to plant vegetables in the Brassica tribe.

Cauliflowers and cabbages take a long time to mature, but kale can be picked continuously as leaves reach full size, making it very productive in a small space. It’s good for you, too, full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, lutein, and even protein.

Look for ‘Red Russian’ (more heat tolerant), ‘Blue Curled’ or one of the dark, crinkly cavalo nero types such as ‘Nero Black Magic’ and ‘Tuscan’ (pictured). Kale’s leaves are sweeter and more tender in frosty weather.

Kale likes a sunny spot, in rich, well-drained soil, with regular water and liquid fertiliser. Sadly, caterpillars love kale as much as you do. Pick them off by hand or spray them with organic Dipel.

TWIG

After 23 years my Macrozamia has produced a fascinating seed pod, 50cm high. As there have been no new fronds for months, will it die?

Ruth Negus, by email

These ancient cycads have separate male and female plants; both produce cones after 10 to 15 years but you need to hand-pollinate from male cones to female to produce fertile seeds. Cycads don’t die after developing cones: yours has just been putting all its energy into the cone instead of leaves.

What’s the difference between bare-rooted and potted roses — apart from the price tag?

Linda Clark, Melbourne

Bare-rooted roses are grown in the ground before being dug, trimmed and bagged for sale in winter when dormant. Because production and transport costs are much lower, retail prices are cheaper. You can also access a wider range of varieties because they’re sold by mail order. Potted roses, by contrast, are available all year and you can see, and smell, the flowers before buying.

When blooming heavily, a branch of my young crepe myrtle split at a fork in the trunk. I’ve cut off most of the branch and have put in place a supporting sling to stop further splitting. Can I save it?

Glenda Furness, Balnarring, Victoria

It’s not uncommon, as crepe myrtles carry big flower trusses on the ends of slender branches. I have seen their split branches successfully splinted like a broken leg until the bark healed, but the structural weakness will remain.

We transplanted young citrus, apple and pear trees from the ground into huge pots to build a shed. They have flowered but the fruit falls off undeveloped. They get plenty of water, compost and diluted fresh chook poo.

Bianca, Perth

Possible causes of immature fruit drop are poor pollination, extreme heat or the trees simply needing more re-establishment time before they can bear crops. Chook poo should be aged before it is used because it can be ­very high in nitrogen when fresh.