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Noticing the gradual shifting of seasons within a garden is a unique pleasure. But you don’t need access to a garden to experience this grounding joy… Insects and birds don’t care much for fences, and can signal a season’s arrival with more accuracy and meaning than a calendar, if listened to.
The exact birds and insects – and sounds to look out for – will obviously depend on which corner of the country you are located. Indigenous knowledge calendars, and citizen science websites for tracking bird sightings and migrations, are some useful resources for finding out what to look for. The library at your location might have books or information on seasonal rhythms and bird migrations.
If you’ve experienced gardening, you’re likely well acquainted with the mental health benefits of getting your hands dirty. What might be surprising is that there is a chemical explanation for some of this. Researchers have found that contact with a particular type of bacteria that lives in soil, called Mycobacterium vaccae, releases serotonin in our brain. Serotonin bolsters our immune system, acts as a natural antidepressant, and contributes to feelings of happiness and wellbeing– as if the wonders of gardening weren’t abundant enough!
The Wollemi pine was thought to have gone extinct millions of years ago. The pine belongs to a plant family that’s 200 million years old. Rediscovered in 1994 in a canyon in the Blue Mountains – two hour’s drive north of Warrane/Sydney – it’s one of the rarest and oldest trees
in existence.
The pine’s impressive lifespan (500-1000 years) and resilient nature wasn’t enough to protect it against hostile conditions in the distant past. Somewhere in the vicinity of 18,000 years ago the pine went through what’s known as a genetic bottleneck, and only a handful – likely one or two individuals – survived. As a result, the 89 pines living in the wild, and the roughly 100,000 that have been cultivated by gardeners around the world, are genetically indistinguishable clones.
Using either underground fungal networks, known as mycorrhizal networks, or by directly grafting their roots together, trees share water and nutrients with neighbours in need. They also send chemical signals that alert other trees to various threats presented by animals and hostile fungi, allowing them to prepare defensive chemical compounds. Recognising their interdependence, our deep-rooted friends have opted for cooperation
over competition.
If space is tight, planting in straight lines isn't necessarily the best option. The “square metre planting system” divides a square metre – a common size of a single raised garden bed – into four squares. Each 25 centimetre square can then fit one large veggie, like a cabbage or a zucchini plant, four medium sized veggies, or 16 smaller ones, like carrots or radishes.
Certain plant pairings don’t just thrive in proximity, but benefit each other in ways. For example, tomato, basil and onions are just as potent in the patch as they are in pasta. The tall and sun-loving tomatoes offer shelter to the low-growing basil, and the basil and onions deter pests like aphids and caterpillars. Corn, beans and pumpkin are another mutually supportive trio, with a history dating back to Native American tribes. The corn provides a natural trellis for the beans, the beans fix nutrients in the soil, and the pumpkin minimises weeds and moisture loss.
Succulents are desert plants adapted to tough, dry conditions. You can identify them by their unusually thick leaves and stems, designed to minimise water loss. They’re the easiest type of plant to propagate (create more of) and care for. White they’re no good for eating, they can add brilliant colour and texture to
a garden.
Noticing the gradual shifting of seasons within a garden is a unique pleasure. But you don’t need access to a garden to experience this grounding joy… Insects and birds don’t care much for fences, and can signal a season’s arrival with more accuracy and meaning than a calendar, if listened to.
The exact birds and insects – and sounds to look out for – will obviously depend on which corner of the country you are located. Indigenous knowledge calendars, and citizen science websites for tracking bird sightings and migrations, are some useful resources for finding out what to look for. The library at your location might have books or information on seasonal rhythms and bird migrations.
If you’ve experienced gardening, you’re likely well acquainted with the mental health benefits of getting your hands dirty. What might be surprising is that there is a chemical explanation for some of this. Researchers have found that contact with a particular type of bacteria that lives in soil, called Mycobacterium vaccae, releases serotonin in our brain. Serotonin bolsters our immune system, acts as a natural antidepressant, and contributes to feelings of happiness and wellbeing– as if the wonders of gardening weren’t abundant enough!
The Wollemi pine was thought to have gone extinct millions of years ago. The pine belongs to a plant family that’s 200 million years old. Rediscovered in 1994 in a canyon in the Blue Mountains – two hour’s drive north of Warrane/Sydney – it’s one of the rarest and oldest trees
in existence.
The pine’s impressive lifespan (500-1000 years) and resilient nature wasn’t enough to protect it against hostile conditions in the distant past. Somewhere in the vicinity of 18,000 years ago the pine went through what’s known as a genetic bottleneck, and only a handful – likely one or two individuals – survived. As a result, the 89 pines living in the wild, and the roughly 100,000 that have been cultivated by gardeners around the world, are genetically indistinguishable clones.
Using either underground fungal networks, known as mycorrhizal networks, or by directly grafting their roots together, trees share water and nutrients with neighbours in need. They also send chemical signals that alert other trees to various threats presented by animals and hostile fungi, allowing them to prepare defensive chemical compounds. Recognising their interdependence, our deep-rooted friends have opted for cooperation
over competition.
If space is tight, planting in straight lines isn't necessarily the best option. The “square metre planting system” divides a square metre – a common size of a single raised garden bed – into four squares. Each 25 centimetre square can then fit one large veggie, like a cabbage or a zucchini plant, four medium sized veggies, or 16 smaller ones, like carrots or radishes.
Certain plant pairings don’t just thrive in proximity, but benefit each other in ways. For example, tomato, basil and onions are just as potent in the patch as they are in pasta. The tall and sun-loving tomatoes offer shelter to the low-growing basil, and the basil and onions deter pests like aphids and caterpillars. Corn, beans and pumpkin are another mutually supportive trio, with a history dating back to Native American tribes. The corn provides a natural trellis for the beans, the beans fix nutrients in the soil, and the pumpkin minimises weeds and moisture loss.
Succulents are desert plants adapted to tough, dry conditions. You can identify them by their unusually thick leaves and stems, designed to minimise water loss. They’re the easiest type of plant to propagate (create more of) and care for. White they’re no good for eating, they can add brilliant colour and texture to
a garden.
There is a common myth around the world that there is one universal sign language that Deaf people use to communicate. But this is far from the truth – there are many sign languages!
Greek mythology is a collection of stories about gods, heroes, monsters, and the beliefs of Ancient Greece.
For grandpas in the 90s, a mid-sized Japanese sedan seemed like a sensible choice. Their hothead days were behind them.
A collection of interesting facts about the world we live in.
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