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00:00:00Well, it's not often that you get to stand next to a dam of this size.
00:00:11To say it is gigantic is an understatement.
00:00:14But around the country, dams like this provide us with fresh, clean drinking water every single day.
00:00:19Have you ever wondered how it actually gets there?
00:00:22Tonight we are taking a peek behind the curtain to see how a huge body of water like this
00:00:26ends up in your humble drinking glass.
00:00:30It's just one of many damn good stories coming your way tonight on Better Homes and Gardens.
00:00:40Tonight, this 80s bathroom doesn't have to be a one-hit wonder with a nip and tuck.
00:00:47A cosmetic makeover, when you work with what you've already got, can work wonders.
00:00:52Extraordinary things can be found in the most unexpected of places.
00:00:55Nestled in this suburban bliss is a garden that proves that laying down the groundwork really pays off.
00:01:02Slow cook your way to the good life.
00:01:05Oh, very different.
00:01:07Plus, this farm is about so much more than just the produce.
00:01:11If you're a fan of paddock to plate, shovel to shelf, then this is the place to be.
00:01:18Liliums might be a sight for sore eyes, but they're no one-trick pony.
00:01:23And the perfume?
00:01:25Oh, just beautiful.
00:01:27And don't be fooled by the long faces.
00:01:30These racehorses are loving this different approach to retirement.
00:01:33Brisbane Royal this year is definitely on there.
00:01:36Take this one there, and then hopefully the Olympics one there.
00:01:41So much better.
00:01:44This segment is brought to you by Bunnings Warehouse, where DIY is made easy with the lowest prices.
00:01:53If your bathroom is looking worn, dated, ugly, maybe even all of the above,
00:01:58the general opinion is that you need to do a full rip-out and reno to get that fresh new look that you want.
00:02:03Yeah, it's definitely relatable, but that does cost a bomb.
00:02:06So maybe that is a job for down the track, a lot down the track.
00:02:10But there is a different way.
00:02:11Yeah, that's right.
00:02:12A cosmetic makeover, when you work with what you've already got, can work wonders.
00:02:16With some added great styling and a few clever tricks thrown in.
00:02:19Yeah, definitely.
00:02:20But talking about styling, what do you reckon of these glass bricks here?
00:02:23I'm liking what they've done.
00:02:24They've even got some curves going on.
00:02:26Yeah, they're a little bit retro, but I think they're really cool.
00:02:28And if you like them, wait till you see where we're going next.
00:02:30Oh, let me finish this first.
00:02:33You can probably date this bathroom to late 80s, early 90s just from these glass bricks alone.
00:02:40But as we say in the design world, everything old is new again.
00:02:44But this vanity here, the light's got to go.
00:02:47Yeah, well, I can definitely say that.
00:02:48And the first thing you want to do before you take a vanity out is make sure you turn the plumbing off.
00:02:52Otherwise, you might get an unexpected shower.
00:02:54Oh, I'm starting to see a theme.
00:03:11I reckon blue.
00:03:14Oh, damn.
00:03:15Yeah, look at that.
00:03:16Weren't we hoping the tiles went all the way?
00:03:18Yeah, that's not ideal because I'm doing a wall-hung vanity.
00:03:20So we wanted the tiles to run the whole way.
00:03:22Damn.
00:03:23But let me think.
00:03:25So when you're working on an older home and you're renovating, these things happen sometimes.
00:03:30Yeah, I don't know.
00:03:30You don't expect the unexpected.
00:03:31I'm hoping that under the house there will be some of these matching tiles.
00:03:35There might be some left over.
00:03:36It's really important to give everything a good clean before you start.
00:03:47And I did notice there's a lot of mould on the ceiling.
00:03:50With mould, you always want to wear a mask.
00:03:52That's what we're doing.
00:04:02Tile trims like this can date a bathroom.
00:04:04So I'm going to update them with some white paint.
00:04:07But to get the paint to stick, I just need to rough up the surface a little bit with some sandpaper.
00:04:21As this is a cosmetic makeover, I'll have to work to a pretty modest budget.
00:04:24You can make a big difference to an existing bathroom just by changing the accessories.
00:04:35So I'm starting here in the bathroom aisle.
00:04:38And I'll be getting all new tapware for the bath, vanity and shower.
00:04:41The tiles in our bathroom on the wall and floor are in good nick.
00:04:50But that border tile is really dating the bathroom.
00:04:53So we are going to paint it out.
00:04:54And for the painting of our bathroom, it's a good idea to get the kitchen and bathroom paint
00:05:06as it prevents the mould from forming.
00:05:08And to finish off, I just need some hardwood bullnose skirting.
00:05:19And I've got a cool little project in mind for this.
00:05:21The first rule, whenever you're tackling a cosmetic bathroom makeover,
00:05:34is to keep the layout the same.
00:05:35That way, you don't have to get a plumber involved, which is a massive cost saver.
00:05:39Absolutely.
00:05:40And good news ads.
00:05:41Yes.
00:05:41Look what I found underneath the house.
00:05:42Oh, are you beauty.
00:05:44Yeah.
00:05:44So that's going to be a cost saver too.
00:05:46Now, how do you like this?
00:05:47This is the vanity.
00:05:48It's going to be the hero of the room.
00:05:49It's got a really modern shape and this beautiful timber panelling,
00:05:52which will go really nicely with those tiles.
00:05:54And it's special order from Bunnings.
00:05:56They even deliver it.
00:05:57So it makes life so easy.
00:05:58Yeah.
00:05:58And then, how cool are these accessories?
00:06:00We're doing black tapware, which is going to give the room a really contemporary look.
00:06:03Yeah.
00:06:04But then also, these accessories I found tie in beautifully with those glass bricks.
00:06:08Yes, I like that.
00:06:09It's all going to be gorgeous.
00:06:19To hide this dated pattern, this tile-specific paint is fantastic.
00:06:25I'm just applying the primer and then I'll put the top coat on, which will match the existing
00:06:29white tiles.
00:06:30It'll make the whole room look so much fresher and better.
00:06:34But I'm only painting in the shower, the wet area.
00:06:37Adam's got another great idea to hide the patterned tile in the rest of the room with no painting
00:06:43involved.
00:06:47Time to paint the ceiling and, of course, Adam has conveniently disappeared.
00:06:52It's up to me.
00:06:52Actually, I shouldn't doubt him.
00:07:02He's probably doing something really important.
00:07:05Hey, Ants!
00:07:07Coming!
00:07:17Oh, Chad, I'll tell you what.
00:07:18I thought it was bright when you cleaned it, but now it's painted.
00:07:21It's even brighter again.
00:07:22It looks good, doesn't it?
00:07:23I could have done with a bit of help, Ed, but, you know, you were busy, I understand.
00:07:26Yeah, I have been busy.
00:07:27I have.
00:07:29And you're helping me now, so that's all right.
00:07:30That's all right.
00:07:31Yes.
00:07:32All right, it's going to look great with this vanity on.
00:07:34Now, when it comes to fitting a floating vanity, you do want to make sure that you locate the
00:07:38stud and fix into it, because that's going to take all the weight.
00:07:41How are we looking, Chad?
00:07:42Yeah, that's pretty good to me.
00:07:44Yep.
00:07:52Oh, Chad, I'm loving this.
00:08:00The final piece of the puzzle.
00:08:01So good.
00:08:02Oh, look at this bench top.
00:08:04It just ties it all in now, doesn't it?
00:08:05Stunning.
00:08:07And now this bench top just ties it in with the tiles, doesn't it?
00:08:09Oh, I love it.
00:08:10And these rounded edges just look amazing.
00:08:12You can really see now that this is in, it's going to direct the look of the whole bathroom.
00:08:16Yes, but you have to stick around to see what that turns out like.
00:08:19This week we're cooking beef cheeks, but that's not the star of the show.
00:08:25It's Colin's couscous that's going to be the star of the show.
00:08:29Ever wondered where the water we drink comes from?
00:08:40I reckon we're all guilty at some stage of taking for granted the water from our taps.
00:08:46Think having a shower, flushing a toilet, washing the dogs.
00:08:50But do you ever have a glass of water and actually think to yourself, just how clean is this?
00:08:54And how does it actually end up here?
00:08:56Well, we are going behind the scenes right to the source to find out.
00:09:11Now, this is Warragamba Dam, just west of Sydney.
00:09:14Now, when it rains in this part of the world, this is one of the dams where rainwater is collected and stored.
00:09:20Now, what we're looking at is about 10% of the water capacity.
00:09:23It actually goes for 50 kilometres that way and is 100 metres deep.
00:09:27When the dam is nearly full, like it is right now, it actually holds four times the amount of water that you find in Sydney Harbour.
00:09:39In Australia, we really cannot take our drinking water for granted because at any given time, you can have huge swathes of the country that are either in drought or being flooded.
00:09:53Now, just because a dam is at near capacity like this one is, doesn't necessarily equate to the fact that we have loads of drinking water.
00:10:01Now, I know how strange that sounds when you hear me say it, but it's because not all of this water ends up in your taps.
00:10:07From this point, the water actually gets pumped 26 kilometres away to a treatment facility, and that's where I'm headed.
00:10:13So, all that water gets transferred here to the Prospect Water Filtration Plant, and then all sorts of really interesting science goes on to create our drinking water.
00:10:30Now, to have a look around here, I'm going to change out of this fluro jacket and into some proper safety gear.
00:10:34Hello, Colin. I have been told that you are the man to have a tattoo to find out all about this plant.
00:10:45It's like a whole new world.
00:10:46Yeah, good to meet you. Joe, what do you want to know?
00:10:48Everything. Like, I mean, first of all, I didn't realise the scale of how big this was going to be.
00:10:52So, I mean, the water that we're seeing coming in now, is that from the Warragam Adan?
00:10:56Yeah, that's correct. At the moment, it's unfiltered water. We call it raw water.
00:11:01So, still pretty clean, but not safe enough to drink yet.
00:11:04OK, so tell me what then happens once it arrives here.
00:11:07As it comes through the plant, we coagulate the water. Basically, we're forming clumps within the water to form flock, we call it.
00:11:15That flock then goes through a filter and becomes trapped in that filter, and clean water gets discharged out the other side,
00:11:22and then gets disinfected, and then off to everyone's taps at home.
00:11:25So, this plant treats, on average, about 1.5 gigalitres a day.
00:11:29So, that's probably equivalent to about 600 Olympic swimming pools a day goes through this plant, this one plant, which supplies nearly 80% of Sydney this one.
00:11:38There's so much more that goes into it than I first thought, to be honest. I had no idea. This has been an eye-opener.
00:11:44So, Karina, Colin looks after the water treatment plant, but you look after water quality control.
00:11:55I don't know whose job I would want less, because I'm sure, I think, everyone thinks about water quality control, don't they,
00:12:01when they think about drinking water.
00:12:03Yeah.
00:12:03How long have you been doing this for?
00:12:04Um, probably about 35 years.
00:12:0635 years.
00:12:07Yep.
00:12:07So, I'm guessing over that time you would have seen some pretty dramatic changes.
00:12:11Absolutely.
00:12:12But what's important to note is, for us, delivering safe, reliable drinking water has always been our priority.
00:12:20We've got 5.3 million customers, and we need to make sure that we meet the Australian drinking water guidelines every day of the week.
00:12:28Give me an idea of the scale of that monitoring and where you draw all those measurements from.
00:12:33So, we do nine, about 9,000 sites a year, and we do about 630,000 sample tests as well.
00:12:43We've got our laboratories over at Westride, so that's where you can see where all the testing and analysis gets done every day.
00:12:50Do you think they would even let me go and have a look at those?
00:12:52Absolutely, why not?
00:12:53Wow, sounds like a segue.
00:12:58We have heard and learnt so much today about how much testing gets involved and happens to have our clean drinking water.
00:13:14Is it right?
00:13:14You've got, like, 70-odd markers that you're looking for?
00:13:16Yeah, yeah, we've got 70-odd tests that we're looking for.
00:13:19We roughly do around 10,000 tests a week.
00:13:22A week?
00:13:23A week.
00:13:23So, give me an idea of what makes up those 70 things.
00:13:25So, we have pH, conductivity, we've also got, like, our bacterial side as well, and a nutrients testing, a trace metal section, our organic section.
00:13:38It's a lot.
00:13:39Unbelievable.
00:13:40Well, can you give me my camera lab?
00:13:42Bird's eye view.
00:13:42So, we're in the bacteriology lab.
00:13:45These are some plates that have been poured.
00:13:47Our drinking water samples come through and they get a test called HPC, which is Heterotrophic Plate Count.
00:13:53Right.
00:13:54And basically, that gives us a general hell of the water going through the pipes.
00:13:59Right.
00:13:59So, it's basically, you'll see onto here if there's some bacteria growth.
00:14:06So, what do you add to that?
00:14:08Because they obviously put the water onto the plates.
00:14:09And it's just some agar.
00:14:11Right.
00:14:11And so, that just gives it all the minerals to grow.
00:14:12Gives it all the nutrients it needs and it grows.
00:14:15So, that's obviously what it looks like here, but what are you looking for?
00:14:17Like, what do you...
00:14:18So, I'm actually looking over here at our E. coli and we can see here we've got some quality control samples.
00:14:26So, this is a blank sample and this is a positive control for E. coli.
00:14:32If you have a look under here, the E. coli will fluoresce under UV light.
00:14:38Wow, that is incredible.
00:14:40So good, isn't it?
00:14:41So, yeah, so that just indicates that our quality control is working.
00:14:46Unbelievable.
00:14:46I've got to say, I have learnt so much today.
00:14:49It has been completely fascinating.
00:14:51And I know one thing's for sure, the next time that I pour myself a glass of water,
00:14:55I am going to be so appreciative for the huge amount of effort that goes into it.
00:14:59That means a lot.
00:15:00We do a lot of testing.
00:15:01So, it's very appreciative to people that know that we do a lot.
00:15:06Yeah.
00:15:06Well, hopefully more people will know now.
00:15:07Yeah, great.
00:15:09This week, we're cooking slow-cooked beef cheeks.
00:15:13It's not about the beef cheeks.
00:15:15It's about the couscous in the beef cheek stock.
00:15:21Look at that.
00:15:22So simple and so beautiful.
00:15:24I was lucky enough to visit a garden filled with flowers that are perfect for drying at home.
00:15:40So, if you're inspired by the story and all the wonderful things that you can create, then you're going to love this little project.
00:15:46So, I'm going to take these bunches of dried flowers and I'm going to create a floral wall hanger that will be a real highlight in your home.
00:15:53So, it starts by getting your hands on a couple of just off-the-shelf pieces of dowel like this.
00:16:00I've just given them a good coat of liquid wax just to bring out the colour and the natural texture of the grain.
00:16:06And you can see that I've drilled holes in there about 15 centimetres apart.
00:16:12So, the holes are just kind of big enough to feed a little bit of twine through.
00:16:16Now, you could make the wall hanger any size that you like, but I'm going to make it the width of the table.
00:16:22So, get your hands on some nice natural twine like this and you want to start by feeding the twine through the holes, a little bit like threading a needle.
00:16:33And I've just put a little bit of sticky tape on the end there just to make the process a bit easier.
00:16:37Now, the idea is we're going to create, for want of a better word, a twine frame.
00:16:43Then we thread it through the one at the bottom and we're just going to zigzag in and out.
00:16:47Now, just before you tie it all off, that's your chance to make sure you've got the width that you want and to make sure those strings are nice and taut.
00:17:09So, now we can decorate the twine frame with flowers.
00:17:12So, you could use any mix of dried flowers in whatever colour scheme you like.
00:17:16But I'm just going with a kind of a wild and beautiful look.
00:17:19And the idea is that we're going to hang the flowers upside down.
00:17:22I'm going to peg them to the twine.
00:17:24So, I've just got my hands on some little craft pegs.
00:17:27But if you were doing bigger bunches of flowers, you could use bigger pegs.
00:17:31Now, when it comes to working out how many bunches of flowers to peg down each strand,
00:17:36I say go with the flow and see what looks good.
00:17:39There you go.
00:17:48What a beautiful way to display your dried flowers and get everlasting joy from your garden.
00:17:53So, now we just have to find the perfect place to hang it.
00:17:55Now, here's a common problem that you find in basically all kitchens that you walk into.
00:18:23Now, I have a cupboard door and the gap isn't even.
00:18:25You can see this one isn't closing properly.
00:18:28Now, if I look at the gaps, I can see that this one's even.
00:18:30But on this side, it runs out.
00:18:32It's bigger at the top, smaller down the bottom.
00:18:35And that's exactly where it's hitting.
00:18:36So, that means this is the door that needs to be fixed.
00:18:39But the good thing is, it is easy to do.
00:18:41You just need a screwdriver.
00:18:42And because I'm short, I've got a stepladder as well.
00:18:45And that will get me up the top.
00:18:46So, to adjust these hinges, basically, there's a screw in here that if you undo, it brings
00:18:54the door forward.
00:18:55And if you do it up, it brings the door back.
00:18:57So, that's exactly what I need to do, is do that screw up.
00:19:00And I'll also do it on this hinge here.
00:19:02Once I've got that gap nice and even, this gap here should be correct again.
00:19:06And the good thing is, when you do have concealed hinges like this, they're not only in the kitchen,
00:19:11they can be in your wardrobe as well, and it's the same principle to adjust them.
00:19:30Put the self-closer, self-closer back on.
00:19:35Stepped it out.
00:19:36Eh?
00:19:37That is absolutely beautiful.
00:19:39And how easy was it to fix?
00:19:40You'll ask yourself why you've been looking at it for years.
00:19:44Well, things might be getting a bit chilly and slowing down in the garden, but you're
00:19:48just a few clicks away from turning up the heat, because we'd like you to vote for a
00:19:53Logie for Better Homes and Gardens in the Lifestyle Program category.
00:19:57Now, look, you know, we really enjoy giving you gold medal performances every week and
00:20:03showing you spectacular, beautiful and inspirational gardens from anywhere.
00:20:07Now, we'd like you to share the love back just a little by voting for us, a Logie for Better
00:20:13Homes and Gardens in the Lifestyle category.
00:20:14Go to it.
00:20:15Thanks.
00:20:16Coming up, beef up this winter with a real winner.
00:20:22Slow-cooked beef cheeks with my version of couscous, which is totally different to the
00:20:27version you know, so hang on.
00:20:30Melissa's getting a taste of farm life on the Mornington Peninsula.
00:20:33This really is garden to table, when a chef is doing the growing.
00:20:38And they may be living legends, but these retired racehorses want the same things we do.
00:20:44You want to look after him for the rest of his days.
00:20:47That's right.
00:20:47Yep, exactly.
00:20:48Give him this nice big paddock and lots of love.
00:20:50It's cold, it's wet, it's winter.
00:20:59But you know what winter is good for?
00:21:01Cooking slow-cooked beef cheeks with my version of couscous, which is totally different to the
00:21:07version you know, so hang on.
00:21:14Step one, beef cheeks.
00:21:16These cheeks, by the way, just to clarify.
00:21:20So, what happens is, these do a lot of work on the animals, so they've got great flavour,
00:21:25but you need to cook them long and slow.
00:21:27So what we're going to do is really hot pan and get a nice caramelisation, like you would
00:21:31a steak, on your beef cheek.
00:21:33So the pan's already hot.
00:21:35Good splash of oil.
00:21:37You want to hear that sizzle going in.
00:21:38Salt and pepper.
00:21:51So the secret is, don't move the meat around, let it caramelise.
00:21:55Give it time.
00:21:56Alright, while the meat's browning, I'm going to chop up my veg.
00:22:00Carrots, onion, celery, garlic.
00:22:04So I like to get nice little chunks.
00:22:13Garlic, just in half.
00:22:17Alright, celery.
00:22:19Just square it up a bit.
00:22:22Celery, same size as a carrot.
00:22:27Check our beef.
00:22:28All right, onion, same size.
00:22:39Vegetables.
00:22:40Into our pot.
00:22:49Give it a stir.
00:22:50All right, I like a little bit of heat.
00:22:55So two whole birds eye chilli straight in.
00:22:59The stock is only as good as what you put in it.
00:23:02So a couple of bay leaves, fresh.
00:23:04Say half bunch of thyme.
00:23:06You can smell that straight away.
00:23:08Spice it up with a few star anise.
00:23:11So any sort of beef stew, you can add an alcohol.
00:23:14You can leave it out if you want.
00:23:15So I always have, no I don't, leftover red wine.
00:23:20You can add leftover red wine.
00:23:21You don't always have it here.
00:23:22But anyway, hello to Jane, my wife.
00:23:25So we're going to add 200 ml of leftover red wine.
00:23:32Now we're going to add a pinch of sugar.
00:23:34It just helps with the acidity of the wine.
00:23:36So once the wine boils, we've got rid of that alcohol.
00:23:39But you've got the body of the wine.
00:23:40It's going to give you a beautiful colour.
00:23:42It's the glazed, all that beef off the bottom of the pot.
00:23:44We're just going to cover it with a litre of stock.
00:23:46And then add a litre of water.
00:23:58Going to bring that to the boil.
00:24:00Going to get the lid on.
00:24:01Going to put it in the oven for about four hours.
00:24:04Just coming up to the simmer.
00:24:07Lid on, into the oven.
00:24:08All right.
00:24:21Let's have a look.
00:24:22So the beef cheeks, that's what you're looking for.
00:24:26Look at that.
00:24:29Falling apart, melting.
00:24:30If they're not melting, put them back in until they get like that.
00:24:36Next up, we need a bowl.
00:24:39So if you've had couscous before, it's light, it's fluffy, it's airy.
00:24:45This is not.
00:24:46This is my version of, I was trying to do it.
00:24:49It didn't work out, but it tasted better.
00:24:51So what I did was, normally you do couscous with a very light water or a stock.
00:24:56So you've got 300 grams of couscous.
00:24:58That'll do the whole family.
00:25:00So what I do is, I cover the couscous with that stock.
00:25:05So you can see where I'm going.
00:25:06The couscous is a vessel that soaks up liquid.
00:25:09So it's going to soak up all the flavour of the beef.
00:25:12So why not use the beef stock rather than water?
00:25:16Good idea, Cole.
00:25:21You mix that couscous.
00:25:25Going to add a splash of olive oil.
00:25:31So we get our couscous bowl over our double boiler.
00:25:35Put a lid on it.
00:25:37We're going to bring it up to the boil and let it simmer.
00:25:40So as it heats, it's going to absorb all that stock.
00:25:42So while that absorbs, I'll make a little garnish.
00:25:49All right, so the beef cheek's quite rich.
00:25:51The couscous is quite rich.
00:25:52We need something vibrant just to lift it.
00:25:54So some mint, some parsley.
00:25:56Just roughly chop the tops.
00:25:58Keep it quite rustic.
00:26:05Get that into our bowl.
00:26:06Two teaspoons of mustard, just to give it a bit of zing.
00:26:12Mustard and beef cheek.
00:26:14Capers.
00:26:15Juice as well.
00:26:17Olive oil to bring it all together.
00:26:19Extra glue.
00:26:20You've already got a bit of salt for the caper, so just a bit of pepper.
00:26:23Give it a good mix.
00:26:29You want a quite chunky, vibrant mustard capery.
00:26:34It's going to cut through the richness of the beef cheek.
00:26:37All right, put that in the fridge.
00:26:43You've had about 15 to 20 minutes on the couscous.
00:26:46So, it's sort of light and fluffy, but what happens is it takes on all the fat
00:26:56and all that beef cheek flavor and the veg, and you get, like, it doesn't look very effective,
00:27:05but when you taste it, it's amazing.
00:27:08So normal couscous, boring water, Collins couscous, beef stock and fat.
00:27:13Going to add a little bit of lemon, lemon zest.
00:27:16All right.
00:27:29So the couscous that started out as my mistake has now become one of my triumphs.
00:27:37Normally, I do a big platter.
00:27:40You've got the beef just melting on the couscous.
00:27:43So we've got our warm couscous, just make a bed.
00:27:46All right, beef cheeks.
00:27:55Look at that.
00:27:56Cut it with a spoon.
00:27:58Got our beef cheeks.
00:27:59A little bit more sauce.
00:28:00And now we add a little bit of vibrant herbage.
00:28:10So that is my slow braised beef cheeks, which should be the star of the show, but in fact, it's the couscous.
00:28:21You can thank me later on this one.
00:28:22Have you often wondered, what happens to race horses when they've retired?
00:28:39Where do they go?
00:28:40Where do they go?
00:28:41There's so much to learn from this passionate collective of farmers.
00:28:45To make it all happen right here at Torello Farms.
00:28:48The latest issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine is out now, and it is full of tips and tricks to get your gardening powering through winter.
00:28:57Find out the best plants to place in your bedroom for a great night's sleep, and explore how the moon affects your sleep patterns.
00:29:03Discover a range of red and pink blooms that keep the winter blues away.
00:29:06Plus, winter can be tough on your lawns.
00:29:09Find out the best secrets to making sure your lawn survives and goes from bare to beautiful.
00:29:13You'll also find bonus knitting and crochet patterns, and a winter puzzle special.
00:29:17That is all in the August issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine, which is out now.
00:29:36For most people, the Mornington Peninsula conjures up images of beautiful beaches and gorgeous wine country.
00:29:43But for those of us in the know, there is so much more to discover.
00:29:47So all across the region, you can find lots of little boutique farms producing local seasonal produce that's often farmed with sustainable practices.
00:29:56And it's grown and sold locally.
00:29:58So that's exactly why I'm here, to get a real taste of farm life.
00:30:02Mark, Sophie, hi.
00:30:15Hi, welcome Melissa.
00:30:17Thank you. What a beautiful part of the world you live in. Great spot for a farm.
00:30:20Yeah, it's a bit fresh today, but it is a lovely spot.
00:30:23It is a lovely spot.
00:30:25Tell me what the philosophy is here.
00:30:27So we try and run a regenerative farm here.
00:30:29So all the animals are rotated around the farm, eating the grass.
00:30:34We've planted out lots of the water catchment areas so that we don't degrade the land.
00:30:40And we've just grown grass to feed the animals.
00:30:44Yeah, so the animals are 100% grass fed all their life.
00:30:46So what sort of animals are you growing?
00:30:48So these are our belted galloways that we grow meat for our farm gate down in Drumarna.
00:30:53And dorset down sheep.
00:30:56We do the belted galloways because they're a smaller animal.
00:30:58Great temperament.
00:30:59And they just do really well in this region.
00:31:01Well, speaking of this region, what is it that makes it good for farming these type of cattle?
00:31:06Yeah, so being a peninsula, it's quite temperament.
00:31:08We've got water on both sides, so we don't get any real heavy frost.
00:31:11Doesn't get too hot.
00:31:12Got good rainfall.
00:31:13So we grow grass pretty much for a good part of the year.
00:31:16And that just enables us to grow animals quite well down here.
00:31:19So as gorgeous as all this is, this isn't the only farm that you operate.
00:31:23No, we have a farm down the road which I would love to show you and come and see our farm gate.
00:31:27Alright, sounds good.
00:31:34This is amazing, it's so colourful.
00:31:36You've really brought that idea of a farmer's market to life.
00:31:39Yeah, look it is.
00:31:40You know, on this property here we have about seven different people growing produce.
00:31:45And then over a calendar year we probably have about 90 different growers that will supply us.
00:31:50All local, of course.
00:31:51And I imagine with a spot like this you're not having to have like big truckloads of produce come in.
00:31:56No.
00:31:57So you're able to cater to big teak producers as well?
00:31:59Absolutely.
00:32:00We might have someone supplying us, you know, who has a prolific kumquat tree.
00:32:04And they might bring in a box of kumquats.
00:32:06And it depends on the season.
00:32:07Of course, you know, at the moment, you know, it's looking very wintery,
00:32:10full of citrus and leafy greens and gorgeous beetroots.
00:32:13But if you came here in summer it would be heirloom tomatoes and eggplant and capsicums.
00:32:17Amazing.
00:32:18And I imagine it didn't look like this when you took it over.
00:32:20No.
00:32:21No.
00:32:22It was, this farm had been left a bit to rack and ruin.
00:32:24So there was car bodies and it was a bit of a mess.
00:32:26But we've brought it back to life.
00:32:27You certainly have.
00:32:28And I can't wait to see what's happening in the market gardens when you show me.
00:32:30Yeah, you should come and meet the farmers.
00:32:32I would love that.
00:32:33So, Sean, this is your growing space and it's chug a block full.
00:32:44It is.
00:32:45It's a very busy space.
00:32:46A lot going on in a small area, yeah.
00:32:47There is.
00:32:48And so, how did you get into all this?
00:32:49What's your background?
00:32:50Well, my background is hospitality.
00:32:51I trained as a chef and then we started running our own businesses, myself and my wife.
00:32:56And then we moved down to the peninsula from Sydney maybe about ten years ago when we opened up a restaurant in town called Wild Grand Restaurant.
00:33:02So, I guess as a chef you're probably approaching your growing from a flavour perspective, are you?
00:33:06A hundred percent.
00:33:07Yeah, no.
00:33:08Now, everything about the restaurant is a seat to plate philosophy.
00:33:10So, and we're very seasonal and regional.
00:33:13So, traditionally what a chef would do, he would write the menu, source products from a wholesaler.
00:33:17Whereas we grow the food first and then we try and actually base the menu around that.
00:33:21Seasonal and regional.
00:33:22And it's working with those seasons and trying to keep a consistent supply to the restaurant.
00:33:35Hi Tori.
00:33:36Hey, how are you going?
00:33:37Looks like you've got some very happy, healthy hens.
00:33:39Oh, yeah.
00:33:40Tell me a little bit about Yoki Doki Eggs.
00:33:42So, Lil's Yoki Doki Eggs have been running on the Mornington Peninsula for about seven years.
00:33:47It's all female-led and female-run and they're providing the Mornington Peninsula community
00:33:52with beautiful, regenerative, free-range eggs, which is just such a benefit to everybody
00:33:58to be able to have an amazing local food source that's actually good for the land as well.
00:34:10Shani, how does it feel to be part of such a great community of farmers?
00:34:14It's a real privilege actually to share this space with the other growers at Trello Farm.
00:34:19We get to share knowledge, resources and it's just a friendly environment to be able to work together.
00:34:28I hadn't thought of it like that.
00:34:29It really is the sharing of resources and knowledge.
00:34:31That's fantastic.
00:34:32Yeah.
00:34:33So what sort of things are you growing?
00:34:35I'm growing flowers here.
00:34:37We have Canterbury Bells.
00:34:39We've got Fever Few over there.
00:34:42And just here is Chocolate Lace.
00:34:44Some people say for diamond.
00:34:47Some people say for a ride.
00:34:51Breaking bags for a place in the city.
00:34:55That'll keep them safe.
00:34:57Now, Sophie, we've just met some of your incredible farmers.
00:35:00How amazing to think that they're growing things right out there
00:35:03and then they get to see people put them straight in the shopping basket.
00:35:06You know, it's really special and it's also special for the farmers because they, you know, often, you know, farmers are working out in the field and don't get to see the customer enjoying their produce, but here they do.
00:35:15And I love the way you've got not just fresh seasonal produce, but you're also extending the life of that produce with all these beautiful preserves and things.
00:35:22Yeah, so we have a farmhouse kitchen on site, which we, yeah, we value add things.
00:35:25So in the height of tomato season, we might be busy making tomato chutney and relishes.
00:35:31And obviously also with our beef and lamb cuts that aren't selling, we turn them into take home meals like lasagnas and curries.
00:35:37You've been scared of love and what it did to you.
00:35:42You don't have to run.
00:35:45I know what you can do.
00:35:47Just the same.
00:35:49Melissa, here are our rainbow carrots.
00:35:50You see, there's not many places you could walk into and go home with a bunch like that, is there?
00:35:54Look at those colours.
00:35:55Yeah.
00:35:56And Sophie, I love what you're doing here.
00:35:58It really is paddock to plate, shovel to shelf, however you want to put it.
00:36:02Yeah.
00:36:03And you can't come somewhere like this without, well, tasting something, but also doing a bit of shopping.
00:36:07Absolutely.
00:36:08So I'm going to get stuck into this.
00:36:09Do you mind?
00:36:10Go for it.
00:36:11I'm just saying, hey, I'm going to munch on your produce.
00:36:13Look at that.
00:36:14So this one, the rainbow carrots, that's still red on the inside.
00:36:17And it's so fresh.
00:36:20So I'm going to get myself a basket and take something home too.
00:36:24Go shopping.
00:36:25Go shopping.
00:36:26So thank you.
00:36:28I want you to meet a very special animal.
00:36:30This is Shaken.
00:36:32And she is a therapy.
00:36:34When she goes racing, she'll be like an Olympic athlete.
00:36:37Go, go, go.
00:36:38All about performance and more importantly about trying to win.
00:36:41You're right.
00:36:42Good girl.
00:36:43And when the race is over and she's passed the winning post for the very last time, what
00:36:48happens to horses like her?
00:36:50Well, that's where the Racehorse Retirement Program takes over.
00:36:54And she's got a whole new life in front of her.
00:36:57We're just outside of Aberdeen in what is the Upper Hunter Valley.
00:37:05It's ideal horse country.
00:37:07Godolphin is known all over the world for producing wonderful racehorses, wonderful thoroughbreds.
00:37:11But Godolphin is also recognised for their lifetime care program, which looks after them long
00:37:17after their careers are over.
00:37:19A little bit of bribery going on here, right?
00:37:21I've never known a horse that didn't like a carrot.
00:37:23You're absolutely right.
00:37:25The way to their heart is through their stomach.
00:37:28Yeah.
00:37:29What's this horse's name?
00:37:30This horse's name is Trekking.
00:37:31He won two group ones over $5 million.
00:37:34He's with us now.
00:37:35He's got a nice, happy life to go forward.
00:37:39And he's very much about what we're talking about, which is the lifetime care program for horses.
00:37:44Now, you call him one of the ambassador horses.
00:37:47Yes.
00:37:48What exactly does that mean?
00:37:49The flag bearer program is for these horses that were notable on the track.
00:37:54They're notable in the public eye.
00:37:57And they're really bastions for the program that is going to promote their lifetime care.
00:38:04He's basically an example of what we do with him.
00:38:07How does someone go about getting hold of one?
00:38:10There's a dedicated department in lifetime care to make sure that these horses get to the right homes
00:38:17and they're looked after for their duration of their life.
00:38:19Okay.
00:38:20Do they have to pay money for these horses?
00:38:21No.
00:38:22No.
00:38:23The whole idea of this is that we, as an organization, are responsible for these horses.
00:38:29We have a little saying in sort of the animal training world which says, set them up to succeed.
00:38:34Yeah.
00:38:35Yeah, very much.
00:38:36It's very similar to children.
00:38:38It's very similar to anything that you want to get the best out of them.
00:38:41They need to be trained.
00:38:42They need to be educated.
00:38:44And they need to, for want of a better word, enjoy what they're doing.
00:38:49Now, tell me, has he got any particular mates, friends of his?
00:38:53Yes, I think so.
00:38:54Oddly enough, this horse is one of his closest rivals and also a horse that he went through the whole training program.
00:39:02is another elite athlete, which is a horse called Osborne Bulls.
00:39:17Good boy.
00:39:18He looked good, didn't he?
00:39:19I've got sun shining on that coat.
00:39:21Laurie, Laurie, Laurie.
00:39:23Tell me about this horse.
00:39:24Who is he?
00:39:25So this is Ozzy.
00:39:26He was known as Osborne Bulls on the race track.
00:39:28I know.
00:39:29Was he any good?
00:39:30Very good.
00:39:31He won nearly $3 million in prize money.
00:39:32So how come you've got him?
00:39:34So he is part of the Godolphin Lifetime Care program and he is a flag bearer for that program.
00:39:41So I am his lifetime custodian.
00:39:44So you have to look after him or you want to look after him for the rest of his days?
00:39:48That's right.
00:39:49Yep, exactly.
00:39:50Give him this nice big paddock and lots of love.
00:39:53Did you have to pay a lot of money?
00:39:54No.
00:39:55You didn't?
00:39:56No, not at all.
00:39:57No, not at all.
00:39:58So he's gifted, essentially.
00:40:00So what was it like when you met him for the first time?
00:40:02It was like meeting a celebrity, to be honest.
00:40:05You know, I'd really admired him on the racetrack and, you know, he'd done some incredible things
00:40:10and was really, really tough and honest and then got the pleasure of working with him
00:40:15and a few years later was able to take him on in the program.
00:40:19He gets out into the community, shows the versatility of the thoroughbred.
00:40:22So we get out, we visit our local aged care facility a few times a year.
00:40:27He's been involved for the last couple of years in the Scone Horse Festival.
00:40:31So we participate in the parade that kicks off the festival.
00:40:34Right.
00:40:35And I've also taken him in a couple of local agricultural shows.
00:40:39Have you?
00:40:40Yeah, just in a lead class.
00:40:41And yeah, he's done not too badly.
00:40:43Laurie, that's a big responsibility.
00:40:45How do you handle that?
00:40:47First and foremost, I'm very proud to be his carer.
00:40:53I do pinch myself all the time that I've got Osborne Bulls in my paddock.
00:40:58And it's, yeah, firstly, a lot of pride.
00:41:01But yeah, we're always really mindful of what's going on around us and the safety of everybody.
00:41:06It's not something I took lightly, but it's, yeah, without question.
00:41:11This is his home, yep.
00:41:12Not all retired race horses give up competing entirely.
00:41:23Some find a whole new discipline.
00:41:27Now, Paige, I understand that you, I'll use the word specialise,
00:41:31in off the trackers or thoroughbreds that have finished racing
00:41:36and you are re-educating those horses for some other purpose.
00:41:40You brought her in and what did you do?
00:41:41I just started from the beginning with her.
00:41:44Like, rode her like she didn't know anything.
00:41:46Just did a lot of steady work, a lot of walking, heaps of walking with her.
00:41:50Yeah.
00:41:51Just to get them to relax and know that they don't actually have to go fast anymore.
00:41:54And how did you make her do that?
00:41:57Patience.
00:41:58Well, thank you.
00:41:59That's the honest answer, isn't it?
00:42:00Yep.
00:42:01What made you buy her?
00:42:02Her eyes and how she walks.
00:42:04Watching her walk around, we just fell in love.
00:42:06Rode for like five minutes and I was like, this is my horse.
00:42:09What's your aim?
00:42:10What do you want to do?
00:42:11What's the pinnacle of success for you?
00:42:13She loves the show jumping.
00:42:15Does she?
00:42:16Loves it.
00:42:17Brisbane Royal this year is definitely on there.
00:42:19Right.
00:42:20Take this one there and then hopefully the Olympics one day.
00:42:22You are now doing this as a full time job?
00:42:24Yep.
00:42:25Full time.
00:42:26Full time riding horses.
00:42:27And you love it?
00:42:28Love it.
00:42:29I'm learning so much from it all.
00:42:31You're the coach at the moment, aren't you?
00:42:32Yeah, I'm the coach.
00:42:33I've been a coach for quite some time since she was a fair bit smaller than she is now.
00:42:50Has she got what it takes to get to the Olympics?
00:42:52Oh, absolutely.
00:42:53And she's got in the competition arena, she has ice running through all veins.
00:42:58You've seen her ride around.
00:42:59She's got beautiful soft hands.
00:43:00Yeah.
00:43:01She's got a lovely, calm demeanour about her.
00:43:04And I think that transfers to the horses.
00:43:06You know, we've had a wonderful time up here in Scone.
00:43:09It's been absolutely fantastic.
00:43:10Yes.
00:43:11And the home of the horses, I can understand that.
00:43:13I love the motto.
00:43:14Home is where the horse is.
00:43:16There's something special.
00:43:24An easy way to hide a dated border tile?
00:43:27We'll use some timber trim.
00:43:29If you're into rare and unusual plants, you are going to absolutely love this.
00:43:36Keep warm and cosy with this month's issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
00:43:40Check out these easy and stylish ways to create a cosy nook.
00:43:44And find out from the experts how downlighting can be used to keep the snug vibes going.
00:43:49Plus, find all the details for Adam's revolving bookshelf.
00:43:53Learn how to upcycle an old jumper into a cuddly coat for your furry friend.
00:43:58And don't miss out on your free downloadable knit and crochet book.
00:44:03Get your copy of the August magazine today.
00:44:05When it comes to amazing gardens around the country, you might not expect me to bring you to a typical Aussie street.
00:44:23But nestled in this suburban bliss is a garden that proves that laying down the groundwork really pays off.
00:44:29This standard residential block is owned by Peter Nixon.
00:44:39He is one of Australia's leading landscape designers with well over 40 years experience.
00:44:44And today, we're getting a sneak peek over the fence at his personal botanic gardens.
00:44:56The entryway to the house is really lovely.
00:44:58We've got this dombea that's just growing over the top.
00:45:00And when the light hits those leaves, you just look like almost you're underwater looking up at lily pads.
00:45:05It's really lovely.
00:45:14As soon as you walk into this garden, you can tell Peter is a real plantsman.
00:45:18There is so much to look at.
00:45:19You've got aloes.
00:45:20You've got alocasia, the elephant's ears.
00:45:22And this fine leaf alternanthra that I've never seen before.
00:45:26What's really apparent in this garden are the different varieties of plants.
00:45:30Nothing here is standard.
00:45:31Take this just this year, for example, or the shrimp plant.
00:45:34This lovely claret colour to the flower is really unusual.
00:45:37Normally, it's sort of an orangey colour.
00:45:39What I like about this plant as well is how it's been treated maintenance-wise.
00:45:43At the back, it's been left and it's sort of a lot leggier.
00:45:46Whereas at the front, where it's been pruned, it's become a lot denser and you get a lot more flowers.
00:45:50So it's almost like getting two plants for the price of one.
00:45:56Peter.
00:46:01Sally.
00:46:02Thank you for having us at your lovely botanic gardens.
00:46:04A great pleasure.
00:46:05So how long have you been here for?
00:46:07I've been here for a bit over ten years.
00:46:09Okay, and what was it like when you bought it?
00:46:11Because I can imagine it didn't look like this.
00:46:13It was just a blank piece of lawn with the shrubs along the boundary lines.
00:46:18So a standard Australian garden.
00:46:20A blank canvas.
00:46:21So how do you start transforming that into this?
00:46:25So first of all, you need to eliminate the grass to make your garden space.
00:46:29And all those packing boxes you moved with, just strip the tape off.
00:46:33Press them flat and put about this much of organic mix, about 300.
00:46:39And over two or three or four months, all the air will squeeze out of it with the rain.
00:46:44And it will rot the cardboard and the grass underneath.
00:46:48So no dig.
00:46:49So what plants went in first?
00:46:51The first plantings I put in was a strange combination of native hibiscus.
00:46:56They had a short life cycle relative to most trees that are six metres plus.
00:47:01Right.
00:47:02And by the time it got to the fourth season they'd burnt out.
00:47:05But in that time they'd given some scant shelter to the permanent planting underneath.
00:47:11So it really is a long term plant?
00:47:13It's just a feel as you go along.
00:47:16It's not...
00:47:17The garden was never really planned as such.
00:47:19But it is a garden made from plants.
00:47:22And all the non-planted inclusions are there to complement the planting.
00:47:26Now it's time to make it change.
00:47:30Find the hope in every stage.
00:47:33So Peter, tell me a little bit about the shade structure.
00:47:36So this shade hut, Charlie, the reason why it's here is that that direction coming in is the north.
00:47:43And that means that for the June-July period you can actually sit in the sun.
00:47:47Right.
00:47:48Then for the nine months of the year that you're desperate for shade,
00:47:51when the sun is higher in the sky, it's in the shade.
00:47:54But still facing north.
00:47:56So the orientation is really quite a practical one.
00:47:59Yes, yes.
00:48:00But it's also an attractive one, isn't it?
00:48:01I mean, I love the roof that you've got here and the flooring is pretty special as well.
00:48:06And this is Figo?
00:48:08Michelle Figo, the Port One.
00:48:10Yes, so that'd be a nice fragrance under here when it's in bloom.
00:48:13It's quite scented, but really it's also for screening.
00:48:16Right.
00:48:17So you get a bit of separation from the street.
00:48:19So Peter, these green walls are sensational.
00:48:26Well, they look very appealing, don't they?
00:48:29They absolutely do.
00:48:30It's a great feature.
00:48:31Yeah.
00:48:32There's another aspect to them.
00:48:34So it's all about the deck.
00:48:36So the width of the deck isn't very much.
00:48:38It's a much longer space.
00:48:40And to try and not make the deck much narrower than it really is, not to put containers along
00:48:46here with planting that's going to expand out and take away your youthful space.
00:48:50It just works really well.
00:48:51I think the problem with containers is you can only really plant one thing in them because
00:48:55it's very limited space, isn't it?
00:48:57It is, but also it puts all the onus on the owner to bring water, fertiliser.
00:49:03It's a high maintenance prospect.
00:49:05And you've got a mirror.
00:49:06I love the way you've just let that age in the centre.
00:49:09Yeah, I knew that the silver backing would come off.
00:49:12And it also lends a certain gardener's mystery to that combination.
00:49:17Well, Peter, this garden is so deceptive with its greenery.
00:49:20I absolutely love it.
00:49:21You never know what's going on and where it's going on.
00:49:24Do you mind if I have a closer look myself?
00:49:26Sure.
00:49:27All right, thank you.
00:49:28I'll see you a bit later on.
00:49:29Okay.
00:49:37Peter has been really clever with every square inch of his house.
00:49:40Who doesn't have a small utility space that just looks out at a boring fence here?
00:49:45It is something sensational.
00:49:46They're lovely and textured.
00:49:47We've got Hoyas, there's bromeliads, hanging ripsalis, and that really stunning orchid.
00:49:53It just goes to show, with a bit of clever plant selection, you can have a beautiful garden from front to back.
00:50:00Peter, I just love how your garden spills out into the street.
00:50:08You know, it's high drama.
00:50:09You definitely know you're here, huh?
00:50:10Oh, thanks, Charlie, yes.
00:50:12I think it's nice to have a garden that integrates with the streetscape.
00:50:16Why not?
00:50:17And that adds to a sense of arrival.
00:50:19Yes, absolutely.
00:50:20I mean, you've done a sensational job here, and it just goes to show, if you go from the ground up and plant it properly, you too can have a spectacular garden.
00:50:27Thanks, Charlie.
00:50:28Well, thanks for having me.
00:50:31Coming up, this daggy bathroom is about to bounce back.
00:50:35Oh, wow.
00:50:36How good does this look?
00:50:38And Graham's walked through hundreds of fields of flowers, but he still finds the wonder in them.
00:50:43Isn't this incredible, staggeringly beautiful sight? I just love it.
00:50:50To catch up on any stories you've missed, plus find lots of pet training tips and tricks, as well as loads of cute animals and exclusive content, check us out on 7 Plus.
00:51:01This segment is brought to you by Bunnings Warehouse, where DIY is made easy with the lowest prices.
00:51:17Earlier, Adam and I began a bathroom makeover on a pretty modest budget, which has meant more of a cosmetic facelift than a full rip-out and reno.
00:51:25Yeah, so far we've freshened it up with some paint and a clean, and added our feature piece, this beautiful timber vanity.
00:51:32And now we can add even more decorative pieces to match.
00:51:36Yeah, is that my cue to get the mirrored cabinet off?
00:51:38Yes, please.
00:51:44There we go.
00:51:45Nice!
00:51:52Now because we had a little bit of tile and then the plaster work, it steps in, so I've just added a bit of plywood at the back, and now everything sits nice and plumb.
00:52:00Looks good, but I can't wait to see what you're going to do with this.
00:52:03Yeah, well I've picked up the timber from Bunnings, so now I'll start the make.
00:52:06We're going to be using this to cover the border tile and create some extra storage in the bathroom, but we'll be putting it upside down, so it'll be more like a picture rail that you used to find in the old traditional style homes.
00:52:23To start off, I'm going to be marking out 200mm centres, and then using my smart bit to pre-drill and countersink some holes.
00:52:30All right, my holes drilled, now we can flip this over.
00:52:54Now the thing that makes this project smart is it obviously does two things.
00:52:57We know it covers the border tile, but how are we going to create extra storage?
00:53:01Well, it's with these 16mm dowels.
00:53:04So now I'll utilise these holes and I'll use my spade bit and I'll sit the centre of it in those holes and drill through around halfway.
00:53:11Nice, with all my holes drilled, before I add these dowels, I'm actually going to flip this over and put this 12x12 trim on the top.
00:53:34That way, it'll create a little rebate and that's where our border tile will sit and it'll cover the top of that tile for us.
00:53:41That's all for us.
00:53:42That's all for us.
00:53:48Thanks for coming.
00:53:57I love you.
00:54:02KAHOSH.
00:54:06Nope.
00:54:11Nice, now these dowels, they're great for hanging things like towels and robes on, but we need
00:54:23some more storage, so I've got some more hardwood, and basically this 90mm, well that's going
00:54:29to act as shelves, and the thinner material, the 40mm, that will be the battens at the
00:54:33back.
00:54:34First thing I need to do, is start cutting everything to size.
00:54:49With all my pieces cut, instead of keeping them square, I want to put a bit of a detail
00:54:53on it, so I'm going to be curving them off, get rid of that sharp angle, I'll be doing
00:54:56it on the shelves, and the battens at the back.
00:55:12I'm just giving the corners a bit of a sand, to clean them up.
00:55:19Now what I'm going to do, is drill an 18mm hole at the top, that way they will slip over
00:55:25these dowels.
00:55:27To fix the shelves, I'm just gluing and screwing with some bugle screws from behind.
00:55:44And that is our completed unit.
00:55:46Now I've got to do one last thing, because we're hooking this onto our dowels, and it's
00:55:51got this thickness of 18mm on the back.
00:55:54If we sit it on, it's going to be sitting on a little bit of an angle, like so.
00:55:58So on the back here, I've just got some 18mm blocks, and that will allow everything to
00:56:02sit nice and flush.
00:56:04And the final step, which is the most important, because we are in a wet area and there's going
00:56:18to be a lot of moisture, we want to seal this timber, and to do that, I'm just putting on
00:56:23a clear coat.
00:56:27I've had Adam help me by putting the spindles on, if you're not confident doing this at
00:56:38home yourself, I'd highly recommend getting a licensed plumber.
00:56:41But how good do these black tabs look?
00:56:48To attach this hardwood trim to our tiles, I'm just using some white adhesive.
00:56:53So it runs along the top of our border tile, and I'll put some blobs on the face as well.
00:57:01Then, wherever there's a stud, I'm pre-drilling my hole, and using a bullet head nail to fix
00:57:10it in place.
00:57:11Now I'm just going to use my punch, I'll put that nail all the way in, and some hardwood
00:57:15filler to finish it off.
00:57:16I think Jet is going to absolutely love this.
00:57:22Oh wow, how good does this look?
00:57:31Absolutely gorgeous, isn't it?
00:57:32And practical too.
00:57:33So good, and you're a genius, because an upside down skirting board, who would have thought?
00:57:37Yeah, keep it simple.
00:57:39I do think though, to balance out all this timber, which I love, we do need some of the
00:57:43black accents.
00:57:44Yeah definitely.
00:57:45So this is the first thing, the towel rail, which is going to go just here.
00:57:47Beautiful, it'll really pop off the white tiles as well.
00:57:49It will, it will.
00:57:50Bit of monochrome.
00:57:51Is that what they call it?
00:57:52It's like your shirt.
00:57:53Bang, I'm starting to learn.
00:57:55Black and white, go to pies.
00:57:57Glad to get it in.
00:57:59This new timber blind will tie in beautifully with the trim, and with the vanity.
00:58:12I know how good you are with styling, so.
00:58:17Alright, beautiful.
00:58:18I'm all over this.
00:58:19With a bit of clever design, we've kept this cosmetic makeover to a modest budget, and a
00:58:40lot less than a full bathroom reno.
00:58:43This is an achievable project that you can mostly do yourself, except for obviously a
00:58:47plumber to hook up the vanity, and a sparky for these beautiful pendant lights.
00:58:51Yeah, and your fantastic timber trim meant that we didn't have to replace those feature tiles,
00:58:56and it's provided a whole heap of story.
00:59:01It's fair to say that overall, this is a great result.
00:59:15Row upon row of incredible colour.
00:59:18Yes, it has to be the Liliums.
00:59:22This month's Better Homes and Gardens magazine is all about keeping us warm and full.
00:59:26Take a stroll down memory lane with comforting favourites like this classic pork belly with
00:59:31potato bake.
00:59:32Discover soup recipes perfect for weeknights.
00:59:35Ideas for baking with cinnamon.
00:59:37And even some comforting recipes for cooking with a thermomix.
00:59:41Find bonus knitting and crochet patterns, plus brain-teasing puzzles.
00:59:46Grab your copy of the August magazine, out now.
00:59:56Isn't this incredible, staggeringly beautiful site?
00:59:59I just love it.
01:00:00Row upon row of really strong, sturdy plants, beautiful flowers, and look at the colour.
01:00:06It's just about every colour of the rainbow right across this hillside here.
01:00:10It's one of my all-time favourites.
01:00:12This is the Lilium.
01:00:13Lost in the dream, or just the silence of a moment.
01:00:22Well, I'm at Druitt's Bulb Farm in the Dandenongs, just outside of Melbourne.
01:00:27Now, the family's been growing bulbs here for over 50 years.
01:00:31Now, these Liliums are loving the rich volcanic soils and the climate up here in the Dandenongs,
01:00:36but the great thing is these Liliums can be grown all around Australia, just about anywhere.
01:00:40Right down in the cool parts of Tasmania, the tropics up in the Whitsundays in Queensland,
01:00:45and over in the west in Perth.
01:00:47Tim, it's a massive operation.
01:00:56So how many acres have you got here?
01:00:58We've got 16 acres on this property, and another 16 acres just around the corner.
01:01:01Do you know how many bulbs you're growing?
01:01:04Not exactly. Somewhere north of 10 million, though.
01:01:07Isn't that incredible?
01:01:08Yeah, look, it never stops for us.
01:01:10So basically, when summer comes along, that's when we're harvesting all your traditional spring flowering bulbs.
01:01:15And when winter flips around, that's when we're harvesting all of the Liliums and the like.
01:01:20So you plant them for summer colour.
01:01:22If you time it in your garden, you can have some form of bulb in flower all year round.
01:01:26I've seen some incredible varieties that we've been filming today,
01:01:30but there are some new ones and maybe some secret varieties that are your favourites?
01:01:34Look, one of my standout favourites has to be Knight Rider.
01:01:37It's the darkest of all the Liliums and one of the closest to black as you can possibly get.
01:01:41Yeah.
01:01:42I guess black is almost that Holy Grail flower in the garden.
01:01:45Like blue roses.
01:01:46Exactly, but it is absolutely magnificent and majestic.
01:01:49I also love some of the new breeding in Liliums.
01:01:52So they're called TA Liliums, which stands for Trumpet, Cross and Asiatic.
01:01:57They're really vigorous and really good for the Australian climate all across Australia.
01:02:01They clump up really nicely, very strong stems and a high bud count.
01:02:05So from a relatively small bulb, you're going to get lots of flowers and lots of buds for very little effort.
01:02:10There really is a Lilium for every gardener.
01:02:13Look, my mother, she is highly allergic to the scent of Liliums.
01:02:16Can't be anywhere near them, but she can actually have the new pollen and fragrance-free varieties
01:02:21that we've been working on and bringing into the country.
01:02:38Now Liliums might look maybe a little bit delicate, but in fact, they're super tough.
01:02:42A really strong, vigorous bulb.
01:02:44Look after them and you get this fabulous display of flowers.
01:02:47And look at the colours.
01:02:49Like heartstrings.
01:02:50Isn't it an incredible flower?
01:02:51It was basically a creamy yellow flower that's been hit with a spray gun.
01:02:55That beautiful burgundy red on the outside is a lovely contrast.
01:02:58Yep, heartstrings.
01:03:00Fabulous one.
01:03:01What about Sweet Zanica?
01:03:02A little bit taller.
01:03:03And each spike has got five or six flowers, so it's a really good value plant.
01:03:07Look at that in there.
01:03:09You can see the little flecks, lots of white, but that little burgundy little touch to it.
01:03:14Now, not everybody likes perfume in Liliums and sometimes in hospitals they don't like perfume.
01:03:20Maybe some people are allergic to them.
01:03:22And of course the pollen.
01:03:23Oh, look at my trousers.
01:03:25Now, if you don't want any of those problems, go for Belvedere.
01:03:28Look at this one.
01:03:29It's a beautiful double white.
01:03:30Look at the number of petals in each flower.
01:03:33Fabulous plant.
01:03:34And, of course, no perfume and no stamen, so you don't get the pollen stain.
01:03:39You came in perfection to me.
01:03:44You.
01:03:45Now, this gorgeous mulberry, raspberry sort of colour is a variety called Lycos.
01:03:53Now, it's a cross between the trumpet Liliums and the Asiatics.
01:03:58And the end result is incredible vigour and grow anywhere cultivation.
01:04:04So, it's a really tough one.
01:04:05But you'll also notice, apart from the eye-watering colour, it's quite tall.
01:04:10So, if you're going to grow them in a pot, a nice big mass of them with maybe some annuals around the outside,
01:04:14or in a garden bed at the back of the border, then you can have the shorter ones growing at the front.
01:04:20And the perfume?
01:04:21Oh, just beautiful.
01:04:23The great thing about Liliums, they love being grown in the garden, but they're perfect in pots as well.
01:04:37And, of course, the thing with Liliums, as Tim said earlier, you've got all these different seasons rolling through with different varieties of Liliums.
01:04:45Now, if you're buying that, it's a little bit piddly, but if you want to get a beautiful bulb, look at the size of that.
01:04:51And you can be planting those into the garden or into pots at this time of the year.
01:04:56I'm actually going to go for a bit of instant colour.
01:04:58So, I'll be going for this beautiful here, which is called Buzza.
01:05:02Now, Buzza is a really great little plant.
01:05:06You'll see it in your local garden centre already in bud.
01:05:10So, just gently take it out of the pot.
01:05:13You don't need to upset the root ball.
01:05:15Remember, these are already growing, okay?
01:05:17All the bulb, everything's in there, in the pot, and they're ready to take off.
01:05:21So, put that little fella in there.
01:05:24But I want to sort of jazz it up a little bit.
01:05:26Now, look at that.
01:05:27You've got some beautiful colour, nice contrast, and a great display.
01:05:31A couple of things to be wary of.
01:05:33Drainage.
01:05:34You must have plenty of holes in your pot.
01:05:36See these here?
01:05:37There's three, four holes.
01:05:38That means they're going to drain really well.
01:05:40Don't be afraid to put a little bit of crock in the bottom.
01:05:42Maybe a little bit of gravel, I find.
01:05:44A bit of mesh over the bottom so the gravel doesn't fall through.
01:05:47Drainage is essential.
01:05:48And in a nice, open, friable, good quality potting mix.
01:05:51And then you can plant out, well, at different times of the year, you can plant out your bulbs
01:05:56or you can plant out some potted colour.
01:05:58Either way, you're going to end up with a fantastic display of liliums.
01:06:01This weekend, why not plant a bit of glorious colourful glamour at your place, in your garden,
01:06:17or maybe add to your pot collection.
01:06:19There's just a fabulous array of colours and flower shapes.
01:06:22I'm sure there's bound to be a lilium variety that you'll want to grow at your place.
01:06:26Well, what an amazing journey this glass of water has been on from a dam to a filtration plant,
01:06:41then being piped all around our cities to end up in our taps in homes right around the country.
01:06:46Well, I hope that you have found this episode of Better Homes and Gardens as cool as a refreshing beverage.
01:06:51We'll see you next week. Bye.
01:06:56Next time, choosing the perfect suburb is a little like choosing the right partner.
01:07:02You can't rush things.
01:07:04What's important to you when you're looking for your dream suburb?
01:07:07We're getting our steps up on a walking tour to find out.
01:07:10Is this a giant money pit or a golden opportunity?
01:07:17It's a bit of a concrete jungle, but have some potential, Charlie.
01:07:20Fellas, imagine this place as the perfect entertainer with minimal excavation.
01:07:24Plus, these herpy Italian dumplings will knock you off your feet.
01:07:28I think that is a knocky that even an honour will be impressed with.
01:07:33Don't judge a recipe before it's baked.
01:07:36I promise you this is not an experiment that went wrong.
01:07:40It's my delicious, sticky, chewy matcha brownie.
01:07:48And this skateboarding bulldog is the wheel deal.
01:07:52Jono, do you like skateboards?
01:07:55I think he does.
01:07:57That's next time on Better Homes and Gardens.
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