- 10 hours ago
Better Homes And Gardens Summer - Season 22 Episode 8
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00:00Hello, I'm glad you could join us for another episode of our Better Homes and Gardens Summer Series
00:00:04This is where we take a look back at some of our favorite stories of recent years now with a big long weekend ahead
00:00:10We're certainly not going to leave you without plenty of inspiration
00:00:13We've got loads of beautiful dishes that you can make and projects you can create so enjoy
00:00:19Tonight when you're on a summer road trip with Charlie, you never know what you'll discover
00:00:25It's like a little Spanish fairy tale in the middle of the jungle
00:00:30You think you don't have time to make nice food? Colin will set you straight
00:00:34We want to cook dinner. We haven't had time to cook dinner. Yes, you have
00:00:37When your four-legged friend needs a tiny home upgrade going retro could be the key
00:00:44All right, Charlie, we're going to get up on your feet, mate
00:00:47If they cooperate
00:00:49You know you're doing something right when you make plywood look this good
00:00:54Wow, Misha, your artworks just sing
00:00:58Plus gardening can be all things to all people
00:01:02You're never too young or too old to garden and get enjoyment from it
00:01:07A creme caramel with sweet spices
00:01:11This is a dessert you'll want to remember
00:01:14This is going to be a great one to add to your repertoire
00:01:18And Dr Harry's found a pair of howling howls who are testing even him
00:01:24I need about 25 sets of earplugs to get through this one and a night
00:01:28All right, it's midweek
00:01:34Everyone's busy
00:01:36We've got netball training
00:01:38We've got basketball
00:01:39The kids are everywhere
00:01:40We want to cook dinner
00:01:41We haven't got time to cook dinner
00:01:42Yes, you have
00:01:43I'm going to show you how to cook the best chicken dish in 30 minutes using chicken breast
00:01:49Everyone's eating chicken breast
00:01:55Probably the most eaten meat in the world
00:01:57So it's quite thick
00:02:00So that's the problem is
00:02:02People try and cook it all the way through
00:02:04But they overcook one end and then the other end's not quite cooked
00:02:07So what you do is with your knife
00:02:09Turn it upside down
00:02:11And we're going to open it up a little bit
00:02:13A little bit like a book
00:02:14So we open that up
00:02:15I gently go halfway in
00:02:18And then I peel a little bit back
00:02:20Gently
00:02:21All you're doing is peeling it back
00:02:23And then what I do is
00:02:25Run my knife down the middle
00:02:26So you're left with
00:02:31A piece of chicken
00:02:33That is all the same width
00:02:35So it's going to cook all the same time
00:02:37Alright, let's repeat the process
00:02:39Loosen the fillet
00:02:40Peel it back
00:02:41Halfway
00:02:43Peel it back
00:02:44Line down the middle
00:02:45Line down the middle
00:02:46And the beauty of this recipe is
00:02:51You need one pan
00:02:52No oven
00:02:53It's all done on top of the stove
00:02:55Alright
00:02:56Going to add a splash of olive oil
00:02:59So already my pan is hot
00:03:01I'm going to hear that sizzle
00:03:03Fit your other one in
00:03:07A little bit of seasoning
00:03:09Pepper
00:03:12So we don't want to cook it all the way
00:03:17We just want to brown it a little bit
00:03:19Seal it
00:03:19There we go
00:03:22Alright, we have a lot of oil in here
00:03:36That I don't want
00:03:36But I do want to flavour the chicken
00:03:39In the bottom of the pan
00:03:40So what I do is
00:03:41Get rid of the excess oil
00:03:42So see all that
00:03:45That's all the caramelisation of the chicken
00:03:47That's what's going to give you your sauce
00:03:49Your gravy
00:03:50So very quickly
00:03:52My white wine
00:03:53This is called the glazing
00:03:54So that's going to lift
00:03:55All the flavour off the bottom of the pan
00:03:57So just bring it to the boil
00:04:04Turn it off
00:04:05Alright, so we've got the start of our sauce working
00:04:07Let's get our garnish in
00:04:09Alright, to make the sauce
00:04:13Water
00:04:14A good splash
00:04:15Enough
00:04:15To submerge the chicken
00:04:17Good knob of butter
00:04:19So the butter sort of enriches it and smooths it
00:04:25Two chillies
00:04:27Just cut them in half
00:04:28Just get the essence of the chilli
00:04:30Next up, garlic
00:04:32You definitely need garlic
00:04:34About three or four cloves
00:04:36So just smash them
00:04:37So throw that in there
00:04:40We can pick the skins out later
00:04:41Next up, we've got our herbs
00:04:45Thyme
00:04:46Marjoram
00:04:48Bay leaves
00:04:50You can put rosemary in
00:04:52You can put sage in
00:04:53Do whatever you want
00:04:54But fresh thyme
00:04:55It's going to lift the dish
00:04:57So sprinkle that in
00:04:58So you want to break it in
00:04:59So you get all those little leaves
00:05:00Bay leaves
00:05:02Two or three
00:05:02Marjoram
00:05:05Marjoram and chicken's a great accompaniment
00:05:09And now I want to give it a little spice
00:05:11A little kick
00:05:12A little bit of heat
00:05:13So I'm going to add
00:05:14A spoon of Dijon mustard
00:05:16About a tablespoon
00:05:18Dijon mustard
00:05:19My old friend, the lemon zest
00:05:23I will use the juice at the end
00:05:25But let's get the zest in there now
00:05:27All right, let's just give that a mix
00:05:32Mix your mustard
00:05:33Your butter
00:05:34Your herbs
00:05:35A little pinch of salt and pepper
00:05:37Next up
00:05:43We've got some beautiful tomatoes
00:05:46On the vine
00:05:47Don't worry if they're not on the vine
00:05:49I've got some here that are not on the vine
00:05:51Get a handful in there
00:05:53So what happens is
00:05:56The reason I love this dish is
00:05:59When you add the tomatoes
00:06:00They sort of half cook
00:06:02And they blister
00:06:03And the juice from the tomato
00:06:05Starts to flavor the stock
00:06:07So you're getting sort of a tomato water stock
00:06:09And that with the chicken
00:06:10Is a standout
00:06:11So with the larger tomatoes
00:06:12I like to just give them a little slice
00:06:13So they're going to release
00:06:15All the liquid
00:06:15All right, now what I'm going to do is
00:06:21I'm going to put the lid on
00:06:22So what happens is
00:06:23As it starts to boil
00:06:24It starts to steam
00:06:25It starts to break down the tomatoes
00:06:27And it starts to make the stock
00:06:29So just give it about five minutes
00:06:31All right, let's have a little look
00:06:34All right, we're bubbling
00:06:41We're hot
00:06:42Look at the steam coming out of that
00:06:44You ready for this?
00:06:44You ready?
00:06:45This is what you're looking for
00:06:46The magic
00:06:47So have a look at this
00:06:52So the stock is starting to go
00:06:53A little pinky color
00:06:54As the tomatoes leach in there
00:06:56Fresh herbs are running through it
00:06:58A little bit of mustard
00:07:01Ready to go
00:07:03So all we've got to do now
00:07:04Is add the chicken
00:07:06Hit it with some parmesan
00:07:08Some herbs
00:07:09And we're ready to go
00:07:10So now what you do is
00:07:12You just basically
00:07:14Put the chicken in
00:07:16Layer your garnish over it
00:07:17And what I do now is
00:07:20Make sure I get some of that stock
00:07:22All over the chicken
00:07:23Some of the tomatoes on top
00:07:26If you've got a little bit of fresh herb left
00:07:29Just rein it over the top
00:07:30And then for a little bit of saltiness
00:07:32Going to add some parmesan
00:07:34And now
00:07:40That goes back on the stove
00:07:43Lid on
00:07:44And basically the chicken is cooked in three minutes
00:07:47All right we've simmered
00:07:55Three to four minutes
00:07:56This is the best bit
00:07:59Where you get the smell
00:07:59Smells the whole house
00:08:01So you can see
00:08:05Our chicken is cooked
00:08:06Let me taste the sauce
00:08:09Oh yeah
00:08:12That parmesan really lifts it
00:08:14And it sort of makes it a little bit creamy
00:08:16Bit of pepper
00:08:17Grab a little bit of lemon
00:08:20Let me have a little
00:08:32A little try
00:08:34Get a bit of sauce
00:08:36Bit of chicken
00:08:37Who said chicken breast is boring
00:08:46Have a go at that
00:08:47That took less than 20 minutes
00:08:49That's middle of the table
00:08:51Feed the family
00:08:52And now off to netball
00:08:54See you later
00:08:55A Spanish castle
00:09:01Hidden amongst the Queensland
00:09:03Tropical rainforest
00:09:04Paranella Park
00:09:05Is truly unique
00:09:06I've got the perfect project
00:09:09For your pampered food
00:09:10So much better
00:09:16We have had some incredible experiences so far
00:09:28In tropical north Queensland
00:09:29But hands down
00:09:30I already feel it
00:09:32This is going to be Charlie's favourite by far
00:09:34Yeah you're absolutely right Jo
00:09:35I have been dying to get to this place
00:09:37And explore
00:09:38It's like a little Spanish fairy tale
00:09:40In the middle of the jungle
00:09:41Not random at all
00:09:43No not random
00:09:43This place is magnificent
00:09:50Tell us about the history of it
00:09:52Well basically
00:09:53We should say
00:09:54First of all
00:09:54That 30 years ago
00:09:55We discovered the park for ourselves
00:09:57But we were also very fortunate
00:09:59Four weeks after we took up residence here
00:10:01To actually meet Teresa
00:10:03The daughter of Jose and Margarita
00:10:06The founders of Paranella Park
00:10:08When Teresa arrived here
00:10:10She took us on a journey of discovery
00:10:12About her dad
00:10:13Jose Paranella
00:10:14And to be quite honest
00:10:16We fell in love with Paranella Park
00:10:18And it's become our passion
00:10:19Jose Paranella was a Spanish migrant
00:10:22Who arrived here in 1913
00:10:24And used his wealth as a cane farmer
00:10:27To create the garden
00:10:28And entertainment area for the public
00:10:30Opened in 1935
00:10:32It was run by the Paranella family
00:10:34Until the late 1970s
00:10:36Then went through a handful of owners
00:10:38Before Mark and Judy came along
00:10:40Eventually we decided that we were the custodians
00:10:44Of Jose's dream
00:10:45And that we had a dream as well
00:10:48And here we are 30 years later
00:10:50Still here
00:10:51It's incredible
00:10:52And lots of places that you can stay here
00:10:54I believe you've converted some buildings
00:10:55Yes, yes we do
00:10:56We've built some buildings
00:10:57And we have a lovely old historic church
00:11:01Just up the road
00:11:02And we've made that into a B&B
00:11:03So the thing is that I know
00:11:05That I'm not going to get a chance
00:11:06Looking at the gardens with you Mark
00:11:08I know he's bad
00:11:10Step aside
00:11:10Step aside
00:11:11I'll step aside with Judy
00:11:12We'll go check out the accommodation
00:11:14Let's go have a look at this
00:11:15Shall we?
00:11:16Beautiful
00:11:16So Mark, this is the most iconic image
00:11:27Of Paranella Park, isn't it?
00:11:28What have we got here?
00:11:29This building, built in the early 1930s
00:11:32Was the lower refreshment room
00:11:33Yes
00:11:33And it absolutely was the centre of daytime activity at the park
00:11:37And tell me a bit about the fountain
00:11:38Well the fountains were built a little bit later
00:11:41But Jose always had plans to use and capture nature
00:11:45And what he was able to do
00:11:46Was to put fountains here that are gravity fed
00:11:50Okay
00:11:51So there's no pumps involved
00:11:52The water comes from the top of the fall
00:11:54And as it's filling up, of course, it has to have an exit
00:11:57And that flows out the other end
00:11:59It goes back down to the creek
00:12:01Back to the creek
00:12:01Wow
00:12:02And I can see lots of acro props and things like that
00:12:05You're trying to preserve the buildings
00:12:06Why wouldn't you just rebuild them?
00:12:09The main thing is the park is heritage listed
00:12:12And what we don't want to do
00:12:14We want to really have minimal intervention
00:12:17Mark, this is absolutely magnificent, isn't it?
00:12:31It's incredible
00:12:32It's one of the most inspiring places
00:12:35When you realise that these trees were part of a planting
00:12:397,000 trees
00:12:401933, these were planted
00:12:42And they're cowrie pines, aren't they?
00:12:43Yeah
00:12:44The way these have been positioned in the park
00:12:46You get this incredible view of the waterfall down there
00:12:49Yes
00:12:49I mean, what hindsight to think about how these were going to look in the future
00:12:54That view sits tall
00:12:56It's a beautiful part of the park
00:12:57This is called the old church
00:13:07The old church
00:13:08Because that's what it was
00:13:09It was in a very, very bad state of disrepair
00:13:12But now it's almost looking back to the way it was back in 1958
00:13:16Oh, I can't wait to see them
00:13:18I want to hear about all your little touches that you added to them
00:13:20Yes
00:13:20Why were you leaving?
00:13:23Oh, this is sensational
00:13:26It's funny we go into a lot of converted churches on the show
00:13:31But this one has such a lovely feel, I think
00:13:33Because it's so full of light
00:13:34And you've got so much space around you
00:13:35Yes, yes, yes
00:13:36We kept it open plan
00:13:37Yep
00:13:38For that reason
00:13:38We didn't want to make it sort of, you know, too squeezy
00:13:41It's incredibly inspiring
00:13:42Congratulations on what you're doing
00:13:43Oh, thank you
00:13:44So this is obviously the reason why Jose was interested in this site
00:13:51Without a doubt
00:13:52It was Teresa that mentioned that this waterfall was the inspiration for choosing this location
00:14:00It gave Jose everything he wanted
00:14:03A water source that ran basically all year
00:14:07A water source that could power his electricity
00:14:10Yes
00:14:11So hydroelectric power
00:14:12A water source that could run the fountains
00:14:15Yeah
00:14:15But most of all, on top of that
00:14:18He had this wonderful vision of the vistas
00:14:20The views of the waterfall from the park
00:14:22Well, it is absolutely stunning
00:14:24I mean, imagine having that as your back garden
00:14:27It's just absolutely incredible
00:14:28The way that the jungle just works so perfectly with all the things that he's built
00:14:33It's just, it really is a lovely spot
00:14:35You're absolutely right
00:14:36Our goal is to make sure that the young person that visits today can come back in 60 years
00:14:42And the park will still be here
00:14:43Amazing
00:14:44Right, should we feed some fish?
00:14:45Let's feed some fish
00:14:46Wonderful
00:14:47You really have catered for everyone
00:14:55In every budget, every background
00:14:57It's unbelievable
00:14:58Congratulations
00:14:59Thank you
00:15:00Thank you
00:15:00I didn't actually think you two would ever come back
00:15:03It's still my busy heart
00:15:05Have you had the best day?
00:15:07Amazing, amazing gardens
00:15:08Really incredible
00:15:09We appreciate it
00:15:11It's been a wonderful, wonderful day
00:15:13To be honest, we've had a bore
00:15:15But I think on behalf of everyone who visits Paranel Park
00:15:17You're thanking the wrong people right now
00:15:19This is going to be the hottest kennel on two wheels
00:15:25Smooth, rich and just full of flavour
00:15:30What a la fun
00:15:32Sri Lankan creme caramel
00:15:34This month's issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine
00:15:38Is all about celebrating colour
00:15:40Whether your garden's overflowing with tomatoes
00:15:43Or you're getting great value on them
00:15:45Because they're in season at the shops
00:15:47Check out these recipes to make the most of this summer stunner
00:15:50Then cool down with the best icy poles and ice creams
00:15:54Using fresh, seasonal fruit and flavours the whole family will love
00:15:58Grab your issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine right now
00:16:01And get your bonus cookbook of 36 easy recipes
00:16:04So that you can master no-sweat summer cooking
00:16:07We all like showing our pets love
00:16:16And as a chippy, the perfect way for me to do that
00:16:18Is to build them a custom kennel
00:16:20But the one I've got in mind is going to have chilli here
00:16:22Cruising around in style
00:16:24It's going to be perfect for the pampered one in your life
00:16:26What do you think, mate?
00:16:27What do you think, mate?
00:16:28To make this kennel, I'm just using some 15mm ply
00:16:35It's easy to work with and cost effective
00:16:37The theme, well, it's a retro caravan
00:16:39Because chilli, well, he likes that vintage look
00:16:41The first thing I'm going to be doing
00:16:42Is cutting all my pieces to size
00:16:44Chilli was nice enough to jump up on the bench for me
00:16:58Which means I can use him to measure the size of a door
00:17:01Basically, I just need chilli to stand up
00:17:03I'll take the measurement from the bench to the top of his head
00:17:06And then add a little bit for clearance
00:17:08Alright, chilli
00:17:09We're going to get up on your feet, mate
00:17:11There, come on, stand up
00:17:13I don't understand how he wants me to make this snazzy retro van
00:17:17When he's not even going to cooperate
00:17:18Oh, there we go
00:17:19There we go, thank you, chilli
00:17:21That's all you've got to do is just be a bit stern
00:17:23Alright, so it's about 400mm
00:17:25That means I'll make my door 450mm
00:17:27That was a little bit more difficult than what I had to be
00:17:29But chilli here, well, he's a bit cheeky
00:17:31And while we're at it, we're also going to position and cut out all the windows
00:17:39We've got to keep things cool
00:17:41And to finish the cuts off so I can get right into the corner
00:17:55I'm just using a jigsaw
00:17:57And the final step for all the cutting is to add these stainless steel bowls
00:18:09You can pick them up from any kitchen store
00:18:11One's going to be for water and one's going to be for the food
00:18:14Now to cut these out, I will be drilling a hole in each corner
00:18:17And just using the jigsaw
00:18:18And to put this together, I'm pre-dwelling my holes and using some glue
00:18:34And some 40mm galvanised screws
00:18:37A good tip here is to use the base to help you square up the box
00:18:54So I'll screw the back first and then line it up around the edges
00:18:58And what's a caravan without a set of wheels?
00:19:11So now I'm going to be adding this 70b45 at the back of the caravan
00:19:15That will act as an axle
00:19:17And then at the front, I'll be putting this chock
00:19:19I won't be attaching the wheels till after I've painted this whole thing
00:19:39I've just coated the inside of the kennel with a clear coat
00:19:41That way everything is sealed
00:19:43For the outside, we want to give it a vintage look
00:19:45So I'm going to be going around the whole perimeter in this yellow stripe
00:19:49Now I want the stripe to be 50mm
00:19:51So I've got to use the width of the paintbrush
00:19:53And the trick here is just to draw a line around and work to that
00:20:12And the final colour for a doggy caravan is going to be blue
00:20:15But I need to protect this yellow stripe
00:20:17So I've just put some green tape on
00:20:19Now I can paint the whole lot blue
00:20:34With the paint dry, we're now ready to add the finishing touches
00:20:37So I'll be putting on the wheels
00:20:38Putting the doggy bowls in
00:20:39And even a little planner at the window
00:20:49Now we're ready to reveal the stripe
00:20:50And get the show on the road
00:20:51The good thing about this is
00:21:02Not only does it look stylish
00:21:03But it's easy to move around
00:21:05And look at that
00:21:05Chilly wants to get straight in there
00:21:07What do you think mate?
00:21:09You're right at home, yeah?
00:21:10Coming up
00:21:24When you add a Sri Lankan twist to creme caramel
00:21:27You get a sweet favourite
00:21:29So, so good
00:21:32Can Dr Harry conduct this canine concerto?
00:21:38I can't even do it myself
00:21:40And Misha Harrison is such a versatile artist
00:21:45Her work doesn't just hang on walls
00:21:47This dining table
00:21:49I don't know if I've ever seen anything like it
00:21:50It's just stunning
00:21:51This dessert is a Sri Lankan dessert called Watalapan
00:22:01Now, the only difference with this dessert
00:22:04Between a creme caramel
00:22:06Is it's spiked with beautiful spices
00:22:10And made with coconut milk
00:22:15We're going to start off with the sugar syrup
00:22:18To a pot, I'm going to add 200 grams of coconut sugar
00:22:23The coconut sugar gives a beautiful toffee-like taste
00:22:29I've got about a tablespoon or two of water
00:22:34Just to get it to melt
00:22:38Just watch the flame
00:22:39Make sure it's on low heat
00:22:41You don't want to burn this sugar
00:22:43And the sugar is all melted
00:22:46All right
00:22:47We're going to drizzle two tablespoons each
00:22:50This beautiful coconut syrup in the ramekins
00:22:53And then we're going to let it cool down
00:22:56Onto our custard
00:22:58We've got eight eggs
00:23:02In a separate bowl
00:23:05You want to just crack them
00:23:08And then beat them ever so slightly
00:23:13So this dish is lactose-free
00:23:15So if your lactose intolerant
00:23:17This is going to be a great one
00:23:20To add to your repertoire
00:23:23Just beat the eggs
00:23:29Okay
00:23:31Onto
00:23:33The sugar
00:23:35300 grams of coconut sugar here
00:23:37About 540 ml of coconut milk
00:23:49There's five different spices that we put into this creme caramel
00:23:53Quarter of a teaspoon of mixed spice
00:23:59Quarter of a teaspoon of clove powder
00:24:03Quarter of a teaspoon of nutmeg powder
00:24:05And a quarter of a teaspoon of cardamom
00:24:09And a quarter of a teaspoon of cardamom
00:24:14And a quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon
00:24:19And we mix the coconut milk and the sugar
00:24:28Until the sugar melts into the coconut milk
00:24:32Doesn't take very long
00:24:34We've got vanilla extract
00:24:38Again, not traditional
00:24:41We usually use pandan
00:24:44But just as good
00:24:49And salt to bring up all of those spices
00:24:53And the sweetness
00:24:54Always nice to have salt
00:24:57Not too much
00:24:58A little bit
00:25:04Now that the sugar is dissolved
00:25:06I'm going to add my egg
00:25:09Very slowly
00:25:10Into the mixture
00:25:11Now how simple is that
00:25:20We are almost done here
00:25:22The last step of this is to sieve your mixture
00:25:29If you want it to have a smooth consistency at the end
00:25:33You don't want any lumps in here
00:25:35So let me just sieve it
00:25:41Another difference between the traditional way of cooking this
00:25:49Is that I'm going to use a water bath instead of steaming it
00:25:53So I'm going to put them in
00:26:00So you want to fill them up
00:26:02Not to the rim
00:26:04But just about three quarters
00:26:11And now for the water
00:26:17You can use hot water from a tap
00:26:19And just fill the tray up with the water
00:26:22Where the custard finishes
00:26:29And then pop it into a preheated oven at 150
00:26:35Or until you find that the custard has set
00:26:38And it's slightly jiggly
00:26:41So I'm going to let these cool down
00:26:56Before I transfer it into the fridge
00:26:58It needs to sit in the fridge for about two or three hours
00:27:01Or until they're completely set
00:27:04And then you can turn them over
00:27:11What a treat
00:27:22All right
00:27:24This is the moment
00:27:25So what you need to do is you need to get a small knife
00:27:29And run it through the sides of the bowl
00:27:34Are we ready?
00:27:34I'm hoping that it's going to come off in one go
00:27:47Woohoo
00:27:48Look at that
00:27:51That's what you're looking for
00:27:54I'm going to chop a handful of cashew nuts
00:28:01And I'm just going to put it over the custard
00:28:09And then I'm going to dig in
00:28:10Mmm
00:28:18I love the spice in this
00:28:20And it really reminds me of home
00:28:23So, so good
00:28:25So this is the normal scenario
00:28:34When I come to the door
00:28:36Or when a stranger comes to the door
00:28:40Habitat is super important
00:28:42But you don't need something this impressive to make a difference
00:28:45To catch up on any stories you've missed
00:28:50Plus watch loads more makeovers
00:28:51Exclusive craft and styling content
00:28:53And more
00:28:54Check us out on 7 Plus
00:29:05Now you probably wonder why I'm wearing this PPE
00:29:08Personal protection equipment
00:29:11One of the commonest things I get to see
00:29:13Are barking dogs
00:29:14That's why these are here
00:29:15And when I reach the front door
00:29:17You'll see exactly what the problem is
00:29:19Stick with me
00:29:21As I pop these in
00:29:22And go and knock
00:29:41Hello
00:29:44I can't even hear myself
00:29:49It's just absolutely deafening
00:29:51Yeah, so you and I
00:29:53Now we'll be in the carport
00:29:54Leave these two here
00:29:55All right
00:29:56Okay
00:29:56Can we do that?
00:29:57Definitely
00:29:57Okay, well you come with me
00:29:58All right, I'll come with you
00:29:59Ah
00:30:00In there Zig
00:30:01Come on
00:30:05Let's go to the carport and we can have a yarn
00:30:08Peace and quiet, I think your daughter's taken over
00:30:12Much better
00:30:13Yeah, settle things down a bit
00:30:15Okay, Danielle
00:30:15Goodness gracious me, it's a problem isn't it?
00:30:18It is a real problem and we're just at a loss to know what to do about it
00:30:23Because he's obviously very stressed and it's not good for him either
00:30:27Let's go back in history
00:30:28Mm-hmm
00:30:28How old is he?
00:30:29And what's his name?
00:30:30Oh, his name is Zigmund, but we call him Ziggy for short
00:30:34And yes, we got him just before COVID
00:30:37So he's just over four years old
00:30:39Right
00:30:40So he got used to having us all around, I think
00:30:42And then post COVID, he's just been very protective when people come to the door
00:30:48If there's anyone in the street, he will bark like that
00:30:51But so loving to us
00:30:53But he never stopped barking
00:30:54He never stops
00:30:55Any excuse?
00:30:56If it's not one of the immediate family, he will start barking
00:30:59Okay, I've seen some of your videos and thank you very much for those, they're great
00:31:04Some of them actually show howling as opposed to barking
00:31:07When does he howl?
00:31:08He howls when we're out sometimes, so he just seems very sad
00:31:12That we're not home, so
00:31:14What's the second dog, the little black dog?
00:31:16What's the story on that?
00:31:16So that is Scout
00:31:18And Scout is just over two years old
00:31:21Right
00:31:22Scout loves to copy Ziggy
00:31:24Exactly right
00:31:24Now, Ziggy's the boss
00:31:26We've done things like try to give him treats
00:31:29You know, as the person comes in
00:31:31Try to get the person to give him treats when they come in
00:31:35But he just goes into this zone
00:31:37It seems like he can't hear us
00:31:39He doesn't react to the treats
00:31:41He just wants to bark at whoever's there
00:31:43I think you used the right turn of phrase
00:31:45You know, he goes into a zone
00:31:46And during that zone, he's not going to listen to you
00:31:50He's sort of out of control because he's being possessed by something
00:31:53Yes
00:31:53If you like
00:31:53I mean, it doesn't really happen that way
00:31:55But it sounds that way, you know
00:31:57And so he doesn't want to react to anything you're saying
00:31:59The point we're at now is where I'm very reluctant to have people over to our house
00:32:04Yeah
00:32:04Because, yeah
00:32:05It's antisocial, isn't it?
00:32:06It's antisocial, it's embarrassing
00:32:08I need about 25 sets of earplugs to get through this one in a day
00:32:12But we'll make a start
00:32:13Okay
00:32:15All right, young man, you jump up there
00:32:17No growling
00:32:19Good
00:32:21Okay, look at these two front feet
00:32:22See the brown stoning around here
00:32:24Yeah, yeah
00:32:24That's saliva
00:32:25Right
00:32:26And constant licking with saliva gives you this brown stain
00:32:28This is a symptom of anxiety
00:32:32So from a clinical point of view, I think he's normal
00:32:35Okay
00:32:35But it's what's going on in here
00:32:39Inside his central nervous system that is our problem
00:32:42And that's what we have to deal with
00:32:43Mum can take the lead off and put you down
00:32:45And we're going to look at the front door situation
00:32:48And what we can actually do at the front door
00:32:50Yeah
00:32:50To try and help the problem
00:32:51Okay
00:32:52Good boy, Zig
00:32:53Well done
00:32:54Thank you
00:32:58So this is the normal scenario when I come to the door
00:33:04Or when a stranger comes to the door
00:33:06What do you normally do?
00:33:08Get the people to go through, ignore them, sit on the couch and
00:33:13Just sweat it out, wait until they start
00:33:16How long does that take?
00:33:18Oh, it can take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes
00:33:20Right
00:33:21Quite a long time
00:33:22They will settle but
00:33:24What happens if you put a lead on?
00:33:26Uh, I think he'll run away when you try and do it
00:33:30Once you get it over his head, that's right
00:33:32Come here, love
00:33:33Come on
00:33:34Come on
00:33:36Good boy
00:33:38Good boy
00:33:39Okay, pull it up
00:33:40You got it
00:33:41Now you've got some control
00:33:43Okay
00:33:43Ask him to sit and give it a tug
00:33:45Ziggy
00:33:46Sit
00:33:49Good
00:33:50That's why they're better off to ignore him
00:33:51Oh, you sat on your own
00:33:52Good boy
00:33:53Well, they will play follow the leader
00:33:55He's the one who's instigating all the noise
00:33:57That's right
00:33:58And if he's quiet, the other dog will be quiet too
00:34:01Yes
00:34:02Now this is the first time we've ever done this, right?
00:34:05And the results amaze me
00:34:07You've done, it's all you're doing
00:34:09You've done fantastically well, right?
00:34:11You've controlled your dog
00:34:13You are in charge of the situation
00:34:15And you're guiding him and telling him what to do
00:34:18Yes
00:34:19And with the use of medication it will become even easier
00:34:21Yes
00:34:22Than that
00:34:22Along with the lead training at the front door
00:34:28I've also suggested a frozen cong treat
00:34:34And lick mats to keep the dogs occupied
00:34:36Thank you very much indeed
00:34:40Lovely
00:34:40And thank you for today
00:34:41Thank you, Harry
00:34:42And thank you for your input, okay?
00:34:44You have to persevere
00:34:45That's so important when you're dealing with a problem like this
00:34:47Be going on for four years
00:34:49We reckon a month for every year
00:34:52To get on top of it
00:34:53So a minimum four months
00:34:55Okay
00:34:55And everyone in the family has to be consistent
00:34:57This is the medication
00:34:58Very straightforward
00:34:59The ideal dose would have been three quarters of a tablet
00:35:01We can't get that
00:35:02So let's go with half a tablet to start with
00:35:04Okay
00:35:04And see how we go
00:35:05All right
00:35:05Well, they're enjoying that
00:35:06They are
00:35:07And I'm going to enjoy this
00:35:08Cheers
00:35:08Cheers
00:35:09How amazing is this?
00:35:23Right in the middle of the city
00:35:24Now wetlands like this
00:35:26Of course they're not just beautiful
00:35:27But they also provide important habitat
00:35:29For insects and animals
00:35:31And one that's often overlooked
00:35:33But plays an important role in the health of our ecosystems
00:35:36The humble frog
00:35:39Frogs are what we call an indicator species
00:35:49But what does that mean?
00:35:51Well, because frogs rely on both land and water
00:35:53To complete their different stages of life
00:35:56It means that they provide valuable insight into the overall health
00:35:59And biodiversity of both environments
00:36:01But of course it also means that they're vulnerable to changes at either end
00:36:06So I'm going to show you how to bring a little piece of this wetland
00:36:09Into your backyard
00:36:10And provide a special home for the frogs at your place
00:36:13We're building a frog hotel and water is an essential part of the project
00:36:29So I start by choosing a waterproof pot or bowl like this
00:36:33And if there's a drainage hole in the bottom
00:36:34Then simply plug it with a bit of waterproof putty
00:36:39The heart of this project is PVC pipe
00:36:42Which believe it or not tree frogs love
00:36:44So they've got little sticky pads
00:36:46And you can imagine the tree frogs can climb up here
00:36:49Hide away inside the pipes and find a sort of safe protected spot
00:36:53And I'm using pipes of different sizes for different sized frogs
00:36:56All I need to do now is just cut some of them to size
00:37:10So once you get it started it's fairly easy to get through with a hacksaw
00:37:13If you're having trouble getting it straight
00:37:15You could just put a bit of masking tape there to help guide you
00:37:18But honestly if it's not perfect don't worry the frogs won't mind
00:37:26You can just smooth those rough edges with a little bit of sandpaper
00:37:35And I know it might be tempting to paint it
00:37:37But the frogs actually prefer the pipes just like this
00:37:40And we can soften the look later with a few plants
00:37:42Now once you're happy with the position of your pipes
00:37:57You can get some sand in there to keep them in position
00:38:01Now if like me you don't have a helping hand
00:38:03You can temporarily tape those pipes together
00:38:05And then pop the sand in
00:38:07You just want enough in there that you're keeping the pipes nice and stable
00:38:12And then pop the sand in there
00:38:14And then pop the sand in there
00:38:16And then pop the sand in there
00:38:18We're creating a water garden so I'm using aquatic plants
00:38:21This is the variegated ribbon grass
00:38:23I think that white will tie in nicely with our pipes
00:38:26At home you could plant it into moist soil
00:38:28Or an aquatic garden like this
00:38:31Next up is our spotted green goddess
00:38:33Which is just nice and lush but has the bonus of white flowers
00:38:37And then at the back a little bit of water iris for some height
00:38:42Now the beautiful thing about using aquatic plants is that not only do they look good
00:38:47But they're also going to help to provide some protection for our tree frogs
00:38:50As they're climbing in and out of those pipes
00:38:53Now just pop a good layer of pebbles in there
00:38:55It'll help to cover those black plastic pots
00:38:58And give our frog hotel a nice finished look
00:39:00Now it's time to add the water
00:39:08Now at this step there are a few things to think about
00:39:11So you could use tap water but only if you leave it outside long enough for the chlorine to dissipate
00:39:15Or you could collect those little water conditioning drops from your local pet or aquatic store
00:39:20Or you can do what I've done and collect fresh rain water
00:39:23Now just when you're adding the water make sure you don't put it above the pebble layer
00:39:29Because you don't want to encourage mosquitoes
00:39:39Just for a bit of added interest I've picked up some plumbing fittings
00:39:42I'm just going to plonk on the top of those pipes
00:39:45Look at that it's like a little frog veranda
00:39:47So they can come out peek around and still have protection
00:39:58There we go
00:40:00So just one final tip for you
00:40:01Remember frogs can be a little bit noisy at night
00:40:04So don't place your frog hotel close to the bedroom
00:40:06You might regret it
00:40:08But now all that's left to do is sit back relax and wait for your new guest to check in
00:40:18I'm here in Wollongong to meet a local artist whose work is unlike anything I've ever seen before
00:40:25We couldn't continue on with the farm without actually stopping off at the Binda Creek for a bit of a kayak
00:40:33This issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine is all about celebrating the power of colour
00:40:38Check out vibrant florals that can bring joy to your garden no matter its size
00:40:42And plants that can brighten up even the darkest shadiest corners
00:40:46Plus it's absolutely the season of homegrown tomatoes
00:40:50Find my tips to making them thrive and when it comes to harvest ensure they're full of flavour
00:40:55Find delicious recipes to put your fresh pick to good use
00:40:58This month's magazine features a bonus 36 page booklet full of quick and easy recipes for simple and light summer cooking
00:41:05So much better
00:41:11Wollongong's always been a town of contrasts both busy industry and also a relaxed coastal township
00:41:19I'm here to meet a local artist whose work embodies both of these principles hard work and beauty
00:41:25It's all my love I only care
00:41:30It's all my love
00:41:34It's all my love
00:41:39Hello, how are you going?
00:41:40Misha, so nice to meet you, I'm Juliette
00:41:42Misha, nice to meet you
00:41:44Thank you for this
00:41:45No worries
00:41:45I love your outfit
00:41:46You're obviously a big fan of colour
00:41:48I've seen your artwork online and I'm such a fan
00:41:51Oh, thank you so much
00:41:53Thanks for coming down, I'm so excited to show you my studio, my new artwork
00:41:57Oh, what a spot in Wollongong and I cannot wait to see your studio
00:41:59Can we go take a look?
00:42:00Yeah, let's go
00:42:16Wow, Misha, your artworks just sing
00:42:19The moment I walked into this room, they're so vibrant and lively
00:42:22They are beautiful and I love that you've got them on muted grey walls
00:42:26Because it really makes them pop
00:42:27Thank you so much
00:42:28Yeah, colour is very much part of my personality, my art
00:42:31And yeah, I just love it
00:42:32It brings so much joy and yeah, inspiration to my life
00:42:35You can see that layering in your work
00:42:37So tell me a little bit about that
00:42:39My artworks are three-dimensional artworks
00:42:41They're all crafted from plywood
00:42:43I love that you can take like a mundane everyday building material
00:42:47And transform it into something really beautiful
00:42:51And I also noticed that you've applied the same technique to furniture
00:42:56This dining table
00:42:57I don't know if I've ever seen anything like it
00:42:58It's just stunning
00:42:59I needed a dining room table
00:43:01And classic Misha Harrison needs to build everything from scratch
00:43:05So I decided to translate my artwork into a dining table
00:43:09And I'm stoked with how it turned out
00:43:11Oh, the result is beautiful
00:43:13Thank you
00:43:13It works so well with that glass on top
00:43:15Thank you so much
00:43:23Misha, I notice you have a still life book in this artwork
00:43:27So how do you decide on the subject matter in your work?
00:43:30I'm just absolutely obsessed with the intricacies and the patterns found in nature and plants and drapery
00:43:37It just, yeah, it calls for such an interesting contrast of shapes and textures
00:43:42And how long would something like this take you?
00:43:45This takes about a full week of going very hard on the tools all day, every day
00:43:52I would love to see some of that process
00:43:54Yeah, let's do it
00:43:55I'll get changed and I'll show you what it's all about
00:43:58Okay, great
00:44:00This is where the magic happens
00:44:13How gorgeous
00:44:14Lots of busyness I see
00:44:16Yes, lots of busyness
00:44:17This is the workbench that I work on
00:44:19So you'll find me here most days slaving away
00:44:22I've got the jigsaw
00:44:24Which I will like cut all my shapes out with
00:44:27I've got the router which creates all the different grooves and carving part aspects of the work
00:44:33And how do you start to create the patterns?
00:44:35I'll draw out different parts that need carving and then I'll just go from there and
00:44:40I'll usually cut one out see if it like looks good if it's not going to break and yeah go from there
00:44:47Well this is really interesting it's obviously a work in progress
00:44:50How do you get from that point before with all the tools to this?
00:44:54I always liken my works to a big jigsaw puzzle so every piece of the puzzle is handcrafted, carved, stitched and embroidered
00:45:04And yeah, it's just really working bit by bit and then eventually the puzzle comes together
00:45:09If you could see the work in this each piece of the pineapple is individually put on there
00:45:14And it is hand stitched as well. It's just really beautiful
00:45:22I love the texture that you get with the ply as well because it's um it's not that flat
00:45:26Yeah, it's got that like nice textury tooth to it
00:45:29I really love the ruggedness and the rusticness of the wood like you can still see that it is wood underneath all the paint
00:45:36With the embroidery I try and get really contrasting colors like it needs to sit
00:45:42like it apart from
00:45:44The background color to make it pop otherwise if you're just embroidering like the same color for texture
00:45:50It's not it's getting lost in the whole work
00:45:52So I try and pick something that's going to stand out a little bit and do you
00:45:57Put you put the holes in beforehand
00:46:00Because you know where you're going to stitch it. Yeah, you just kind of put them everywhere and hope for the best
00:46:03Yeah, no, I yeah do them. There is a method to some of my madness
00:46:08Yeah, I'll map out where the stitching is going to go
00:46:12It's almost a bit meditative I would imagine definitely do you know what even the power tools are a source of meditation for me
00:46:19As crazy as that sounds, but um, yeah, I really get lost in my whole process
00:46:24This is the quieter part of the process, but um, yeah, I love all of it
00:46:28It just I can be in here for hours and the time just gets away from me
00:46:33Would you like to do some you can be an artist for a few minutes?
00:46:37I'll have a go for sure
00:46:39Uh, but if people want to find you how do they where do they find you if they want to if they're interested in your artwork?
00:46:45Yes, so they can head to my website where I've got some available work some
00:46:49Limited edition reproductions of my work so prints and then also some other
00:46:54Jigsaw puzzles towels other products and they can find me on instagram
00:46:58Well, I have absolutely loved our time together today. Thank you so much for having me
00:47:03I love your artworks
00:47:04I'm a big fan and I think everyone at home will as well
00:47:07Thank you so much for coming
00:47:08I've really loved every minute of sharing my art and my journey with you guys
00:47:12Thank you so much. You're welcome. I'm gonna hand this back before I ruin it
00:47:19Coming up North Queensland has so much to offer its visitors, but sometimes you just have to take it easy
00:47:26This is one of the most relaxing things that I've ever done in my life. It is it is so so beautiful
00:47:32And gardening is great for the mind and body and graham's found a garden
00:47:37That's great for the community to to share the workload and enjoy the harvest
00:47:54Our tropical North Queensland adventurers seen us travel from Cairns down the cassowary coast which actually starts a bit further south
00:48:00We couldn't continue on with the farm without actually stopping off at the binda creek for a bit of a kayak
00:48:05How's your kayaking skills Jo? Well last time I was in a kayak I felt straight in the water so of course gonna say they're fabulous
00:48:10Yeah, not a great place to start
00:48:16Hello Paul. Good morning Jo. Good morning Charlie. How are you this morning?
00:48:19Well, we're fabulous. Look where you've brought us. This is amazing
00:48:23Isn't it a beautiful part of the world as we see lots of black brim and that down in the creek here at the foothills of two of
00:48:29Queensland's highest mountains. Really?
00:48:31I know it's a bit under cloud at the moment. Shall we head off? We'll head downstream?
00:48:34Yeah, why not? Okay, let's go and discover this lovely place
00:48:37Unreal
00:48:38So if you just have a look over the right there that's the catfish nest over there
00:48:53Just on your right hand side
00:48:54Yeah here? Yep
00:48:55Yep
00:48:56Yep
00:48:56See the haliconias up there Jo?
00:49:00They're beautiful
00:49:01And wild ginger there as well
00:49:03So lush
00:49:04Yep
00:49:07What a great sound from that little bird wow
00:49:12I think I've found what I'd do if I wasn't a landscaper
00:49:14It's a great lifestyle honestly
00:49:17Float down a river
00:49:18Paul, I'm going to say this is one of the most relaxing things that I've ever done in my life
00:49:23It is so, so beautiful
00:49:25It is a beautiful part of the world isn't it? And you could be anywhere
00:49:28Nature
00:49:29Nature does it all
00:49:30Nature does it all
00:49:31It does
00:49:32I don't think I've ever seen this fun more relaxed
00:49:35You going to wake up about the time we get to Mongali Dairy?
00:49:38Maybe
00:49:39Maybe I'll just stay here
00:49:40How far away is the dairy?
00:49:41About an hour
00:49:42An hour
00:49:42Can we paddle there?
00:49:43It'll be a big paddle
00:49:44Unfortunately it's on top of the hill
00:49:46We're at the bottom
00:49:51Guys
00:49:53Go
00:49:53Well apart from tourism, farming absolutely thrives in the glorious warm weather of Queensland's
00:50:06tropical north
00:50:07A Mongali Biodynamic Dairy just isn't any old farm
00:50:10Hey
00:50:10Hello
00:50:11How are you guys?
00:50:11How are you?
00:50:12Hey Rob, how are you?
00:50:13Good to meet you
00:50:13Nice to meet you
00:50:14Nice to meet you both
00:50:15How long have you guys been here for?
00:50:17Rob's been here since he was four
00:50:1864 we came here
00:50:19Wow
00:50:20Wow
00:50:20This is the house we grew up in
00:50:21The farm it was a small dairy farm when mum and dad first took over the farm
00:50:25Goodness I mean dairy farming is pretty relentless
00:50:28So you obviously had to fall in love with the lifestyle for you both to be here still
00:50:32You get so far in debt you can't get out of it
00:50:36No, we're very passionate about what we do and Rob in particular is passionate about regenerative farming
00:50:43And so in 1987 when he took over the farm from his parents with his brother Dan
00:50:48They started looking at alternative ways to farm and came across biodynamics
00:50:52That's something I'm super passionate about
00:50:53Can we go and have a closer look?
00:50:55I'd love to talk about that
00:50:56Yeah
00:50:56So you two are going to head off and do that
00:50:58And you and I
00:50:59You just mentioned how diverse the farming has come here
00:51:01Absolutely
00:51:02You've got to see some of the wonderful products we make
00:51:04The ice cream and the cheeses
00:51:05Ooh
00:51:06Yeah
00:51:06We might even save you two some for later
00:51:08We'll come back for an ice cream
00:51:09Okay
00:51:10Did you hear that?
00:51:11If you like it
00:51:18Well this really is quite picturesque isn't it?
00:51:20It's a beautiful spot
00:51:21Yeah
00:51:21Really really nice
00:51:22Yeah
00:51:22Yeah
00:51:22So what is biodynamic farming?
00:51:24So biodynamics is essentially working with the laws of nature
00:51:28A lot of chemical farming they push those boundaries by using the synthetic fertilizers
00:51:32and the chemicals and the poisons
00:51:33Whereas we just work with the biology in the soil
00:51:35We enhance it with some of the biodynamic preps
00:51:38And that just brings life forces back into the soil
00:51:40And we use homeopathic quantities
00:51:42Tiny little amounts
00:51:44And that does magic things
00:51:46So this is the soil after quite a few years of biodynamics
00:51:49Okay
00:51:50Quite often you get layers in your soil
00:51:52This has got no layers in the soil
00:51:54It's beautifully structured
00:51:55It's probably got an enormous amount of air in there
00:51:58So
00:51:59That is incredible looking soil isn't it?
00:52:01You've got all different sized heads in there
00:52:03Yeah
00:52:03That's really fantastic stuff
00:52:05Well I'm quite excited to find out what this tastes like in ice cream form
00:52:09Okay we could take a bit up and squash it into the ice cream if you prefer
00:52:12I think we could get you a new flavour
00:52:13Okay
00:52:14Let's go and find Charlie's dirt flavoured ice cream
00:52:16Okay
00:52:17It's delicious
00:52:25Michelle this is so much more than what I was expecting
00:52:27And so many of your beautiful products are here
00:52:29Yeah it's really lovely to be able to have the farmhouse cafe to showcase the products
00:52:34That you know we put so much time and effort into looking after the land
00:52:39Producing a wonderful biodynamic milk
00:52:41It's really lovely to be able to showcase them in a range of products
00:52:44I mean you've tapped into the fact that you're using local products everywhere
00:52:47But you also sell a lot of other companies things in your soil
00:52:50I mean you're real champions of this area
00:52:52Well our success came from our local community and then our communities further afield supporting what
00:52:58We were doing people really want to know that when they buy a dairy product
00:53:02That the land's been looked after that the cows are treated well
00:53:06And we're all about making sure the land is there for future generations
00:53:09We're all about health both of people but also of the land
00:53:13See I love that you've got you've got happy healthy lands
00:53:16You've got happy healthy cows and the end result is some of the best produce
00:53:19I think I've ever tasted in my life
00:53:21Fantastic
00:53:22And we see you two found where to find the ice creams
00:53:26Look at this
00:53:27Wow that looks delicious
00:53:29One thing I've been dying to ask you
00:53:30I saw inside that you've got so many lactose free
00:53:34You know different products including lactose free pouring cream which I haven't seen before
00:53:37Great new coffee
00:53:38Is it?
00:53:39Good new coffee
00:53:40And why the focus on that?
00:53:42This one
00:53:43I'm lactose intolerant so
00:53:44And I design all the products so therefore I've decided to
00:53:47Sorry a lactose intolerant dairy farmer?
00:53:49Yes
00:53:51I haven't heard it at all
00:53:53You don't get that very often do you?
00:53:54Well congratulations on what you're both doing this is this is really something else
00:53:58And something delicious
00:54:00I know don't worry we are enjoying it as well
00:54:02Now here's a common problem that you find in basically all kitchens that you walk into
00:54:13You have a cupboard door and the gap isn't even
00:54:15You can see this one isn't closing properly
00:54:17Now if I look at the gaps I can see that this one's even
00:54:20But on this side it runs out it's bigger at the top smaller down the bottom
00:54:24And that's exactly where it's hitting so that means this is the door that needs to be fixed
00:54:29But the good thing is it is easy to do you just need a screwdriver
00:54:32And because I'm short I've got a stepladder as well and that will get me up the top
00:54:39So to adjust these hinges basically there's a screw in here
00:54:42That if you undo it brings the door forward and if you do it up it brings the door back
00:54:47So that's exactly what I need to do is do that screw up and I'll also do it on this hinge here
00:54:52Once I've got that gap nice and even this gap here should be correct again
00:54:56And the good thing is when you do have concealed hinges like this
00:54:59They're not only in the kitchen they can be in your wardrobe as well
00:55:02And it's the same principle to adjust them
00:55:20Put the soft closer soft closer back on
00:55:25Let's test it out
00:55:26Hey that is absolutely beautiful and how easy was it to fix you'll ask yourself
00:55:31While you've been looking at it for years
00:55:34Gardening promotes wellness for the body and a healthy mind
00:55:39Did you know that green spaces can help your sense of well-being
00:55:43Or that red and orange are believed to increase energy levels
00:55:47Colours can affect our moods and motivations more than we know
00:55:51In this issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine
00:55:54It's all about harnessing the power of your favourite colours
00:55:57Explore the power of colour drenching in an affordable way
00:56:01And grab your copy to discover the magazine's call on the colour of the year
00:56:06Plus creative projects editor Geneva van der Zeel shows you how to refresh
00:56:10A second-hand lamp with vibrant fabric
00:56:13Get your copy of the magazine for a bonus 36 page booklet of quick and easy recipes
00:56:19To master no sweat summer cooking
00:56:22You know it's no secret that gardening provides heaps of benefits
00:56:42Wellness for the body keeping you active and alert and keeping your mind sharp in this very complex world
00:56:48It's just the joy of growing some flowers cutting them putting them in a vase
00:56:52The colour watching the bees coming in let alone
00:56:56Growing a crop
00:56:58That you can feed yourself and your family
00:57:00Will you just look at those pumpkins?
00:57:03It's also a fantastic way for a community to come together with those people that have similar passions
00:57:10This is the Wentworthville community garden in the western suburbs of Sydney
00:57:14And here gardeners come together of all ages I might add young and old everybody in between
00:57:20To share the workload and enjoy the harvest
00:57:26I turn the pages 2010 on the bag in ink
00:57:34Flipping through faces pictures of the little me
00:57:41Yeah Audrey hanging on the line come on in it's supper time
00:57:47You know the locals here are very proud of their achievements and rightly so
00:57:52It looks beautiful much loved and well maintained and when you think they've only been here for 16 years
00:57:58They've already got a hundred and seventy members drawn from the local community
00:58:03And by the way, they're not beyond getting involved in competitions as well
00:58:07They've won several gold medals at the royal easter show no less
00:58:11And what I've noticed walking around there's a wide range of herbs and flowers and vegetables
00:58:17Some really unusual ones and that reflects the culturally diverse community who live here
00:58:31Well, we've got the whole family gardening here
00:58:34Hello, how are we?
00:58:36Young one here is gardening too
00:58:38So why do you like gardening?
00:58:41I love gardening because it gives lots of fresh air and better
00:58:47better for the environment and
00:58:50It's also beautiful to plant
00:58:55Good morning, Saruchi, how are you?
00:58:56Good morning, I'm good, how are you?
00:58:58I'm fantastic, thank you
00:59:00Now I call this bitter melon
00:59:02Yeah, we call it bitter gourd
00:59:04Bitter gourd
00:59:05Yeah
00:59:05Did you grow this in India?
00:59:07Yeah, I used to in the balcony
00:59:08But I am fortunate enough to get a garden space here
00:59:12Isn't that fantastic?
00:59:13Yeah
00:59:13So how old is this crop?
00:59:15This one, maybe a month old
00:59:17A month?
00:59:17Yeah
00:59:18Wow, look at the growth
00:59:19Yeah
00:59:19How do you eat it?
00:59:21How do you, do you cook it or eat it raw?
00:59:23No, no, raw you can't eat it because it's bitter in taste
00:59:26It's too bitter
00:59:27Yeah, so there are different ways you can eat it
00:59:30I usually chop it into small slices
00:59:33Right
00:59:33Round slices
00:59:34And you can fry it with salt and turmeric
00:59:37And you can eat it
00:59:38So it will become crispy and crunchy like chips
00:59:40And of course it's full of beneficial minerals and things for your gut
00:59:45And for the mind and the body
00:59:46It's a really amazing vegetable
00:59:48Yeah, it is, yeah
00:59:49And then when it splits open
00:59:51It has the most beautiful
00:59:52Seeds
00:59:53Yeah, the seeds
00:59:54Aren't they glorious?
00:59:55Look at this one
00:59:56It's just so pretty
00:59:58How many people are growing bitter gourd or bitter melon?
01:00:01Thank you for your time
01:00:02I'll leave you with the bitter gourd
01:00:03Thank you so much
01:00:04Thank you
01:00:04Isn't that incredible?
01:00:05I tell you what Pat
01:00:22This is your garden here
01:00:24Yeah
01:00:25So how long have you been gardening here at the community garden?
01:00:30At the community garden I've been three years
01:00:33Do you feel 93?
01:00:36Not really
01:00:37No
01:00:37No, no
01:00:38I really enjoyed coming here and dig all the bad weed
01:00:45The weeds out
01:00:45And you've got rockmelons coming
01:00:47Look at your rock melon
01:00:48Rock melon, yes
01:00:49And you're the gardener
01:00:51You know much about gardening?
01:00:52A little bit
01:00:53Well, when they're that colour
01:00:55They ready to pick or I should leave it longer?
01:00:59If you can smell the rock melon, it's ready to harvest
01:01:01I want to see if it's ready to harvest
01:01:04Look at that
01:01:06Can you smell it for me?
01:01:09I don't know if I can get down that far
01:01:13You smell it?
01:01:16Yeah, not quite ready yet
01:01:17No, not really, no
01:01:19I tell you what, that weighs quite a few kilos
01:01:21Are you doing gym?
01:01:22I went to gym in my early day
01:01:24But I haven't been doing gym anymore
01:01:26Well, you don't need to
01:01:27Honestly, the way you're lifting that rock melon up
01:01:29You're like doing weights at the gym
01:01:31That's right
01:01:32I hope I'm as active as you are when I'm 93
01:01:49Now, it is fair to say that there are quite a few tasks in gardening that get a little bit more difficult as we get older
01:01:56None of these should be reasons that should stop you from getting into your garden
01:02:00Or more importantly, even stop you from starting gardening in the first place
01:02:05Now, the really good news is there's a whole range of assistive products that will really help you keep gardening
01:02:12What about a kneeler?
01:02:13It takes the weight off the knees and the back
01:02:15Now, a lot of the tools have got ergonomic handles
01:02:19That helps with arthritis and your elbow as well
01:02:21But it's not only tools
01:02:23How about this raised garden bed?
01:02:25It's just at the right height
01:02:26It's got drainage in each of the legs
01:02:29Great size for an individual wanting to grow some herbs and flowers and veggies
01:02:34Love it
01:02:34Oh, you and I, we're gonna rise again
01:02:48We were silenced by the night
01:02:52But you and I, we're gonna rise again
01:02:56Divided from the light
01:03:00I wanna love the way we used to
01:03:05Well, as the members of this community have shown, you're never too young or too old to garden
01:03:12and get enjoyment from it
01:03:14The friendship, the cultivation and the harvest
01:03:17It really is one of life's great pleasures
01:03:21Well, I hope you enjoyed that
01:03:22It's not long now until we're back with a whole brand new series for 2026
01:03:26But until then, make sure you join us again next week for more of our summer series
01:03:30Next time
01:03:34Could this be the biggest tiny home we've seen?
01:03:38This house is on a tight inner city urban block, but it's packed with some big design ideas
01:03:45We all love a good burger, but Colin's are so good, you just can't stop eating
01:03:50You ready?
01:03:53If your kitchen is a complete disaster, there's really only one question you need to ask
01:03:59Should you renovate or detonate?
01:04:02Plus, you'd think building with rammed earth is as tough as it gets
01:04:06But Charlie's found it tougher to keep Adam focused
01:04:09This has nothing to do with rammed earth, you're making mud pies
01:04:13In a stunning garden where the gold rush once thrived
01:04:16Graham's enjoying all the treasures above the ground
01:04:19You can't beat those golden gleaming sentinels of yellow of the Italian poplar
01:04:26And Dr Harry's having his eyes open to life with a couple of South American cuties
01:04:32About 120 alpacas
01:04:34Right? We're cheaper to get a lot now
01:04:36That's next time on Better Homes and Gardens
01:04:39To make questions
01:04:42There's nothing like this
01:04:54You
Comments