- 1 day ago
Better Homes and Gardens - Season 32 - Episode 02
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00:00I'm crazy, so what I gotta do to lift you up?
00:00:05Change can be daunting, and often it's the fear of the unknown
00:00:09that stops us from pursuing the things that give us great joy.
00:00:12However, if you can overcome that fear, the world is your oyster.
00:00:16Tonight on Better Homes and Gardens, I've come to Honeysuckle Lane.
00:00:19I mean, even the name sounds like a fairy tale.
00:00:22To meet a couple who really are proving that dreams can come true.
00:00:26Tonight, Adam's got some quick fixes,
00:00:28but it all hinges on you following closely.
00:00:31With a little know-how, you can keep your doors swinging.
00:00:35You won't be able to keep this dish under wraps.
00:00:38It's all about when you bite into it,
00:00:40the oozing sauce, the chunks of chicken.
00:00:43Do you live in a high-rise?
00:00:45Well, your gardening can be great on so many levels.
00:00:48You can still cram big green ideas into a small space
00:00:52and take your gardening love to new heights.
00:00:56Make your last-minute outfit checks
00:00:58100% more stylish.
00:01:01I want to create a statement mirror
00:01:03to hang beside the front door
00:01:04with a hidden shelf underneath.
00:01:07Plus, Charlie's got a great gardening project
00:01:10you can make for chicken feed.
00:01:12There's nothing better than relaxing underneath a tree
00:01:14and with a deck platform like this,
00:01:15you can have all your friends.
00:01:17There's no right, Beryl.
00:01:18We're distilling some delicious gardening secrets.
00:01:21Here at Distillery Botanica
00:01:23on the central coast of New South Wales,
00:01:25they grow all the essential ingredients
00:01:28for our cracking good gin.
00:01:30And Dr Harry's riding high
00:01:32at the biggest race in town.
00:01:34You're looking at some of the best stock horses,
00:01:37stock men and stock women
00:01:39in the whole of Australia.
00:01:48If a butterfly beats its wings
00:01:50in one corner of the globe,
00:01:52it can change the weather
00:01:53halfway around the world.
00:01:58When one door closes,
00:02:00another door opens.
00:02:04I wonder what I'll have for lunch.
00:02:07I'm feeling a bit peckish.
00:02:09Peckish.
00:02:10Peckish.
00:02:16I like to think of myself
00:02:17as more of a goose than a guru.
00:02:19And while I can't help you
00:02:21with the existential problems of the world,
00:02:23I can help you with the one about doors.
00:02:25Opening, closing,
00:02:27and in particular, being stuck.
00:02:30The sort of jobs that you keep avoiding
00:02:32because, let's be honest,
00:02:33life gets in the way.
00:02:36How proud would my mother be?
00:02:38I use the word existential.
00:02:43Oh, and as the universe dictates,
00:02:46another couple of doors.
00:02:52Oh, hello.
00:02:53Hi, Adam.
00:02:53How are you?
00:02:54Very good, Maddie.
00:02:55It looks like you've got your hands full.
00:02:56Certainly do, yep.
00:02:57I've got Ruby here.
00:02:59Oh.
00:02:59And Zara.
00:03:00She's so precious.
00:03:02Now, Ruby,
00:03:03I've got a little Ruby at home as well.
00:03:05How old are you?
00:03:06Five.
00:03:06Five?
00:03:07I tell you what,
00:03:08I love your dress.
00:03:10I hear you do have some dodgy doors at your place.
00:03:13Is this true?
00:03:14Yeah.
00:03:14Can I come and have a look?
00:03:16Come on in, Adam.
00:03:24This door?
00:03:25Yes?
00:03:25This door goes where the bin is.
00:03:28Oh.
00:03:29The good thing is,
00:03:30it is easy to fix.
00:03:31Is there any other doors in this kitchen
00:03:33that need to be fixed?
00:03:35This door is broken.
00:03:38Oh.
00:03:38Yeah, see how it doesn't line up here?
00:03:40Yeah.
00:03:40Look at that.
00:03:41It's got a lot of movement.
00:03:42And what about any other doors, Ruby?
00:03:45Yes, my bedroom door.
00:03:47Oh, is there something wrong with your bedroom door?
00:03:49I slammed it too much.
00:03:51Oh.
00:03:52That happens when we get upset sometimes, doesn't it?
00:03:54High fives?
00:03:55Leave it with me.
00:03:56I've got this.
00:03:57Oh, what was that?
00:03:59That's better.
00:03:59Good work.
00:04:04Now, this is definitely a common problem
00:04:06that you see in a lot of kitchens.
00:04:09Basically, the fixings of where the hinges go
00:04:11have blown out,
00:04:12and there is no way we'll be able to get screws
00:04:14back in these holes
00:04:16without me putting these hinge repair plates.
00:04:19They are fantastic.
00:04:20Basically, what they do
00:04:21is they give us other options
00:04:23to fix to this door outside of this area.
00:04:40All right, with the plate in place,
00:04:43now you can refit your hinge.
00:04:44Now, with these hinges that were on here,
00:04:46you can see that they're a little bit rusted and ratty,
00:04:49so I've decided to get some new ones.
00:04:51And simply, you just sit it over the hole.
00:04:53Now, it is a tight fit,
00:04:55so you do need to give it a good push down,
00:04:57and then once it's set in place,
00:04:59you can just screw back into the new fixing holes.
00:05:12So in this pack, it comes with these extra plates
00:05:15and they're to replace the ones on the carcass here.
00:05:30Look at that, absolutely perfect.
00:05:33I'm happy with that.
00:05:34Now I'm ready to tackle our next door.
00:05:36And that is right here.
00:05:38So if we look at this door,
00:05:39there is a lot of movement in these hinges.
00:05:41So I will be replacing all of them.
00:05:43They're pretty old and ratty.
00:05:45But also we've got this big leaf
00:05:47that is attached to the smaller leaf door.
00:05:49So I am going to be adding in an extra hinge
00:05:52just to give it that strength
00:05:53and make sure that it doesn't drop anymore.
00:06:08With the hinges off,
00:06:09before I put the new ones on,
00:06:10I'm going to be drilling an extra hole in this door
00:06:12so we can add the hinge for extra strength.
00:06:15Now to set the location,
00:06:17I'll find the centre in between these two existing hinges
00:06:20and also copy where these hinges are set.
00:06:23So that measurement there is about 6mm.
00:06:25So I'll be coming in 6mm
00:06:27and then drilling my 35mm hole.
00:06:44With all the new hinges on,
00:06:46I'll clip these two leaves back together
00:06:47and we can take it and install it back on the carcass.
00:06:52And look at that.
00:06:53Already you can see that there's no wobble in this door
00:06:56so that extra hinge has helped a lot.
00:07:01And that is perfection.
00:07:02I think I've got one more door to fix.
00:07:08This has to be Ruby's room.
00:07:10Let's have a look at the door.
00:07:12Well, it is sticking on the side here
00:07:15so you do have to slam it.
00:07:16Let's have a look at the problem.
00:07:18Oh, yeah.
00:07:19Look at the movement up here.
00:07:20So basically what that tells me
00:07:22is these screws aren't grabbing into the side of the door anymore.
00:07:26The first thing I want to do is get my windbag out,
00:07:28prop it up underneath the door
00:07:30and then we can take those screws out.
00:07:39All right, so we can see here
00:07:41that our holes are pretty blown out.
00:07:42So what I'm going to do
00:07:43is I'm going to drill them out
00:07:44with a 6mm bit
00:07:46and then I'll get some PVA glue
00:07:48and a 6mm dowel
00:07:49added to the hole
00:07:50so then that's solid timber again
00:07:52which means we can put our hinge back
00:07:54and then put some new screws in
00:07:56and this door will be holding nice and strong.
00:07:58All right, with all four dowels in
00:08:00I'll now let that sit for around 15 minutes
00:08:03let the glue dry
00:08:04then I'll just use a chisel
00:08:06and knock the excess dowel off
00:08:08so everything is flush
00:08:09and then we can refit that hinge.
00:08:29It's time to see what the boss thinks.
00:08:31Oh, good timing guys.
00:08:32Hi.
00:08:33Well, Ruby, I think
00:08:35I think I may have just fixed it
00:08:36I've replaced these screws
00:08:37do you want to be the first to test it out?
00:08:39Yeah.
00:08:39Yeah?
00:08:40All right, let's try it.
00:08:42Go, you shut the door.
00:08:46Yo, beauty!
00:08:48That's a good one, yeah, Roots?
00:08:49Yeah.
00:08:50Oh, great.
00:08:51Well, I think I've just got myself a new bedroom.
00:08:54No!
00:08:56Connect the different zones of your garden
00:08:58with a simple repurposed pathway.
00:09:01Honeysuckle Lane sounds like
00:09:03it's out of an Enid Blyton book
00:09:04but for one couple
00:09:06this fairy tale is a reality.
00:09:14You can't get much further away
00:09:16from big city corporate lifestyle
00:09:18than here in picturesque Woodend
00:09:20in Victoria's Macedon Ranges.
00:09:22It is so gorgeous here
00:09:24it is almost too idyllic.
00:09:26But it's easy to see
00:09:27why Ali and Jo said bye
00:09:29to 9 to 5 in Melbourne
00:09:30and hello
00:09:31to a life chasing their dreams.
00:09:33Is everybody playing this game?
00:09:45I'm so excited about being here.
00:09:47Thank you for being here.
00:09:48Thank you for coming.
00:09:49This is paradise.
00:09:51We love it.
00:09:52How long have you been here?
00:09:54Just over 10 years.
00:09:55So tell me, what actually brought you out here?
00:09:56How did you end up with a Woodend?
00:09:57We were living in Melbourne
00:09:59six kilometres from the city
00:10:00and we loved it.
00:10:03The culture there and everything
00:10:04but we really wanted to have a garden,
00:10:07space, vegetables, chickens.
00:10:09But you did actually have corporate jobs
00:10:11in town, didn't you?
00:10:12And then you've totally turned your lives on its head.
00:10:15Yeah, we wanted to make a difference.
00:10:17Today is pretty much talking about
00:10:18everything that I love in my life
00:10:20which is veggie growing, chickens, bees.
00:10:24Can we go over the line of that?
00:10:25Yes, yes, slowly.
00:10:26Because you know I've done all the classic stuff
00:10:30and it never works in nowhere
00:10:33So now, now, now, now
00:10:38Wow, this is epic.
00:10:40This is so beautiful.
00:10:42And did you make these beds?
00:10:44Yes, we did.
00:10:45We didn't really know
00:10:47what type of vegetable garden we should have
00:10:48because these trees around us
00:10:50would suck up a lot of water
00:10:51and we were still working in the city
00:10:53and we went to the diggers club
00:10:55and we did a course, like a free course
00:10:56and they gave us the plans
00:10:57and so then we went out
00:10:59and bought the material
00:11:00and put them together.
00:11:01And is it right that your veggie patch
00:11:02was what sort of started the passion
00:11:05for you guys to have bees here?
00:11:06Well, when we first started planting
00:11:09there was no real pollination happening
00:11:11and Jo was out there with a Q-tip
00:11:14pollinating a pumpkin by hand
00:11:16and we got three pumpkins at you
00:11:17and we thought
00:11:18there's got to be a better way.
00:11:20And then the next season
00:11:21we had the beehive
00:11:22and in the same patch
00:11:23there were 26 pumpkins.
00:11:24Wow, doesn't that say it all?
00:11:25And that was ignoring it.
00:11:26And then we became obsessed with bees.
00:11:28Well, you technically had been
00:11:30a little bit obsessed with them
00:11:31in your job back then.
00:11:33You actually worked...
00:11:34With Agriculture Victoria.
00:11:35Agriculture Victoria, right.
00:11:36Yeah, so I was the bee biosecurity officer.
00:11:39Wow.
00:11:39So I just helped beekeepers
00:11:41with managing a sick hive.
00:11:43Yeah, okay.
00:11:44Helping them with pests and diseases.
00:11:46Don't change a thing,
00:11:47you are amazing.
00:11:50I can't believe you
00:11:51come and save me.
00:11:53These are our girls.
00:11:54I think a lot of people
00:11:55might not realise
00:11:56that beekeeping itself
00:11:57is a bit tricky at the moment
00:11:58because of varroa mite.
00:11:59Yeah.
00:11:59So maybe for people
00:12:00who don't understand,
00:12:01could you give us
00:12:02a little summation
00:12:02of what varroa mite is?
00:12:03Varroa mite is
00:12:04a very bad little parasite
00:12:07on European honeybees.
00:12:09And it feeds off
00:12:11their fat bodies
00:12:11in the cells.
00:12:12So it's going to weaken
00:12:14a colony very fast.
00:12:15Yeah.
00:12:16We really need to help
00:12:17the bees manage it.
00:12:18I think people sometimes
00:12:19underestimate
00:12:20the importance of bees.
00:12:22Look,
00:12:22if we don't help the bees
00:12:25manage the varroa mite,
00:12:27we're going to lose
00:12:28a lot of our
00:12:29backyard beekeepers
00:12:30and it will impact
00:12:32our veggie gardens.
00:12:32I think everyone
00:12:33needs to support
00:12:34their beekeepers.
00:12:35You guys started this
00:12:36for your veggie patch.
00:12:37Yeah.
00:12:37But you've taken it
00:12:38like a hundred steps
00:12:39further with our business,
00:12:41haven't you?
00:12:41We have.
00:12:43It became, I guess,
00:12:44a big rabbit hole
00:12:45in the end
00:12:45because we did end up
00:12:47leaving corporate life
00:12:48to start a business
00:12:49in Kyneton called
00:12:50Waggle and Forage
00:12:51Beekeeping Supplies
00:12:53where we manufacture
00:12:55most of our gear
00:12:56or a lot of our gear
00:12:57and we have a retail
00:12:58space there, so.
00:12:59Do you want to go see it?
00:13:00Of course I want to go see it.
00:13:01I thought you'd never ask.
00:13:15This is enormous.
00:13:17What did you two
00:13:17decide to do?
00:13:18Find the biggest warehouse
00:13:19in Kyneton
00:13:20and then decide
00:13:21to make it your own?
00:13:22No, we just needed space.
00:13:24We needed space
00:13:25space for retail
00:13:26but also for the workshop
00:13:28out the back.
00:13:28So where did you start?
00:13:30We started the business
00:13:32focused on the woodware
00:13:33and the wax.
00:13:35Obviously,
00:13:35all the other products,
00:13:36it's easy to get in
00:13:37but we wanted to have
00:13:38something that we made
00:13:38here in-house,
00:13:40wax assembling,
00:13:41wax dipping
00:13:41and painting
00:13:42our own woodware.
00:13:47Probably something
00:13:47that people don't know
00:13:48is that sometimes
00:13:49you actually have to,
00:13:50I give your bees
00:13:51a little bit of assistance
00:13:52with food, don't you?
00:13:53Absolutely.
00:13:54Lots of rain,
00:13:54the bees are trapped inside
00:13:55and if we haven't left
00:13:57enough honey stores for them
00:13:58then our job as bee farmers
00:14:00really is to make sure
00:14:01they've got enough food
00:14:02and you can do that
00:14:03through sugar syrup
00:14:03or fondant
00:14:04and so we make fondant here.
00:14:07There's no precedent
00:14:07for this fondant in Australia.
00:14:10Nobody else makes it
00:14:11and we've had to learn
00:14:13it all from scratch.
00:14:14It's amazing for me
00:14:15to wrap my head around
00:14:15just how much
00:14:16you two have learnt.
00:14:17You're never not learning
00:14:18are you with bees?
00:14:19No, it's a constant evolution
00:14:21and we're still learning
00:14:22like all beekeepers.
00:14:24It doesn't matter how long
00:14:25and it's just been
00:14:27this constant research program
00:14:29here and problem solving.
00:14:36It's like riding a fire
00:14:40So what are you actually
00:14:41making up here?
00:14:41You're making up a little frame.
00:14:42So we do assemble, wire
00:14:44and wax our own frames
00:14:46all in stores.
00:14:50So how many can you do in a day?
00:14:52Assembly I can do 500 a day.
00:14:54Holy moly.
00:14:55Wiring about 200.
00:15:00Well that was seriously impressive
00:15:02and very efficient.
00:15:06Done.
00:15:07And there we are.
00:15:09This is the best part.
00:15:14Into the groove.
00:15:15Yep.
00:15:17A little electric embedder.
00:15:20And that just melts it in.
00:15:21Yeah.
00:15:22A couple of seconds.
00:15:23I've got to say
00:15:23this is a seriously impressive
00:15:25set up that you've got here.
00:15:27Does it kind of terrify you
00:15:28when you think how far
00:15:29you've come
00:15:29as to where you can
00:15:31potentially go from here?
00:15:33We're just enjoying the journey
00:15:36and where it takes us
00:15:37we're not quite sure yet
00:15:38but we're just really loving
00:15:39what we do every day.
00:15:40And the community.
00:15:41Yeah.
00:15:42It's all about the people
00:15:42that come in every single day.
00:15:44You learn from,
00:15:45you exchange,
00:15:46you get to share.
00:15:47Yep.
00:15:47Tips, plants, produce.
00:15:49It's the best.
00:15:50Unreal.
00:15:51This is my little Nirvana.
00:15:53Thanks for coming Jo.
00:15:55Yeah, thank you so much.
00:15:56I've loved every second of it
00:15:57and I'll be doing
00:15:58some shopping on the way out.
00:16:07We are back to complete
00:16:09this suburban backyard
00:16:10and we are maximising
00:16:11every square inch.
00:16:13Here we are
00:16:13in the main arena
00:16:14of Marirondi
00:16:15just waiting for some more action
00:16:16in what is
00:16:17King of the Rangers
00:16:18Stockman's Challenge.
00:16:20Oh, look at that.
00:16:22You've always wanted
00:16:23to try DIY or craft
00:16:24the explore issue
00:16:25of Better Homes
00:16:26and Gardens magazine
00:16:27will give you
00:16:27all the inspiration
00:16:28you need to get started.
00:16:30Geneva van der Zyl
00:16:31makes a beautiful
00:16:32leather journal
00:16:33perfect for all
00:16:34of your travel plans
00:16:35and memories.
00:16:36Discover a beginner's guide
00:16:38to all the tools
00:16:39you need to get confident
00:16:40with your own projects.
00:16:42Plus, try your hand
00:16:43at a new craft project
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00:16:47Get your copy
00:16:48of the magazine today
00:16:49for countless ideas
00:16:51to try
00:16:51and your chance
00:16:52to win
00:16:52one million dollars.
00:17:01Whenever you're building
00:17:02a garden
00:17:02it is a series
00:17:03of little jobs.
00:17:04It is never
00:17:04one and done
00:17:05but you will get
00:17:06to a point
00:17:06where you sit back
00:17:07and think
00:17:08hmm, this looks
00:17:09quite nice
00:17:10and that's what we're
00:17:11working on
00:17:11in this garden.
00:17:12We started off
00:17:13by making it more practical
00:17:14with a potting shed
00:17:15we then came back
00:17:16put some zones in
00:17:17and made it more productive
00:17:18and it is now
00:17:19time to finish the job.
00:17:25and this is the area
00:17:27we are dealing with.
00:17:28Now you might think
00:17:28because we've got chickens
00:17:29and a really large tree
00:17:31that it's a useless space
00:17:32but I can see
00:17:33a lot of potential
00:17:34with this space.
00:17:35We've got a lovely
00:17:35shady canopy
00:17:36which means we can get
00:17:37some shady plants in.
00:17:39The ladies
00:17:39well they may have to move
00:17:41and whilst I'm at it
00:17:41well I'm going to redo
00:17:42the path as well.
00:17:45How do I catch a chicken?
00:17:49Sit chicken
00:17:50sit chicken
00:17:51sit chicken
00:17:51sit chicken
00:17:52sit chicken
00:17:53sit chicken
00:17:54in you go chicken
00:17:54good chicken.
00:17:56Here we go.
00:17:58That went a lot smoother
00:17:59than I thought
00:18:00it was going to be.
00:18:15Now what am I going to do here?
00:18:16The chickens
00:18:17they do need a bit more
00:18:18real estate
00:18:18than they've got here
00:18:19but I don't want them
00:18:20to take up as much space
00:18:21as they've had
00:18:21so I'm going to build
00:18:22a new fence for them
00:18:23probably out around here
00:18:24then underneath our tree here
00:18:25I'm going to build
00:18:26a deck platform
00:18:27so the family can come out
00:18:28sit down
00:18:29and enjoy the shade
00:18:30of the tree
00:18:30but before I get on
00:18:32to all of that
00:18:32I need to sort the pathway
00:18:33so the family can get in here.
00:18:40I'm just setting up
00:18:40a string line
00:18:41for our new path
00:18:42now this is going to
00:18:42give us a nice
00:18:43straight edge
00:18:44to our new location
00:18:45in the garden
00:18:46and with the pavers
00:18:47I'm actually going to
00:18:48put them together
00:18:49as stepping stone pads
00:18:50to get through the garden
00:18:51it's going to mean
00:18:52it's a nice slow amble
00:18:53through the space
00:18:54and allow me to get
00:18:55more planting
00:18:55in between them.
00:19:10I'm laying our stepping stones
00:19:12on a mud bed
00:19:13and the pattern I'm going for
00:19:15well I'm going to put border
00:19:16around the outside
00:19:16and I'm stacking them
00:19:17in the middle
00:19:18the spacing between them
00:19:19should be 200 mil
00:19:22what that will give us
00:19:23is around 600 mil step
00:19:25which is perfect
00:19:26to head up the garden
00:19:34and I've got to say
00:19:35it looks pretty good
00:19:36for the cost of a few bags
00:19:37of sand and cement
00:19:38all good?
00:19:55lovely
00:19:57we have made our area
00:19:58a little bit smaller
00:19:59for our chickens
00:20:00but for three chucks
00:20:01this is still
00:20:01a pretty ample space
00:20:03I've gone for a rustic style
00:20:04with the fence
00:20:05we're just doing
00:20:05simple posts and rails
00:20:06and then we're going to use
00:20:07a black mesh
00:20:08on the inside of it
00:20:09that way
00:20:10the chickens have got
00:20:11enough air flow
00:20:12they can still see out
00:20:12into the garden
00:20:39before I put our mesh
00:20:41onto our fence
00:20:42I'm just giving the timber
00:20:43a clear coat of varnish
00:20:45this doesn't change
00:20:46the look too much
00:20:46just enhances the grain
00:20:48and gives us better longevity
00:21:02well the chickens have seemed
00:21:03to have found their way back
00:21:05even without the coop
00:21:06being completely finished
00:21:07but just to make sure
00:21:08they can't get out this time
00:21:09I'm just using the black mesh
00:21:11which I'm using tiny staples
00:21:12to attach it to our new timber frame
00:21:27with our hens house
00:21:28we're halfway there
00:21:29and a little later on
00:21:30we're going to put this mulberry tree
00:21:31to good use
00:21:32and create an area
00:21:33where the family can relax
00:21:34and enjoy the garden
00:21:34that's where you'll find me
00:21:37lost in the night
00:21:43coming up
00:21:44there are no ponies
00:21:45but Harry's still getting
00:21:46a little horse
00:21:47at the King of the Rangers Festival
00:21:49what an amazing weekend
00:21:52I am full up to here
00:21:54it's crispy
00:21:55it's made with chicken
00:21:57and it's a pancake
00:21:58could this be the best dish ever?
00:22:01it's not as good as I remember
00:22:02it's better
00:22:04and with this in your hallway
00:22:06you'll never leave the house
00:22:07with food in your teeth again
00:22:09it's not just pretty
00:22:11it's also practical
00:22:25it's all happening here
00:22:26at King of the Rangers
00:22:27in the township of Murrorundi
00:22:28in the Upper Hunter Valley
00:22:30of New South Wales
00:22:31it's fantastic
00:22:32now if you remember last week
00:22:34there was a whole lot of competitions
00:22:36that were preliminary
00:22:37to the main event
00:22:38that's a great birthday there
00:22:39now we're getting to the pointy end
00:22:42of the whole event
00:22:42lots going on
00:22:44at the moment of Grand Parade
00:22:45and some presentation of awards
00:22:47you're looking at some of the best stock horses
00:22:49stock men and stock women
00:22:51in the whole of Australia
00:22:52oh look at that
00:22:55that's a great birthday Deb
00:23:07Sarah congratulations
00:23:08I mean you've made it to
00:23:11the sharp end of the pencil
00:23:12so to speak
00:23:12haven't you
00:23:13yes I have
00:23:14thank you
00:23:14I squeezed in
00:23:15coming in fifth
00:23:15into the finals
00:23:16what are your tactics?
00:23:18you've got to go at them
00:23:19hard and fast
00:23:21trust your horse
00:23:22to get you in the right spot
00:23:23and turn back
00:23:24if the wild horse turns back
00:23:27so what does the horse do for you
00:23:28when you're out there
00:23:29Sarah?
00:23:29he puts me in the right place
00:23:30Harry
00:23:31so responsive this horse
00:23:32I just love him so much
00:23:34he knows his job in there
00:23:39and it's not about winning
00:23:41it's about the love of the sport
00:23:42and I'm just happy to be up here
00:23:44with those girls
00:23:45and the blokes
00:23:46they're all so incredibly talented
00:23:51now one event
00:23:52that is part of the overlaw competition
00:23:55for King of the Rangers
00:23:56is shoeing
00:23:58now shoeing
00:24:00is not easy
00:24:01it's back breaking work
00:24:03so what's going on here
00:24:04well the competitors
00:24:05have got to put on
00:24:06a front shoe
00:24:07and a hind shoe
00:24:08on a horse
00:24:10difficult competition
00:24:11because the judges
00:24:12are all professional farriers
00:24:14and they are pretty tough
00:24:16on the competitors
00:24:21and what are you looking for?
00:24:23we're on a level flat foot
00:24:25we're at a stock horse competition
00:24:27so generally these horses
00:24:28will be either
00:24:29mastering
00:24:30or going pack saddling
00:24:31so if they pull a shoe
00:24:33we want the horses
00:24:34to be able to come home
00:24:35if they pull a shoe
00:24:36soundly
00:24:37ok
00:24:45how did she go?
00:24:52it's an acceptable job
00:24:54pretty good job
00:24:55yeah
00:24:55pretty decent
00:24:57so for a fairy to tell a vet
00:24:59it's a good job
00:24:59that's pretty good
00:25:01oh she's a vet
00:25:02yeah
00:25:02oh it's pretty rough
00:25:14so you're Cooper
00:25:16yeah
00:25:16where'd you get that name from
00:25:17that's mine
00:25:18do they call you Coops
00:25:20no
00:25:21or do they call you Cooper
00:25:21Cooper
00:25:22they call you Cooper
00:25:23right
00:25:23and this is Audrey right
00:25:24so you're 8 years old
00:25:26no
00:25:26oh jeez
00:25:28when you make a mistake like that
00:25:29you're in big trouble
00:25:30you're 9 and you're 11
00:25:31so you guys both competed
00:25:34in the stock handling championship
00:25:36is that right?
00:25:36yeah
00:25:37how'd you go?
00:25:38yeah good
00:25:38real good?
00:25:39yes
00:25:39what'd you have to do?
00:25:41um
00:25:41had to go through
00:25:42do a cut out
00:25:46and then go through obstacles
00:25:48to get points
00:25:49why do you like doing this?
00:25:50what's the buzz?
00:25:51um
00:25:52just making friends
00:25:53and having a good time
00:25:54really
00:25:55Audrey
00:25:56is it fun?
00:25:57yeah
00:25:57you think you scored well?
00:25:59yeah
00:25:59you think you'd beat Cooper?
00:26:01maybe
00:26:01maybe
00:26:03sorry
00:26:03can you please?
00:26:06it wouldn't be an Australian afternoon
00:26:08if you didn't get to have a cup of tea
00:26:09but to make a cup of tea
00:26:11you've got to boil the belly
00:26:12so we have a competition
00:26:13about belly boiling
00:26:16you've got to split that timber
00:26:18to make some kindling
00:26:19you've got to light the timber
00:26:25what a ripper
00:26:39Kieran
00:26:40nice to meet you
00:26:41jeez mate
00:26:42that's a handshake
00:26:43look at that hand
00:26:45what's the big attraction
00:26:46for coming up here
00:26:47because you've won this twice now
00:26:48haven't you?
00:26:48last year or the year before
00:26:49been lucky enough
00:26:50yeah
00:26:51we've had a bit of luck up here
00:26:52at the end of the day
00:26:53it's not only just about the competition
00:26:54but it's about the people in general
00:26:56we love it
00:26:56it's a lovely spot
00:26:57you look up there
00:26:58and there are the rangers over there
00:27:00no it's a beautiful part of the world up here
00:27:01I think it's one of those things there
00:27:03that keeps Australia alive
00:27:04in the way of heritage
00:27:06we've got to preserve
00:27:06what this country was built on
00:27:08right
00:27:08you're going to do it this time round again
00:27:09make it three in a row
00:27:10oh I don't know
00:27:11you have to keep the traffic
00:27:12a couple of boys up there
00:27:14yeah but they've had a couple more beers than you
00:27:22and as the dust settles on another brilliant event
00:27:24it wasn't to be for Kieran
00:27:26who plays third behind the new king of the rangers
00:27:29John Mitchell
00:27:31in the women's open
00:27:32Sarah plays second
00:27:34behind winner
00:27:35Kelsey Lofton
00:27:48what an amazing weekend
00:27:51I am full up to here
00:27:53fantastic
00:27:54make a point of being here
00:27:56in September
00:27:58you can see it happen all over again
00:28:01it's a great event
00:28:02don't miss it
00:28:03the king of the rangers
00:28:10caution
00:28:10curve the head
00:28:11but don't worry
00:28:12these ones aren't dangerous or difficult
00:28:14this entry garden is just beautiful
00:28:17with lots of tips for home gardeners
00:28:21if you like to garden as much as I do
00:28:23check us out on 7 plus
00:28:25where you can find all your favourite stories
00:28:27plus tons of gardening how to's
00:28:29exclusive content and more
00:28:35so much better
00:28:39a hallway has to be one of my favourite spaces to decorate
00:28:43especially in a beautiful federation home like this one
00:28:46but it has to serve lots of different purposes
00:28:49it needs to be functional
00:28:50leading you from room to room
00:28:52often it's also decorative with lots of beautiful period details
00:28:56and it has to be practical too
00:28:58somewhere for your keys
00:28:59and to do final checks before you head out the door
00:29:02and that is what I'm going to tackle here
00:29:06I want to create a statement mirror
00:29:08to hang beside the front door
00:29:10with a hidden shelf underneath
00:29:11it's going to add a whole lot of style and personality to the hallway
00:29:15and it's not as complicated as you might think to make
00:29:18this is the base
00:29:20and I'm going to talk you through this very easy build
00:29:22starting with these beautiful curved panels
00:29:25for that are some off-the-shelf pine pieces that are 1200 by 184
00:29:30this top piece is going to be 10 mil deeper
00:29:33to create the curve
00:29:34I'm using my old favourite
00:29:35some electrical feeder cable
00:29:37and I'm just going to tap in a few nails to create the shape
00:29:40in a light
00:29:41a beautiful
00:29:42that you're knowing
00:29:44that you love someone
00:30:11All right, now I'm just going to trace around this one,
00:30:15but adding in a couple of packers to create that extra 10 mil.
00:30:36Before I join the pieces together, I want to show you a really fun element that I'll be adding later
00:30:40on.
00:30:41I could leave these shelves open, but then you'd see everything on the inside,
00:30:44or you could add traditional doors to the front.
00:30:47But I'm going to use something pretty cool, which is fringing.
00:30:50Now, this comes in lots of different colours, styles and sizes.
00:30:54For this particular project, I really love this one.
00:30:57I love the creamy colour and also this detail at the top.
00:31:00What you'll need to do is work out the height of your fringing,
00:31:02because that will determine the gap between your pieces.
00:31:06For that, I'm going to use some dowel, which will support the top.
00:31:09I've pre-cut these ones, and I'm just going to glue and screw them in place.
00:31:29Now, before I attach the bottom piece, I'm going to attach this larger top piece,
00:31:33because it'll be much easier to do now, screwing it in from the underside.
00:32:01I love the look of this, especially with the curved lines.
00:32:04But if they're a little challenging for you to create, you could easily do this with straight lines.
00:32:12The next job is to create the mirror, and I'm using a plain off-the-shelf one that's 900x1200,
00:32:17but to make it suit the style of the Federation home, I'm adding a backing board.
00:32:21I've cut this down to 1075x1441, and I'm adding in a decorative border around the edge,
00:32:28placing the mirror in the centre, and now I'm going to attach the shelf at the base.
00:32:47I've measured out where the mirror is going, and for the border around the outside,
00:32:50I'm not going to go too ornate. It's just going to be a nod to the Federation style.
00:32:54So, around the outside, I'm using this lovely picture rail, and it does have this curved edge,
00:32:59which will mirror the curves in the shelf. And then, inside that, I'm using two pieces of dowel,
00:33:05in different sizes, and that's going to look really lovely.
00:33:08Cause I just wanna move, and you can come too, and you can ask me plus you,
00:33:15so tell me what we gon' do. Cause I just wanna move, and you can come too,
00:33:22then one time for the crew, so tell me what we gon' do. Cause I just wanna move,
00:33:32so tell me what we gon' do. Cause I just wanna move, and you can come too.
00:33:46Time to paint, and I've chosen a really lovely chalk paint in a creamy tone,
00:33:50to tie in perfectly with this gorgeous fringe. It'll also seal the timber.
00:34:09Apart from giving a really lovely finish, this is an all-in-one chalk paint,
00:34:14which means you don't have to undercoat, which will save you a whole lot of time.
00:34:27To attach the fringe, I'm just using some tape to hold it in place, and then I'm gonna use some
00:34:32upholstery tacks. I've chosen this really lovely matte black finish, but I'm gonna put them
00:34:37in the centre of each crown, at the top of the fringe.
00:34:47I've used furniture wax to seal everywhere, except for where the mirror is going in the centre here,
00:34:51because there, I'm using some mounting tape, and also some special
00:34:54mirror adhesive to hold the mirror in place securely.
00:35:16And it fits like a glove. Now let's go see what it looks like in the hallway.
00:35:23And that is secure. Now I've just got to give it a bit more style.
00:35:30I just love everything about this mirror. The scale, the colour, and the embellishments feel
00:35:35very at home in this gorgeous traditional hallway. And the best part is that it's not just pretty,
00:35:41it's also practical. You will never lose your keys again.
00:35:53Get ready to explore an amazing garden of flowers, herbs, and botanicals with a little twist at the end.
00:36:01And one thing I've learned from being an adult, don't go straight in because you'll burn your lip,
00:36:05but it's worth it.
00:36:08Back in a gardening rut? Well this issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine is all about exploration,
00:36:13with lots of new things to try. Some plants are stranger than fiction. Take a look at some weird and
00:36:19wacky ones you'll have to see to believe. Are you wanting to move beyond the gardening basics?
00:36:24Find out how to take your skills to the next level. And spice things up by growing colourful
00:36:30chillies with me. Then cook up tasty favourites from your harvest. Grab this month's magazine for a
00:36:36whole world of gardening inspiration. And don't forget your chance to win a million dollars.
00:36:54Flowers, herbs, botanicals, they're just so clever aren't they? They beautify our gardens,
00:37:00they produce the food that we eat, and of course we use them for pharmaceuticals, all our medicines.
00:37:05But taking that one step further, here at Distillery Botanica on the central coast of New
00:37:11South Wales, they grow all the essential ingredients for a cracking good gin.
00:37:22From the moment you arrive here you realise it's a very special place. You might remember it as a
00:37:29nursery called the Fragrant Garden. It was very popular, but by golly has it changed since then. This
00:37:34entry garden is just beautiful. Look at the contrast of colours, convolvulus blue, right next to the
00:37:41yellow of the marigolds. And then of course the canis, a lovely orange, vibrant orange, and the
00:37:47blue salvia. And then there are agapanthus, this stunning white. But the big tip is here, if it works,
00:37:53like these canis and the salvias, just repeat it. And you can do that at home. And all the way
00:37:59up here,
00:37:59the shade flowers are provided by the Brugmansia, double white, double orange, double yellow. And
00:38:05they're going to provide lots of perfume and shade as the season progresses.
00:38:19You know, they've even created a garden between the distillery and the cafe. And it's one of those
00:38:24long, narrow passageways. We've all got them at our homes. Well, look at the planting they've created
00:38:28here. Lots of colour, the blue plumbago, the blue of the hydrangeas, contrasting with the tangerine of
00:38:35the impatience. And it all extends right down into the view and the hills and the bushland beyond.
00:38:42And they've even continued planting this beautiful floribunda espresso rose. It's like a burnished
00:38:48coffee, isn't it? Now you might be thinking, what about the gin? Well, let me introduce you to my
00:38:53friend, Philip.
00:39:01Well, I've got to congratulate you, Philip. This is just beautiful. You're a horticulturist. How did
00:39:06you get into distilling? Well, I spent 20 years growing herbs. And a lot of the herbs
00:39:11that I grew with my herb nursery are actually gin herbs.
00:39:15Right. So that was renaissance herbs. Everyone remember renaissance herbs. It's still around
00:39:20with a different owner. But from there, you moved into this, which is a great adventure,
00:39:26isn't it? It was, yeah. And to make my first gin, I did 252 different trials. And for the first
00:39:33one that I thought was okay, I sent it to London, they gave me a silver medal.
00:39:36Oh, wow. Tick.
00:39:39And then a few years later, I improved it even further and became the first Australian
00:39:43made gin to get a gold medal in London. Wow, isn't that fantastic? So what are the
00:39:47essentials for a gin? Well, you must have juniper by law in a gin.
00:39:53Ah. And after that, you can put anything you like in a gin. You could put watermelon,
00:39:57it would still be a gin. Oh, really? So basically, the next most important one,
00:40:02so coriander, angelica and licorice. Ah. And then after that, you have to make a decision,
00:40:07are we going to have a citrus gin? Are we going to have a floral gin? Are we going to
00:40:11have a spicy gin?
00:40:12We're going to have a herbal gin.
00:40:16Oh, and here's Buddha's hand. So that's a pretty spectacular citrus. Now,
00:40:20could you include, what, the fruit or the leaves? You can use both. The leaves tend to be a little
00:40:26bit more refined. Okay. And you don't need very much. Goodness, you don't need much. Yeah. And this
00:40:31one is cardamom. I know you're probably familiar with using the seeds of cardamom. Yes. But it doesn't
00:40:37set seeds here, but the leaves do have the cardamom flavour. Oh, okay. Yeah. It's slightly
00:40:42softer, but it's very nice in a gin. Well, I notice you're getting very little, so all of this can
00:40:47go in our gin. Absolutely, yeah. Wow. Ah, so this is the heart of the operation. Yes,
00:41:04this is where we do the distillation. Okay. Now, tell me of the science that's happening here,
00:41:11fella. Well, we're distilling 2,400 litres of molasses and alcohol. And out of that,
00:41:18we will get 450 bottles of rum. Really? In the other room, we've got a smaller still,
00:41:24which is our gin. Okay, Graeme, so we're going to make you a gin. And we're starting with rosemary,
00:41:32some Buddha's hand, and also some cardamom leaf. So we'll just basically cut those up. And they can
00:41:41then go into our still. We've already put in here a spirit of juniper, coriander, angelica, and licorice.
00:41:50All right. And then we're going to drop the herbs into here. We'll heat this up to 86 degrees.
00:41:57It'll turn into a vapor, and that vapor will have extracted the oils out of the leaves. A lot of
00:42:04herbs, you know, they will have 1% of the essential oil in it, which is their flavor. Right. So
00:42:09that's
00:42:09why you need so little of a herb in order to influence the flavor of the gin. But the great
00:42:14thing is, of course, it's all coming out of your garden. So you've got this wonderful resource that's
00:42:19just sort of coming back into all of these gins. Yeah. It's very, very economical making gin. Yeah.
00:42:26Because you don't need acres and acres of, you know, coriander or whatever.
00:42:31Exactly. Fascinating. Brilliant. Well done. My pleasure.
00:42:42I've been waiting to do this all day.
00:42:46Oh, so refreshing. You know, what we've just experienced was a masterclass in extracting
00:42:52those essential oils out of the botanicals that many of which we grow in our own gardens,
00:42:57the herbs and the veggies and the flowers and the citrus and some of the native plants. But what
00:43:02Phil has done is actually turned them into gold medal award-winning liqueurs and rums and gins
00:43:08right around the world. It's an Australian first, and it's really fantastic to see. You know what?
00:43:13The old GNT will never be the same again. Cheers.
00:43:18All right. When I was younger, I used to go to the freezer and pull out a snack. It was
00:43:22a crispy pancake,
00:43:23usually with a chicken filling. So today I'm going to try recreate that using a wrap and some fresh chicken.
00:43:35So for the dish, we're going to make a chicken stock using chicken legs. We're going to use the stock
00:43:42and the meat. So you've got eight chicken legs, cover that with water.
00:43:53Two onions, garlic.
00:44:05So that goes into our pot.
00:44:09I've got some green shallots and some tarragon, which I'm going to use for the garnish later on.
00:44:15But you might as well use the tops to flavour your stock.
00:44:18I've got some tarragon. The stalks are great in the stock. That goes in. Salt and pepper.
00:44:28I like a little bit of white pepper, a little bit of spice.
00:44:34Right. I've got some parmesan later to finish, but what's great with the parmesan is
00:44:41you've got that rind. Now we used this before, so that goes into the stock. It's going to flavour the
00:44:46stock as well.
00:44:49So that goes on. While that's cooking, we get our garnish ready.
00:44:53So I've got my spring onions. Basically, just cutting nice little like fingernail length spring onions,
00:44:59because you want that texture.
00:45:08Got my tarragon.
00:45:14Get that in the bowl.
00:45:18Give that a mix. Right. That's our garnish.
00:45:22So once our stock is cooked, I'm going to thicken it. Now to thicken the stock,
00:45:27I'm going to make a roux. We've made this before. It's like a slurry.
00:45:30So it's not your traditional roux. It's flour. A cup of flour. And equal parts of olive oil.
00:45:40Enough to bind it. So it looks like a slurry. So what happens is when the flour and the oil
00:45:48combine,
00:45:49you get a nice paste. And when that paste hits a hot liquid, that's what thickens it.
00:45:54We've had time enough. Chicken has softened.
00:46:00So we're going to leave all the onions in there. We'll pop the garlics out,
00:46:04because we really need that stock, because that's what's going to make our creamy sauce.
00:46:10We've got our garlic. Chef fingers. Pop our garlic.
00:46:19To the stock, I'm going to add cream to add a little bit of richness, about 200 ml.
00:46:25Some onion powder. Some garlic powder.
00:46:32Right. This is where our slurry comes into play. Start with a little bit.
00:46:37Stir it in. It starts to thicken, and then you work out how thick you want it.
00:46:41But I want it quite thick for this, because I want a paste.
00:46:49It thickens straight away once you add it. So what you want to do is continue cooking it
00:46:54for about five minutes just to cook out the flour. Have a look at that. It thickened right up. As
00:47:01that
00:47:01cools, it will actually get harder, and it's better to spread. So I'll let that cool down a little bit.
00:47:07I'll flake my chicken. So all you do is take your chicken off the bone.
00:47:13Can I keep it quite chunky? Because when you bite into it, you want that nice nugget of chicken.
00:47:18Now to assemble. Pan on a low heat. Two wraps per portion. A very big portion. A culling portion.
00:47:25Think of it as like a sandwich. Wrap on the bottom, wrap on the top. So what you do is
00:47:31take our filling,
00:47:32which is our chicken stock that we thickened, and you basically put that onto your wrap.
00:47:41Then we're going to add our greens, the spring onion, the tarragon. That's going to give you the texture
00:47:46and the freshness. Then we're going to add our baked chicken. Then I'm going to smash it with the parmesan.
00:48:04Second lid. Squash it down. Encapsulate all our flavour.
00:48:10Till it sticks, and then into the pan. Just let it sizzle away there.
00:48:26And while it's still hot, smash it with the parmesan again. So it melts into that hot crust.
00:48:35It's crisp on the bottom. Slide it onto my board. Beautiful. Obviously,
00:48:46if you've got a small frying pan at home, you can just cook them in halves. You can cook them
00:48:50in slices if you want.
00:48:52Never have enough parmesan. Lemon zest.
00:48:59Salt and pepper.
00:49:04Bit of fresh lemon on there with the zest. A little bit of fresh thyme if you've got it.
00:49:22It's all about when you bite into it, the oozing sauce, the chunks of chicken. So it is very textural.
00:49:29It's very nostalgic for me. And one thing I've learned from being an adult, don't go straight in,
00:49:34because you'll burn your lip. But it's worth it. All right, let's go.
00:49:44It's not as good as I remember. It's better.
00:49:55Coming up...
00:49:56Is this the perfect excuse for spending more time outside?
00:50:01It doesn't matter if you're young or old. There is nothing like sitting under the shade of a nice big
00:50:07tree.
00:50:08And downsizing doesn't mean downgrading. I'm really keen to see how you've taken
00:50:13all those big ideas I know you've got and brought them down to a small space.
00:50:23Over the last few months, we have been transforming this garden step by step.
00:50:27And that is a great way to tackle your own project at home.
00:50:30This time around, we've added a new stepping stone path. We've put in an enclosure for the chickens.
00:50:36And it's time we tackle this massive mulberry tree.
00:50:46It doesn't matter if you're young or old. There is nothing like sitting under the shade
00:50:50of a nice big tree, especially on a hot day like today. So I thought,
00:50:53why not build a platform around this mulberry? Nothing really grows around the base,
00:50:57so the best thing to use it for is a lovely seat. I've just knocked up a simple frame,
00:51:01which we're going to screw together. We'll then locate it to exactly where we want it.
00:51:05We'll put the posts in and go from there.
00:51:19Now, we're positioning the platform in a slightly askew angle. The reason I've done that is because
00:51:24we've got a big root here, so we need to work around that. We've also got joists to consider,
00:51:28so we don't want the trunk to hit too many of those. But also, it makes the platform really usable
00:51:33around here whilst maintaining the shade. So, I'm going to mark out where the posts go. We'll do some holes.
00:51:54We'll do some holes.
00:52:06With our posts set in concrete, I'm going to leave these to go off before we get on to
00:52:09our framework.
00:52:11What are you doing here?
00:52:13I think I better go catch a chicken.
00:52:29You can see how the rest of this framework works around the existing tree.
00:52:33Now, if you're thinking of doing something like this, you do need to consider how big
00:52:36your tree is going to get and give it enough room.
00:52:38Finishing the deck off with some decking boards, which I've already given a clear coat to match
00:52:42in with our chicken fence.
00:52:52With the decking boards down, it's almost like we've created an open air cubby house.
00:52:56This is going to be a great spot for play, but also a nice spot to relax.
00:52:59The best part is to come.
00:53:01We're about to put the plants in the ground.
00:53:02Good thing is we don't have to do any soil prep because my chicken friends have done it all
00:53:06for me.
00:53:12Now, when we built this potting bench, we went to a bit of trouble to line up all the screws
00:53:15and make the back really nice because we had the vision that we were going to be doing this
00:53:18down the line.
00:53:20One of the things I love about working in the garden with different climates, we've got sun
00:53:24out there, semi-shade over there, and shade under here is the wide variety of plants we
00:53:28can grow.
00:53:29Now, this board is perfect for a staghorn like this.
00:53:37Now, the only ones that aren't going to like this are the chickens because it's going to
00:53:40take a few scraps.
00:53:53Now, we've actually got quite deep shade in this corner of the garden, and then it gets
00:53:57much lighter as it gets to the canopy's edge, so I've got to be careful with where I put
00:54:00my plants.
00:54:01Things like the hydrangeas will grow in both conditions, but in the shade, they'll just
00:54:05be a bit smaller.
00:54:06Things like the peace lilies here, they need the deeper shade, so they're over in this
00:54:10area.
00:54:10Now, you'll notice I'm using a lot of bright colors, so white in these peace lily, the
00:54:15hydrangea, and this lovely standard begonia, but also a variegation in the hosta, and all
00:54:20that light color just tends to bring light to a dark environment like this and just lifts
00:54:24the whole thing.
00:54:33Although we do have some flowers in this garden, I'm relying quite heavily on foliage
00:54:37for year-round interest, and we've got stuff that we use quite a lot of.
00:54:39We've got Ligularia and the silver lady ferns, but we do have a couple of plants that are
00:54:43a little bit unusual.
00:54:44This is Pachysandra.
00:54:46It's a ground cover plant.
00:54:47It's going to give it a lovely woodland look and give it a bit of a mystic feel.
00:54:50And then this, Fatsia japonica, it's got these incredible leaves.
00:54:53It's going to get up and kind of hide the view of our deck from the house.
00:54:57So it's going to make this garden feel really lovely and secretive.
00:55:00Now that all the plants are in the ground, we're just going to finish off the path with
00:55:03some white gravel to tie into the areas we've already done.
00:55:19All right ladies, come on out and have a look at the new part of the garden.
00:55:22Wow.
00:55:23I feel like I need to move in here, the amount of work we've done, but this should be the
00:55:27finishing touches.
00:55:28Come have a look.
00:55:28Wow.
00:55:29This is incredible.
00:55:35This is amazing.
00:55:37Wow.
00:55:39Beautiful.
00:55:39The colours of all the different plants are incredible.
00:55:42Wow.
00:55:44Hey, it's our pleasure.
00:55:45I think even the chickens are going to be happy.
00:55:46Even though they've got a smaller spot, they're nicely contained and they did a lot of good
00:55:50fertilising for us, which is good.
00:55:52They did.
00:55:53I think these plants are going to grow really well.
00:55:55Absolutely.
00:55:55And it's a really shady area here.
00:55:57So you guys can come up, relax on the new deck.
00:55:59There's even a bench seat there.
00:56:00So when it's really hot, this is going to be a great spot in the garden.
00:56:03We had all this shade before, but we didn't have anywhere to sit.
00:56:06Yeah, absolutely.
00:56:07Because now we can really enjoy it.
00:56:09And all the plants, you know, we've gone for texture and foliage interest here.
00:56:13So all year round, it's going to look great for you.
00:56:15Yep.
00:56:15That's fantastic.
00:56:17You don't need anything else doing?
00:56:18No, we don't.
00:56:19Okay.
00:56:19Well, I'll leave.
00:56:20And the invoice is in the mail.
00:56:31I love the bench seat.
00:56:36Whoa.
00:56:36I love this little path here.
00:56:39Look at all these ferns, girls.
00:56:41Whoa.
00:56:42Wow.
00:56:42The chickens are going to enjoy eating them as they grow through the fence there.
00:56:46Yeah.
00:56:47We'll have like just bits of fern just like all gone.
00:56:52The shade garden and they go like the pillows.
00:56:56It's a good place for a sleep.
00:56:57Yep.
00:57:04Steven here has some great ideas on how you can create a botanical wonderland like this
00:57:08on your apartment balcony.
00:57:11If you're after international inspiration or you just want to try something new, this
00:57:16month's Better Homes and Gardens magazine is all about exploration.
00:57:19How would you explore if you won a million dollars?
00:57:23Discover how you can win within the issue.
00:57:26Then test your taste buds by cooking up spicy favorites with chili, including a chili jam that
00:57:32you'll want to put on absolutely everything.
00:57:34And Matt Moran makes a slow cooked lamb tagine and a one pan Tuscan roast chicken.
00:57:40So grab your issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine right now for a whole world of cooking
00:57:45to explore.
00:57:56So you're a passionate gardener, but you've only got a small space like a balcony or a
00:58:01courtyard to play around with.
00:58:02So how do you create your own patch of paradise?
00:58:05Well, I'm here catching up with a friend of mine who's just moved into an apartment in
00:58:09Melbourne CBD and he's proving that you can still cram big green ideas into a small space
00:58:15gardener.
00:58:15And take your gardening love to new heights.
00:58:17You're welcome.
00:58:40You're welcome.
00:58:41Great to see you here in my little apartment in the city.
00:58:43Look at it.
00:58:44I can feel the anticipation of what's beyond.
00:58:48Oh wow.
00:58:49That is an incredible view.
00:58:51It is an amazing view, isn't it?
00:58:53Is that the State Library?
00:58:54It is.
00:58:54A beautiful old building, wonderful space.
00:58:57So good to have that right up my doorstep.
00:58:59Now I'm right in the thick of the city, close to cafes, bars, restaurants.
00:59:03It's quite different.
00:59:04You will remember as viewers that we actually visited Stephen's garden when he was in the
00:59:08suburbs.
00:59:09And I mean, an incredible garden.
00:59:11Lots of creative ideas for backyard privacy.
00:59:14You know, he had lots of upcycled art, some quirky succulents.
00:59:18It was an incredible space.
00:59:19But how are you finding leaving that behind?
00:59:22It has been a really good positive change for me.
00:59:25It was hard in some respects to leave that because I'd been there for 19 years, created
00:59:30at all.
00:59:31But now is a really different time to enjoy giving life a bit of a nudge and getting out
00:59:37and about.
00:59:37And I still have a balcony here.
00:59:39I still have my indoor plants.
00:59:41And you know what?
00:59:42I can spot lots of things from your old garden here.
00:59:45So did you bring much of it across?
00:59:46There were a few, about half a dozen good trips of loading up things into the back of the
00:59:50car, full of greenery, bringing it in up the lift.
00:59:54Well, a lot of people do this, don't they?
00:59:56They go from the suburban home and they downsize.
00:59:58So I'm really keen to see how you've taken all those big ideas I know you've got and brought
01:00:02them down to a small space.
01:00:04Well, it's wonderful to be able to welcome you in to come and have a look at them.
01:00:06Excellent.
01:00:09You know, in a small space there really is nowhere to hide, is there?
01:00:13Spot on.
01:00:13Small spaces are really interesting to work with.
01:00:15It can be challenging, but they also can be a lot of fun because you have to work out
01:00:19how you want to style, whether you're a maximalist and you want everything in or whether you want
01:00:24it pared back a bit.
01:00:25There are a lot of things I think people can learn from this space.
01:00:27Like I love the way you've used the mirror there to double the area.
01:00:31Yeah, it's a wonderful little play on how you visualize a space.
01:00:34It's making something smaller feel bigger.
01:00:36Mirrors are really good at that.
01:00:38And also I can see that you have really thought about the texture and the layering of plants.
01:00:43I have and it's a bit like garden design.
01:00:45We do that in a garden setting.
01:00:47We look at the heights, the shapes, the textures, ground covers, shrubs, trees.
01:00:53So you're playing with that.
01:00:54Yeah, well in a small space it's all on display.
01:00:56Correct.
01:00:57It's like an art gallery.
01:01:08Oh gosh, this really is an extension of the living space, isn't it?
01:01:12It is.
01:01:12And that's what I love about it.
01:01:13It's a nice big window.
01:01:15It actually feels like it's one big space.
01:01:17Which is what I've had a lot of fun with creating this area.
01:01:20So we get a little bit of wind, obviously we're 12 stories up.
01:01:23So we get wind.
01:01:24So I've kept things generally lower.
01:01:27But that's all practical from a plant health point of view and looking after them.
01:01:31But it's also about, I don't want to block the view.
01:01:33I was going to say, you wouldn't want to block that, would you?
01:01:46Nice.
01:01:47So when it comes to plant selection, I mean that's a covered balcony.
01:01:50What sort of light are you dealing with?
01:01:52Yeah, so this is a north facing.
01:01:54I get the morning sun and the afternoon sun end to end.
01:01:57So what it means is with the shelter, it's essentially a shaded garden cut in summer.
01:02:03There's a little tiny wedge of sunlight that comes through.
01:02:06But then through the rest of the year, I actually get some sunshine coming all the way through
01:02:10into the lounge room.
01:02:11So shade loving plants are the predominant context.
01:02:15All of these are plants that I have brought from the previous garden.
01:02:19And they were tested there.
01:02:21So I know they're pretty tough and pretty hardy.
01:02:23And they can cope with the lower maintenance that I'm happy to give it.
01:02:26Yeah.
01:02:26But they are things like the spider plants, the asparagus fern, the agaves.
01:02:35But also I have a little bit of fun.
01:02:37The kangaroo paws here, for example.
01:02:38I did spot a kangaroo paw in amongst all that.
01:02:41They love a sunny spot.
01:02:42I love a garden.
01:02:43I'm a gardener.
01:02:44But I'm also, in this timing, not wanting to have a lot to look after.
01:02:47So it's about choosing plants that are pretty robust and tough, don't need a lot of water.
01:02:52So a lot of the plants here, I may only water once a week, if that.
01:02:56But it's also about having a bit of trickery, for want of a better word.
01:02:59Yeah.
01:03:00Like the large pot I've got here, these big cone pots.
01:03:04The pot is there, but I've got a little, I've got the plant sitting in its own pot.
01:03:07To reduce the weight?
01:03:09So it reduces the weight.
01:03:10And because everything is in pots, it's a really great thing for renters really, isn't it?
01:03:14Because everything's so moveable.
01:03:15It is spot on.
01:03:17It's only for a rental context like I am here, it means that I can move stuff around,
01:03:22I can transport it to another place, but I actually also do move stuff around here.
01:03:26You'd be surprised.
01:03:28So for people at home who are downsizing or maybe live in apartments,
01:03:32who want to think that they can do something like this, what are your top tips?
01:03:36I would say one of the key things is to give it a go.
01:03:39It's okay to trial and error, which is what we do in our gardens and bigger spaces.
01:03:44I think gardening is so much trial and error.
01:03:46Failure is okay.
01:03:47You learn.
01:03:48And that's part of the enjoyment of it.
01:03:50So yes, having a garden on a balcony is very much doable.
01:03:54Just embrace the opportunity to explore and have a bit of fun.
01:04:05Well Stephen, I actually can't think of a better place to be.
01:04:08This is just so nice, listening to the sounds of the city.
01:04:11It is a wonderful little treat.
01:04:13And this is a wonderful little chapter of my life being here in the city.
01:04:16And in amongst it all, you've managed to find your little oasis, your patch of greenery.
01:04:20It is my little quiet sanctuary within the city noises and city escape.
01:04:26So here's to the next chapter.
01:04:28Thank you for having us.
01:04:29Look forward to following the journey.
01:04:30Thanks Melissa.
01:04:31Great to have you here.
01:04:41Joe and Ali, just when I thought that the world's best day at work couldn't get better,
01:04:45you bring me into this amazing produce room that has a chandelier.
01:04:49It does.
01:04:50It does.
01:04:51Just thought we'd jazz it up a little bit.
01:04:53You had me at all of this.
01:04:55Is this all your produce?
01:04:56It is.
01:04:57We preserve what we grow.
01:04:59And then in winter time, which in Wooden can get quite cold,
01:05:02we've got a lot of food to choices.
01:05:04What about your honey?
01:05:05Yes.
01:05:05Because obviously that must be highly sought after as well.
01:05:08Yeah, you should try some.
01:05:09Look at a little taster.
01:05:10You beauty.
01:05:12This was from three years ago.
01:05:14Three years ago.
01:05:14It's a gorgeous colour.
01:05:15Yeah.
01:05:17Oh.
01:05:18What do you think?
01:05:20That's outstanding ladies, honestly.
01:05:21So we keep a jar from every year since we started beekeeping.
01:05:26There's been actually a couple of years where we didn't extract honey at all.
01:05:29Yeah.
01:05:29But we like seeing the different variances.
01:05:32Because both seasons are the same.
01:05:34Because you've got the colour.
01:05:34Yeah, exactly.
01:05:35The colour variances is quite extraordinary just in that.
01:05:37And all from the same backyard.
01:05:38But you've been here, what, ten years now.
01:05:40Is there anything that you would change?
01:05:42I don't think so.
01:05:43I think for us it's all about the journey.
01:05:46Yeah.
01:05:46And we love getting down and learning about how to do things.
01:05:49It did take quite a bit of planning for us to move out.
01:05:52Yeah.
01:05:52Moved here ten years ago.
01:05:53But it was ten years before that when we really, really wanted to do it.
01:05:57Yeah.
01:05:57And it just took a lot of planning to be able to make the change.
01:05:59Fantastic.
01:06:00What I have found today incredibly inspiring.
01:06:02I also love that there's love in this room.
01:06:04There's love in your house, in your garden.
01:06:06And in your business.
01:06:07It's been a real joy.
01:06:08Thank you for sharing it with us.
01:06:10Thank you for visiting us.
01:06:11No worries.
01:06:12We'll see you next week with more Better Homes and Gardens.
01:06:14Bye-bye.
01:06:14Bye.
01:06:23Next time, this peachy dessert is a real breeze.
01:06:28Any condition, I'm here for you, but the tart will be worth it in the end.
01:06:33They say man created angles and God created curves.
01:06:37Well, how about this?
01:06:39We've found an architectural masterpiece that takes the very best of Mother Nature as inspiration.
01:06:46These roses look straight out of a fairy tale, but the reality is they're hard work.
01:06:51We kiss many frogs here.
01:06:53And end up with a prince.
01:06:56Plus, Adam tackles the place where all your junk goes to die.
01:07:00Oh, let's talk about the garage.
01:07:02I can already see one big problem.
01:07:04Yeah mate, the car doesn't fit.
01:07:07This is one renter friendly hack you won't want to sleep on.
01:07:10Oh my gosh, this is incredible.
01:07:14You did ask for a pop of colour, so that's exactly what I gave you on this bare white wall.
01:07:19And these rescuers need all their ninja skills to do their job.
01:07:23There we go.
01:07:24Got one.
01:07:25Oh, how's that for time?
01:07:26That's next time on Better Homes and Gardens.
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