Outdoors Archives

Playspaces: Child’s play gets serious

21 Oct 2019

The importance of play is a hot topic in child development circles. We investigate the changing thinking behind playspace design and how playfulness can be incorporated into all kinds of spaces, both public and private.

Outdoors

Upcycled glasshouses

3 Jun 2019

Are we in a new golden age of conservatories? Secondhand glazing is being given a new life as greenhouses – but far from being plant-only spaces, we visit five conservatories which double as cosy extra rooms for relaxation.

Outdoors

Shared yards

29 Mar 2019

Tearing down the backyard fence or installing a gate between your house and next door sounds good in theory, but what’s it like in reality?

Ideas & Advice

The right to roam

25 Mar 2019

Forage-friendly landscapes are everywhere in Australia, including in the suburbs. But before you go out and fill your basket, familiarise yourself with the rules of engagement, writes Kirsten Bradley of Milkwood.

Sustainable Design

On the verge

1 Feb 2019

Public meets private in that space between front fences and the road, which makes verge gardens a contested but exciting frontier for sustainable landscape design.

Outdoors

Getting rainwater collection right

4 Jan 2019

During the millennium drought many people installed water tanks for the first time. Ten years on, as we face drought again, what more do we know about the best ways to optimise rainwater collection for your site?

Ideas & Advice

Grass is green

25 Aug 2018

Lawn can get a bad rap – some tear it up for gardens while others replace it with fake grass. But in the world of Diggers Club veteran, Keith Edwards, when it comes to turf there are only pros and no cons.

Ideas & Advice

Perennial challenge

30 Jun 2018

The Aboriginal-owned Merian Munjie Food Company is cultivating indigenous staple crops with the goal of achieving commercial-scale production. However, without sufficient agricultural land the company faces an uphill battle.