Grounds: Cafe Gardens & Garden Cafes

Engine Room Cafe

With a long weekend coming up, it’s time to start planning the all-important city exodus. Why not turn your thoughts to a scenic trip through the Lockyer Valley and up over the range to Toowoomba?

Beat the Carnival of Flowers crowds by going at this time of year, and if you do, consider popping in to the Engine Room Café. No matter what you select from the menu it will tide you over for a good week or two – exactly what is required from a day-trip pit stop!

The best place to sit is the courtyard out the back…it’s not obvious at first glance, but well worth backtracking from the counter, through the gift shop, and up the stairs to sit out and enjoy the winter sun.

There’s a simple timber frame structure overhead and the floor is a mix of deck and old concrete. I was most intrigued though, by the walls.

A simple and fairly cost-effective series of ‘green walls’ has been created by wrapping the courtyard in curving panels of reinforcing mesh.

El-cheapo brush fencing panels are secured front and back…

…and a healthy profusion of vegetation bursts through beneath the dappled light.

Amongst the stars are maidenhair ferns, and a host of bromeliads.

Adding colour are a bougainvillea and a native violet that’s hurled itself around the base of the screens and up the front like a rat up a drainpipe.

Being disinclined to deconstruct the courtyard I wasn’t able to see what was going on behind the screens, but I imagine the pots and growing media are all back there, hanging from the reo mesh.

If you’ve read the story on Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory City Garden you’ll know of my fondness for garden structures made from reinforcing bars and mesh.

I reckon the Engine Room Café shows another way to use this readily available and versatile material to good effect.

Now tell me what you think? Do you like the contrast between the rusty reinforcing mesh and the verdant greenery?

Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Long-Weekend-Planning, and see you soon for more from the world of landscape and design.

Note: the Engine Room Cafe is at 1 Railway Street, Toowoomba.

Don't Be Scared!

Overcome your fear of compost and watch your garden thrive.

In her first TED Talk, the best-selling author, Elizabeth Gilbert admitted to being scared of seaweed. Everyone has that one thing, right?

For many would-be gardeners, it is composting that throws them into a panic.

Although we’ve all been told that composting is a good idea, we have an impressive ability to conjure up an inexhaustible list of reasons not to compost:

It’s too smelly, too complicated, rats will get in, we don’t have enough space, we haven’t got time, it’s all a bit icky, there’s all that turning and rotating isn’t there, and it’s too overwhelming to know where to even start.

Fair enough. I get it.

I’ve had many of those same thoughts myself.

Some people though, are natural-born composters. In the blink of an eye they can transform last night’s potato peelings and the Sunday paper into a rich, crumbly mix that looks good enough to eat.

My partner Richard’s dad, Colin, is one such alchemist. 

Meet CB: green thumb, artist, kitchen guru, fisherman, golfer, Olympic-level bargain hunter and all-round top bloke.

For twenty years I have been watching him work his magic in the garden, and after much cajoling, I've finally convinced him to share three secrets of his success.

Secret Item 1: the custom-made compost bins

CB has experimented with off-the-shelf bins but his current model is one he invented himself. It goes something like this: get hold of two wheelie bins, drill holes all over the sides, and wheel into place.

Voila! Scraps go in the top, the lid keeps birds out and conditions nice and toasty, the base keeps rats out, and the holes allow air circulation.

All the kitchen scraps go in, even citrus, traditionally a no-no. If it looks a bit wet, he adds some sugar cane mulch.

Occasionally, he’ll sneak in a bonus ingredient, like a few cuttlefish.

That’s it. Simple.

Two bins sit side-by-side, allowing one to be in use and the other available for harvest. And no, it doesn’t smell bad.

Secret Item 2: the experimental potions

CB lives at the beach, and has recently been experimenting with a DIY seaweed solution. We all know plants love seaweedy and fishy food, so why not make your own, right?

He got hold of some seaweed after big seas and put it to soak in a tub of water. Every so often he hives off some of the rich brown liquid, dilutes it, and waters it into the plants.

Secret Item 3: the icing on the cake

Topping everything off is a layer of sugar cane mulch. You can positively hear the plants cooing with happiness under their mulch blankies. The cane mulch is simply topped up as it starts to break down into the soil.

So there you have it. With these three simple things (and a few other tricks that I haven't let out of the bag today) The Colster is able to keep up a steady supply of salad greens and culinary herbs all year round. He also has a couple of pawpaws just firing themselves up to be productive.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, or for us at least, the pictures of a healthy, productive garden. I hope this has showed you that composting needn’t be difficult or onerous, and that the rewards are well worth it.

Most of all I hope this shows that a willingness to experiment lies at the heart of many a successful garden, so go boldly into yours!

What do you think?

Is composting one of those things you think you ‘should do’ but you’ve been avoiding? What one thing do you think would make it easier to get started? Or if you are a composting legend, what’s your one sure-fire tip for success?

Let us know in the comments below.

If you know someone who might enjoy this story, we’d be honoured if you’d share it, and we look forward to catching up soon for more from the fascinating world of gardens, landscape and design.

Studio 217: a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ for designing and dreaming

Studio 217 is located in the partly subterranean basement of heritage-listed Craigston, and is a tiny space – barely 32m2 – tucked off the main carpark. 

The studio reconfigured an existing internal space that has undergone change over time, being used first as part of the general carpark, then as enclosed storeroom, caretaker’s accommodation and finally a solicitor’s office, before its present use. 

Looking in the same direction as the first image, this shows the space as it was at the very start of the project.

Dark, cave-like materials and finishes reinforce the basement location. There are eight storeys of building above, and a partly lowered ceiling creates a sense of compression.

Just inside the entry, with the compressed ceiling above.

The underlying geology of Spring Hill, in particular the layered, tilted rock strata, is expressed using strong horizontal lines interrupted by sloping planes.  

To minimise the impact of potential water ingress formply was used extensively, the dark colour enhancing the cave-like atmosphere. 

Research through the Queensland Herbarium uncovered a list of tree species endemic to Spring Hill pre-European settlement.  White Mahogany was on the list, and recycled timber boards of this species appear on the surfaces where people sit or lean, and on the underside of the low ceiling band. 

The project stripped plasterboard wall linings, removed floor tiles and a suspended ceiling to reveal the concrete slabs, columns and brick walls.  These are part of Craigston’s pioneering construction: built in 1927 it was Brisbane’s first ‘high-rise’, and reportedly one of the first uses of reinforced concrete.

The timber studwork supporting the old plasterboard was donated to a friend, who used it on his own construction project. MDF, two-pack and volatile finishes were deliberately avoided. Brick walls were cleaned by soda blasting, which is less aggressive than sand blasting. 

The warmth and texture of the existing brickwork was revealed after soda blasting. Concrete 'drips' running down the face of the brick shows the original method of constructing the concrete framed building.

Low-VOC paint was applied to the ceiling, and the exposed concrete floor finished with tinted penetrating oil. Plywood shelves and recycled timber boards have been left unfinished.

Numerous functional requirements were accommodated, including overnight guest accommodation, a piano, extensive library, a collection of seed pods, lino-printing facilities, and drawing board and design studio for two.  

The Landscapology collections have a new home.

Drawing board and desks occupy the raised platform.

A raised platform enabled a desk at window sill height, taking advantage of morning light for detailed work. The space below houses a slide-out bench seat and bed. 

The studio conceals its surprises...

...and then slides to reveal the concealed seat, bed, piano and more.

Enclosing the piano within the joinery enabled a perched seating platform, and sliding cabinets contain collections and conceal artworks and the building structure behind. 

Apart from task lighting at the desks, lighting levels are deliberately low. Lamps are concealed, with light ‘leaking’ into the space through cracks and crevices. 

Previous occupants enlarged an original window to create a new doorway, and within this the new sliding door is the main evidence of new occupation visible from outside. 

The external courtyard provides the sole access to the studio, as well as pedestrian access to the carpark level of the building for residents. It was previously paved flush with the internal studio floor, and inadequate drainage resulted in frequent inundation.

New infrastructure was installed, and the external level lowered. The pavers were reused to construct new steps, and sandstone steppers reclaimed from previous Craigston use were added. Broken bricks salvaged from an internal renovation in the building were smashed with a sledgehammer over several weekends, and used to create a permeable mulch layer. 

Undoubtedly the most important people involved in making Studio 217 a reality were our builders, Rob and Chris Hogerheyde, from RAM Constructions. From start to finish they were extraordinary, achieving their customary craftsmanship and attention to detail in very cramped quarters. They even made an art installation to welcome us home after an extended holiday!

Q: How many lattes does it take to build a studio? A: A lot. Many more than this...

It goes without saying that without them, our studio wouldn’t be half the place it is today. Thanks, guys.

Studio 217 was a design collaboration by Amalie Wright and Richard Buchanan. It was recently awarded a Small Project Architecture Regional Commendation at the Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards.

Except for 'before' and 'during' construction shots, all photography by Christopher Frederick Jones.

Swinging with Sedges: Perth's Urban Wetland

In the middle of Perth’s incredibly vibrant cultural precinct is a concrete wetland. Doesn’t sound great huh? Don’t be put off though, because this wetland is a little oasis that is loved and used by critters of all species, including our own.

The museum, library, art galleries, and dazzling new State Theatre that make up the cultural precinct are all linked by a series of concrete-paved plazas and broad steps.

In one corner, the steps used to lead down to a water feature. In recent years this has been reimagined as a wetland system, with the traditional treated water feature being retrofitted with sedges and other aquatic plants that treated runoff water naturally.

A series of timber walkways and platform were added, along with colourful folded seating elements.

The wetland has now established itself and environmental studies have identified a range of permanent fauna residents.

People are drawn to the new environment too.

On an overcast and generally less-than-perfect weekday afternoon people enjoyed a quiet lunch or study break.

On Sunday afternoon the city jazz festival moved in. The timber deck became a stage.

The wide amphitheatre steps were covered with bean bags.

And the crowd enjoyed the show.

This urban wetland is a brilliant example of the way a simple idea can transform a space.

Created with a very modest budget, it nonetheless creates a place that operates successfully every day as well as on special occasions. In an era when many people still regard wetlands as 'swamps' - undesirable places best avoided - this project shows how easily inner-city habitat can coexist with people.

The Urban Wetland was designed by Josh Byrne & Associates. The firms also does regular fauna monitoring at the wetland.

Grounds: Cafe Gardens & Garden Cafes

Wild Canary

There’s something truly magical about seeing a check-trousered chef wander out from his kitchen and come back clutching a few delicate fronds. It’s even better when those same fronds appear only minutes later on the plate that has just been delivered to your table.

Such was my happy fate upon visiting Wild Canary, the brand new café in the grounds of the Brookfield Garden Centre.

The fronds in question were Lemon Verbena, and they made a graceful garnish for the Strawberry Surprise muffin I’d ordered. (I am ever-skeptical of muffins. They can be tricky, don’t you think? A bad one is like a deadweight of unhappy clagginess. So common is this variety though, that the rare appearance of a good ‘un warms the soul and restores faith in the possibility of successful small baked goods).

The delicate pale purple flowers and fine foliage released a zingy lemon aroma when crushed. Mother-of-Landscapology, visiting from out of town, was so impressed she hot-footed into the nursery and bought up the last plant to take home.

The plants the chef had attacked were not in the nursery, but rather in a fantastic kitchen garden, newly established midway between the garden centre and Wild Canary.

Five raised beds have been installed, and planted out with a variety of citrus and fruiting trees, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers, including olive, lemon, fennel, sage, basil, thyme, mint, rosemary, and of course, lemon verbena.

Little critter enjoying his share of the kitchen garden too...

The varied bed plantings.

Terrace under the bamboo stand.

Brick wall detail at the cafe entry.

Wild Canary is open for breakfast and lunch, and I suspect that, having enjoyed your meal and wandered back past the kitchen garden, you too will find it difficult to leave without picking something up at the nursery.

Resistance is futile.

The nursery has an extensive collection of Australian plants for sale.

Stunning Xanthorrhoea.

Bromeliads in the shade section.

The nursery in its eucalypt setting.

Now it’s over to you.

Have you ever eaten something at a cafe or restaurant and then been inspired to grow it at home? Let us know what it was, and how you went in the comments below.

Of course coffee and food are made to be shared, so if you know someone else who might find this interesting, why not pass it on, and if you liked it ‘heart’ us below.

Note: Wild Canary is at the Brookfield Garden Centre, 2371 Moggill Road, Brookfield. Bookings on 3378 2805 (recommended). The are several dining areas available, including a raised internal room and a covered outdoor deck.

Surf & Salad

Herbs and vegies are the street planting of choice  at one of Australia's most beautiful beach towns.

Landscapology decamped to Yamba over Easter, and what a smart decision that was. If you’ve ever been there you’ll know that Yamba is one of the loveliest coastal towns in Australia. You get to look at stuff like this every day:

Not bad huh.

Pandanus unfurl themselves across the headlands, the spinifex glows silver in the breeze, and the water whispers your name. Heaven.

But wait, there’s more!

Yamba is also home to a brilliant edible garden scheme. Supported by the local council, Edible Yamba was launched last Easter.

Garden beds on the main street have been planted with a rich assortment of vegetables and herbs.

Where no footpath space is available, simple, robust timber planters have been installed.

Little signs display information about unusual specimens.

I've never seen za'atar growing: only the traffic and crowds stopped me from getting closer.

Oregano: good for pizzas and prostates. Apparently...

...and here it is in the flesh.

Larger signs encourage everyone to participate by using the crops.

Such a generous idea.

Some shop owners have personalized their planters, adding flowers to the bounteous mix of edibles.

Kale. Mealy bug free obviously, as every insect in the country lives in my crop.

As you'd expect, several of the local cafes have also embraced the concept with enthusiasm.

Caperberry, in its prime corner location, directs its Facebook followers to recipes that can be made using items from the street plantings, such as this lush lemongrass.

Perennially popular Beachwood Café was ahead of the pack in tending a jam-packed herb garden on the tiny verge outside.

Could this be the hottest street in town?

Lovely fennel flowers.

At the moment, rosellas are blooming amongst the other plants.

Oh rosella jam...how you make my heart sing.

Newcomer Irons and Craig is also awash in rosellas. Growing in the garden behind the café, they are harvested and bottled as preserves or jam each Wednesday, when the café is shut for pickling day.

A few stalks of corn from a larger crop still thrive out the front, next to chillis and capsicums.

Underneath, oregano makes a soft and fragrant groundcover.

Look up, and vines twine up an old hills hoist.

The edible gardens also pop up behind the signage that marks the arrival into the main shopping area.

Here, capsicums and curry plants and joined by geraniums and a stand of pawpaw trees.

Part of the decision to instigate Edible Yamba was to show that fresh, organic food could be grown easily and look just as attractive as a purely ornamental garden.

I don’t know about you, but seeing such abundance on every street corner was incredibly satisfying. How brilliant to brush past a thriving rosemary or curry plant on your way to get the paper, and release that wonderful scent into the seaside air.

I think it’s safe to say that Edible Yamba has made me love the place even more.

What do you think?

Do any streets near you contain edibles? What are they? What one herb or edible plant would you like to see used more in your city streets. Let us know in the comments below.

If you think a friend would find this article interesting I’d be honoured if you passed it along.

Thanks for reading, and see you soon for more from the wonderful world of gardens, landscape and design.