Say goodbye to cold Winter days and hello to the sun and warmth of Spring.
Now is the perfect time to get into the garden and start planting some Spring colour to add a lift to alfresco wining and dining along with fruit, vegetables and herbs for those healthy, fresh salads to accompany your next barbeque.
Here is our guide to Spring planting plus three recipes for family meal inspiration:
Flowers:
In the Southern states of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia it is a great time to plant petunias, snapdragons, marigolds and geraniums.
While in Queensland, gardenias, alyssum, cosmos, marigolds and petunias are ideal for some Spring colour.
Over in WA, get planting with kangaroo paw, zinnias, impatiens, portulacas and marigolds.
Down in the Apple Isle, it’s time for hippeastrums, belladonna lilies and giant sunflowers.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs:
In warm areas, it’s the season for passionfruit, pawpaw, avocado, banana, citrus, macadamia, rocket, silver beet, spring onion, lettuce, zucchini, pumpkin, leek, capsicum, cucumber, eggplant and tomatoes.
Try these smoked salmon, zucchini, ricotta and miso fritters from Guy Turland with fresh zucchini from your garden.
For herbs, think parsley, sweet basil, dill, mint, marjoram, coriander, catnip and thyme.
In cool to cold areas, start planting strawberries, leeks, onion, parsnip, radishes, spinach, sweet corn, beetroot, tomatoes, peas, silver beet, lettuce, swedes, turnips and cucumber.
Make this tangy silver beet and roast potato salad for your next Spring barbeque.
Herbs like basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme are ready to hit the ground running.
While for temperate zones, get growing blueberries, passionfruit, paw paw, bananas, citrus, olives, spring onion, artichoke, celery, silver beet, lettuce, leeks, climbing beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, carrots and radishes.
Next time you are looking for an oyster dinner winner, try Matt Golinski’s oysters with horseradish relish and celery straight from your garden.
As for herbs, it’s time to plant chives, parsley, catnip, sage, oregano, rosemary, thyme and marjoram.
Happy Spring planting!
