Garden and Home Care

The first thing you’ll probably notice when you walk into Paronella Park is owners Mark and Judy Evans standing out front. They’ll either be on the deck of the visitors’ centre or on its steps, ready to greet guests. If they’re not there, there’s a good chance they’re inside, on the park grounds, asking guests how they’re finding it. “Yesterday we had three girls come by from Germany who had travelled around Australia for two and a half months,” says Mark. “They were sceptical and weren’t coming in until I dragged them – literally dragged them. I said ‘come on, you gotta see this place’. “They said it was one of the best places they had been on their trip.” So what is Paronella Park? Best described as a Gaudi meets secret garden meets the Taj Mahal, it’s a series of moss-covered stone buildings and canopied winding walkways spread across five hectares of lush rainforest in tropical North Queensland, 90 minutes’ drive from Cairns. Read more:  https://thenewdaily.com.au/...

Students at Pemberton District High School let their artistic talents shine by painting a life-sized fibreglass cow for the Dairy Australia Picasso Cows program. The program brings the processes of the dairy industry to life in the classroom, by teaching students about the steps involved in dairy production. Students are then asked to paint the process of milk production on to the fibreglass cows, to show what they have learnt. Students from Years 1 to 6 helped to paint the cow, which they named eMOOjie. The Year 1 and 2 students were responsible for the head, hooves, udder and tail, the Year 3 and 4 students designed and created the left side of the cow and the Year 5 and 6 students worked on the right side. Read more:  https://thewest.com.au/news/manjimup-bridgetown-times/pi-cow-sso-project-explores-dairy-life-ng-b881275205z

There’s a reason we love visiting Sydney’s best florists and ordering elaborate bouquets from flower delivery services: flowers are magical, delicate beauties that remind us of the wonders of nature and make a room pop with colour. If you can’t get enough petals in your life, head to these floral festivals and gardens popping up in Sydney and the surrounding regions. You’ll be able to wander through fields of colour and investigate glorious varieties like paper daisies, cherry blossoms, tulips and other blooms. Once the flowering season subsides, head to Sydney’s best plant nurseries to add to your home jungle.  Read more: https://www.timeout.com/sydney/things-to-do/flower-festivals-near-sydney

A modern take on the classic Aussie farmhouse has been named best home in the nation. Announced last week in Melbourne, the 2019 Houses Awards highlight Australia’s most innovative designers, and projects that challenge design norms and the traditional concept of “home”. Brisbane-based Partners Hill earned the prestigious Australian House of the Year title, as well as the award for best new house over 200sqm, for its Daylesford Longhouse project. Set on sprawling acreage at Elevated Plains in Victoria’s Daylesford region and comprised of a working 110m-long farm building, greenhouse and living space, the awards jury said the project — which was once featured on Grand Designs Australia — provided “an innovative model for rural living”. Read more:  https://thewest.com.au/lifestyle/home-decorating/modern-farmhouse-named-best-home-in-australia-at-annual-houses-awards-ng-b881277283z