It's coming into Spring. I am actually going to miss the cold weather a bit. However I am really excited about the abundance of colour that is about to explode in my own native garden. Native gardens on the Central Coast work exceptionally well. They also produce a colourful, leafy look in your garden, when looked after well.

One of the myths about native gardens on the Central Coast is that they don't possess a lot of colour. In Winter, often the native garden can look more green than colourful, but come Spring time all the beautiful buds of pink, white, red, yellow and even mauves start to bloom.

Another myth about native gardens is that they require no maintenance. Although this type of garden is handy in that it requires low maintenance, for your native garden to look attractive there is some important maintenance required.

It is important to prune your natives when they finish flowering, unless you want the fruit, so that they can regenerate, thick and full for the Spring bloom.

Mulching is the key to success in any garden, but also important for native gardens. Mulching your native garden allows moisture to stay in the soil and nourish your plants from the roots.

And lastly, it's a myth that native gardens don't need to be fed. Although native gardens dont usually like artificial fertilisers, it is a good idea to give your garden a feed with a more organic fertiliser, such as blood and bone, usually in Spring and Autumn.

If you are looking for ideas on native plants that provide colour in your garden, below is a table of native plants that can provide not only colour, but you could even create your own Aussie Cottage Garden.

These are a few photos of the native colour I have had throughout Winter in my own native garden. I am really looking forward to this seasons show.

If you are still looking for ideas for native plants you can take a trip up to the Mt Penang Gardens. These gardens feature a huge display of beautiful natives, not only local to the Central Coast, but also to varying parts of Australia.

At Breeze we love native gardens, if you are looking to plant natives in your garden, we would be happy to help with your selection and what would grow well in your area.

We all know the property market has been up for a good while now. But did you know that your garden can add value to your property?

It is important to choose the right trees and plants for your property. A leafy neighbourhood will add value to your property as the trees improve the living conditions by shading out the Summer heat, store carbon and recycle oxygen. Many trees are also visually appealing and change colour and appearance with the seasons.

However while trees do lots of good, they can also be a maintenance nightmare if chosen poorly, planted too close to your home or other buildings, or if they eventually block access or a view.

The best way to avoid this is to choose named varieties that grow to a known height and width that matches the space they will be planted in.

Deciduous trees, losing their leaves in Autumn and Winter, area great choice for suburban areas as they allow sunlight to filter into gardens during Winter and many protect houses from fire.

According to research by the online site HOMELIFE, trees that are likely to add value to your home, are attractive, easy to care for and compact include:

However not all trees add value to your property. Despite the attractive show the Liquid-amber displays during Autumn, if these trees are planted too close to houses, driveways or underground pipes, they can be a source of unwanted costs and on going maintenance.

Evergreen conifers, especially the tall and fast growing Lyelandii cypress, gum trees of all types, especially those growing close to homes in fire prone locations are also a choice to be considered carefully.

So if you are thinking of selling now or in the future think wisely before you plant out your garden. Do your research on what plants are best suited to your area and how big they will grow to.

Well, are you? I think you either are or you aren't?

My wife considers herself a bit of a birdie. Always filling me in on the activity of the birds in our area.

This week she asked me how we could get more varieties of birds in our garden.

So i thought I would share some tips with you all on how to attract more birds to your garden, and the advantages of doing this.

Basically if a bird knows it can be fed, be safe from predators or be able to cool down it is more likely to come for a visit.

Generally the diet of birds puts them into four broad categories - nectar feeding, insect feeding, fruit and seed feeding, and carnivorous.

The bird groups:

• Nectar feeding birds. The flower provides the food source and the birds repay them by taking pollen from one flower to the next, thus facilitating cross pollination.

• Fruit and seed eating birds. They love the berries produced by Syzygium ‘Bush Christmas’. Another plant to provide food for this group is the Grevillea.

• Insect-eating birds like similar plants to those of nectar feeders, so if you've got nectar-feeding birds, you'll have the insect-eaters too.

• The carnivores include butcher birds, kookaburras, currawongs and owls. To get them into the garden you need wildlife and the best way to do that is to stop using nasty pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. This encourages a natural biology in the garden and brings wildlife such as insects, small lizards, worms and frogs.

The bird attracting plants:

• Grevillea ‘Honey Gem’ is a plant the rainbow lorikeets love. They adore the nectar and seeds and they won't knock back the odd insect or two either. Grevilleas are great bird plants. The denser and pricklier the foliage, the better protection it gives birds from predators and it also provides fabulous, safe nesting sites.

• Grevillea ‘Scarlet Sprite’ is another good smaller-growing variety that affords birds plenty of protection. It flowers in the cooler months, giving birds a winter feed.

• Grevillea ‘Firesprite’ is a favourite of the scarlet honeyeater.

• Kangaroo paws used to be hard to grow in some locations but, thanks to modern breeding, varieties will now grow just about anywhere, and they attract honeyeaters, red wattle birds and eastern spinebills.

• Banksias are a bit of an all-rounder. They're nectar-bearing, so that means they attract the nectar-feeding birds, like wattle birds, but they also carry seeds and that means they bring in the seed-eaters, such as cockatoos.

• Callistemons or bottlebrushes attract a variety of birds, including the insect eating fairy wren.

Build a bird-friendly garden

It is best to create a multi-layered habitat of ground covers with small and medium shrubs, and trees to provide food and shelter all year for a variety of bird species.

These plants should be close together to form dense, protective thickets, including climbers within medium-to-tall shrubs and trees. Mulch can also encourage insect life for insectivorous birds.

Plants should also be local species that grow naturally in the area and are suited to the climate. Reliable water encourages visits for a drink or a dip. But remember that birds like the water elevated so they feel safe.

Seeing birds playing their role in pollination, dispersing seed and keeping pests, like snails and insect larvae, under control is part of the joy of seeing birds in your yard. Follow these tips to be on the way to helping the environment and enjoying the sights and sounds of some wonderful winged visitors to the garden.

Humid, Hot, Cold, Hail, Rain, Humid, Hot, Cold, Hail, Rain...

Lately it has felt like this pattern of weather has become the norm. At times the heat has been unbearable and then the humidity kicks in and you almost want the heat back.

To say it has been unpleasant is to say the least.

It can be hard in this heat to get out and prepare your gardens for the onslaught of hot weather, but with a bit of planning and TLC your gardens can survive the extreme weather.

I have put together a short list of the most important things to remember.

1. Move pot plants into the shade so they are out of the heat during the hottest part of the day.

2. If you have plants in your garden that are in direct sunlight all day and they are fragile, erect a shade over them to give them some respite.

3. Make sure you give your plants a good drink before the hot weather hits. It is important that your plants have plenty of drainage and water so they don't dry out during the day.

4. Make sure your mulch is up to date. This gives your plant roots protection and allows water to trickle through in a drip effect throughout the day.

5. DO NOT cut off any leaves that have died and look as though they are draining the plant of any life it may have left. These leaves serve a vital role in that they shade the lower parts of the plant and protect the roots and stems from being exposed to the extreme heat.

6. Instead of fertilising during the heat, use liquid seaweed on a fortnightly basis.

Hopefully with these few tips in mind your garden will still be abundant at the end of the Summer.