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A simple, by-product of coconut production can really spruce your garden up. Coconut coir, the fuzzy bit on the outside of the coconut, can help with keeping your soil aerated and nutrient rich. It also helps with water absorption, which means that your plants will better benefit from the water you give them while being less likely to suffer from root rot. In this era of peat-free gardening, coconut coir is essential for healthy plants.&nbsp; If you want to purchase some separately, coconut coir is available at most garden centres and in various forms. Sometimes it's sold in blocks that can be soaked, fluffed up and added to soil, or as loose fibres in a bag. However, it is often present in decent peat free composts so you don’t have to buy it separately if you don't want to.&nbsp; So don't be (coconut) shy, get in on the coconut coir revolution.&nbsp;

At the Coir of Things

When your mower oil has seen better days you will need an oil change, but when is the best time to change your oil? You only usually need to change it or have it changed once a year if you're just using your mower for your garden, though heavier use of your mower can necessitate more oil changes.&nbsp;Another thing you need to watch out for is the colour of your oil, you want it to be a nice golden colour like the oil in the image for this post. If it's black and sludgy or a chalky colour, change it immediately as it can adversely affect your machine.&nbsp;If you follow our tips about assessing oil colour, you'll be sure to have a well oiled machine.&nbsp;

A Well Oiled Machine

A dependable and attractive addition to any garden, you can never really go wrong if you get a cordyline or two so here's short guide to them.&nbsp;First, know thy cordylines. There are a great many types of cordyline, but we’ll stick to the ones you’re most likely to encounter; cordyline australis, and cordyline fruticosa. Your standard cordyline australis is an evergreen tree that can look a little like a palm tree when it’s established, but there are other varieties of cordyline australis that you may be familiar with like the ‘Torbay Red’ and ‘Torbay Dazzler’ that don’t become as big but have a fantastic colour. Other varieties under the cordyline australis umbrella that may interest you are the intensely coloured, ‘Southern Splendour’ and the ‘Red Star’ variety.&nbsp;Let’s move on to cordyline fruticosa. While you can plant them outside, cordyline fruticosa serve well as houseplants. Some stunning varieties of cordyline fruticosa include ‘Black Magic’ and the fascinatingly coloured ‘Candy Cane’.&nbsp; When it comes to the conditions cordylines like, cordyline australis can survive sub-zero temperatures of minus 5 degrees Celsius. Frost, however, can affect the plant and cause things like cordyline slime flux where the plant excretes a foul-smelling sap like substance because of frost damage. You can usually cut the affected area away to keep the plant healthy. To avoid slime flux when overwintering, wrap your plant when the weather is dry to avoid rot, and mulch cordylines in flower beds before winter strikes. With cordyline fruticosa, pick the hardiest variety you can if you want to have them outside, and keep them in containers so they can be moved inside over winter. For both types, never waterlog your soil and make sure that they have access to enough sun, but not too much direct sunlight.&nbsp;Happy cordyline planting!

Sweet Cordylines

Mechanical gear concept background, 3d rendering

Would you like to catch up on all of our posts on machinery maintenance tips? Well here they all are.&nbsp;1.<a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/stabiliser-is-essential" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/stabiliser-is-essential"> Stabiliser is Essential</a>2. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/not-on-the-cutting-edge" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/not-on-the-cutting-edge">Not On the Cutting Edge</a>3. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/caps-on" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/caps-on">Caps On</a>&nbsp;4. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/it-s-in-the-bag" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/it-s-in-the-bag">It's in the Bag</a>5. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/hit-the-deck" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/hit-the-deck" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Hit the Deck﻿</a>6. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/booking-your-mower-service" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/booking-your-mower-service">Booking Your Mower Service</a>7. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/strimminy-cricket" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/strimminy-cricket">Strimminy Cricket!</a>8. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/never-break-the-chain" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/never-break-the-chain">Never Break the Chain</a>

Everything Machinery

If you haven't read them all here are the posts we've posted about plants and their care.&nbsp;1. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/the-right-hedge" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/the-right-hedge">The Right Hedge</a>2. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/black-spot" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/black-spot">Black Spot</a>3. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/slug-resistant-hostas" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/slug-resistant-hostas">Slug Resistant Hostas</a>4. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/the-wonder-of-hydrangeas" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/the-wonder-of-hydrangeas">The Wonder of Hydrangeas</a>5. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/embroidering-a-mead" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/embroidering-a-mead" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Embroidering a Mead﻿</a>6. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/paradise-in-a-tray" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/paradise-in-a-tray">Paradise in a Tray</a>7. <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/a-sweet-scent" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/a-sweet-scent">A Sweet Scent</a>

Plants, Plants, Plants

Green cypress isolated on white background

The might of the Mughal dynasty lasted from 1526 until the sun set on the empire in 1857. The Mughal rulers were generally cosmopolitan and were renowned for their interest in their various construction projects. The Taj Mahal is perhaps one of the best-known buildings commissioned by a Mughal emperor called Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife. The original gardens of the Taj Mahal were built with the ideals of Mughal garden design in mind but were altered rather extensively years later by Lord Curzon when he was Viceroy of India.&nbsp; So, what were the integral features of Mughal garden design? Like Persian gardens, Mughal gardens were centred around breathtakingly geometrically exact walkways, channels of water, water features, and shimmering pools. Because access to large amounts of water was a necessity in Mughal garden design the location of a garden was always carefully chosen to ensure that it could be conveyed to the garden consistently. But beauty was not the only thing the imperial garden designers had in mind they literally wanted to create a vison of paradise on earth. Every plant and structure and their positioning was dictated by this desire to reflect a kind of paradise on earth where all was harmonious and peace reigned.&nbsp;Take a trip over to our virtual shed next week Thursday to see another post on garden history.&nbsp;

Gardens and Mowers by Clive

The Gardens and Mowers Minutes

At the Coir of Things

A Well Oiled Machine

Sweet Cordylines

Everything Machinery

Plants, Plants, Plants

An Emperor's Garden