Dream garden and building partnership – By Jonathon Howard, Tweed Valley Weekly
Chinderah based landscaping extraordinaires Early Up continue to kick goals with amazing landscaping creations across the Northern Rivers.
The local business recently featured inside the popular House & Garden magazine showcasing their stunning garden creation at Belongil Beach in Byron Bay.
The project was a collaboration between Cornerstone Construction and Early Up, who worked together to make the client’s dream home a reality.
Early Up owner Dan White said the partnership with Cornerstone Construction was a match made in heaven.
“It was such a pleasure to work with reputable local construction company in Cornerstone, who were great at not only coordinating the site but understood the needs of landscaping and garden creations.” Dan Said.
“The garden had a coastal native theme, which is our speciality and complimented the architecturally designed building and surrounds to create one of the most stunning properties in Byron.”
Dan said the brief was based about the theme of being a “beach bunker” and the clients were eager to experiment with colour, native species and creativity.
“Anyone who has recently purchased a new block of land or old building and is considering a creative new landscaping project, please give Early Up a call and we can work together to make your vision a reality,” he said.
“We also highly recommend Cornerstone Construction, who are a focused team of professionals who put their client’s needs first.”
“Residents will be surprised at the cost savings as we tailor each of our quotes and designs to not only save you money and time, but also keep your garden vision at the forefront of our brief.”
Nestled within the picturesque landscape of the Tweed Valley hinterland lies our beautiful Crystal Creek Nursery, a haven for gardening enthusiasts located at 1004 Numinbah Rd, just a short 12-minute drive from Murwillumbah’s CBD. Open seven days a week, our boutique retail nursery is a cherished gem within the Crystal Creek Estate, which also boasts a charming country-style café, offering a chef-based seasonal menu for breakfast and lunch, complemented by freshly baked cakes to accompany your tea or coffee throughout the day.
Established over the past five years, our nursery has become a beloved local treasure, now proudly owned by the directors of Early Up Pty Ltd, Dan White and John Lee. Their vision encompasses providing the community with a comprehensive range of gardening solutions, from quality products to expert landscaping and design services. With a commitment to supporting local growers, we meticulously source our plants from the same climatic zone as our area, ensuring they thrive in our unique environment.
Step into our nursery, and you’ll discover a diverse array of flora to elevate your garden and outdoor spaces.
PLANTS – We stock flowering annuals and perennials, suitable for sub-tropical or cottage gardens, sun or shade; flowering shrubs including natives; climbers; landscape trees; and plants suitable for indoors; fruit trees; vegetable and annual seedlings; and herbs.
We source our plants locally – in the same climatic zone as our local area.
POTS & PLANTERS – We have the perfect pots, and planters to enhance your garden or patio, whatever your garden style and budget. Modern glazed pots and traditional terracotta pots, tall pots, low bowls, fibre stone and fibre class outdoor pots and indoor pots. Timber and cane planters.
PLANT & GARDEN CARE – we stock a range of products with a focus on all your plant and garden care needs. Products such as Soil Life, Rocky Point, We the Wild, Searles and more.
GIFTWARE – Such as Beauty products and Homewares (Candles, Crystals, footwear). Also supporting our local artists with a range of consignment items, Pottery, Bonsai, Paintings and Prints.
GARDEN DÉCOR & ORNAMENTS – You name it, we have it from Bird baths, fire pits, water features, wall hangings, garden statues in a range of sizes, small garden ornaments and pot hangers.
NURSERY SERVICES – Potting up, local delivery, customer orders and workshops.
At Crystal Creek Nursery, our passionate team is always ready to offer expert advice and assistance. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, simply let us know, and we’ll go above and beyond to source it for you. Come and explore our oasis of greenery, where every visit is an opportunity to nurture your love for gardening and connect with the beauty of nature.
As your local gardenologists, the team here at Early Up are well placed to showcase the new and emerging landscaping trends for 2023.
We see the personalisation of outdoor spaces and a connection with the environment becoming popular. During the lockdowns of COVID-19, most people spent more time at home and realised there’s potential to create their own outdoor sanctuary. Whether you’d like to create a beautiful outdoor space at your home or for use in a larger commercial setting, we’ll share what’s trending for the coming year in this blog post.
Here are 5 of the Emerging Landscaping Trends for 2023…
1. Outdoor Entertaining Areas with Firepits
In 2023, more people will be enhancing the ambience of their outdoor entertaining area with firepits and lights, to create a unique atmosphere that is both comfortable and inviting. With the warmth of the firepit and the soft glow of the lights, outdoor entertaining can offer an experience like no other. Whether gathering family and friends in a welcoming and cosy setting or simply taking some time to yourself, roasting marshmallows over an open flame is always enjoyable.
Many of our landscaping clients have been investing in striking furniture pieces, fire pits, pizza ovens and water features, as well as lighting that will make their backyard the perfect spot to unwind.
2. Rustic & Homely Looks
Creating a rustic garden brings a less clean-cut and more homely feel to your outdoor space. From weathered wood and vintage accents to native flora and natural stone, the rustic style combines charm and beauty with a sense of history. Planting various trees, shrubs and flowers at different heights gives structure and texture to complete the look. Furnishings such as handmade benches or upcycled furniture add the perfect touch to create a cosy environment where you can relax, entertain or just enjoy some quiet time.
By embracing the rustic vibe, you can create a unique backyard oasis that both looks good and also helps sustain wildlife in 2023 and beyond.
3. Native Plants that Wildlife Love
Turning your yard into a haven of native flora, pollinator-friendly flowers and bird habitats has become a popular trend, especially for younger gardeners. You can nurture nature by including native trees, herbs, shrubs and edible plants in your garden. Because these plants have adapted to the local climate, planting them helps produce a fantastic green space that is full of sustainable seasonal homes and feed for birds and wildlife.
Native plants can create an oasis where humans and wildlife can thrive as one. Fortunately, there is growing awareness around the importance of sustainability and the small part we can all play in our own environments.
4. Keeping it Simple – and Relaxing
Less is more when it comes to a calming space where you can cool down and relax.
Drawing inspiration from European influences, this sophisticated style captures the essence of elegance, history and tradition. Taking some time for yourself is always beneficial, and this trend gives you the feeling of being on holiday without ever leaving your house.
When creating simplicity and relaxation in your own outdoor setting, consider limiting yourself to a specific colour palette rather than too many colours, while repeating shapes through rows or mounds can provide an especially strong optical effect.
Property owners seeking a beautiful, simplistic and relaxing landscape often enlist the help of an expert for design and installation. Our landscaping experts are happy to assist you to create your outdoor oasis. (link to landscape design services)
5. Vegetable Gardens that Feed the Family
With grocery prices escalating to an all-time high, it is no surprise that edible gardens are among the landscaping trends for 2023. Besides saving money, nothing compares to the freshness of homegrown produce. From the juicy tomato plucked right from your garden to a wholesome vegetable salad, home-grown fruits and vegetables have no parallel. Veggie gardens provide the opportunity to live off the land and give you the satisfaction of growing your own produce.
Need help planning out your landscaped garden? Want to know more about the emerging landscaping trends for 2023? Speak to one of our experienced team. Call us today on 0448 300 736 to arrange a quote and find out why Early Up are your local landscaping and gardening experts!
Self sufficient plants guarantee beauty and appeal with little-to-no maintenance for any garden. They provide a much-needed solution for time-poor and neglectful gardeners.
The busyness of life often gets the better of us, leaving very little time for watering or pruning the garden.
Are you a Neglectful Gardener?
Do you long for a gorgeous garden? Does your busy schedule prevent you from giving it the attention it deserves?
Kids, work, and social commitments are part of a hectic daily schedule. It’s easy for us to become distracted and neglect our gardens. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for self sufficient plants to grow and bring colour while requiring little watering or maintenance.
Top 5 Self Sufficient Plants for an Easy-Care Garden
Check out our top choices of stunning and hardy plants:
1. Lily of the Valley
Blooming with blue or white bells in the spring, these beautiful perennials also have a lovely fragrance. Once established, the Lily of the Valley can easily be left to blossom naturally.
2. Russian Sage
Russian Sage thrives in dry conditions with their striking lavender-coloured flowers in the warmer months. Requiring minimal watering, they’re ideal for the busy gardener.
3. Oak tree
In Australia’s hot and dry climate, oak trees provide generous shade in any backyard. Enjoy autumn with its large leaves in shades of red and yellow.
4. Nandina
Originating from Japan, this multi-stemmed shrub brings out stunning-coloured leaves ranging from gold to pink. Nandina is durable in extremely low and hot temperatures, adding colour to your outdoor space all year round.
5. Peace Lily
As a low-maintenance indoor plant, the Peace Lily is perfect for apartment dwellers. Bringing warmth and charm to your home, they don’t need sunshine and are happy in a brightly lit room.
Expert Tips to Help Revive the Neglected Garden
Beyond using self sufficient plants, the following simple steps will help restore life and beauty to your yard:
Take a look at the different areas and conditions of your garden, and decide which plants will work best
Prune and trim existing plants and give them a new lease of life
Rejuvenate your soil with fertiliser – organic is best
While it can be a dreaded chore, weeding is essential to give your new plants the best start
Self-sufficient plants still need some attention in the beginning – water them thoroughly and add slow-release fertiliser
Place a generous layer of organic mulch to ensure water retention
Gardening doesn’t need to be too time-consuming or difficult. By establishing a low maintenance garden based around self sufficient plants, you can have a beautiful display without all the hard work.
Early Up’s team of gardenologists specialise in landscaping design, garden maintenance and garden makeovers that will have your garden thriving in no time. We are your local landscape garden designers in Murwillumbah, the Tweed Coast, Tweed Heads, Northern Rivers and the Far North Coast areas. Let us help you with all your landscaping and gardening requirements.
Are you too busy to create a low maintenance garden? We can help… Give us a call on 0448 300 736 to chat about your garden or backyard landscaping ideas today.
Presenting plants as gifts at Christmas time, birthdays or any special occasion, is a unique and thoughtful option. Loved ones and friends will appreciate the life and colour it will bring into their homes now and in the future.
Give Your Loved Ones a Living Gift
Whether the lucky recipient is an avid gardener or someone who can only manage to maintain a cactus, plants as gifts symbolise friendship and connection. It’s also a meaningful way of expressing that you care about their health and well-being.
Plants make fantastic Christmas presents because:
Plants bring happiness and joy with their natural green beauty
You help add a touch of nature into their home and surroundings
Offering something beautiful lightens and brightens up living spaces
As natural air-purifiers and oxygen providers, plants promote a healthy lifestyle
Nurtured properly, plants are long-lasting and sustainable
Beginners or Plant Lovers – Does it Matter?
Green thumb or not, plant gifts are suitable for everyone across all gardening levels. If you are concerned about giving a plant to a friend who has never owned one, we suggest looking into low-maintenance indoor options.
For friends or relatives who are keen gardeners, the choices are endless. You could even look for a rare type of plant that may require extra attention and care.
Top 5 Plants to Give As Gifts
Every plant is unique and different. With so many types and categories to choose from, we have compiled a list of top plant gift ideas for inspiration:
1. Spider Plant
Easy to care for and only requires weekly watering, Spider Plants are perfect for the gardening newbie.
2. Peace Lily
As an ideal indoor plant, the Peace Lily brings charm to a home with glossy green leaves and stunning white buds.
3. Monstera
A vibrant large houseplant with low maintenance, the Monstera needs minimal sunlight to flourish. Best suited for larger homes.
4. Fiddle Leaf Fig
This trendy indoor tree is ideal for experienced gardeners as it requires constant watering, plenty of natural sunlight, pruning and fertilising.
5. Calathea ‘Medallion’
Nicknamed ‘prayer plants’, their leaves will open and close throughout the day. Cathalea owners will only need to water it once a week, while placing it in moderate light.
We highly recommend giving plants as gifts this Christmas. What better way to provide the gift recipient with an ongoing reminder of how much you care about them?
When making your choice of plant, our team can advise on the level of care required and the most suitable location for each type of plant.
As your local gardenologists, we’re the plant experts. We specialise in garden maintenance, raised vegetable gardens, garden makeovers and landscape design in Murwillumbah, the Tweed Coast, Tweed Heads, Northern Rivers and the Far North Coast areas. We love helping your plants and garden thrive!
Still wondering which plants to give to your family and friends this Christmas? We can definitely help you … We invite you to call our friendly team on 0448 300 736 to chat about plants as gifts, or your garden and backyard landscaping ideas today.
Would you like to have a thriving vegetable garden? If so, you need the edible garden tips we share in this post. Read on ….
Even if your backyard has limited space, you can still create an amazing vegetable garden in a small area. Courtyards, balconies, porches and small gardens are all suitable. If you’re okay with growing your vegetables without requiring a raised garden bed, you can start planting your edible garden directly into the ground.
Your Thriving Veggie Garden Starts Here
With the warmer months approaching, there’s an endless list of what to grow in your vegetable garden this summer.
Raised vegetable gardens are a great idea for edible gardens, as they are easier to plant in and maintain. You can plant, grow and eat a healthy crop of veggies such as cucumbers, tomatoes, capsicums and beans. You could also start small using a few pots and containers. As they say, “From little things, big things grow.”
Get Your Vegetables Growing with these Simple Steps
As we delve into our tips, it’s helpful to understand the difference between a winter and summer veggie garden.
Vegetables that thrive in warmer weather include tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants. Alternatively, broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce will thrive during the cooler months.
It’s important to note that, while plants will grow slowly during winter due to the short days and lack of sunshine, there are fewer garden pests and insects.
Step 1: Deciding What to Plant
The best way to plan a thriving edible garden this season is to consider the herbs, vegetables, and summer fruits you enjoy the most. This will make the project more fun and bring the flavours you want to your plate.
For those creating a vegetable garden for a daycare centre or aged care community, consider plants with a sensory appeal, such as herbs with distinct aromas, like rosemary, thyme and mint.
We suggest strawberries and blueberries as a great summer fruit addition to your garden.
Step 2: Which Vessel is Best?
Using old containers or vessels for your garden will make your project fun and quirky. It also encourages recycling. Add holes to ensure drainage, and you can use:
Wheelbarrows
Old bathtubs
Wooden barrels
Laundry tubs
Terracotta pots
Step 3: Location Matters!
While you don’t need much space for an edible garden, choosing the right location during the summer is essential.
Some points to consider include:
A flat ground
Reasonable access to sunlight with some shade
Shelter from the wind
Close to a garden tap for easy watering
A safe, non-slippery walking surface
Edible Garden Tips
We hope our helpful tips inspire you with fun and unique ideas for the upcoming summer months.
Whether it’s a family project or a community initiative, the benefits of planting and growing a thriving vegetable garden bring people closer together. Also, growing delicious produce in your yard promotes healthy eating and well-being.
Here at Early Up, we create raised vegetable gardens, design landscaping and deliver garden maintenance to help your garden shine. We’re your local backyard landscaping experts. Whether you’re located in Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads, across the Tweed Coast or elsewhere on the Far North Coast, we can help with all your gardening needs.
Do you need assistance to create an edible garden? Our team of gardenologists are ready and willing to help. Call us today on 0448 300 736 to discuss your requirements and organise a quote.
