Better Homes and Gardens

6th SEPTEMBER 2024

JOHANNA + ADAM – AMAZING HOME: THE LANG HOUSE

Joh takes Adam to see an amazing inner-city home that’s a lot like him, tough on the outside, but soft on the inside. The Lang House purposely avoids hallways and corridors to instead maximise potential for open space, natural light and greenery, on a relatively small block. Johanna and Adam explore this cohesive home, marvelling at the contrast between grey concrete exterior and beautiful black butt panelling on the inside. If you want a place to live that reflects your vision for “a wellness-enhancing home that is architectural and inspirational” then you’d be hard-pressed to find one better than the Lang House. Every aspect of this home is designed to give off a feeling of tranquillity.

COLIN – WHOLE BAKED PUMPKIN

When Colin cooks a vegetarian dish, it’s got to make up for the lack of meat, so it has to be extra amazing. His whole baked pumpkin fits that bill, sweet and mellow and stuffed full of herbs and spices that go perfectly with this winter squash. Not only is this recipe packed full of flavour, it’s also super easy to make with all the ingredients literally being stuffed inside the pumpkin itself. All you have to do is throw it in the oven.

COLIN – A NEW WAY TO COOK YOUR PEAS

Peas make a great side dish for many meals, but we often don’t do much with them. Well, Colin’s going to change all that with a ridiculously easy recipe that will give your peas an intense flavour.

GRAHAM – MARIA’S GARDEN

An inspiring landscape design with beautiful flowers and plants may make a good garden, but it’s only when that is balanced with the needs of the people who are going to use it, that it can become a great garden. Maria’s Garden is the perfect example of this. It seamlessly blends the beauty of flowers, trees and shrubs with accessibility so that Maria, an 80-year- old, can enjoy it within the scope of her abilities. Graham tours this idyllic space to see how a great garden can become a backdrop to lifelong memories.

CHARLIE – HANDY HERBS

Having herbs close at hand when you cook means you’re much more likely to use them. So, Charlie’s going to demonstrate a few easy-to-build options to house some small herb gardens near your barbecue. An outdoor coffee table with inbuilt herb container works brilliantly if you have a bit of space, but if you don’t, or just want to utilise your walls, Charlie’s created his own herb rack out of a single piece of timber and some fixings. But if you’re looking for an option with the least DIY required, there are prefabricated systems out there that will suit you too. Each of these projects only require simple DIY skills, so whether you have a go at one or all three, you’ll be able to get them done this weekend.

CHARLIE – CLUMPING GRASSES

Charlie is a big fan of Miscanthus, or Silver Grass as it’s commonly known, for good reason. He’ll outline how to care for these tall grasses and why they’re a great plant to fill spaces in your garden. If you’re looking for a lovely plant to flower through Autumn, the answer is blowing in the wind.

MELISSA – BEAUTIFUL BEGONIAS AT THE BALLARAT BOTANICAL GARDENS

In the historic Victorian town of Ballarat, Melissa is at the Botanic Gardens to attend the beautiful Begonia festival. This celebration of Begonias has been running for over 60 years, but the Botanic Gardens themselves have been growing and showcasing this colourful flower since the 1890s. In fact, they’ve been doing it so long they’ve even bred three of their own special varieties. Not only does Melissa get to take in all these showy blooms, but she is also shown the working side of the Botanical Gardens too. And of course, Melissa will have some tips you can use to grow these exquisite flowers at home.

JULIET – FAMILY TABLE TIME: MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SPACE

The dining table isn’t just a thing you eat on, it brings families together through shared experiences. Juliet’s going to help a family, who after moving into their new home, have found their dining area bland and lifeless, but not big enough to fit their existing furniture. Using off-the-shelf items from the hardware store, Juliet’s going to build some space-saving furniture that incorporates plenty of storage, all while utilizing only basic DIY skills. Three narrow shelves will turn the plain wall into a comforting and homely space that can display the owner’s personal style. If you’re looking to do an inexpensive makeover this weekend, Juliet has some great ideas.

DR HARRY – CAMEL DAIRY

Camels may not be the animal you think of when you think of dairy, but that’s about to change. Dr Harry ventures to a camel farm in Queensland to meet a family pioneering the milking of camels for pasteurized milk and all sorts of dairy products. With many benefits over traditional cow’s milk, this farm also produces yoghurt, cheese, chocolate and even a range of skincare products. Dr Harry learns all about this emotional and affectionate animal and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, he might just get a cuddle too.

ADAM – HOW TO DEAL WITH PANE, NOT PAIN

Old houses come with lots of beautiful features… but they also come with lots of problems, too. Adam’s helping out homeowner Jess, whose home has 100-year-old sash windows that are in really bad shape. Not only are the sashes broken, but some of the glass panes are too, and getting these windows fixed professionally isn’t cheap! Luckily, with the right tools and some know-how, this is a job you can easily do yourself.

7mate’s AFL pre show on main channel in Melbourne tonight, with Finals.

And had a channel change moment at 7pm after news, in the form of recent ones a month or two back, with Johanna Griggs in an in-program recorded message “we know the footy is about to begin, but…”, alongside Adam Doville (both were on-location in Melbourne), a v/o preview of segments, then the show’s logo animation and finally fading into 7AFL. Had the same super style that’s seen during the usual 7:20pm switch when the show runs longer and as has been used for years “…follow us over to 7Two”. @TV.Cynic

Before these, it used to be a quick graphic only alert, as per Home and Away’s.

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13th SEPTEMBER 2024

ADAM + CHARLIE – TRANSFORMING YOUR OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING SPACE
With the weather starting to warm up and barbecue season fast approaching, it’s a great time to give your outdoor entertaining area a refresh. And that’s what Adam and Charlie are going to do for a single mother with teenage kids. Their home has a good-sized deck but is mostly just used as a thoroughfare through to the backyard. Adam and Charlie are keen to encourage this family outside to make the most of this neglected space, so they’ll build a new pergola, bring a few pieces of furniture back to life and create distinct garden zones for entertaining and chilling out, in one harmonious design.

JOHANNA – FREE TRADE DAY
With so many people struggling from cost-of-living pressures, it’s heartwarming to know there are people out there who are keen to lend a helping hand. Johanna’s on the Central Coast of NSW to meet a tradie who loves to help so much he created a day where everyone can chip in and help out. It’s called Free Trade Day and it’s a special calendar event when people who can’t afford to pay a tradesperson, get free help with some of those small jobs around their homes that desperately need doing. The scheme has grown quickly and helped many people, so along with meeting the founder of Free Trade Day, Joh talks to some of the tradies donating their time and families who are being helped.

COLIN – CHICKEN, TARRAGON, LEEK & MUSHROOM PIE
Chicken and leek pie has been a favourite comfort food for a long time. Colin’s got his own take on this classic dish, incorporating a few tweaks to give it a modern twist. Now he’s not content to just provide you with a delicious recipe but he also has a tip for portion control. With a mix of fresh seasonal vegetables, chicken and herbs, this will be as tasty as it is easy to cook.

CLARISSA – ASIAN-STYLE MUSSELS WITH ROTI
We often think of mussels as an expensive delicacy when we eat out, but they’re more reasonably priced than you’d think, making cooking them at home a budget treat. But Clarissa won’t just show you how to cook the mussels themselves, but the right vegetables and herbs to complement the flavour of the mussels. And to top it off, a quick fry of Roti so you can soak up all the delicious juices from the mussels. This dish smells so good, you’ll be salivating all through the cooking process.

MELISSA – WHAT GOES IN TO GROWING OLIVES
For over 20 years, Green Olive at Red Hill has been producing quality wines and olive products from their 27-acre farm. Melissa is visiting this idyllic locale to get the good oil on olives, and she’s arrived at the right time, harvest season. She’ll not only get a glimpse at the process, from paddock to plate, but get some great tips on how you can preserve your own home-grown olives and what flavours to add to have them tasting oh so good.

DR HARRY – CLYDESDALES: THE HORSE THAT BUILT AUSTRALIA
There’s so much more to see at the Clydesdale Spectacular than just Clydesdales. Dr Harry’s back at this show that honours the horse that built the nation. While the show has competitions for the prettiest horse, there are many competitions that highlight the working nature of these gentle giants. Away from competition, Harry gets a glimpse at the hard-working farriers, who make and fit the horseshoes, working in a time-honoured tradition. If you love horses and heritage trades as much as Harry, put on your kilt and dust off the bagpipes because this isn’t to be missed.

JULIET – NO MORE BEDSIDE TABLES
If you are tight on space in your bedroom and can’t fit bedside tables to put your stuff on, Juliet has a clever space-saving solution, a shelf attached to the back of the bed head. It will be big enough to handle just as many books and things as you would have put on your bedside tables, and even has the added benefit of being the right shape to house an LED strip for a funky light design.

JULIET – WASHING UP IS WONDERFUL
You’ve probably heard of the kitchen triangle, locating your fridge, sink and stove in a triangle for the most effective functionality and aesthetic. Juliet has some handy tips about creating zones for specific tasks within that triangle, like how to create a cleaning zone so that everything you need to clean your dishes is within reach.

GRAHAM – HOW TO GROW CYCADS
Cycads are an ancient plant that date back to the era of dinosaurs, but with a changing climate and population growth, their habitats are under threat. With that in mind, Graham’s going to give you some tips to grow your own, which will not only add interest to your garden, but help protect this prehistoric species.

CHARLIE – WASHINGTON MONASTERY GARDEN
The National Mall, the White House, the abundance of monuments and the up-and-coming foodie scene, there’s so much to see and do in Washington DC. There are also many gorgeous gardens to see, and while some are well-known, some are hidden gems, like the one Charlie has discovered in the grounds of the only Franciscan Monastery in the whole of the USA. There is so much beauty on display, but the highlight has to be the roses. This garden is truly heaven-sent.

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