Better Homes and Gardens Season 2025 Episode 2

Prime US TV

Better Homes and Gardens Season 2025 Episode 2  #BetterHomesandGardensSeason2025 #PrimeUSTV

Transcript

00:00:00Building in the inner city comes with a myriad of challenges that can be quite daunting.

00:00:10But for one master craftsman with a big and bold vision, those challenges were there to

00:00:15be conquered.

00:00:16The home he built in the end would be his greatest and final masterpiece in a career

00:00:21that spanned 30 years.

00:00:23Five levels of the most exquisite joinery and everything you could imagine under one

00:00:28roof and on top of it.

00:00:29We'll be exploring it shortly on Better Homes and Gardens.

00:00:33Tonight it's a sausage fest as this waggle of tiny wieners get ready for their big day

00:00:39out.

00:00:40And a whole tribe of daxies, just you wait and see.

00:00:44From carpentry to Canadian bear country, Adam's adding some very special experiences to his

00:00:50growing resume.

00:00:51When I was doing my carpentry apprenticeship, never in my wildest dreams did I think that

00:00:56work would take me deep into the Canadian wilderness, literally metres from some bears.

00:01:04If you've got a sweet tooth but don't fancy cooking, make this dessert and you don't have

00:01:09to.

00:01:10It's late summer, it's hot outside.

00:01:11The best dessert for me is a summer pudding.

00:01:14Cut through the chaos and add some style and storage to your entryway.

00:01:18And the best part is you only need a couple of tools to do it.

00:01:22Let the good times roll with a tasty update to school lunches.

00:01:26They're fresh, they're delicious and they're so healthy for kids as well.

00:01:33Plus, this sloping suburban block has been transformed into a tropical oasis.

00:01:39This is a real masterclass in garden design.

00:01:42So much better.

00:01:45I'm taking a little trip to a city called Maitland in New South Wales and I'm here for

00:01:51the Dashtober Long Dog Festival.

00:01:54You know what that's all about?

00:01:55Obviously long dogs.

00:01:56So what are long dogs?

00:01:57Well, they're dashing dachshunds, call them what you like, four short legs and a big long

00:02:02back and plenty of get up and go.

00:02:04They're here in every colour and every coat type under the sun.

00:02:08They're great little dogs.

00:02:09Everybody loves a dachshund.

00:02:10That's why there are 2,000 of them here today and a whole tribe of dachshunds.

00:02:15Just you wait and see.

00:02:16Now I had a bit of trouble finding these two ladies.

00:02:27This is Lisa and this is Nilsa and the two of you got this whole thing going, didn't

00:02:31you?

00:02:32We did.

00:02:33Tell me about what happens here on Long Dog Day.

00:02:36So we get a whole group of dachshund lovers and their long dogs together.

00:02:42But it's more just about fun.

00:02:45Dachshund owners are their own unique kind of person, just like our dogs.

00:02:49The whole purpose of today is for all our owners to come out, have a great day whilst

00:02:53advocating for our breed itself.

00:02:55These little guys are just fantastic.

00:02:57They are addictive.

00:02:58I've got six of my own, Lisa's got four, hence why we now have a festival to celebrate all

00:03:03of the puppies.

00:03:04But the main object, obviously, is to have fun for people to get together with their

00:03:07dogs.

00:03:08Yeah.

00:03:09You know, like minds and like breeds.

00:03:10That's right.

00:03:11You know, you've got so many great competitions going on.

00:03:14You've got your races, you've got your fancy dress, all that sort of stuff.

00:03:18You know, dog owner look-alike.

00:03:19It's just good fun and the smile.

00:03:21Look at you two, you're smiling, they're smiling, they never stop smiling.

00:03:33It's the race that stopped the nation in the long dog handicap.

00:03:36The competitors are on the start line.

00:03:37This is heat five, I think.

00:03:38Start your wiener on your marks, get set, go!

00:03:45They're off.

00:03:54Well, look what we've got here.

00:03:55We've got a couple of wieners and one of these is a wiener.

00:03:57This is a winning wiener long dog wiener.

00:03:59Well, I think I got all that right or half right, anyhow.

00:04:02So have you been training these dogs for years to do this sort of stuff?

00:04:06Yeah, this one, this one, that one.

00:04:08But this is the wiener?

00:04:09Yeah.

00:04:10What happened to this one?

00:04:11Distracted.

00:04:12Well, I'm from the stewards, right?

00:04:13And we're about to conduct a swab against this particular dog over here, right?

00:04:18One by a country mile.

00:04:19And I'm just wondering what this dog's been given before the race.

00:04:22Anything special before the race?

00:04:24Special kibble.

00:04:25Special kibble?

00:04:26That'll pass.

00:04:31I should introduce to you Chrissie now.

00:04:32Chrissie, what's your position here?

00:04:34I'm actually the chairman of Dachshund IVDD Support Australia.

00:04:37In layman's terms, what does IVDD stand for?

00:04:41It's a disease of the spine which affects the vertebrae with the discs in between.

00:04:45So basically, it's a back disease.

00:04:48So tell me how your charity works and how you support IVDD.

00:04:52We actually provide awareness, education and support to owners.

00:04:56We have a support group, a closed support group where they can actually talk to other

00:05:00owners.

00:05:01And we actually also have a phone support where people can kind of ring up and talk

00:05:05to volunteers that are actually familiar with the disease, a bit like a doggy lifeline.

00:05:09So this has always been a problem with Dachshunds, it's always been around.

00:05:13Hats off to you for giving it some publicity.

00:05:23I found Hayley and her dog.

00:05:26And her dog is how old?

00:05:2816.

00:05:2916 years old.

00:05:31For a Dachshund, that is amazing.

00:05:33Look at the old grain around the face.

00:05:35Was that tan once?

00:05:36Yeah.

00:05:37It was, wasn't it?

00:05:3816 years.

00:05:40What have you done right that's got this dog to 16 years?

00:05:43I don't know.

00:05:44He's not much of a walker.

00:05:45He prefers to sleep.

00:05:47I think just lots of love.

00:05:50Good diet.

00:05:51His back's been really good.

00:05:52We've never had any issues.

00:05:53What a lovely old dog.

00:06:03Sandra.

00:06:04Hayley.

00:06:05Sandra and Hayley.

00:06:06And the two dogs are?

00:06:07Milo and Teddy.

00:06:08Teddy.

00:06:09Now you went to buy one dog and you came home with two.

00:06:10Tell me what happened.

00:06:11We did.

00:06:12We went and bought one dog and they were two little brothers and we couldn't separate them

00:06:17so we ended up with two.

00:06:19So they get on well together, the pair of them?

00:06:21Yes.

00:06:22No fights or arguments or anything like that?

00:06:23Only brotherly, you know.

00:06:24Yeah, just a brotherly tussle occasionally.

00:06:26Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:06:27The house is a bit turned upside down than it used to be but, you know, we get a lot

00:06:30of joy from them.

00:06:38Congratulations.

00:06:49Well done.

00:06:50Thank you so much.

00:06:51Great effort, right?

00:06:52Very inventive little travel.

00:06:53Well done, Biggles.

00:06:54Well done.

00:06:55Great job, son.

00:06:56What a great, creative outfit that is.

00:06:59Not just that one but have a look at, where's the tacos go?

00:07:01The tacos stand over here too?

00:07:02Absolutely fantastic.

00:07:03We're going to the next one.

00:07:04The next one?

00:07:05Yeah.

00:07:06absolutely fantastic. We've got a dog with a drone outfit on somewhere too, and a snail.

00:07:11I mean, they're some of the best outfits I've ever seen. They're amazing. A lot of effort's

00:07:15gone into this, and what a great day it's been to come here to Maitland, to a lovely

00:07:19old historic homestead, and to see so many dogs, and so many people, and a lot of fun.

00:07:25Did I love it? You betcha. There's only one person loved it more than me. I'm sorry, 2,000

00:07:32people that loved it more than me, and that was the dogs.

00:07:37If you want to know what summer looks like, if you want to know what summer tastes like,

00:07:44tune in for my summer pudding.

00:07:48Animal encounters are amazing, but bears in the wild? Yeah, that's something special.

00:08:01It's late summer, it's hot outside. The best dessert for me is a summer pudding. It involves

00:08:05berries, gelatin, bread, fridge, done, knockout. Let's go.

00:08:15We have an abundance of berries at the minute. I've got raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.

00:08:21The gelatin, six leaves of titanium gelatin. Titanium just means the strongest gelatin

00:08:28you can get. Goes into a litre. Put it in cold water, not hot water, because you just

00:08:34want it to soften. Get our pot on. Low heat to start. I'll use three cinnamon quills.

00:08:48What you want to do is no oil, no nothing, get it in there, get the heat moving until

00:08:52you start to smell the cinnamon. The berries, strawberries, always a fan favourite. Take

00:08:59the green off, cut in half. So there is a lot of berries in this. It's 3 by 250 strawberries,

00:09:06and then it's 3 by 125 blackberries and raspberries. So summer is the ideal time to make it because

00:09:14they're in season and they're cheaper. Strawberries, finally, done. We've got the cinnamon in there,

00:09:23you add the berries to the hot pot.

00:09:30Glass of the berries in. Lemon verbena. I've cooked with this many times. This is one of

00:09:43my favourite herbs. That goes in and that's going to add a beautiful lemon back note to

00:09:49this pudding. Now we need a little bit of liquid in there. We're going to add a stock

00:09:53syrup. A stock syrup is half sugar to half water. The exact same amount, whatever amount

00:09:58you make. For this recipe we need two cups.

00:10:07And a cup of water.

00:10:13Now what we do is we just let that gently simmer and what happens is all the juice of

00:10:19the berries, all the flavours is going to flavour that liquid and that's what's going

00:10:23to give us our sauce. Alright, just give that a little mix. A big part of summer pudding

00:10:29is to use up all bread. But in most houses, like my house, there's no all bread. So we're

00:10:34using white sliced bread. For appearances, I remove the crusts. So that's what you're

00:10:44left with. There's a little bit of crust on there, but don't worry about it. Serving bowl.

00:10:49So I line it with some cling film. So what happens is it's easy to get it out of the

00:10:55actual bowl once we've made it because you can get the air in there. Okay, I'm just going

00:11:00to pull out a little bit of liquid. I'll add it back in just to dip my bread, which helps

00:11:05stick it to the bowl.

00:11:07So you're basically dipping your bread and then we sort of press that in and with your

00:11:19larger pieces, now we start to build. The bread goes in. Basically, you just cover the

00:11:26entire bowl so it looks like that. You've made a little outside casing of bread. We're

00:11:34starting to simmer now. You can just see it's starting to simmer. You don't want it

00:11:37to boil because we still want some of the integrity of the fruit. What I like to do

00:11:41is add a tablespoon of citric acid. It's like lemon juice on steroids. It just lifts the

00:11:47entire dish or sauce. I don't want it to cook anymore. I'm going to take it off. Now, this

00:11:54is where you add your gelatin. So have a look at this. The gelatin was really crisp at the

00:12:00start and this is what happens. It absorbs the water and you add it to your hot liquid

00:12:06and it will dissolve. That's how you make jelly.

00:12:10We've sat for half an hour just to cool down a little bit. Oh, beautiful. Going to add

00:12:32a little bit of lemon zest. This is singing now. We're going to add a little bit of lemon

00:12:37juice for another bit of acidity. Also, what I will do is pull out any of that leftover

00:12:43lemon verbena. It's done its job. If I come across any cinnamon, that can come out as

00:12:49well. And now, this is the good bit. You start to fill your little bread holder. So what

00:12:57I do first is I try and scoop as much fruit and add the juice later. As you spoon in that

00:13:04beautiful red liquid, what happens is that bread on the side is like a sponge. It's sucking

00:13:10in all that beautiful colour, that redness, and that's what makes this dessert so stunning.

00:13:16So I would overfill this. You sort of get a little bit of a dome. And now what you do

00:13:23is you put the last of the remaining bread on the bottom. Bottom doesn't have to be too

00:13:29perfect. All I do now is I wrap it in cling film. You put a plate on top, which is giving

00:13:38you a base, which is forming the bottom. And what I do is a can, something heavy, goes

00:13:45on top. And now that goes in the fridge overnight, and tomorrow we're going to have a perfectly

00:13:52set dome. And here we go. I haven't got all night to wait. It's too good. Plate goes on

00:14:00top. You turn it over. The reveal. What I like to do is just drizzle that over the top.

00:14:20As they say, the proof is in the pudding, and this is 100%. So when I slice into this,

00:14:26it should hold together because the gelatine and the berries. It's feeling good.

00:14:33Oh, a drizzle. You could serve it with creme fraiche, cream. That is summer,

00:14:42summer on a plate. You can't do better than that. You're welcome.

00:14:51Are you ready for this? Here comes the big design statement.

00:14:56I'm taking you to Canada's British Columbia to find out what a bear really does in the woods.

00:15:04In the March issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine, we are celebrating the plant

00:15:08colour of the year, teal, and we're showing you how to incorporate it into your garden.

00:15:12Plus, we explore Gather Flower Farm in the Yarra Valley, which is home to a huge range

00:15:17of vibrant blooms like dahlias, roses, proteas and peonies.

00:15:21And in 2025, Better Homes and Gardens magazine is searching for Australia's most passionate

00:15:26and dedicated traders. That's all in the March issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

00:15:31Out now.

00:15:38This segment is brought to you by Air Canada. Fly nonstop from Sydney and Brisbane to Vancouver

00:15:43and connect to more than 100 destinations across North America. Book now at aircanada.com.

00:16:04When I was doing my carpentry apprenticeship, never in my wildest dreams did I think that work

00:16:09would take me deep into the Canadian wilderness, literally metres from some bears.

00:16:14But here I am on the trip of a lifetime to British Columbia.

00:16:18Now this is going to be an incredible two weeks and I can't wait to share this adventure with you.

00:16:34Tom, this is remarkable. What are we watching here?

00:16:37Oh, it's amazing. The sound cub, laying right there asleep.

00:16:43They've probably been sleeping for an hour or two because they've been eating all morning.

00:16:48And then slowly, mom was good to go, cub not really.

00:16:52Absolutely beautiful. And so do you tend to find mother and cub always together?

00:16:58Is that the groups that they go on?

00:16:59Yeah, that's the family unit and they will stay together for two and a half years approximately.

00:17:06This is towards the tail end of the salmon run, but it's right when the bears start to get real lethargic.

00:17:12They're out flat, right? They're sleeping.

00:17:21So what's going on here?

00:17:23Finally, mom said, OK, we're going to fish. And she just walked out there and just nailed it.

00:17:29Almost like as an afterthought, you know, she didn't even chase very far. She just pounced, boom.

00:17:35She's got herself quite a large chunk of salmon and now she's eating it.

00:17:39You can see how she's peeling the skin off because that's the layer of fat or anything.

00:17:43She is after the fat. And she'll eat the brains. And if it was a female egg, she'd eat the eggs.

00:17:48Wow.

00:17:49And then she'll often leave, you know, as she's doing now, she just, there's meat left, but she doesn't need that.

00:17:55Well, I can see all the birds hovering as well. So it's like they know that they're eating.

00:17:59Yeah, they're waiting. There's so much going on and so much interconnection. It's really quite amazing.

00:18:05This is absolutely spectacular.

00:18:18The bear sightings keep coming. On the way back to the lodge, we come across another bear feasting in an inland waterway.

00:18:25Wow.

00:18:27I'll tell you what, Tom, seeing the mother and that cub and then this bear just behind us, it is absolutely incredible.

00:18:34Now, I'm not very good with the geographics of exactly where we are. So can you explain?

00:18:40Yes. So we are on the central coast of British Columbia at the end of Smith Inlet, where Great Bear Lodge is located.

00:18:46And we're just a few kilometres from the lodge.

00:18:50It is so remote out here, isn't it?

00:18:52Oh, absolutely. Yeah.

00:18:54And so why do the bears love it?

00:18:56They have a lot of space. They have a lot of space. They have a lot of food.

00:18:59There's the salmon. There's also abundant berries and various other herbaceous vegetation, which they eat.

00:19:05All of these food resources are available and this is excellent habitat for them.

00:19:17So this bear here, Tom, is it male or female?

00:19:21That's a female.

00:19:22And why would she be here instead of out in the rapids?

00:19:24Well, largely because this time of the year, at the end of the salmon season, there's more fish here and these are all very old and tired.

00:19:32And so it's easy fishing and also it's kind of a private place and she's got plenty of dead and dying fish to eat.

00:19:39She's literally just picking them up and throwing them into her mouth. It's unbelievable.

00:19:43This is not particularly deep. In some areas, the water might be five feet deep.

00:19:47And they will walk on their back legs and kick it up until they can get a hold of it with their front legs and then they take it ashore.

00:19:54It's just crazy.

00:20:07Wow, Tom, this is absolutely remarkable. How long have you been here for?

00:20:11We've been operating here for 20 years now.

00:20:13And over those years, you must have gotten to know the bears well too.

00:20:17Oh, yeah. We've watched generations grow up, mother daughters, granddaughters and their relationship.

00:20:25Have you seen much of a change over the years?

00:20:28Certainly their behavior towards us has changed dramatically.

00:20:32Initially, all the bears were just like, oh, we're going to move over here when we approach.

00:20:37And then a few would say, no, we're going to move over by the humans because all the bears are over there and we're afraid of bears.

00:20:42And so that has changed a lot. And as you've seen, some of the bears are totally indifferent to our presence.

00:20:48Can you tell me a bit about the area that we're in?

00:20:51Well, right here, as you see, there is the trail we came down comes here, goes off that way.

00:20:56Another branch goes that way. This is a bear trail.

00:20:59The marked trees are almost exclusively used by males.

00:21:02And before they mark it, they will carefully sniff and they will just rub all over it and leave their scent.

00:21:09And you can see if you look closely, there's tufts of hair that are pulled out of the bears and stuff like that.

00:21:14Yeah. I'm going to have to rub on there. What do you reckon?

00:21:17Well, you could. I mean, I don't know what you're going to...

00:21:20Leave my scent?

00:21:21Yeah, sure. It might work.

00:21:23Show me how domino I am.

00:21:24Yeah. Yeah. Good. Good luck.

00:21:27I think I need it.

00:21:39If you thought that experience was incredible, just wait till you see how we got here.

00:21:43And?

00:21:44Our home for the next two weeks. Great bear lodge. It's epic.

00:21:48I'll show you all that a little later on.

00:21:52So is this a familiar problem every time you get home?

00:21:56A disorganised mess at your entryway with nowhere to plonk all of your things.

00:22:01But with a few simple tweaks to the style and by adding in some storage, you can make much better use of the space.

00:22:07And the best part is you only need a couple of tools to do it.

00:22:26Finding extra real estate in a room can be a challenge, especially if you're living in a small home or a unit.

00:22:32But we often neglect the space that is right in front of us on the walls.

00:22:37So I've designed a beautiful streamlined entryway organiser using some timber slats like the existing ones in the dining room here.

00:22:46And also some flat pack kitchen cabinets that will be wall mounted.

00:22:49It's going to modernise the whole space and provide a functional solution.

00:22:56But before I get building, I have a TV to consider.

00:23:00And the position of this is really important for two reasons.

00:23:02The first is that everything else I'm building around it is going to be referenced off where the TV is because I'm wall mounting it.

00:23:08But also, when you're sitting on the couch, you want the television, the centre of it, to be at your eye level.

00:23:13So for this particular television, it's about 142 centimetres off the ground.

00:23:17So I'm just marking that out and I've also had the electrician in to wire it all up for me.

00:23:25I keep digging myself down deeper.

00:23:27I won't stop till I get where you are.

00:23:30I keep running when both my feet hurt.

00:23:32I won't stop till I get where you are.

00:23:35We've put together these two 800mm flat pack cabinets and we're going to mount them just like this so that they're floating.

00:23:43And having this space below and above means that it gives the illusion of so much more space in the room.

00:23:49Plus, there's all of this storage to use.

00:23:52Brilliant.

00:23:55I'm using this stunning Tassie oak as the top.

00:24:09I've given it a clear coat and look at that beautiful grain.

00:24:12It is gorgeous.

00:24:13Then, for the sides and the doors, I'm cladding those in this pre-cut marine ply.

00:24:18I've stained it in black to give it a contemporary look and you can see that beautiful grain there too.

00:24:23By doing all of this, it takes simple flat pack furniture and gives it a much more bespoke, elevated feel.

00:24:37Are you ready for this?

00:24:38Here comes the big design statement.

00:24:41I'm adding these acoustic timber slat panels that you can buy off the shelf from Bunnings for less than $100.

00:24:49Can you imagine if you tried to build these yourself, how much time it would take and how expensive it would be?

00:24:54And to attach these to the wall, it's just a matter of gluing and screwing them in place.

00:25:13They come in various timber veneers and you can even get them on white backing if that suits your decor better.

00:25:18But the thing I love the most is the fact that these vertical lines draw your eye out, making this room seem much taller.

00:25:24Just like these cabinets make it feel wider.

00:25:27It is all about employing those smart design tricks.

00:25:37And by adding these extra pieces underneath the cabinet, it gives the impression that the panel runs all the way from the floor to the ceiling.

00:25:49It's time to hang the TV and we're using a swiveling wall-mounted bracket, which means that you can position the television however you like it.

00:25:58That's pretty good. Thanks, Greg.

00:26:01Starting to look the part now.

00:26:19A mirror by the front door is always a good idea because you can check your lippy as you're walking out.

00:26:24And I chose this rounded shape because it balances out the strong presence of these lines so beautifully.

00:26:30And I've chosen these semicircular brass handles for the same reason.

00:26:34And now for the finishing touches to put this space to work.

00:26:38Well, isn't it amazing what can be achieved with a well-thought-out design plan?

00:26:42This space has gone from disheveled and disorganized to contemporary, curated and contained.

00:26:51And it just goes to show that with a few prefab elements like this flat-packed cabinet and the off-the-shelf panel, it takes all of that into account.

00:27:00It just goes to show that with a few prefab elements like this flat-packed cabinet and the off-the-shelf panel, it takes all the hard work out of it.

00:27:09I love the fact that all the timbers work beautifully together and you too can have a foil like this to be proud of.

00:27:23Coming up, this home may have a tiny footprint, but it still delivers some big and bold features.

00:27:30The owners were told when they first were talking about ideas there's no way they'd be able to have a pool or a barbecue space.

00:27:36Well, they proved them wrong.

00:27:37Yeah.

00:27:39Time to upgrade your kids' lunches to first class.

00:27:42We're going to mix it up a little bit.

00:27:44I'm going to show you how to make teriyaki chicken rice paper rolls.

00:27:50And from the sky to the seas, Adam's working up an appetite in British Columbia.

00:27:55It doesn't get fresher than this.

00:27:56Dinner is served at Great Bear Lodge.

00:28:01So much better.

00:28:08So if you wander around the streets of Paddington, it's very easy to see why this is one of Sydney's most sought-after suburbs.

00:28:14But for you, this is like a stone's throw from where you work and live.

00:28:17It is.

00:28:18I know these streets quite well.

00:28:19I think I've delivered puppies in the attic of an apartment just up here.

00:28:22No way.

00:28:23Yeah, I just think there's so much character.

00:28:25And there's a story, whether it's the dog or the cat that's sitting on the street there or on the balcony.

00:28:30So I just love all those different characters.

00:28:33Absolutely.

00:28:34The architecture quite often has a great story to tell.

00:28:36And this home behind us has five stories of handcrafted magnificence that has to be seen to be believed.

00:28:42I reckon you might be my ticket in there too.

00:28:44I reckon the door's our ticket.

00:28:45Let's go.

00:28:46Speaking of the door, how cool is that?

00:28:50Oh, wow.

00:28:51Hello.

00:28:52Welcome to my home.

00:28:54Hi, guys.

00:28:55Thank you for coming.

00:28:56It's amazing.

00:28:57Yes.

00:28:58It's pretty incredible.

00:28:59Wow.

00:29:00I'm going to go and explore.

00:29:01OK.

00:29:02See, you'll find an animal wherever we are.

00:29:03So good.

00:29:04So this beautiful home is such a legacy of love, isn't it?

00:29:08It is.

00:29:09My husband Boris built this.

00:29:10It was a hat factory built in the early 1900s.

00:29:13Hat factory.

00:29:14And yeah, we just discovered it probably eight years ago.

00:29:18And then it's just been a process of doing it up.

00:29:20I want to show you the garage.

00:29:22I think it's one of the most beautiful rooms in the house.

00:29:25It's a feature garage, which I don't think I have ever seen before in my life.

00:29:29It's pretty amazing.

00:29:30With its art on the wall, all of these are cupboards that open up as well.

00:29:35Wow.

00:29:36And a stacker?

00:29:37A car stacker, yes.

00:29:38So this raises up.

00:29:40We can have two cars in here.

00:29:41Because it's actually quite a small footprint, isn't it?

00:29:44Yeah.

00:29:45It's six metres wide, but it's about probably 12 metres long.

00:29:49And it's hidden away.

00:29:50You wouldn't almost expect from the front just how big it is.

00:29:53Which is amazing, because there's a lot going on in this home.

00:29:56I mean, I'm looking around.

00:29:57The attention to detail is quite extraordinary.

00:29:59Yeah, it's really beautiful.

00:30:00I mean, who would think to put walnut on the ceiling, right?

00:30:04Your husband Boris, I want to hear more about him.

00:30:06Because you said he's a builder.

00:30:08He was a master joiner.

00:30:09This was his vision.

00:30:11And he's no longer with us, I'm sorry.

00:30:13Yeah, he passed away two years ago.

00:30:16And this is a space for us where we can feel really connected to him.

00:30:20And for me, with his motor neurone disease,

00:30:23I got to care for him in the last three years.

00:30:26And that is something I'm incredibly proud of.

00:30:29And yeah, I guess that's what remains, the love, obviously the sadness.

00:30:34But I get to see the product of everything that he's done.

00:30:37My children, the house, all of the incredible businesses that he's created.

00:30:42Amazing.

00:30:43Well, I mean, there's five levels for us to discover.

00:30:45Will you find careers?

00:30:46I'll send him down.

00:30:50There you are.

00:30:51We've been expecting you.

00:30:52And this is where the family all sleeps.

00:30:54So on a five-level house, all the family's on one level.

00:30:58I kind of like that, though.

00:30:59I mean, very much got their own spaces and very distinct style.

00:31:02But a real feature in the boys' room is that incredible textured silk inlay

00:31:06that's on all the joinery.

00:31:07Yeah, yeah.

00:31:08But even again, despite all the artwork,

00:31:10it feels like you're in an artwork in itself in the house.

00:31:13Yeah, absolutely.

00:31:14And I think because you've got that walnut that connects to every single level here,

00:31:17it's not on the ceiling.

00:31:18Instead, it's in a herringbone pattern on the floor.

00:31:20Oh, the bar.

00:31:21That is enormous.

00:31:22I actually think that's actually big enough for you, even.

00:31:25I'm doing the sums and, yes, I think it adds up.

00:31:28Well, if you think that this one's impressive, wait to see what's next.

00:31:31Oh, you had my attention.

00:31:34Oh.

00:31:35What do you think?

00:31:36Oh.

00:31:38Wow.

00:31:39Isn't that amazing?

00:31:41What is that shape?

00:31:42I don't think I've ever seen a bath that shape before.

00:31:44It's a bit kidney-ish, isn't it?

00:31:45It is, yeah.

00:31:46One of the things I really like in here, you've obviously got the open bath

00:31:49in the privacy of the master bedroom,

00:31:51but you also have the most magnificent his and hers walk-in wardrobes

00:31:56where they're just beautiful and with darkened glass,

00:31:58which again is used here really effectively.

00:32:00You think it's a wall at first glance, but in actual fact,

00:32:03this is the shower and then behind that in the joinery is the separate toilet.

00:32:08Wow.

00:32:14Shall we take the lift?

00:32:15Why not?

00:32:18Thank you very much.

00:32:20Level two, underwear, haberdashery.

00:32:26Oh.

00:32:27Oh, wow.

00:32:28This has a totally different feel to downstairs, doesn't it?

00:32:31Yeah.

00:32:32I think it's that sudden flood of light that you get from all these windows

00:32:36and it brings that greenery from outside in,

00:32:38so compared to downstairs where it's a bit darker and moodier,

00:32:43here you're sort of on top of the city in a way.

00:32:46The other thing that you notice, obviously you've got all these amazing artworks

00:32:48on the walls which you want to focus on,

00:32:50but if you actually want to sit back and watch some television,

00:32:53it's not obvious where the TV is at first.

00:32:58Actually, TV and a projector.

00:33:03How about this black marble dining room table?

00:33:07What a statement that is.

00:33:09That is heavy and solid.

00:33:11It's definitely not moving anywhere.

00:33:12No.

00:33:13Oh, but that is special.

00:33:15I am drawn to the light.

00:33:18Think like a moth, Chris.

00:33:20Think like a moth.

00:33:21Isn't that incredible?

00:33:22That's the bottom of the pool upstairs.

00:33:24You're not skinny dipping here, that's for sure.

00:33:26No.

00:33:27I love how they've got the angle as well,

00:33:29so from that side of the house you sort of get drawn to look up there

00:33:32if you weren't drawn by the light in itself.

00:33:42So the trick usually with any warehouse conversion

00:33:45is how you actually find the space for outdoor living.

00:33:48The owners were told when they first were talking about ideas

00:33:51there's no way they'd be able to have a pool or a barbecue space.

00:33:55Well, they proved them wrong.

00:33:56Yeah, and how too, because this is almost completely private.

00:33:59You cannot see another window, another person,

00:34:01and it's helped by this garden that sort of rings the top courtyard here.

00:34:06It's a very clever placement of the grasses.

00:34:08Grasses and olive trees and it is an oasis.

00:34:11And then the pool.

00:34:12You know, we talk about the narrative of architecture

00:34:15and we haven't even really actually touched on the story

00:34:17of this particular site.

00:34:19And it is quite a yarn too.

00:34:20It's an old hat factory, this building.

00:34:22Amazing.

00:34:23And originally they had to test the soil underneath for mercury

00:34:27because that's used in hat manufacturing.

00:34:29That saying, mad as a hatter?

00:34:31Mad as a hatter, yeah.

00:34:32And once that was clear they could dig it out

00:34:34and thought, well, why not create a basement there?

00:34:36Brilliant.

00:34:37But then in so many ways then this is sort of the crowning hat on top

00:34:41to have this open outdoor space like this.

00:34:43I like what you did there.

00:34:44See that?

00:34:45It was subtle but it was there.

00:34:46It wasn't subtle but it was good.

00:34:53Chicken teriyaki rice paper rolls.

00:34:56Perfect for your lunchbox.

00:34:59To catch up on any stories you've missed

00:35:01or to watch exclusive Better Homes and Gardens content

00:35:04plus loads of how-to videos, recipes and more,

00:35:08check us out on 7 Plus.

00:35:16There's nothing wrong with a good old sandwich in your kid's lunchbox.

00:35:20But tonight we're going to mix it up a little bit.

00:35:22I'm going to show you how to make teriyaki chicken rice paper rolls.

00:35:32First things first, the teriyaki sauce.

00:35:35I've only got about three, maybe four ingredients in this.

00:35:39I'm going to start off with the one cup of soy sauce into a saucepan.

00:35:46Half a cup of mirin, which is sweet rice wine.

00:35:53Half a cup of sake, which is Japanese rice wine.

00:35:59And half a cup of caster sugar.

00:36:02Onto the stove.

00:36:06Just on a low heat because the sauce has quite a high sugar content.

00:36:13Leave this on for about 10 to 12 minutes,

00:36:16just until it starts to boil and thicken slightly.

00:36:21This sauce makes more than you need for one serve.

00:36:25You can either keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks

00:36:28or you can freeze it too.

00:36:32Make sure you keep an eye on this.

00:36:34Give it a stir every once in a while.

00:36:38So this is the consistency we're looking for.

00:36:41I've got one here that has been cooled down already.

00:36:45So now we're going to start marinating the chicken.

00:36:49I've got four chicken thighs, skin on.

00:36:52You can use chicken thighs without the skin as well.

00:36:57I love chicken with skin on because I feel that that's where all the flavour lies.

00:37:04Half a cup of the teriyaki sauce.

00:37:09If you have time, 24 hours in the fridge is best for this.

00:37:15But if you don't, half an hour will do.

00:37:20To the pan I'm just going to add a trickle of oil.

00:37:25And I'm going to place the chicken skin down.

00:37:29Cover it.

00:37:31Make sure that your heat is turned down low.

00:37:35And you want to keep it there for about four minutes

00:37:38and then flip it over.

00:37:44Look at that.

00:37:45It's nice and crispy.

00:37:47I'm going to add a little bit more teriyaki sauce.

00:37:50I'm going to add a little bit more teriyaki sauce.

00:37:53I'm going to add a little bit more teriyaki sauce.

00:37:55I'm going to add a little bit more teriyaki sauce.

00:37:58Looking good.

00:38:00Alright, I think it's ready to be turned over.

00:38:05Skin's nice and crispy.

00:38:10I'm going to cover it for another three to four minutes.

00:38:14So I use chicken thighs for this recipe because it retains its juiciness.

00:38:19If you prefer chicken breast, you're welcome to use it.

00:38:23But just make sure that you don't overcook your chicken breast.

00:38:29That's browning beautifully.

00:38:33Now what I'm going to do is I'm going to add the leftover marinade that we had earlier on.

00:38:43And I'm going to cook it off for about three or four minutes.

00:38:48Keep an eye on your heat.

00:38:50Because of the high sugar content, it can quickly burn.

00:38:55With the chicken cooled down, we're going to start slicing them to assemble them in the rice paper.

00:39:01We don't want it too thick.

00:39:04They are still so juicy, as you can see.

00:39:14Put them aside.

00:39:21And now for the fun part.

00:39:24Get your children involved in this.

00:39:26They'll love it.

00:39:27And also give them an opportunity to know what they're eating.

00:39:33So this is the rice paper.

00:39:35It comes dry like this.

00:39:37And what you have to do is rehydrate them in room temperature water.

00:39:43A little tip is that you wet your board with a little bit of water.

00:39:47And then you'll be able to pick it up quite easily and it won't stick to the board.

00:39:52Lay it flat.

00:39:55I'm going to start off with some lettuce leaves.

00:39:59Just one of them here.

00:40:01And here I've got cooked vermicelli.

00:40:05That just bulks it up a little bit.

00:40:08For veggies, I've got carrots, some red capsicum and cucumber.

00:40:17Make sure not to fill it too much.

00:40:20And for the herbs, I love coriander.

00:40:27And I've got mint as well.

00:40:31Chicken.

00:40:35And you know the sauce that was left over from cooking off your chicken?

00:40:38Do not throw it away.

00:40:40Because what we'll do is we'll use some of that in here.

00:40:45Now folding it is one fold on top.

00:40:50Another fold on the side.

00:40:55It is a little bit fiddly.

00:40:58But the taste will remain the same.

00:41:00Delicious.

00:41:05There you go.

00:41:06My teriyaki rice paper roll.

00:41:09They are fresh, they're delicious and they're so healthy for kids as well.

00:41:16Here I'm dipping it with my favourite sauce which is sweet chilli sauce.

00:41:21Enjoy.

00:41:22Enjoy.

00:41:35If you're combining ornamentals and edibles, often you find that they have different water requirements.

00:41:40So a great way to deal with that is something like a tree ring.

00:41:43It raises the level up so you can get nice deep soil in there.

00:41:46And it allows you to underplant with something fragrant like this sage.

00:41:50Both of these like free-draining soil so they're perfect for a location like this.

00:41:59Whenever you're planting a garden that is really heavy in edibles,

00:42:02you don't want to forget about the different layers and textures.

00:42:05Here we've got large trees and shrubs in the form of feijoa, citrus and guava.

00:42:09We then move down to rosemary, a medium-sized shrub.

00:42:12But we've also got textural plants like ginger and lovely softness from grasses like lemongrass.

00:42:18And dotted amongst the plants are seasonal things like kale and lettuce.

00:42:21Now of course, they'll come and go as you harvest, leaving a bit of a gap.

00:42:24So you want to make sure you have a spine, a bit of a backbone to the garden.

00:42:27Here it's done with shrubs like lily-pillies and oriental pearls.

00:42:36Whenever you're putting plants together in a garden,

00:42:38and it may be a garden of all ornamental plants or all edibles,

00:42:41you need to think about plants that like the same conditions.

00:42:43The obvious ones are light and water.

00:42:45But you also need to think about food.

00:42:47So citrus are incredibly heavy feeders.

00:42:49So underneath them, use plants that also like lots of food.

00:42:52That might be something like strawberries, or in this case, lettuce.

00:43:00Whenever you're working with vegetables and herbs,

00:43:02you need to use the plant to its full potential.

00:43:04Here we've got slits in the paving.

00:43:06So we've got low-growing herbs like thyme and oregano.

00:43:09They're perfect because they spill out, soften the paving,

00:43:12and you can cut them so you can use them in your cooking.

00:43:14But also, when you step on them, the fragrance is fantastic.

00:43:27After a day of bear watching,

00:43:29Great Bear Lodge is the perfect place to recharge.

00:43:33Hey, how you doing?

00:43:35Who says you can't have clipped topiary in a rainforest garden?

00:43:39Well, here it is.

00:43:42In the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine,

00:43:45we're showing you how to eat the rainbow

00:43:47by embracing colourful ingredients and dishes

00:43:50like this delicious tomato tart and yummy gelato.

00:43:53Plus, we're sharing easy dinners for one,

00:43:55like this fennel, squid and chilli couscous.

00:43:58And in 2025, Better Homes and Gardens magazine

00:44:01is searching for Australia's most passionate and dedicated tradies.

00:44:05It's all inside the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine,

00:44:08which is out now.

00:44:12So much better.

00:44:15This segment is brought to you by Air Canada.

00:44:18Fly non-stop from Sydney and Brisbane to Vancouver

00:44:21and connect to more than 100 destinations across North America.

00:44:24Book now at aircanada.com.

00:44:27Our trip to the Canadian wilderness

00:44:29is almost as incredible as the bears themselves.

00:44:32Now, from Australia, you can get a direct flight to Vancouver,

00:44:35and then from there, you jump on a domestic flight

00:44:38for around about an hour

00:44:39and end up in a little town called Port Hardy.

00:44:42And from here, well, it's like a trip back in time.

00:44:44G'day, Gord, how are you?

00:44:45Hi, Adam.

00:44:46Now, you are the pilot that's going to be taking us to the Great Bear Lodge.

00:44:49Can you please, please tell us all about this incredible piece of machinery

00:44:52that we've got here?

00:44:53Well, it's obviously a two-engine flying boat.

00:44:56It's called a Grumman Goose.

00:44:58And it was built in 1940.

00:45:00You've been flying these for a while?

00:45:02I have, yeah, since 1985, actually.

00:45:04Beautiful.

00:45:05So we're in safe hands and also let the adventure begin.

00:45:07What do you reckon?

00:45:08Let's go.

00:45:09Yes!

00:45:15Wish me luck.

00:45:30From Port Hardy, it's about 30 minutes of flying time

00:45:33over some of the most remarkable landscapes you will see.

00:45:37And at this time of year, you get snow-capped mountains too.

00:45:40So bring your best camera or just sit back and enjoy the view.

00:45:44And I've got to say, flying in this goose is really cool.

00:46:08G'day, welcome to Great Bear Lodge.

00:46:10Marg, I tell you what, I wasn't expecting to hear an Aussie accent

00:46:14out here in the Canadian wilderness.

00:46:16I know, well, Melbourne born and bred,

00:46:18but, like, look at this backyard that I have.

00:46:21This is a great set-up.

00:46:23The whole thing's on a pontoon.

00:46:24We're literally in the middle of the water.

00:46:26It's like a village all tied together.

00:46:28We have nine rooms, and each room has an ensuite.

00:46:32And then downstairs is a nice common area

00:46:35where people can relax and get a cup of coffee or a glass of wine

00:46:39and just look out the windows onto the Great Bear Rainforest.

00:46:42We've obviously been here a long time,

00:46:44and this would have to be your favourite place,

00:46:46but what are some of your other favourites in British Columbia?

00:46:49I love being in the outdoors, so a couple of my favourite places,

00:46:52I think maybe Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island

00:46:56is just beautiful.

00:47:01The other one is Mount Revelstoke National Park

00:47:04because you can drive right up to the sub-alpine

00:47:06and then do incredible hikes from there too.

00:47:11Marg, I've got to say, being out here in the wild with the bears,

00:47:14I mean, it's an incredible experience.

00:47:16Is it something you ever get sick of?

00:47:18Oh, no, like, I could sit there and watch bears all day long,

00:47:20the way they interact with each other.

00:47:22So interesting.

00:47:23Is there any other animals that you see here?

00:47:25Oh, yeah.

00:47:26I mean, because we're on the pontoon,

00:47:28one of my favourite things is all the marine mammals come up.

00:47:31So you have seals come up and haul out,

00:47:33and one of my favourites was, in fact, right in this spot right here,

00:47:36we had two humpbacks come in and they were bubble netting.

00:47:39So they were driving the fish together

00:47:41and then they would come up and eat them.

00:47:57Now, Marg, it obviously takes a fair bit of planning to host your guests.

00:48:00Without affecting the environment,

00:48:02could you tell me a little bit about the logistics of this lodge?

00:48:05Yeah, absolutely.

00:48:06I mean, the first thing is we don't want to impact the bears negatively,

00:48:09but also, you know, we generate all of our own electricity

00:48:13through microhydro and solar mainly

00:48:16so that we don't have to run a diesel generator all the time.

00:48:19And, you know, making sure we're using local organic food,

00:48:23shipping all recycling back to Port Hardy.

00:48:25Yeah, we try to do what we can.

00:48:27The other thing we do to make sure that we're sustainable out here

00:48:30is we do a little bit of local harvesting,

00:48:32which includes Dungeness crab.

00:48:35So if you like, we could go out there and pull the trap

00:48:37and see if we can find some.

00:48:38How cool is that? Yes!

00:48:40Yeah, well, let's go get some gear on and go check it.

00:48:51How many do you have out here?

00:48:53How many crab traps?

00:48:54Yeah.

00:48:55We just have one and it's pretty sustainable

00:48:58if we just have one trap down at all times.

00:49:00And how many can you get in one trap?

00:49:02Just one crab trap?

00:49:04Oh, my goodness, no.

00:49:05Like, you know, sometimes we'll come out here and there'll be 30 crabs.

00:49:0830 in one trap?

00:49:09I know.

00:49:10You can only keep the males and you can only keep a certain size.

00:49:12How deep would the water be here?

00:49:14How low down would the trap go?

00:49:1620 metres.

00:49:17Whoa!

00:49:18Yeah.

00:49:19Wow.

00:49:20That's how deep it is here.

00:49:21It is. It is.

00:49:22Wow.

00:49:23That's why I thought maybe you could pull it up.

00:49:29Woo-hoo!

00:49:31Oh, look at that.

00:49:32Here we are.

00:49:34Nice.

00:49:36Look at that.

00:49:37Wow.

00:49:38That's awesome.

00:49:39Should we pull one out?

00:49:41Can we?

00:49:42Of course we can.

00:49:43Yeah.

00:49:44I mean, what's the worst that could happen?

00:49:46I don't know.

00:49:47What is the worst that could happen?

00:49:48They can bite you.

00:49:49That could happen.

00:49:50I'm scared.

00:49:57There you go, buddy.

00:49:59Woo!

00:50:02That's good.

00:50:03Is that a good size?

00:50:04Oh, yeah.

00:50:05It's huge.

00:50:06They don't come bigger than that.

00:50:07Yes, it's a winner.

00:50:09I was going to say winner, winner, chicken dinner, but that's not right.

00:50:12No, it's crab dinner.

00:50:20There's some more seals coming up here on the right-hand side.

00:50:26That's all good, guys.

00:50:28That's all good.

00:50:32How cool is that?

00:50:33I know.

00:50:34They're so beautiful.

00:50:35They're really beautiful.

00:50:36Yeah.

00:50:37And I love when you can spend time with animals like this, just really quietly as they go about their day.

00:50:43It's just sunbaking.

00:50:44That's right.

00:50:45Well, the water's 10 degrees.

00:50:47I'd sunbake on a log too.

00:50:50Yes.

00:50:55I tell you what, this is absolutely remarkable, but I can hear some crabs going crazy down here.

00:50:59What do you think?

00:51:00That's right.

00:51:01Should we get them back for the pot?

00:51:02Yes.

00:51:03Let's go.

00:51:13A day of bear watching and crabbing can make a man hungry.

00:51:17So as night falls, it's the perfect time to swap bear stories with the other lodge guests over dinner.

00:51:25Hello.

00:51:26How are we?

00:51:27We feeling hungry?

00:51:28Yes.

00:51:36And doesn't this look fantastic?

00:51:38But this week has just been the entree.

00:51:40Stick around, because next week we've got more incredible adventures for you.

00:51:44But for now, I think we're all going to enjoy this crab.

00:51:46What do you think, guys?

00:51:51Coming up, when you're creating your own suburban jungle, sometimes more is much more.

00:51:57This enviable subtropical climate is a real dream come true for landscape designers.

00:52:03And today, I'm about to meet one of their very best.

00:52:07And some people have a knack for seeing beauty in the basic.

00:52:11And you're about to learn how.

00:52:13I have to show everyone, look at this.

00:52:16Isn't that just gorgeous?

00:52:24This segment is brought to you by the City of Coffs Harbour.

00:52:28There is so much to love about the beautiful Coffs Coast of New South Wales.

00:52:33Look, take your pick.

00:52:34Stunning national parks, a great botanic garden, one of the world's best golf courses.

00:52:41This enviable subtropical climate is a real dream come true for landscape designers.

00:52:47And today, I'm about to meet one of their very best.

00:52:59Lovely to meet you, Claudia.

00:53:00This is a really beautiful spot.

00:53:02So you designed these beautiful gardens.

00:53:05So what's this place actually called?

00:53:07It's called The Link because it's meant to link the community.

00:53:10And it's owned by Sawtail Catholic Care.

00:53:13And yes, so it's an intergenerational space for people to meet.

00:53:18And they have obviously the nursing home.

00:53:21We could spend days here.

00:53:22But you've got a special garden that I understand you want to show me.

00:53:25Yes, let's go.

00:53:37Well, Graeme, here we are.

00:53:39This is my place.

00:53:41Wow.

00:53:42So you created all of this?

00:53:44Yes.

00:53:45And how long ago?

00:53:46That was 30 years ago.

00:53:47Goodness.

00:53:48What was here when you started?

00:53:50Well, it was a sloping block with really bad grass, a camphor laurel, a jacaranda and two frangipanis.

00:53:57And that was it?

00:53:58That was it, yes.

00:53:59And I mean, the canopy of the camphor laurel is extremely important.

00:54:02And I call that our air conditioning because our place is always cooled.

00:54:06It's always shady here in summer.

00:54:08It's a whole ecosystem in itself.

00:54:11And for that reason, obviously, it has to stay despite being declared a weed in this area.

00:54:17Yes, because there's birds up there and that's their home.

00:54:20Yes, there's always a few birds' nests.

00:54:23There's a lot of slope here, what, six, five, six, seven metres of slope.

00:54:27How do you deal with that in the beginning?

00:54:29Yes, that's the most important thing, the underlying levels of a garden.

00:54:34If you don't get that right, nothing works later.

00:54:36And the drainage with two metres of rainfall in Coffs Harbour, that's an enormous amount of water to deal with.

00:54:42And big rain events, these pits overflow.

00:54:45And then there is the second way, it goes down to the billabong down on the lower block.

00:54:50So, Claire, how do you actually plan a garden like this?

00:54:53Does it happen at once or do you do it in stages from the beginning?

00:54:57I have a picture in my mind, but it's about layering.

00:55:00You've got your ground layer, your middle layer and your canopy.

00:55:03And the canopy is extremely important to get that height.

00:55:07Without height and that vertical dimension, a garden just literally falls flat and it feels much smaller.

00:55:13So, even when you've got a smaller garden, you should always really incorporate height.

00:55:19And that's when you really need to know your plants.

00:55:21Yes.

00:55:22This is a real masterclass in garden design because it's really used all the different layers and structures to create, well, a rainforest in a backyard.

00:55:38And when you look at this little space here, that could be just your backyard.

00:55:42So, how has it been created?

00:55:44So, the palms are Alexandra palms and they are really quite stunning.

00:55:49They have a beautiful foliage, a lovely trunk and they do create those vertical lines.

00:55:53Instantly, when you walk into this area, you look straight up because that's the way your eye actually is taken by the trees.

00:56:00And for colour and texture at that height, Bismarckia.

00:56:04What a palm it is.

00:56:05A beautiful, bright blue, grey, glaucous sort of colour.

00:56:09And, of course, the other palms are cabbage palms and they're really tall and creating that upper level canopy as well.

00:56:16The fan palms at the back are looking stunning.

00:56:19They're in that middle level.

00:56:21Down here, you've got cycads, macrosamias.

00:56:23But look at these fellows here.

00:56:25This is the big Alcantara, the big bromeliad.

00:56:28These are growing beautifully in here to create a whole different texture because they're so bold and architectural.

00:56:36You need patience.

00:56:37But once you've got it planted, you just need to look after them.

00:56:46The last thing you would expect to see in a wild sort of jungle garden is cliptoperae.

00:57:00But they've been used here.

00:57:01This is, of course, Japanese box, lime green, and it's been used to actually ground the landscape.

00:57:07These spheres and big slabs of green are actually duplicated and repeated throughout the garden.

00:57:13Not a lot, but just enough to create continuity.

00:57:16Very simple, very clever.

00:57:31Well, I think this is Claudia's biggest environmental challenge.

00:57:35This microclimate here is really hot, facing west.

00:57:40So when you've got this sort of a real hot box, then go with it.

00:57:45Don't try and challenge it because it'll win every time.

00:57:49Now, to add to that, she's painted the wall a beautiful colour, sort of real tangeriney orange colour.

00:57:55I think she's taken inspiration from this fabulous Heliconia, which is called Hot Rio Nights.

00:58:01What a fabulous plant it is.

00:58:03But the rest, of course, the red coming in the Euphorbia, Crassulas in pots,

00:58:08and then the rest is basically cacti and succulents.

00:58:18Claudia, it's been a fantastic visit.

00:58:20Thank you very much for hosting us.

00:58:22It's been a really beaut day.

00:58:23Well, it was a pleasure having you.

00:58:25It was really an interesting day.

00:58:27Well, I'll tell you what, I'm sure you've learned as much as I have about little microclimates

00:58:32and using the right plant for the right spot to get that right feature.

00:58:36In fact, I'd love to come back and spend a bit more time in the garden.

00:58:39Well, we have the Jetty House next door, which is a holiday house.

00:58:42You can.

00:58:43Really?

00:58:44The Jetty House.

00:58:45Make note of that.

00:58:46I guess it's got beautiful views over the garden.

00:58:48Yes, it does, and guests can take a walk in the garden if they wish.

00:58:52Even better.

00:58:53How cool is that?

00:58:54Thank you very much.

00:58:55I'll put that in my diary.

00:58:57Have a great season.

00:58:59Cheers.

00:59:03This place has the perfect blend of nostalgia and nature.

00:59:11In the March issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine,

00:59:14we're showing you how to add bold and bright colours to your home with our Complete Colour Guide.

00:59:19Plus, we're sharing some clever ideas for adding affordable wall art for your home,

00:59:24as well as our top tricks and tips for upcycling your old furniture.

00:59:29And in 2025, Better Homes and Gardens magazine

00:59:32is searching for Australia's most passionate and dedicated tradies.

00:59:36It's all inside the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

00:59:39On sale now.

00:59:52I love nothing more than a good old rummage through an antique market like this.

00:59:56I'm at the Merchants Warehouse in inner West Sydney,

00:59:59and it's home to some really unique furniture, industrial decor, vintage and retro clothing and homewares.

01:00:06Like, honestly, you could spend hours in this place.

01:00:08But if that wasn't enough, this place also has something that's close to my heart,

01:00:13a little patch of green that's full of some unique planting ideas.

01:00:27This is Ivy Alley, a real gem of a garden shop here in the Merchants Warehouse.

01:00:32And it's jam-packed with so many gorgeous plant arrangements

01:00:36that are often displayed in things like vintage vessels or vases or quirky containers,

01:00:41which really bring the plant to life and make incredible living gifts or garden art.

01:00:57Rachel, this is your little treasure. There is so much to explore here.

01:01:02It is. There's lots. There's lots, Melissa.

01:01:05How did it all get started for you?

01:01:07About eight years ago, I decided to open a little backyard nursery called Ivy Alley.

01:01:13It was down a little walkway covered in ivy, hence the name.

01:01:18And it was fantastic. I loved it.

01:01:21However, it just got a little bit too big for my backyard.

01:01:25So I found this space and it's perfect.

01:01:30Combining my antiquities with the beautiful things that they sell here, it's wonderful.

01:01:37Well, I need to do a little bit more exploring, but I'll catch up with you later.

01:01:40All right. Fantastic. Thank you.

01:01:41Thank you, Melissa. Ciao.

01:01:52Rachel makes really brilliant use of both indoor and outdoor spaces.

01:01:56And when you walk around, she proves that you can use almost anything as a container for plants.

01:02:00For example, these quirky little olive oil tins.

01:02:03But it's not just the artistic nature of what she's doing that she's considering.

01:02:07It's also the needs of the plant.

01:02:09So, for example, this is devil's ivy and it's growing in a vase with no drainage holes

01:02:14because you can grow devil's ivy in just water alone.

01:02:17Whereas other plants like cacti and succulents, they need good drainage.

01:02:21So whatever you're planting them into, ensure that it's got some drainage holes at the bottom.

01:02:26Don't you just want to take these home?

01:02:28One of the things that you'll notice is that Rachel uses a lot of sphagnum moss in her planting displays.

01:02:48This is sphagnum moss right here.

01:02:50This has been pre-soaked.

01:02:52Now, it's a good planting medium for some plants.

01:02:55You'll notice that it holds on to moisture really well.

01:02:58But it doesn't get too soggy and it still allows the plants to dry out between watering.

01:03:03And she's used it beautifully here with this lucky bamboo.

01:03:06Look at those spirals.

01:03:07Which can, of course, be grown in a potting medium but also in just water alone.

01:03:11And also here, look at this.

01:03:13This is the rabbit foot's fern.

01:03:15And take a look at those gorgeous furry feet.

01:03:17So it's been used with just sphagnum moss and that beautiful glass bowl.

01:03:26Everywhere you look, something old has been given a new lease on life and turned into a work of art.

01:03:31So everything from metal bird cages to kokedama balls to even a succulent bed.

01:03:36And take a look at this.

01:03:38This is such an extravagant looking candelabra that's dripping with this beautiful ivy.

01:03:43Wouldn't that make an incredible centrepiece in your garden?

01:03:52Look at these little teacup planters.

01:03:54They are so cute.

01:03:55Aren't they?

01:03:56So cute.

01:03:57So show me how you do that.

01:03:59What I do is I just pop a little bit of water in it to keep it cool because it gets very hot when you drill.

01:04:05So you need to apply quite a bit of firm pressure but just consistently.

01:04:14That was easy.

01:04:15You made it look easy.

01:04:16Yeah.

01:04:17I use the sphagnum and I soak it in liquid fertiliser first.

01:04:22That's a good little tip.

01:04:23Okay.

01:04:24And what are we planting into it?

01:04:26Okay, so today we're planting little baby succulents.

01:04:35It doesn't take long.

01:04:42And last but not least, this is optional but I love this stuff, it's reindeer moss.

01:04:47It looks like coral.

01:04:49Look at that.

01:04:50Yeah, it's so pretty.

01:04:53I have to show everyone.

01:04:57Look at this.

01:04:58Isn't that just gorgeous?

01:05:00Oh, Rachel, you're such an inspiration.

01:05:02Oh, thank you.

01:05:03You know what?

01:05:04I have to make it from here all the way to the door without buying anything because it's going to be tough.

01:05:08It's going to be tough.

01:05:09It's going to be really tough.

01:05:10Good luck.

01:05:12Good luck.

01:05:13I will be definitely looking at all of my mother's…

01:05:15Oh, thanks for this.

01:05:16…and my grandmother's…

01:05:18Wonderful.

01:05:19…handshakes in a whole new way.

01:05:20That's great.

01:05:21Anytime.

01:05:30So, Chris, your first house walkthrough with us.

01:05:32What has struck a chord with you?

01:05:33I mean, this, obviously.

01:05:35That is eye-catching.

01:05:36But it's the attention to detail.

01:05:38The fact that, you know, as a love letter to his wife, you feel like every single I is being dotted, every T is being crossed.

01:05:45Yeah.

01:05:46For me, it's just how much house there is.

01:05:47It's only 100 square metres, this site, but there's 500 square metres of living space.

01:05:51They literally built it from the ground up.

01:05:53But for Boris Tosic, as you say, it was his grand love gesture to his wife and his kids.

01:05:58And as it turned out, it also ended up being his final piece of work.

01:06:02And it is perfection everywhere you look.

01:06:04It is.

01:06:05For a converted factory, it is hats off.

01:06:07Absolutely.

01:06:08We'll see you next week with more Better Homes and Gardens.

01:06:10Bye-bye.

01:06:12Next time, put an end to the midweek meal madness with some clever tips from someone who's made a living out of it.

01:06:19With millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, Nicole McGuire can teach anyone how to become a meal prep master.

01:06:28Adam's Canadian adventure continues as he checks out the local cuisine and puts his carpentry skills to the test.

01:06:35I can build a house, but can I build a totem pole?

01:06:38We're about to find out.

01:06:42Feeling a little saucy?

01:06:44This dish has got it in spades.

01:06:46Pork ribs glazed in pineapple and ginger and a super little snack on the side.

01:06:56If you want to create the ultimate garden, there's one thing you need to know.

01:07:01How to pick the right plants for the right conditions?

01:07:03Well, this garden is an absolute masterclass in just that.

01:07:08When this pungent princess decided to bloom, she caught the world's attention.

01:07:13So Graham goes behind the scenes to meet the whole family and learn why Patricia is so special.

01:07:19We're about to meet one of the most disgusting members of the plant world, but also one of the most fascinating.

01:07:27Plus, don't throw shade, create it by upcycling your old lampshades.

01:07:33Light up your life with a revamped lamp.

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