The Rookie Gardener

For readers with absolutely no floriferous idea, the book begins by explaining what a plant actually is. Chapters are set out in the order that you would do things in the garden – because a thorough grounding in the what, why and how of your bit of soil is the first and most important step towards imagining and creating something that perfectly suits you and your needs. To round out your rookie understanding, there are step-by-step projects, horticultural tidbits, suggestions for rabbit-hole reading, checklists, garden hacks and special features (with the generous inclusion of how to grow succulents, my most hated plant).

In all good bookstores and online

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Welcome to Foster Your Garden – if you’ve come for some plant chat, garden chat, broadcasting chat or anything in-between, you’re in the right place!

Explore the blog section for expert tips, plant deep-dives, and practical advice to help your garden thrive. From selecting the perfect plants to useful horticultural advice, this is the landing space for Chloe Foster’s adventures in horticulture.

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The Bell Fruited Mallee, Eucalyptus preissiana, is starting to flower at Fairfield campus! Those buds have been teasing us for months. I just love that as the weather is starting to get drab and grey, this little gum tree is being a little beacon o
The Bell Fruited Mallee, Eucalyptus preissiana, is starting to flower at Fairfield campus! Those buds have been teasing us for months. I just love that as the weather is starting to get drab and grey, this little gum tree is being a little beacon of hope (and nectar source for the bugs!) These are a great small Euc, maxing out at 2.5-3m, tolerating heavier soils and extended dry periods. This is what I'd call a medium to large shrub.... Not exactly what we think of when we hear 'gum tree'! 🌼🌼🌼 #eucalyptus #bellfruitedmallee #mallee #flowers
Banksia love from Cranbourne Gardens 🫶🏼💛❤️💛 These plants would be some of the most photographed in the gardens. They're almost always in flower. Top to bottom roll call: Banksia menziesii, B menziesii dwarf, Banksia spinulosa dwarf form (likely
Banksia love from Cranbourne Gardens 🫶🏼💛❤️💛 These plants would be some of the most photographed in the gardens. They're almost always in flower. Top to bottom roll call: Banksia menziesii, B menziesii dwarf, Banksia spinulosa dwarf form (likely Birthday Candles) #banksia #firewoodbanksia #royalbotanicgardensvic #cranbournebotanicgardens
Pretty cool week at work: 🌿 Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne 🍁 National Herbarium of Victoria 🍌 Heronswood Gardens & banana flowers 🔥 Burning our Victorian Volcanic Plains grassland bed (10- before, 11- after) ..... All in the name of learni
Pretty cool week at work: 🌿 Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne 🍁 National Herbarium of Victoria 🍌 Heronswood Gardens & banana flowers 🔥 Burning our Victorian Volcanic Plains grassland bed (10- before, 11- after) ..... All in the name of learning!! #horticulture #plantschool #learningisfun
One for the grid. Fern Gully in the most perfect Autumn, afternoon sunlight #gardeningaustralia #royalbotanicgardensmelbourne #abcmygarden
One for the grid. Fern Gully in the most perfect Autumn, afternoon sunlight #gardeningaustralia #royalbotanicgardensmelbourne #abcmygarden
Deadheading is one of my favourite jobs in the garden! But what is it... Do you have a favourite plant you love to snip and deadhead?! Mine are the large flowered Grevilleas #therookiegardener #deadhead #pruning
Deadheading is one of my favourite jobs in the garden! But what is it... Do you have a favourite plant you love to snip and deadhead?! Mine are the large flowered Grevilleas #therookiegardener #deadhead #pruning
Something has been nuzzling in my garden.... And I reckon they're snacking on these beetle larvae (pic 3). Some of which are living dangerously close to the surface! Recently dug planting holes have shown me there's heeeeaps of these grubs in the so
Something has been nuzzling in my garden.... And I reckon they're snacking on these beetle larvae (pic 3). Some of which are living dangerously close to the surface! Recently dug planting holes have shown me there's heeeeaps of these grubs in the soil right now. They'll be some sort/s of beetle and I'll be on the lookout this Spring to see what emerges! #garden #mulch #beetle #curlgrub #beetlejuice
Good bugs, bad bugs! This particular double-bloom Hibiscus gets covered in black aphids every year on campus. And we get really excited! Because following the aphids are tonnes of parasitic wasps and lady bugs. The wasps have arrived! The black spot
Good bugs, bad bugs! This particular double-bloom Hibiscus gets covered in black aphids every year on campus. And we get really excited! Because following the aphids are tonnes of parasitic wasps and lady bugs. The wasps have arrived! The black spots are the live aphids and the sandy/bronzey spots are evidence of the parasitic wasps. They lay their egg in the live aphid, killing it. Then the baby wasps emerge and continue the cycle. #thanksnature #hibiscus #parasiticwasp #aphids #horticulture
Many gardeners know the red wattle, 'Scarlet Blaze', but check out this pink flowering one! Acacia terminalis pink form. It hails from eastern Tassie Sometimes sold as 'Pink Sunshine', if you're lucky enough to find it at specialist plant sales! Let
Many gardeners know the red wattle, 'Scarlet Blaze', but check out this pink flowering one! Acacia terminalis pink form. It hails from eastern Tassie Sometimes sold as 'Pink Sunshine', if you're lucky enough to find it at specialist plant sales! Let just take a moment to appreciate it. She's a cracker 🩷 #pinkwattle #acacia #wattle #australianplants
Perfect Autumn day out at the Ferny Creek Hort Society Autumn Plant Fair and Flower Show! The hall is filled with floral and plant displays and the gardens are filled with boutique growers..... Of every kind of plant 🤗 It's on tomorrow from 10-4. #fernycreekhorticulturalsociety
Still thinking about the depths of this show garden @throwingshapes2026 at @melbflowershow Our @melbpoly students have created a garden that is not only beautiful but has so much to teach the people visiting it. Working with @yvwater, every square inch considers how water can be captured and saved; permeable surfaces, drought tolerant plants, dry creeks beds that capture runoff and more. So very proud of Emerson, Lauren, Ceinwen, Naomi, and Belinda. lead by Emma Warren. The future is bright and green 🌞🌿 @paperbarked @ceinnie @bbmcd_melbs @reverielandscapedesign @thewanderingstars #melbflowershow #yarravalleywater #horticulture
The Bell Fruited Mallee, Eucalyptus preissiana, is starting to flower at Fairfield campus! Those buds have been teasing us for months. I just love that as the weather is starting to get drab and grey, this little gum tree is being a little beacon o Banksia love from Cranbourne Gardens 🫶🏼💛❤️💛 These plants would be some of the most photographed in the gardens. They're almost always in flower. Top to bottom roll call: Banksia menziesii, B menziesii dwarf, Banksia spinulosa dwarf form (likely Pretty cool week at work: 🌿 Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne 🍁 National Herbarium of Victoria 🍌 Heronswood Gardens & banana flowers 🔥 Burning our Victorian Volcanic Plains grassland bed (10- before, 11- after) ..... All in the name of learni One for the grid. Fern Gully in the most perfect Autumn, afternoon sunlight #gardeningaustralia #royalbotanicgardensmelbourne #abcmygarden Deadheading is one of my favourite jobs in the garden! But what is it... Do you have a favourite plant you love to snip and deadhead?! Mine are the large flowered Grevilleas #therookiegardener #deadhead #pruning Something has been nuzzling in my garden.... And I reckon they're snacking on these beetle larvae (pic 3). Some of which are living dangerously close to the surface! Recently dug planting holes have shown me there's heeeeaps of these grubs in the so Good bugs, bad bugs! This particular double-bloom Hibiscus gets covered in black aphids every year on campus. And we get really excited! Because following the aphids are tonnes of parasitic wasps and lady bugs. The wasps have arrived! The black spot Many gardeners know the red wattle, 'Scarlet Blaze', but check out this pink flowering one! Acacia terminalis pink form. It hails from eastern Tassie Sometimes sold as 'Pink Sunshine', if you're lucky enough to find it at specialist plant sales! Let
Perfect Autumn day out at the Ferny Creek Hort Society Autumn Plant Fair and Flower Show! The hall is filled with floral and plant displays and the gardens are filled with boutique growers..... Of every kind of plant 🤗 It's on tomorrow from 10-4. #
Still thinking about the depths of this show garden @throwingshapes2026 at @melbflowershow Our @melbpoly students have created a garden that is not only beautiful but has so much to teach the people visiting it. Working with @yvwater, every square i

Broadcasting

Catch up the latest podcast and radio- with Chloe

Podcasts & Radio

Services

  • Chloe's day job is teaching horticulture at Melbourne Polytechnic. She is available to give talks to interested groups, focusing on plants, horticulture, gardening and the Australian flora

  • NFI what to do with your garden? No idea how to care for whats there? Want to freshen things up but don't know how?

    In a garden consult you'll wander Chloe through your garden, chat about what's going on and where it could go, she'll make suggestions along the way and produce a report afterwards based on what we've discussed.

  • Chloe can help you create a beautiful garden by focusing on softscaping, including choosing the right plants and designing their layout. If you require, Chloe can also manage the procurement and installation. It's an ideal service for gardens that could use a simple spruce-up.

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