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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.
00:01:47I've taken 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.
00:02:22Now 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
00:03:08dogs.
00:03:09You know, like minds and like breeds, you know, you've got so many great competitions
00:03:13going 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 lookalike.
00:03:19It's just good fun.
00:03:20And the smile, look at you two, you're smiling, they're smiling, they never stop smiling.
00:03:33It's the race that stopped the nation, 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!
00:03:48Well, look what we've got here.
00:03:55We've got a couple of wieners.
00:03:56And 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?
00:04:05Yeah, this one, this one, that one, the dark one.
00:04:08But this is the wiener?
00:04:09Yeah.
00:04:10What happened to this one?
00:04:11Disrupted.
00:04:12Well, listen, 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.
00:04:27I should introduce to you, Chrissie, now, Chrissie, 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.
00:04:46So 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.
00:05:11It's always been around.
00:05:13Hats off to you for giving it some publicity.
00:05:23I've found Hayley and her dog.
00:05:26And her dog is how old?
00:05:2816.
00:05:2916 years old.
00:05:30For a Dachshund, that is amazing.
00:05:33Look at the old graying around the face.
00:05:35Was that tan once?
00:05:36Yeah.
00:05:37It was, wasn't it?
00:05:39So 16 years.
00:05:40What have you done right that's got this dog to 16 years?
00:05:44I don't know.
00:05:45He's not much of a walker.
00:05:46He prefers to sleep.
00:05:47I think just lots of love, good diet.
00:05:51His back's been really good.
00:05:52We've never had any issues.
00:05:53What a lovely old dog, yeah?
00:06:04Sandra.
00:06:05Hayley.
00:06:06Sandra and Hayley.
00:06:07And the two dogs are?
00:06:08Eddie.
00:06:09Eddie.
00:06:10Now, you went to buy one dog and you came home with two.
00:06:11Tell me what happened.
00:06:12We did.
00:06:13We went and bought one dog and they were two little brothers and we couldn't separate them
00:06:18so 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.
00:06:25Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:06:26The house is a bit turned upside down than it used to be but, you know, we get a lot
00:06:31of joy from them.
00:06:38Congratulations.
00:06:39Well done.
00:06:40Thank you so much.
00:06:41Great effort, right?
00:06:42Very inventive little troublemaker.
00:06:43Well done, Biggles.
00:06:44Well done.
00:06:45Great job, son.
00:06:46What a great creative outfit that is.
00:06:47Not just that one but have a look at, where did the tacos go?
00:06:48The tacos stand over here, too?
00:06:49Okay, absolutely fantastic.
00:06:50We've got a dog with a drink.
00:06:51You can't imagine.
00:06:52So what's he got?
00:06:53He's got a drink.
00:06:54He's got a drink.
00:06:55He's got a drink.
00:06:56I'm going to give him a drink.
00:06:57I'm going to give him a drink.
00:06:58He's got a drink.
00:06:59He's got a drink.
00:07:00He's got a drink.
00:07:01He's got a drink.
00:07:02He's got a drink.
00:07:03The tacos stand over here too, I mean, absolutely fantastic.
00:07:06We've got a dog with a drone outfit on somewhere too, and a snail.
00:07:10I mean, they're some of the best outfits I've ever seen.
00:07:13They're amazing. A lot of effort's gone into this.
00:07:15And what a great day it's been to come here to Maitland,
00:07:18to a lovely old historic homestead,
00:07:20and to see so many dogs and so many people and a lot of fun.
00:07:25Did I love it? You betcha.
00:07:27There's only one person loved it more than me.
00:07:30I'm sorry, 2,000 people that loved it more than me.
00:07:33And that was the dogs.
00:07:38If you want to know what summer looks like,
00:07:42if 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?
00:07:51Yeah, that's something special.
00:07:53It's late summer, it's hot outside.
00:08:02The best dessert for me is a summer pudding.
00:08:05It involves berries, gelatin, bread, fridge, done, knockout.
00:08:11Let's go.
00:08:15We have an abundance of berries at the minute.
00:08:18I've got raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.
00:08:21The gelatin, six leaves of titanium gelatin.
00:08:25Titanium just means the strongest gelatin you can get.
00:08:29Goes into a litre.
00:08:31Put it in cold water, not hot water,
00:08:33because you just want it to soften.
00:08:35Get our pot on.
00:08:38Low heat to start.
00:08:43I'll use three cinnamon quills.
00:08:47So what you want to do is no oil, no nothing.
00:08:50Get it in there, get the heat moving
00:08:52until you start to smell the cinnamon.
00:08:54All right, the berries.
00:08:56Strawberries, always a fan favourite.
00:08:59Take the green off, cut in half.
00:09:02So there is a lot of berries in this.
00:09:04It's three by 250 strawberries,
00:09:07and then it's three by 125 blackberries and raspberries.
00:09:11So summer is the ideal time to make it
00:09:14because they're in season and they're cheaper.
00:09:17Strawberries, finally.
00:09:20Done.
00:09:22We've got the cinnamon in there.
00:09:24You add the berries to the hot pot.
00:09:36Last of the berries in.
00:09:38Lemon verbena.
00:09:40I've cooked with this many times.
00:09:42This is one of my favourite herbs.
00:09:44That goes in and that's going to add
00:09:46a beautiful lemon back note to this pudding.
00:09:49Now we need a little bit of liquid in there.
00:09:51We're going to add a stock syrup.
00:09:53A stock syrup is half sugar to half water.
00:09:56The exact same amount, whatever amount you make.
00:09:58For this recipe, we need two cups.
00:10:07And a cup of water.
00:10:10Now, what we do is we just let that gently simmer.
00:10:14And what happens is all the juice of the berries,
00:10:17all the flavours, is going to flavour that liquid
00:10:20and that's what's going to give us our sauce.
00:10:22All right, just give that a little mix.
00:10:25A big part of summer pudding is to use up all bread.
00:10:28But in most houses, like my house, there's no all bread.
00:10:31So we're using white sliced bread.
00:10:34For appearances,
00:10:36I remove the crusts.
00:10:39So that's what you're left with.
00:10:40There's a little bit of crust on there,
00:10:42but don't worry about it.
00:10:44Serving bowl.
00:10:45So I line it with some cling film.
00:10:48So what happens is it's easy to get it out
00:10:51of the actual bowl once we've made it
00:10:53because you can get the air in there.
00:10:56Okay, I'm just going to pull out a little bit of liquid.
00:10:59I'll add it back in just to dip my bread,
00:11:02which helps stick it in.
00:11:05So you're basically
00:11:09dipping your bread
00:11:10and then we sort of press that in
00:11:12and with your larger pieces, now we start to build.
00:11:16The bread goes in.
00:11:18But basically, you just cover the entire bowl
00:11:20so it looks like that.
00:11:21You've made a little outside casing of bread.
00:11:27We're going to put that in the oven
00:11:29and we're going to bake it at 180 degrees
00:11:33We're starting to simmer now.
00:11:35You can just see it starting to simmer.
00:11:36You don't want it to boil
00:11:37because we still want some of the integrity of the fruit.
00:11:40What I like to do is add a tablespoon of citric acid.
00:11:43It's like lemon juice on steroids.
00:11:46It just lifts the entire dish or sauce.
00:11:50I don't want it to cook anymore.
00:11:51I'm going to take it off.
00:11:53Now, this is where you add your gelatin.
00:11:57So have a look at this.
00:11:58The gelatin was really crisp at the start
00:12:00and this is what happens.
00:12:01It absorbs the water
00:12:03and you add it to your hot liquid
00:12:06and it will dissolve.
00:12:08That's how you make jelly.
00:12:23We've sat for half an hour
00:12:25just to cool down a little bit.
00:12:28Oh, beautiful.
00:12:31Going to add a little bit of lemon zest.
00:12:33This is singing now.
00:12:35We're going to add a little bit of lemon juice
00:12:37for another bit of acidity.
00:12:39Also, what I will do is
00:12:41pull out any of that leftover lemon verbena.
00:12:44It's done its job.
00:12:46If I come across any cinnamon,
00:12:48that can come out as well.
00:12:49And now, this is the good bit.
00:12:52You start to fill your little bread holder.
00:12:57So what I do first is
00:12:58I try and scoop as much through
00:13:01and add the juice later.
00:13:03As you spoon in that beautiful red liquid,
00:13:06what happens is that bread on the side
00:13:08is like a sponge.
00:13:09It's sucking in all that beautiful colour,
00:13:12that redness,
00:13:13and that's what makes this dessert so stunning.
00:13:16So I would overfill this.
00:13:19You sort of get a little bit of a dome.
00:13:23And now what you do is
00:13:24you put the last of the remaining bread
00:13:26on the bottom.
00:13:27Bottom doesn't have to be too perfect.
00:13:30All I do now is
00:13:31I wrap it in cling film.
00:13:35You put a plate on top,
00:13:37which is giving you a base,
00:13:39which is forming the bottom.
00:13:41And what I do is
00:13:42a can, something heavy,
00:13:44goes on top.
00:13:47And now that goes in the fridge overnight,
00:13:49and tomorrow we're going to have a perfectly set dome.
00:13:53And here we go.
00:13:56I haven't got all night to wait.
00:13:58It's too good.
00:13:59Plate goes on top.
00:14:01You turn it over.
00:14:08The reveal.
00:14:14What I like to do is just drizzle that over the top.
00:14:20As they say,
00:14:21the proof is in the pudding,
00:14:22and this is 100%.
00:14:24So when I slice into this,
00:14:25it should hold together
00:14:26because the gelatine and the berries.
00:14:28It's feeling good.
00:14:36A drizzle.
00:14:37You could serve it with creme fraiche,
00:14:39cream.
00:14:40That is summer,
00:14:42summer,
00:14:43on a plate.
00:14:45You can't do better than that.
00:14:46You're welcome.
00:14:52Are you ready for this?
00:14:53Here comes the big design statement.
00:14:57I'm taking you to Canada's British Columbia
00:14:59to find out what a bear really does in the woods.
00:15:04In the March issue
00:15:05of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine,
00:15:06we are celebrating the plant colour of the year,
00:15:09teal,
00:15:10and we're showing you how to incorporate it
00:15:11into your garden.
00:15:12Plus, we explore Gather Flower Farm
00:15:14in the Yarra Valley,
00:15:16which is home to a huge range of vibrant blooms
00:15:18like dahlias, roses, proteas and peonies.
00:15:21And in 2025,
00:15:22Better Homes and Gardens magazine
00:15:24is searching for Australia's most passionate
00:15:26and dedicated traders.
00:15:28That's all in the March issue
00:15:29of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
00:15:31Out now.
00:15:38This segment is brought to you by Air Canada.
00:15:40Fly non-stop from Sydney and Brisbane to Vancouver
00:15:43and connect to more than 100 destinations
00:15:45across North America.
00:15:47Book now at aircanada.com
00:15:52Air Canada
00:16:04When I was doing my carpentry apprenticeship,
00:16:06never in my wildest dreams
00:16:08did I think that work would take me
00:16:10deep into the Canadian wilderness,
00:16:12literally metres from some bears.
00:16:14But here I am,
00:16:15on the trip of a lifetime
00:16:17to British Columbia.
00:16:18Now this is going to be an incredible two weeks
00:16:20and I can't wait to share this adventure with you.
00:16:34Tom, this is remarkable.
00:16:36What are we watching here?
00:16:37Oh, it's amazing.
00:16:38The siren cubs were laying right there asleep.
00:16:43They'd probably been sleeping for an hour or two
00:16:45because they'd been eating all morning.
00:16:47And then slowly, the mom was good to go,
00:16:50cub not really.
00:16:51Absolutely beautiful.
00:16:52And so do you tend to find
00:16:55mother and cub always together?
00:16:57Is that the groups that they go on?
00:16:59Yeah, that's the family unit
00:17:00and they will stay together for
00:17:03two and a half years approximately.
00:17:05Okay.
00:17:06This is towards the tail end of the salmon run,
00:17:08but it's right when the bears start to get real lethargic.
00:17:12They're out flat, right?
00:17:13They're sleeping.
00:17:18So what's going on here?
00:17:20Finally, mom said, okay, we're going to fish
00:17:23and she just walked out there and just nailed it.
00:17:26Almost like it was an afterthought, you know.
00:17:29She didn't even chase very far.
00:17:31She just pounced.
00:17:32Boom.
00:17:33She's got herself quite a large chunk of salmon
00:17:35and now she's eating it.
00:17:36You can see how she's peeling the skin off
00:17:38because that's the layer of fat or anything.
00:17:41She is after the fat.
00:17:42Yep.
00:17:43And she'll eat the brains
00:17:44and if it was a female,
00:17:45she'd eat the eggs.
00:17:46Wow.
00:17:47And then she'll often leave, you know,
00:17:50as she's doing now,
00:17:51there's some meat left, but she doesn't need that.
00:17:54Well, I can see all the birds hovering as well.
00:17:56Exactly.
00:17:57So it's like they know that they're going to get it.
00:17:59Yeah, they're waiting.
00:18:00There's so much going on and so much interconnection.
00:18:03It's really quite amazing.
00:18:04Yeah, this is absolutely spectacular.
00:18:16The bear sightings keep coming.
00:18:19On the way back to the lodge,
00:18:21we come across another bear
00:18:22feasting in an inland waterway.
00:18:25Wow.
00:18:27I'll tell you what, Tom,
00:18:28seeing the mother and that cub
00:18:30and then this bear just behind us,
00:18:32it is absolutely incredible.
00:18:34Now, I'm not very good with the geographics
00:18:37of exactly where we are,
00:18:38so can you explain?
00:18:39Yeah, so we are on the central coast of British Columbia
00:18:42at the end of Smith Inlet.
00:18:44Where 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.
00:18:53And so why do the bears love it?
00:18:55They have a lot of space.
00:18:56They have a lot of space, they have a lot of food.
00:18:58There's the salmon, there's also abundant berries
00:19:00and various other herbaceous vegetation which they eat.
00:19:04All these food resources are available
00:19:07and this is excellent habitat for them.
00:19:15So this bear here, Tom, why would...
00:19:18Is it male or female?
00:19:20That's a female.
00:19:21Female.
00:19:22And why would she be in here instead of out in the rapids?
00:19:24Well, largely because this time of the year
00:19:26at the end of the salmon season,
00:19:28there's more fish here
00:19:29and these are all very old and tired
00:19:31and so it's easy fishing
00:19:33and also it's kind of a private place
00:19:35and she's got plenty of dead and dying fish to eat.
00:19:38She's literally just picking them up
00:19:40and throwing them into her mouth.
00:19:42It's unbelievable.
00:19:43This is not particularly deep.
00:19:44In some areas, the water might be five feet deep
00:19:47and they will walk on their back legs and kick it up
00:19:50until they can get a hold of it with their front legs
00:19:52and then they take it ashore.
00:19:54It's just crazy.
00:20:07Wow, Tom, this is absolutely remarkable.
00:20:10How long have you been here for?
00:20:11We've been operating here for 20 years now.
00:20:13And over those years,
00:20:15you must have gotten to know the bears well, too.
00:20:17Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:20:18We've watched generations grow up,
00:20:20mother daughters, granddaughters,
00:20:23and 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,
00:20:34oh, we're going to move over here when we approach.
00:20:36And then a few would say,
00:20:37no, we're going to move over by the humans
00:20:39because all the bears are over there and we're afraid of bears.
00:20:42And so that has changed a lot.
00:20:44And as you've seen,
00:20:45some of the bears are totally indifferent to our presence.
00:20:48And can you tell me a bit about the area that we're in?
00:20:51Well, right here, as you see,
00:20:53there's the trail we came down,
00:20:55comes here, goes off that way,
00:20:56another branch goes that way.
00:20:58This 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
00:21:06and they will just rub all over it and leave their scent.
00:21:10And you can see, if you look closely,
00:21:11there's tufts of hair that are pulled out of the bears
00:21:13and stuff like that.
00:21:14Yeah.
00:21:15I might have to rub on there.
00:21:16What do you reckon?
00:21:17Well, you could.
00:21:18I mean, I don't know what you're going to do.
00:21:20Leave my scent?
00:21:21Yeah, sure.
00:21:22It might work.
00:21:23Show me how dominant I am.
00:21:24Yeah.
00:21:25Yeah.
00:21:26Good luck.
00:21:27I think I'd hate it.
00:21:37If you thought that experience was incredible,
00:21:40just wait till you see how we got here
00:21:43and our home for the next two weeks.
00:21:45Great bear lodge.
00:21:46It's epic.
00:21:47I'll show you all that a little later on.
00:21:50So, is this a familiar problem every time you get home?
00:21:54A disorganised mess at your entryway
00:21:57with nowhere to plonk all of your things.
00:22:00But with a few simple tweaks to the style
00:22:02and by adding in some storage,
00:22:04you can make much better use of the space.
00:22:06And the best part is you only need a couple of tools to do it.
00:22:25Finding extra real estate in a room can be a challenge,
00:22:28especially 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,
00:22:35on the walls.
00:22:37So I've designed a beautiful streamlined entryway organiser
00:22:41using some timber slats,
00:22:43like the existing ones in the dining room here,
00:22:45and also some flat pack kitchen cabinets that'll be wall mounted.
00:22:49It's going to modernise the whole space
00:22:51and provide a functional solution.
00:22:57But 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
00:23:05is going to be referenced off where the TV is,
00:23:07because I'm wall mounting it.
00:23:09But also, when you're sitting on the couch,
00:23:11you want the television, the centre of it, to be at your eye level.
00:23:13So for this particular television,
00:23:15it's about 142 centimetres off the ground,
00:23:17so I'm just marking that out.
00:23:19And I've also had the electrician in to wire it all up for me.
00:23:31We've put together these two 800mm flat pack cabinets,
00:23:35and we're going to mount them just like this,
00:23:37so that they're floating.
00:23:39And having this space below and above
00:23:41means that it gives the illusion of so much more space in the room.
00:23:45Plus, there's all of this storage to use.
00:23:48Brilliant.
00:24:01I'm using this stunning Tassie oak as the top.
00:24:04I've given it a clear coat,
00:24:06and look at that beautiful grain.
00:24:08It is gorgeous.
00:24:10Then, for the sides and the doors,
00:24:12I'm cladding those in this pre-cut marine ply.
00:24:15I've stained it in black to give it a contemporary look,
00:24:18and you can see that beautiful grain there too.
00:24:20And by doing all of this, it takes simple flat pack furniture
00:24:23and gives it a much more bespoke, elevated feel.
00:24:31MUSIC
00:24:37Are you ready for this?
00:24:39Here comes the big design statement.
00:24:41I'm adding these acoustic timber slat panels
00:24:44that you can buy off the shelf from Bunnings
00:24:46for less than $100.
00:24:49Can you imagine if you tried to build these yourself
00:24:51how much time it would take and how expensive it would be?
00:24:54And to attach these to the wall,
00:24:56it's just a matter of gluing and screwing them in place.
00:25:00MUSIC
00:25:13They come in various timber veneers,
00:25:15and you can even get them on white backing
00:25:17if that suits your decor better.
00:25:19But the thing I love the most is the fact
00:25:21that these vertical lines draw your eye up,
00:25:23making the room seem much taller,
00:25:25just like these cabinets make it feel wider.
00:25:28It's all about employing those smart design tricks.
00:25:31MUSIC
00:25:37And by adding these extra pieces underneath the cabinet,
00:25:40it gives the impression that the panel runs all the way
00:25:43from the floor to the ceiling.
00:25:45MUSIC
00:25:51Time to hang the TV, and we're using
00:25:53a swivelling wall-mounted bracket,
00:25:55which means that you can position the television
00:25:57however you like it.
00:26:00It's pretty good. Thanks, Greg.
00:26:02Starting to look the part now.
00:26:04MUSIC
00:26:20A mirror by the front door is always a good idea
00:26:22because you can check your lippy as you're walking out.
00:26:24And I chose this rounded shape
00:26:26because it balances out the strong presence
00:26:28of these lines so beautifully.
00:26:30And I've chosen these semi-circular brass handles
00:26:32for the same reason.
00:26:34And now for the finishing touches to put this space to work.
00:26:37MUSIC
00:26:46Wow, isn't it amazing what can be achieved
00:26:48with a well-thought-out design plan?
00:26:50This space has gone from dishevelled and disorganised
00:26:54to contemporary, curated, and contained.
00:26:59And it just goes to show that with a few prefab elements
00:27:02like this flat-plaque cabinet and the off-the-shelf panel,
00:27:06it takes all the hard work out of it.
00:27:09I love the fact that all the timbers work beautifully together
00:27:12and you too can have a foil like this to be proud of.
00:27:15MUSIC
00:27:18MUSIC
00:27:23Coming up, this home may have a tiny footprint
00:27:26but it still delivers some big and bold features.
00:27:29The owners were told when they first were talking about ideas
00:27:32there's no way they'd be able to have a pool or a barbecue space.
00:27:36Well, they proved them wrong. Yeah.
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
00:27:47rice paper rolls.
00:27:49And from the sky to the seas,
00:27:51Adam's working up an appetite in British Columbia.
00:27:54It doesn't get fresher than this.
00:27:56Dinner is served at Great Bear Lodge.
00:28:01MUSIC
00:28:07So if you wander around the streets of Paddington,
00:28:09it's very easy to see why this is one of Sydney's
00:28:11most sought-after suburbs.
00:28:13But for you, this is like a stone's throw
00:28:15from where you work and live.
00:28:17It is. I know these streets quite well.
00:28:19I think I've delivered puppies in the attic of an apartment
00:28:22just up here. No 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
00:28:28that's sitting on the street there or on the balcony.
00:28:31So 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
00:28:38of 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. Let'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. Hi, guys.
00:28:54Thank you for coming.
00:28:56It's amazing.
00:28:57Yes, it's pretty incredible.
00:28:59Wow. I'm going to go and explore.
00:29:01See, you'll find an animal wherever we are.
00:29:03That's so good.
00:29:04So this beautiful home is such a legacy of love, isn't it?
00:29:08It is. My husband Boris built this.
00:29:10It was a hat factory built in the early 1900s
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,
00:29:27which 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,
00:29:32all of these are cupboards that open up as well.
00:29:35Wow. And 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, it's six metres wide,
00:29:46but it's about probably 12 metres long
00:29:48and 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, he was a master joiner,
00:30:09this was his vision and he's no longer with us, I'm sorry.
00:30:13Yeah, he passed away two years ago
00:30:15and 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,
00:30:32the 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,
00:30:38all 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 Chris?
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
00:31:04is that incredible textured silk inlay that'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,
00:31:30wait to see what's next.
00:31:31You had my attention.
00:31:34Ooh.
00:31:35What do you think?
00:31:36Oh.
00:31:39Wow.
00:31:40Isn'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?
00:31:46It is, yeah.
00:31:47One of the things I really like in here,
00:31:48you've obviously got the open bath in 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,
00:31:59which again is used here really effectively.
00:32:01You think it's a wall at first glance, but in actual fact this is the shower
00:32:06and then behind that in the joinery is the separate toilet.
00:32:09Wow.
00:32:14Shall we take the lift?
00:32:15Why not?
00:32:19Thank you very much.
00:32:21Level two, underwear, haberdashery.
00:32:24Ooh.
00:32:25Oh, wow.
00:32:26This has a totally different feel to downstairs, doesn't it?
00:32:30Yeah.
00:32:31I think it's that sudden flood of light that you get from all these windows
00:32:34and it brings that greenery from outside in.
00:32:37Compared to downstairs where it's a bit darker and moodier,
00:32:41here you're sort of on top of the city in a way.
00:32:44The other thing that you notice,
00:32:45obviously you've got all these amazing artworks on the walls
00:32:47which you want to focus on,
00:32:49but if you actually want to sit back and watch some television
00:32:53it's not obvious where the TV is at first.
00:32:57Yeah.
00:32:58Actually, TV and a projector.
00:33:04How 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.
00:33:14I 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 of this particular site.
00:34:19And it is quite a yarn too.
00:34:21It's an old hat factory, this building.
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.
00:34:52Chicken teriyaki rice paper rolls.
00:34:55Perfect for your lunchbox.
00:34:58To 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,
00:35:07check us out on 7 Plus.
00:35:107 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.
00:35:23I'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.
00:35:40I'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.
00:36:05Just 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.
00:36:24You can either keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks
00:36:28or you can freeze it too.
00:36:31Make sure you keep an eye on this.
00:36:34Give it a stir every once in a while.
00:36:37So this is the consistency we're looking for.
00:36:41I've got one here that has been cooled down already.
00:36:44So 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.
00:36:55I love chicken with skin on because I feel that that's where all the flavour lies.
00:37:02Half a cup of the teriyaki sauce.
00:37:07If you have time, 24 hours in the fridge is best for this.
00:37:14But if you don't, half an hour will do.
00:37:18To the pan I'm just going to add a trickle of oil.
00:37:22A trickle of oil.
00:37:25And I'm going to place the chicken skin down.
00:37:43Cover it.
00:37:45Make sure that your heat is turned down low.
00:37:48And you want to keep it there for about four minutes
00:37:51and then flip it over.
00:37:57Looking 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 breasts, you're welcome to use it.
00:38:23But just make sure that you don't overcook your chicken breasts.
00:38:28That's browning beautifully.
00:38:32And now 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.
00:39:18And now for the fun part.
00:39:22Get your children involved in this.
00:39:25They'll love it.
00:39:27And also give them an opportunity to know what they're eating.
00:39:31So this is the rice paper.
00:39:34It comes dry like this.
00:39:36And what you have to do is rehydrate them in room temperature water.
00:39:41A little tip is that you wet your board with a little bit of water.
00:39:45And then you'll be able to pick it up quite easily and it won't stick to the board.
00:39:50Lay it flat.
00:39:53I'm going to start off with some lettuce leaves.
00:39:57Just one of them here.
00:40:00And here I've got cooked vermicelli.
00:40:04That just bulks it up a little bit.
00:40:07For veggies, I've got carrots.
00:40:11Some red capsicum.
00:40:12Some red capsicum.
00:40:14And 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.
00:40:34And you know the sauce that was left over from cooking off your chicken?
00:40:38Do not throw it away because 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, but the taste will remain the same.
00:41:00Delicious.
00:41:02There you go, my teriyaki rice paper roll.
00:41:07They are fresh, they're delicious and they're so healthy for kids as well.
00:41:14Here I'm dipping it with my favourite sauce which is sweet chilli sauce.
00:41:19Enjoy.
00:41:32If you're combining ornamentals and edibles, often you find that they have different water requirements,
00:41:38so a great way to deal with that is something like a tree ring.
00:41:41It raises the level up so you can get nice deep soil in there
00:41:44and it allows you to underplant with something fragrant like this sage.
00:41:48Both of these like free-draining soil, so they're perfect for a location like this.
00:41:53Whenever you're planting a garden that is really heavy in edibles,
00:41:56you don't want to forget about the different layers and textures.
00:41:59Here we've got large trees and shrubs in the form of feijoa, citrus and guava.
00:42:03We then move down to rosemary, a medium-sized shrub,
00:42:06but we've also got textural plants like ginger and lovely softness from grasses like lemongrass
00:42:12and dotted amongst the plants are seasonal things like kale and lettuce.
00:42:15Now, of course, they'll come in different shapes and sizes,
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, but 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.
00:42:53That might be something like strawberries, or in this case, lettuce.
00:43:01Whenever you're working with vegetables and herbs,
00:43:03you need to use the plant to its full potential.
00:43:05Here we've got slits in the paving, so 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
00:43:49like 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!
00:45:14Wish me luck.
00:45:29From 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.
00:46:42I'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.
00:48:38Oh, how 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 or...?
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?
00:49:40Can we?
00:49:41Of course we can.
00:49:42Yeah.
00:49:43I mean, what's the worst that could happen?
00:49:45I don't know.
00:49:46What is the worst that could happen?
00:49:47They can bite you.
00:49:48That could happen.
00:49:49Ah!
00:49:51…one came easy.
00:49:52Boy, how you going, buddy?
00:49:55Woo!
00:49:56That's good.
00:49:57Is that a good size?
00:49:58Oh, yeah.
00:49:59It's huge.
00:50:00They don't come bigger than that.
00:50:01Yes, that's our winner.
00:50:02I was going to say winner, winner, chicken dinner,
00:50:03but that's not right.
00:50:04No, it's crab dinner.
00:50:05It's huge, they don't come bigger than that.
00:50:07Yes, that's our winner!
00:50:08I was going to say winner winner chicken dinner, but that's not right.
00:50:11No, it's crab dinner.
00:50:22There's some more seals coming up here on our right hand side.
00:50:26That's all good, guys.
00:50:27That'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.
00:50:37And I love when you can spend time with animals like this,
00:50:39just really quietly as they go about their day.
00:50:43It's just sunbaking.
00:50:44That's right.
00:50:46Well, the water's 10 degrees.
00:50:47I'd sunbake on a log too.
00:50:55I'll tell you what, this is absolutely remarkable,
00:50:57but I can hear some crabs going crazy down here.
00:50:59What do you think?
00:51:00That's right.
00:51:00Should we get them back for the pot?
00:51:01Yes!
00:51:03Let's go.
00:51:04Let's do it.
00:51:13A day of bear watching and crabbing can make a man hungry,
00:51:16so as night falls, it's the perfect time to swap bear stories
00:51:20with the other lodge guests over dinner.
00:51:24Oh, hello.
00:51:26How are we?
00:51:26We feeling hungry?
00:51:27Yes.
00:51:35And doesn't this look fantastic?
00:51:37But this week has just been the entree.
00:51:39Stick around, because next week we've got more incredible adventures for you.
00:51:43But for now, I think we're all going to enjoy this crab.
00:51:46What do you think, guys?
00:51:47Oh, yes!
00:51:51Coming up, when you're creating your own suburban jungle,
00:51:54sometimes more is much more.
00:51:57This enviable subtropical climate
00:52:00is 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.
00:52:32Look, take your pick.
00:52:34Stunning national parks, a great botanic garden,
00:52:37one of the world's best golf courses.
00:52:43This enviable subtropical climate
00:52:46is a real dream come true for landscape designers.
00:52:49And today, I'm about to meet one of their very best.
00:53:01Lovely to meet you, Claudia.
00:53:02This is a really beautiful spot.
00:53:04So you designed these beautiful gardens.
00:53:07So what's this place actually called?
00:53:08It's called The Link because it's meant to link the community
00:53:12and it's owned by Sawtail Catholic Care.
00:53:14And yes, so it's an intergenerational space for people to meet.
00:53:19And they have obviously the nursing home.
00:53:22We could spend days here,
00:53:23but you've got a special garden that I understand you want to show me.
00:53:26Yes, let's go.
00:53:32Well, Graeme, here we are.
00:53:33This is my place.
00:53:35Wow.
00:53:36So you created all of this?
00:53:38Yes.
00:53:39And how long ago?
00:53:40That was 30 years ago.
00:53:41Goodness.
00:53:42What was here when you started?
00:53:44Well, it was a sloping block with really bad grass,
00:53:48a camphor laurel, a jacaranda and two frangipanis.
00:53:51And that was it?
00:53:52That was it, yes.
00:53:53And I mean, the canopy of the camphor laurel is extremely important.
00:53:56Right.
00:53:57And what's the name of the garden?
00:53:58It's called The Link.
00:53:59The canopy of the camphor laurel is extremely important.
00:54:01Right.
00:54:02And I call that our air conditioning because our place is always cool.
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,
00:54:15despite being declared a weed in this area.
00:54:17Yeah.
00:54:18Because 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.
00:54:25What, 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,
00:54:40that's 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,
00:54:46it goes down to the billabong down on the lower block.
00:54:49So, 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,
00:55:09a garden just literally falls flat and it feels much smaller.
00:55:13So, even when you've got a smaller garden,
00:55:16you should always really incorporate height.
00:55:19And that's when you really need to know your plants.
00:55:21Yes.
00:55:23This is a real masterclass in garden design
00:55:31because it's really used all the different layers and structures
00:55:35to create, well, a rainforest in a backyard.
00:55:38And when you look at this little space here,
00:55:40that could be just your backyard.
00:55:42So, how's 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,
00:55:51and they do create those vertical lines.
00:55:53Instantly, when you walk into this area, you look straight up
00:55:56because that's the way your eye actually is taken by the trees.
00:56:01And 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
00:56:11and they're really tall and creating that upper-level canopy as well.
00:56:17The fan palms at the back are looking stunning.
00:56:20They're in that middle level.
00:56:22Down here, you've got cycads, macrosaemias.
00:56:24But look at these fellows here.
00:56:26This is the big Alcantara, the big bromeliad.
00:56:29These are growing beautifully in here to create a whole different texture
00:56:34because they're so bold and architectural.
00:56:37You need patience.
00:56:38But once you've got it planted, you just need to look after them.
00:56:51The last thing you'd expect to see in a wild sort of jungle garden
00:56:55is clyptoporae.
00:56:57But they've been used here.
00:56:59This is, of course, Japanese box, lime green,
00:57:02and it's been used to actually ground the landscape.
00:57:05These spheres and big slabs of green
00:57:07are actually duplicated and repeated throughout the garden.
00:57:10Not a lot, but just enough to create continuity.
00:57:14Very simple, very clever.
00:57:20Well, I think this is Claudia's biggest environmental challenge.
00:57:25This microclimate here is really hot, facing west.
00:57:29So when you've got this sort of a real hot box, then go with it.
00:57:34Don't try and challenge it because it'll win every time.
00:57:38Now, to add to that,
00:57:40you've got to make sure that you've got the right type of soil
00:57:43and you've got the right type of soil.
00:57:45And if you don't have the right type of soil,
00:57:47it will win every time.
00:57:49Now, to add to that, she's painted the wall a beautiful colour,
00:57:53sort of a real tangeriney-orange colour.
00:57:55I think she's taken inspiration from this fabulous Heliconia,
00:57:59which 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,
00:58:07Crassulas in pots,
00:58:09and 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.
00:58:21It'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,
00:58:28I'm sure you've learned as much as I have about little microclimates
00:58:32and using the right plant for the right spot
00:58:35to 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? The jetty house? Make 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. How cool is that?
00:58:54Thank you very much.
00:58:55I'll put that in my diary. Thank you.
00:58:57Have a great season. Thank you.
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
00:59:18with our complete colour guide.
00:59:20Plus, we're sharing some clever ideas
00:59:22for adding affordable wall art for your home,
00:59:24as well as our top tricks and tips for upcycling your old furniture.
00:59:28And in 2025, Better Homes and Gardens magazine
00:59:31is searching for Australia's most passionate and dedicated tradies.
00:59:35It's all inside the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
00:59:39On sale now.
00:59:45I love nothing more than a good old rummage
00:59:47through an antique market like this.
00:59:49I'm at the Merchants Warehouse in inner West Sydney,
00:59:52and it's home to some really unique furniture,
00:59:55industrial decor, vintage and retro clothing and homewares.
00:59:59Like, honestly, you could spend hours in this place.
01:00:02But if that wasn't enough,
01:00:03this place also has something that's close to my heart,
01:00:06a little patch of green that's full of colour.
01:00:09And it's a place where you can get a little bit of everything.
01:00:13It's a place that's close to my heart,
01:00:15a little patch of green that's full of some unique planting ideas.
01:00:18SONG PLAYS
01:00:22SONG CONTINUES
01:00:30This is Ivy Alley, a real gem of a garden shop
01:00:34here in the Merchants Warehouse.
01:00:36And it's jam-packed with so many gorgeous plant arrangements
01:00:39vintage vessels or vases or quirky containers which really bring the plant to life and make
01:00:45incredible living gifts or garden art.
01:00:47Music
01:01:00Rachel, this is your little treasure.
01:01:03There is so much to explore here.
01:01:05It is.
01:01:06There's lots.
01:01:07There's lots, Melissa.
01:01:08Let's get started for you.
01:01:10About eight years ago I decided to open a little backyard nursery called Ivy Alley.
01:01:15It was down a little walkway covered in ivy, hence the name.
01:01:20And it was fantastic.
01:01:22I loved it.
01:01:23However, it just got a little bit too big for my backyard.
01:01:27So I found this space and it's perfect.
01:01:32Combining my antiquities with the beautiful things that they sell here, it's wonderful.
01:01:39Well, I need to do a little bit more exploring, but I'll catch up with you later.
01:01:41All right, fantastic.
01:01:43Thank you, Melissa.
01:01:44Ciao.
01:01:45Music
01:01:51Rachel makes really brilliant use of both indoor and outdoor spaces.
01:01:55And when you walk around, she proves that you can use almost anything as a container for plants.
01:01:59For example, these quirky little olive oil tins.
01:02:02But it's not just the artistic nature of what she's doing that she's considering.
01:02:06It's also the needs of the plant.
01:02:08So, for example, this is devil's ivy and it's growing in a vase with no drainage holes because you can grow devil's ivy in just water alone.
01:02:16Whereas other plants, like cacti and succulents, they need good drainage.
01:02:20So whatever you're planting them into, ensure that it's got some drainage holes at the bottom.
01:02:25Don't you just want to take these home?
01:02:27Music
01:02:42One of the things that you'll notice is that Rachel uses a lot of sphagnum moss in her planting displays.
01:02:47This is sphagnum moss right here.
01:02:49This has been pre-soaked.
01:02:51Now, it's a good planting medium for some plants.
01:02:54You'll notice that it holds on to moisture really well.
01:02:57But it doesn't get too soggy and it still allows the plants to dry out between watering.
01:03:02And she's used it beautifully here with this lucky bamboo.
01:03:05Look at those spirals, which can, of course, be grown in a potting medium but also in just water alone.
01:03:10And also here, look at this.
01:03:12This is the rabbit foot's fern.
01:03:14And take a look at those gorgeous furry feet.
01:03:16So it's been used with just sphagnum moss and that beautiful glass bowl.
01:03:20Music
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 cocodama 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?
01:03:46Music
01:03:51Look at these little teacup planters.
01:03:53They are so cute.
01:03:54Aren't they?
01:03:55They are so cute.
01:03:56I know.
01:03:57So show me how you do that.
01:03:58What 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.
01:04:04So you need to apply quite a bit of firm pressure but just consistently.
01:04:13That was easy.
01:04:14You made it look easy.
01:04:15Yeah.
01:04:16I use the sphagnum and I soak it in liquid fertiliser first.
01:04:21That's a good little tip.
01:04:22Okay.
01:04:23And what are we planting into it?
01:04:25Okay, so today we're planting little baby succulents.
01:04:29Music
01:04:34It doesn't take long.
01:04:35Music
01:04:41And last but not least, this is optional but I love this stuff.
01:04:45It's reindeer moss.
01:04:47It looks like coral.
01:04:48Look at that.
01:04:49Yeah, it's so pretty.
01:04:50Music
01:04:55I have to show everyone.
01:04:56Look at this.
01:04:58Isn't that just gorgeous?
01:05:00Oh, Rachel, you're such an inspiration.
01:05:02You know what?
01:05:03I have to make it from here all the way to the door without buying anything.
01:05:07It's going to be tough.
01:05:08It's going to be really tough.
01:05:09Good luck.
01:05:11I will be definitely looking at all of my mother's and my grandmother's.
01:05:16Wonderful.
01:05:17That's great.
01:05:18Fantastic.
01:05:19Thank you for having us.
01:05:20Anytime.
01:05:21Music
01:05:29So, Chris, your first house walkthrough with us.
01:05:31What has struck a chord with you?
01:05:33I mean this, obviously.
01:05:34That is eye-catching.
01:05:35But it's the attention to detail.
01:05:37The fact that, you know, as a love letter.
01:05:39Yeah.
01:05:40To his wife, you feel like every single eye is being dotted,
01:05:43every T is being crossed.
01:05:44Yeah.
01:05:45For me, it's just how much house there is.
01:05:46It's only 100 square metres, this site,
01:05:48but there's 500 square metres of living space.
01:05:51They literally built it from the ground up.
01:05:53But for Boris Tosik, as you say,
01:05:55it 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.
01:06:13Next time, put an end to the midweek meal madness
01:06:16with some clever tips from someone who's made a living out of it.
01:06:20With millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok,
01:06:23Nicole Maguire can teach anyone how to become a meal prep master.
01:06:29Adam's Canadian adventure continues
01:06:31as he checks out the local cuisine
01:06:33and puts his carpentry skills to the test.
01:06:36I can build a house, but can I build a totem pole?
01:06:38We're about to find out.
01:06:41Feeling a little saucy?
01:06:43This dish has got it in spades.
01:06:46Pork ribs glazed in pineapple and ginger
01:06:49and a super little snack on the side.
01:06:55If you want to create the ultimate garden,
01:06:58there's one thing you need to know.
01:07:00How to pick the right plants for the right conditions?
01:07:03This garden is an absolute masterclass in just that.
01:07:07When this pungent princess decided to bloom,
01:07:10she caught the world's attention.
01:07:12So Graeme goes behind the scenes to meet the whole family
01:07:16and learn why Patricia is so special.
01:07:19We're about to meet one of the most disgusting members of the plant world,
01:07:23but also one of the most fascinating.
01:07:27Plus, don't throw shade.
01:07:29Create it by upcycling your old lampshades.
01:07:32Light up your life with a revamped lamp.
01:07:37And it's not easy to become a guide dog.
01:07:40Dr Harry meets the pups, training for a career that changes lives.
01:07:44It's all fun and games now,
01:07:46but these puppies have a very important job ahead of them.
01:07:50That's next time on Better Homes and Gardens.