Jerry Coleby-Williams

Brisbane

Presenter at ABC Gardening Australia

Curator. Conservationist. Plantsman. 1960s model, fully self-recycled. Sick of being right. Welcome to Planet Guinea Pig

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Articles

Paul & Paula's Patch

1 day ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Jerry visits a bush block in Brisbane’s south-west has been transformed into a grand cottage garden. Owners:Paula and Paul HerbertLocation:Mount Crosby, Qld, on Yuggera CountryClimate Zone:SubtropicalGarden Established:More than 15 years agoStyle:Grand cottage gardenJerry first notices the lovely balance of light and shade in the garden. All the elements of design are used here: repetition, colour, texture, unity and space. There are many nectar-producing plants, which bring in lots of birds.
Urge to Verge - Gardening Australia

2 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Among a sea of suburban streets in northern Brisbane, Jerry meets a passionate gardener who sees potential for growth in our roadside verges. Gayle Dallaston had removed all the grass from the rest of her property and was fed up with mowing her nature strip, so she decided to convert the grass to garden instead.
Top Tip | Staying Safe - Canary Island Date Palm

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

The Canary Island Date Palm thrives across Australia from Darwin to Tasmania and is heat and frost tolerant. Their grand looks were much favoured in the Victorian era and their adaptability has made them popular plants in private gardens as well as public landscapes ever since. However, the plant poses significant risks. The edible, date-flavoured seeds are spread by rats and birds, introducing it to bushland and other areas where it should not be.
Shade Secrets - Gardening Australia

4 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Most plants need sunlight to photosynthesize and create energy, but not all light falls equally. At one end of the spectrum is full sun, and at the other end of the scale is full shade, where light is filtered, weakened or obscured. In between is part shade, and there are other complications such as dry shade. Jerry offers tropical plant options for a whole range of different shade situations.
Top Tip | Salty Sites

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

If you live in an area with saline soil, it can be hard to find a tree that will cope with the harsh conditions. But Jerry has a few suggestions for sub-tropical areas. For a shade tree, he recommends the native Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), a coastal rainforest tree that doesn’t get too big (up to 10m) and attracts a lot of birds and insects.
Plant Profile | Tillandsias

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Tillandsias are popularly known as air-plants. They're in the bromeliad family and come from central and South America. With over 700 species and countless hybrids, these evergreen, tufted perennials are a magnet for collectors for their shapeshifting silhouettes and science fictional tubular flowers. Tillandsias are adapted to live in the toughest of places; on the branches of trees or on rocks.
Native Plant Myths

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Australia is home to a phenomenal diversity of plants – there are at least 23,000 species already named, and more being found all the time. Many are well-suited additions to any garden, but there is a lot of misinformation about growing native plants, so Jerry is going to do some myth busting!While many are suited to dry soil and hot climates, there are plenty found in cold, damp climates or shady rainforests.
Growing Gluten Free

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Growing salad foods is great but if you want to grow more daily staples, you’ll need to include starchy foods. We need carbohydrates to give us energy – think bread, rice, beans and potatoes. But science is revealing how different carbohydrates can have different impacts on our bodies. The Glycaemic Index ranks how quickly carb-rich foods affect our blood sugar levels and ranks them accordingly. High-GI foods are fast acting, causing blood-sugar levels to spike and then crash.
Presidential Plants

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Jerry visits Ipswich, where the head of the Queensland cacti and succulent society lives with a stunning collection of rare and unusual plants. Bec Archer reckons she has about 1,000 plants, collected over 20 years. Bec grew up around plants, as her mother also collected cacti, so it was no surprise when she chose to study horticulture. She now manages the scientific research glasshouses for the University of Queensland.
Plant Profile | Pitcher Plant

Mar 7, 2025 | abc.net.au | Jerry Coleby-Williams

Jerry looks at the curious and slightly gruesome pitcher plants, which boost their nutrient intake by trapping and digesting insects. He says they are relatively easy to grow but have a few quirks; choosing the right species is key to success; hybrid varieties have been bred to be more resilient. He recommends feeding twice a year (in spring and summer), using fertiliser formulated for orchids. COMMON NAME/SPitcher plantBOTANICAL NAMENepenthes sp. - more than 150 species.