Jesse and Kirsty’s Aussie Backyard How-to’s

How to build a veggie patch that suits any size and space (including the balcony!)

As much as we hated being locked down during covid, one of the great things to come from it all is we got to spend a lot of time around our home ticking off the to-do list. One of those on the list was to create our own veggie patch. Spring is the perfect time to get the veggie patch cranking. The weather is beautiful (fingers crossed), the birds are chirping, bees are buzzing and there's no better time to take the time to smell the roses... Well, in this case, smell the herbs and lettuces… and let’s be honest, with the rising cost of living, you will be glad you started growing your own! 

The most important tip from Kirsty is you don't need 'Akers' of land to grow your veggies! With our guide, you can turn a small balcony or even just an inside windowsill into a productive veggie patch.

The first thing when creating a veggie patch is knowing what to plant and when. Our favourite things to plant in spring are corn, lettuce and tomatoes. For a full list of what to plant in each season this vegetable planning calendar is really helpful.  

Sun and soil are the most important ingredients to reap what you sow and get a heavy yield. To build a veggie patch you'll need to find a sunny spot that gets at the very minimum 3-4 hours of direct sunlight each day but 6 or more hours is better. You’ll also need a tool set such as this set of 3.  

Once you have found your spot, you'll need a container to hold the soil your delicious veggies will grow in. The container has to have holes in the bottom so water doesn't build up like these . If you’re working with a small space as your “veggie patch” these self-watering pots or moveable 'grow bags' are a great option. 

Another option are these vertical raised garden beds that are great for balconies and smaller areas. They are perfect for strawberries, lettuce and herbs and also for planting some beneficial bug-attracting flowers. 

If you have a bit more space to work with then these raised garden beds can be a beautiful feature in the backyard. 

Second to the sun, the soil is the next most important ingredient of your veggie garden.

It must be free draining and full of goodness to help your veggies thrive. Luckily Amazon.com.au takes all the guesswork out and has some great options for garden pots, plant beds and soil. There's nothing more rewarding than eating your veggies and a good potting mix and fertiliser will give your baby veggies all the food and nutrients they need to grow big and strong. Or you could create your own compost to feed the garden year round!

Now that you have chosen your spot for your veggie garden and you have your planter box size sorted, you have your soil and have decided on what you want to plant, growing your veggies is very easy. Just remember to give them a little love and attention and they will reward you with yummy veggies all year round. 

How to turn your backyard area into a multipurpose space 

Like most Aussies, we love entertaining family and friends. Unlike when we were kids, our outdoor spaces are now much smaller, and they must be multi-purpose areas. For most of us, our backyards have become an extension of our living areas. Inside our home, we have a small dining table that we use for just us and when friends and family are over, we eat outside on the deck where we have a larger dining table. During covid times, our homes had to become multifunctional spaces, we were working from home, teaching from home, entertaining the kids, and keeping everyone sane! No matter what size your space is, it’s important to create zones where living and entertaining can be easy and enjoyable. 

Create Zones

Think about your space and what you want it to achieve. Do you want it to be an area for entertaining, another living area/spot to work? a space for the kids to play? Or do you want to create a space where you can workout or do some yoga/chill out? If you answered yes to any of those, we are here to help! 

Outdoor Living/Entertaining area 

Outdoor dining is one of our favourite things to do in Spring. We love having a table where all our friends and family can sit around and enjoy a yummy BBQ lunch or dinner. When thinking about where to set up your outdoor dining space, somewhere that is undercover is perfect. This means you can also entertain and eat outside when the weather isn’t great. If being undercover isn’t an option, we suggest installing a shade sail, nobody wants to eat their lunch in the direct heat of the sun in the middle of summer. This is also a great option should you want to work outdoors (to prevent your laptop from overheating) – especially in light of the world of remote working.

Shade sails are a very affordable option and very easy to install. If possible, also try and position your outdoor dining area close to your inside areas. You don’t want to have to walk all the way from the back of the yard to the kitchen when somebody forgets the sauce! Being able to pop back inside easily will make outdoor entertaining more functional. Or for more of a budget friendly option, a cute picnic rug and/or a pop up table and chairs are also great suggestions – especially if you don’t have enough seating for everyone!

Every Aussie backyard needs a BBQ. We have such amazing weather here in Australia so we should make the most of it and get outside cooking as much as we can. Amazon Australia has a huge range of BBQs and accessories to choose from depending on your space and needs. A BBQ is also a great thing to cook on when you have a large group of people around and you don’t want to pull out 4 different frying pans in the kitchen to cook the snags up on. 

Kids Play Area

If you have a corner of the yard that is shaded and level/flat, a great zone to have is an area that will entertain the kids. On the days when you want to get them outside and you don’t want to have to pack them in the car and drive to a park, it’s great to have an option at home. Amazon Australia has some great multipurpose play centres. Our favourites are the water slide and sandpit combo. These take up minimal space but give so many different options for keeping the kids active and entertained. 

Exercise/Yoga/Zen area 

We don’t ever remember our parents working out when we were kids, but times have changed and with the education we all now have around health, it’s important to stay fit and active. We will put our hands up and be the first to admit, we aren’t interested in stepping foot inside a gym, but we have our own dedicated home gym area where we can get some exercise in any time of the day without having to get in the car and fight with traffic. You don’t need a huge space at all to create a workout zone, all you need is some flat undercover area to get started. A great way to separate areas and make them a little more private so the neighbours aren’t watching you do your burpees is with a privacy screen, these are such a simple way to create two or more different zones in the one area. The privacy screen is also good way to separate your exercise area with your chillout yoga and zen area, where you can add some yoga mats or even a hammock to kick back and read. Amazon Australia also has a massive range of exercise equipment to make working and chilling out so much easier.
A space for your fur babies

With the weather getting warmer in spring (or rainier as you can never tell at the moment) a top tip would be to invest in a kennel or bed to give your dog shelter from the weather and a nice space for them to call their own complete of course with bowl and blanket.

How to revamp a balcony and smaller outdoor space 

For many Aussies, our outdoor spaces are becoming smaller, but still act as an extension of our living spaces. Our small outdoor areas can often become a dumping ground for the things that don’t have a place inside our home and haven’t made their way to the dump just yet. But what if we could make these spaces an area we actually want to spend time in? Who wants their own tiki bar for when friends come over? Or a romantic space to eat dinner when having a date night at home? Here are our best tips for turning that small balcony or outdoor space into an insta-worthy pic. 

Cleanup

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to revamp a space, especially a small one, is to remove any clutter and rubbish and give it a good clean. Amazon Australia has all the cleaning products you will ever need, and in this case, a pressure washer can be your best friend. You will be amazed at the cleaning power of water. A decent pressure washer can remove mould and dirt build-up, it can also bring paint back to life and also totally change the look of your flooring. Starting with a blank canvas will motivate you to get creative in your space.

Decorate

A great way to transform ugly walls is with paint. If you don’t want to go to the effort of painting or you are renting your home and not able to, a great way to transform walls is by using a planter wall. These are essentially gardens you can grow on your wall. They help to transform your space but also help to introduce some colour and can look like artwork on your outdoor walls. You may even want to use this planter wall as a veggie garden if you have a small space. Another great option is an artificial plant walls, they give the same decorative effect without the upkeep. 

Accessorise

We are suckers for an outdoor rug. These rugs are great at making a space feel cosy and also help to cover up any unsightly flooring. There are also lots of great designs to choose from that once again can help bring colour into a space that you don’t want to paint. These outdoor rugs are UV coated meaning they won’t fade and they are also so easy to clean.

Lighting

One of our favourite items to add to an outdoor space is festoon lights. Not only do they provide lighting and ambience in an outdoor space, but they also add warmth and character. They immediately add fun to your space. The great thing about these lights is they are solar powered which also saves on electricity costs. 

Furnish

Your outdoor space revamp isn’t complete without somewhere to sit and take in all of your hard work. A sitting space is essential in a small outdoor area, somewhere to eat dinner on a summers night, a place to cosy up into and read a book. We love items that are multifunctional like this cute bench seat, it’s great because it also features storage underneath where you can put your shoes or cushions and throw rugs, you can never have enough storage in a small space.

How to turn a backyard into a fun play space for children 

Now that spring is here and the weather is warming up, it’s the perfect time to get the kids outside to play in the backyard. Children spend a lot more time on devices than we did when we were kids, so finding ways to keep them active can become a challenge. Amazon Australia has a huge range of products to help turn your space, no matter what size, into a fun play area. The great thing is, you don’t have to pack the kids in the car and drive to the park, you can create a playground right in your own backyard. 

Finding the right space

The first thing you will need to do is choose your space. Do you want to turn your whole area into a play space or do you want to dedicate one section? No matter what size playground you decide to go with, you need to choose an area that is flat and level, give it a mow and remove any stray tree branches or debris that may have fallen or gathered in the area. Think about the surface, if you are lucky enough to have soft grass, your job is done! If not another great alternative to grass is faux grass, it’s very soft and very easy to maintain. If your space has a hard surface like concrete, you may like to lay down some foam flooring. Amazon Australia has some great foam interlocking tiles that are so easy to install within a matter of minutes, it is soft underfoot and will help protect little knees when playing. 

Another important step when choosing your space is choosing an area that is well shaded from the sun. If you don’t have any natural shade from trees in your backyard, consider installing a shade sail. It’s so important, especially in the warmer months to have an area that the little ones can play in without the harsh sun rays damaging their skin. 

Upgrading the space

Now that you have the space all figured out, it’s time to upgrade the area with some fun equipment. For the little ones, we love this slide and swing set. It is very easy to assemble and takes up little space, we also love that it’s a 3in1 combo to keep the kids entertained. 

If you have more space to work with, incorporating a play center that is multifunctional and features a swing, slide and sand pit will provide hours of entertainment and fun in the backyard. Or keep it simple and install a swing that hangs from a tree branch. 

Every kids dream is to have their own cubby house in their yard – which is especially great for those with a smaller space. We think back to the hours we spent in our own cubby houses growing up, creating our own special clubs with the other kids in our street, playing house or even just relaxing reading a book. Amazon is a great place to find cubby houses that are affordable and easy to put together, the kids will be putting up their “No grown ups allowed” signs in no time! 

Our number one tip is to have a simple storage tub or outdoor cabinet in your play area to put the balls, cricket sets, dolls and outdoor games all tidy in one place. Once all the hard work of creating the play area is done, don’t forget to test it out, the kids shouldn’t be the only ones having all the fun! Testing the equipment out will also ensure everything is put together correctly and it is safe to play on, and of course, don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!