Reclaimed, reloved, recycled: How to create a sustainable garden

Hi there and welcome to another goodness filled issue!

I’ve always found this time of year a bit of a limbo season. We’re waiting for our summer harvests to peak and finish, while the days are still too hot in most areas for serious planting to begin.

The last month of summer and early autumn feels like the perfect time to pause, plan and be creative. It’s a chance to rethink our gardens and reconsider how we can improve our sustainable lifestyles.

This issue embraces the pause between seasons, inviting readers to rethink, reuse and reimagine. From clever food gardens in tricky spaces and organic myth-busting, to reclaimed materials, root-to-tip cooking and eco-travel, our ‘re’ issue celebrates creativity, sustainability and gentle ways of growing, living and caring for the world around us.

I hope this issue inspires you to pause and reimagine.

Chloe

Here’s a peek at what’s inside!

Our NEW eco-travel section starts with Helen Cushing’s feature on the best ways to explore Tasmania

Katerina Lazareva, who loves fermenting food, has joined the OG family, sharing three of her recipes – this time it’s radishes but there will be more!

Our regular hort expert Phil Dudman shares his growing expertise, this time talking all things grapes

PLUS! Learn how Chloe has used reclaimed items to fill her garden with practical, but beautiful, pieces

Uncover all the other ideas and tips in this issue, including:

Marcelle Nankervis shares stories from gardeners who are proving you don’t need a sprawling suburban block to grow real food.

Learn how to grow three multipurpose favourites from the garden of Connie Cao: echinacea, flat beans and Thai basil.

Steve Falcioni encourages us to pause before reaching for a chemical spray to control common garden pests and diseases. Read about his approach instead.

Cass Dowding writes about how natural burials provide a way to reconnect with the soil one last time, in the most environmentally mindful way.

Georgia Angus finds out how we can be prepared to help injured wildlife and birds.

Rescuing a battery hen gives her a second chance. Jessamy Miller shares the reasons why it might be right for you.

Tammy Huynh talks about ways to add more indoor plants to our homes.

Plus our regular articles:

• Harvest: From your garden to kitchen, Katerina Lazareva offers three root-to-tip radish recipes.
• Chef’s recipes: Dan Pasquali’s recipes take grapes to another level to impress your guests.
• Action: Your garden jobs as the weather starts to cool, from our experts.
• Matters: News and events
• Book reviews: Chloe’s essential garden reference books.
• The best of your ABC
• Dig, Discover, Grow: Kids share what they love about gardening.
• That’s a good idea: One person’s trash can be another’s treasure, as Cindy Poole shows with her creations that blend art with sustainability.

Subscribe today!

It’s easy to get a copy of the Early Autumn 2026 issue: just look for cover featuring Annemarie Bolduc’s garden in the Snowy region of New South Wales – keep an eye out for one of her gorgeous chooks! You’ll find it in newsagents and selected supermarkets, or you can subscribe here to get an issue delivered to your door!