Jerry Coleby-Williams

Bernard Yorke: Australian Bred Begonias That Changed The World

Fifty five years ago, a gardener from Bowen made an important decision about his work/life balance. He developed a passion for begonias and so began a lifelong project – the continuous improvement of rhizomatous begonias. In the process he became one of the foremost breeders of our time.

Bellis Open Day 2026

Our twenty first and final annual Open Day at Bellis in subtropical Brisbane will be held this Mother’s Day Weekend, 9-10th May 2026. Over 500 different climate-appropriate plants grow in our Wynnum garden for food, medicine, pesticides, to support biodiversity, including climate change-ready ornamentals.

Nettle, Anyone?

I like nettles, when they’re managed – and grown in full view.

Growing Food On A Pacific Atoll

How can I grow food more successfully and sustainably on a tropical atoll in the Pacific? The high rate of evaporation negates our all year round rainfall. Our ‘soil’ is mostly hungry sand and decomposed coral which is highly alkaline.

Fragrant Quince

I went down a rabbit hole talking quince (Cydonia oblonga) with Millie Ross at the Queensland Garden Show and then again on talkback gardening with Kristy Reading ABC New England North West. Quince are one of the most aromatic of temperate fruits, the fragrance as they ripened in our fruit store in our London garden…

Do Grevillea Poison Bees?

Hi Jerry, I have been promoting Grevillea as good plants for stingless bees for many years, so I was shocked to learn that Silky Oak (and some other) Grevillea contain hydrogen cyanide in their nectar. My problem is, other than silky oak, I can’t find a list of the poisonous varieties. Is there a list?…

A Modest Loan..

A modest loan and a good deposit was all it took to launch one of Bank Australia’s most prominent and successful investments: Bellis, Brisbane’s award-winning, affordable, model sustainable house and garden.

Potassium permanganate, a fungicide best used on animals

Question: “Have you heard of Condy’s Crystals as a fungicide?”, asks T.W., a school head gardener in Brisbane. Potassium permanganate was created 1659 by Johann Glauber. To make it, he combined manganese oxide ore with potassium hydroxide forming the compound KMnO4. At school I was taught this is a reducing agent, meaning potassium permanganate loses electrons and…

Bellis: small can be POWERFUL

I’ve been invited to speak about Bellis at the 8th Global Botanic Gardens Congress which is being hosted by Singapore Botanic Gardens, the world’s second best botanic garden*. Established in 2003, Bellis is an award-winning pocket botanic garden, an 815 square metre property on a peculiar, ancient acid sulphate soil. This Queensland government sustainability project is…

Achieving A Carbon Positive Lifestyle

What does it mean to be carbon positive? ‘Carbon neutral’ is a state that occurs when net greenhouse gas emissions are equal to zero. ‘Carbon positive’ means going beyond this, making additional ‘positive’ contributions to the environment. How can we achieve a carbon positive lifestyle?

Brush-Turkey Trouble

These ecosystem engineers are thriving along the east coast of Australia. That’s just one message from Ann Goth’s new book ‘Amazing, Annoying Birds’, which explores these fascinating mound-building megapodes, expanding our knowledge about these much talked about colonisers of suburbia.

Jerry’s Jaboticaba Jam Recipe

When jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora) fruit, they do it abundantly. I enjoy eating fresh fruit whole, which takes a little practise. Jam is a great way to preserve your bounty.