Better Homes & Gardens: Mar 8

This week on Better Homes & Gardens Joh and Charlie are off to Far North Queensland and Dr. Harry heads to an alpaca farm.

Johanna + Charlie – Cairns To Cassowary Coast
Queensland might be known for its beaches, but in the tropical north, it’s the beautiful rainforests that Joh and Charlie are exploring. Travelling from Cairns south through the Tablelands to Mission Beach and the incredible Cassowary Coast, they’ll learn how the natural environment plays such a crucial role in so many aspects of the lives of this ancient people. From the jungles to the paddocks, it’s time to have a good feed and there’s nowhere better for fresh produce than the local farms. It’s hard to top the fresh fruit and dairy products being produced but learning that cocoa is being grown and turned into the most delicious chocolate makes this a foodie heaven.

Adam – Do-It-Yourself Dining (Aka Budget Table)
Your dining table is a very important item of furniture in your home, but buying one that’s not only practical, but a statement piece can come with a hefty price tag. So, Adam will show you how to build your own, with a matching pair of bench seats for less than it costs to buy such a high-quality product. Using Australian hardwood, and just a few tools, this build will be a great project that doesn’t require advanced DIY skills. So, if you’re prepared to give it a crack, you won’t just make memories around the dining table, you’ll also make memories building it too!

Colin – Berry Clafoutis
Tonight, our resident Irishman’s going to cook a delicious dessert that’s like a Yorkshire pudding that went on holiday to France. The Clafoutis is a crustless tart that traditionally features cherries, but today, Colin’s using raspberries and blueberries. It goes beautifully with ice cream or Crème Fraiche and is so easy, it’s a great way to get into the art of dessert cooking.

Dr Harry – Iris Lodge Alpacas
With over 120 Alpacas and a load of Llamas, you’d be forgiven for thinking Dr Harry’s travelled to the Andes but he’s actually only an hour and half north of Sydney! From buying an old dairy farm so they could ride their horses, to now having over 300 animals including chickens, cows and sheep, Harry meets the couple whose tree-change has grown larger than they ever expected. But it’s the Alpacas who are the stars of the show.

Melissa – Heartland Garden With Jac Semmler
In a sea of colourful flowers that changes all year round, Melissa explores a garden that evokes beauty and wonder in all seasons. This may sound like a professional show garden but is actually a modest sized suburban corner block. The garden is so abundant, there is virtually no lawn left but that makes it a haven for pollinating insects and birds alike. Owner, Jac Semmler is a self-confessed “plant maximalist” who lives and breathes plants. Come with Melissa and explore this wild, although tamed usage of flowers and foliage, where no empty space is safe.

Juliet – Fold Away Cubby House
Cubby houses can take a lot to build, multiple sheets and blankets, trying to find ways to anchor them and stick them together, and after all that they often collapse anyway. But not with Juliet’s ultimate fold-away cubby house! She’ll show you how to take the mess and frustration away by sewing and decorating your own bespoke kids’ playhouse that uses the dining table as a sizeable and sturdy frame. The kids will love playing in it and you’ll love being able to simply fold it up and put it away, keeping the house neat and tidy.

Karen – Seed & Corn Crumbed Chicken With Crisp Bacon & Mint Pea Buttermilk Dressing
Crumbed chicken is a great mid-week meal, but Karen will show you how to elevate it to a wonderful weekend entertainer. Besides making the most crunchy and flavourful crumb, the key is the sharp and snappy dressing. Served with a bacon and pea salad, you’ve got to try this family classic with a twist.

Juliet – Towel Tidy
Linen cupboards can get messy easily, but with Juliet’s trick to folding your bath towels, your cupboard will look neat tidy and even quite pretty!

Graham – Wollemi Pine
Since its discovery in 1994, the ancient Wollemi Pine has fascinated the botany world. With so few left in the wild, they’ve been the subject of an intense conservation program. Graham runs through a few interesting facts about this intriguing and endangered species.

7pm Friday on Seven / 7TWO.