If you’ve ever been frustrated by Perth’s sandy soils, or struggled to grow plants over our tough summers, this is a great book for the shelf! 

Written by Cyrus Roussilhes of Primal Fruits Perth, '3 Easy Fixes to Grow Better in Perth' is full of localised info that’s specific to Perth’s unique climate and geographical challenges. With a particular emphasis on growing fruit trees, the information about microclimates, soil and plant biology can be applied to gardening of all kinds.

The information is in-depth and scientifically backed, though never dry. Cyrus presents information in a fun, engaging way, making it easy to digest his little nuggets of wisdom. ‘3 Easy Fixes to Grow Better in Perth’ makes the perfect reference to keep returning to over and over again.

3 Reasons Perth Gardeners Should Read This Book

1. Discover ‘Why Shade Helps More Than it Hurts’

"Perth isn’t a jungle, it’s an oven," Cyrus writes. He argues that, as much as we’ve been told otherwise, shade is a crucially important element in Perth gardens. Young vulnerable plants particularly need shade to survive and thrive. 

Cyrus walks us through how to include shade in our garden designs to help and not hinder plants. He also teaches us about microclimates – and how to create and make the most of them to aid plant growth.

Check out this excerpt: “Anything tall, wide, leafy, or solid changes the weather – at least for your plants. A tin fence might look boring, but it throws back heat like a backyard pizza oven. A shed blocks wind. A tree shades your mango like a giant hat. A water tank? Surprise – it soaks up heat by day and releases at night like a crusty old hot water bottle. Even a rusty wheelbarrow parked in the right spot can shift your garden’s vibe. It’s not just stuff – it’s strategy.”

2. Learn How to ‘Fix Dead Sand Without Spending a Fortune’

You’ve probably heard it said that Perth is one of the hardest places to grow a thriving garden. A lot of the advice passed down to us from other parts of the world just doesn’t work with our sandy, hydrophobic soils. 

As Cyrus writes: "In Perth, “soil” is usually sunbaked, lifeless sand. Like planting into Weet-Bix crumbs. No water holding, no nutrients, no microbes. But good news – you can fix it. Easily."

 The first step to fixing sandy soil is understanding that healthy soil is alive. Cyrus walks us through the different life in healthy soil, including bacteria, fungi and nematodes. He also teaches about the role of weeds, microminerals and biostimulants in creating living soil – in a way that’s specific to Perth gardens.

Then Cyrus goes on to give us a step-by-step recipe for transforming sandy soils to healthy, living soils that can support a thriving garden. He answers questions about when to add clay and rock minerals, and how to water most effectively.

Not everyone in Perth has sandy soil – there are clay pockets around the place too. Don’t worry, Cyrus doesn’t leave you out. He also addresses how to deal with Perth’s clay-heavy soils.

Here's a little taster: “Minerals on their own are about as useful as a locked pantry. Microbes unlock the nutrients. So if you’re adding rock dust, sea minerals, or fancy powders, make sure you also feed the soil life. Mulch it. Compost it. Brew some tea. Otherwise, you’re just throwing rocks at a problem – literally.”

3. Soak Up Nature’s Wisdom to ‘Garden Smarter, Not Harder’

When we’re working with nature, our gardens flourish with little effort on our part. When we’re working against, we’re just giving ourselves more grief. 

Nature is diverse, interconnected and relational, and it works in cycles that produce no waste. Cyrus introduces us to the ideas of syntropic gardening–– mimicking how a forest grows and sustains itself to create abundance.

Cyrus talks us through easy gardening tactics that draw on these syntropic principles to offer us big rewards. These include: cut and drop pruning, dense planting, layering, no dig garden beds, nitrogen fixing plants, wicking beds and dynamic accumulators.

If you’ve ever wanted to garden more like nature, this book will give you the tools you need to get started. Cyrus makes the switch feel easy and intuitive. 

We love this section: “Nature doesn’t have “personal space” issues. Rather the opposite, a rainforest is chaos. There are no perfect 1-metre plant spacing plans in the wild. So why do it in your garden? Big empty patches just invite problems like weeds or dry out the soil, and turn your garden into a high-maintenance sad zone. Dense planting shades the soil, keeps it cooler in summer, a little cosy warmer in winter, holds in water, and blocks weeds like a leafy security team. Plus, more plants = more food. Simple.”

Who Will Enjoy This Book?

‘3 Easy Fixes to Grow Better in Perth’ is an ideal read for:

• Beginner and intermediate gardeners, or anyone who’s struggling to grow successfully in Perth. 

• Seasoned gardeners who want to brush up on soil science and nature’s principles, or to compare and contrast their own methods.

• Anyone curious about syntropic agriculture and permaculture.

• Teachers and homeschoolers looking into soil science, plant biology, forest ecology and agriculture. There’s lots of science and learning to be enjoyed!

• Older children and families who are getting into gardening, syntropic agriculture or permaculture. 

Whether you’ve got a backyard, a balcony or a larger property, the principles in this book can be applied, whatever size space you’re working with.

As the book’s back cover says: ‘It’s not about perfect gardens. It’s about using science, a bit of mischief and lots of inspiring ideas to make nature do the heavy lifting.’ 

Find ‘3 Easy Fixes to Grow Better in Perth’ at Urban Revolution in Vic Park, or on our online store.