ARABIAN RANCHES GARDEN

Carole Binbrek has won competitions with her lush Arabian Ranches garden in Dubai.

Find out what the secret is to growing such healthy, full plants, flowers and shrubs so you can do the same to your own Arabian Ranches garden or any garden in Dubai.

Who is Carole Binbrek

Carole is a long term resident of Dubai and has lived in the Arabian Ranches for about 10 years now. Her claim to fame is not only winning awards for her Arabian Ranches Garden but also for being the founder and Chair Person of the Arabian Ranches Ladies Club. A club that provides a meeting point for any lady who lives in and around the Ranches that wants to find out about what’s happening in the nearby community and make new friends.  Their website will give you all the details you need.

Back to Carole’s Arabian Ranches Garden

Like many of us Carole has put down fresh grass only to see it wither and die in our harsh Dubai summers. So after 2 attempts at fresh grass, she decided to lay down artificial grass for the bulk of the lawn area and has never looked back.

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Why lay artificial grass? It doesn’t look nice at all

Yes it can look artificial but if you plant around it well and engage a professional company then it’s worth foregoing the initial natural look of fresh grass. Carole likes the fact that by laying artificial grass she is contributing towards the sustainability of the planet and has in fact this year entered her garden under this category.

Another sustainable idea for your Dubai garden

Is one that seems to work miracles for her Arabian Ranches Garden is connected to the fertilizer she uses. There are 2 small plastic household looking bins in the side of the garden that are fed with all the natural food waste from the house, so that’s all the peelings from fruit and vegetables, left over food, used tea bags etc.

This natural waste is then sprinkled with a Bokashi system of fertilizer that basically decomposes the waste naturally and ensures it doesn’t smell or turn putrid. It must also compress the waste and convert it to a liquid form. There is a little tap at the base of the bins via which the liquid is dispensed and then poured into a watering can. It’s this magic elixir that’s then diluted with water and forms the feed that enable very impressive specimens of plants, shrubs and trees!

Where can you buy the Bokashi system

I think I have seen it at The Change Initiative on Sheikh Zayed road in Dubai but it’s available on Amazon and I think other garden centres may stock it.  The next Arabian Ranches Gardening competition will be held in April and you can contact the Arabian Ranches Community centre via email for exact rules and how to enter.

You have to spend time and money on your garden

Of course it’s not only the fertiliser that has resulted in an amazingly lush and full garden, Carole has spent a lot of time and money on her garden and has now built up the experience and knowledge required to know what works best when and where in her Arabian Ranches garden in Dubai. Carole has also referenced a gardening book by Anne Love – Gardening in Oman and the UAE.  (I also have this book)

Go to this post to see DoinDubai ‘s guide to some Dubai friendly plant and shrubs that may help you decide what to buy.

The Arabian Ranches Ladies group also have a separate gardening activity group that meets one afternoon per month but you need to be a member of the Arabian Ranches Ladies to join the group. I loved her clever idea of adding little wheels on to the bottom of plnat pots, so much easier to move around!

Happy Gardening in Dubai, get out there before it’s too hot and if you need some useful phrases to communicate with your gardener here, then these gardening phrases may be helpful to you. Warmest congratulations to Carole on the 10th anniversary of the Arabian Ranches Ladies club. Well done for still being here while other groups have folded and disappeared.

Thank You Monica.