REFRESHMENTS: A local charity will provide lunch and refreshments while a raffle will run to aid sport for the disabled. IAN and Judy Wintle, of Birkdale, are firm believers in smart gardening practices. They have to be after eight years of drought.

Their sub-tropical garden at Carlton Court will be open to the public this weekend ? November 20 and 21 ? as part of the Australia's Open Garden scheme.

Now that the prolonged drought is over, interest is again returning to gardening and Ian and Judy believe the time is right for them to open their property to reveal their secrets to maintaining a clever garden during years of low rainfall.

Ian and Judy say people need to know they can have a nice garden that does not take a lot of work and can survive the elements, particularly years of drought. Their property is crammed full of 70 tropical fruit trees with more than 40 different varieties.

A productive vegetable garden completes the picture. Among the smart gardening practices are seven rainwater tanks, holding 107,000 litres which are plumbed and fed to different parts of the garden.

Three large composting areas hold about 10 cubic metres of garden waste and the garden is mulched twice a year with sugarcane bales. About 160 bales are used each year.

Only natural soil conditioners such as kelp and animal manures are used, while two native bee hives help pollinate the fruit.

Two large composting worm beds which are well fed with all the household vegetable scraps, add to the smart gardening practices the Wintles use.

A 12 panel solar power generator which powers the pumps and water features, as well as the hot water system completes the picture at Birkdale.

After 20 years in the RAAF, Ian and Judy with their two sons acquired their 0.4ha block in St James Park at Birkdale in 1988.