Tropical garden – Mallee Design

Summer Scents: Hymenosporum flavum

The scent of a frangipani marks Summer for many people, when I used to live in Sydney the frangipanis and jasmine filled the inner city streets in Summer giving off a potent scent in the warm weather. What many people… Read more ›

15/02/2022

Kath Gadd

Butterfly attracting, Medium Tree, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

bee attracting, feature tree, fragrant, fragrant flowers, Hymenosporum flavum, long flowering period, part shade, perfume, Street Trees, summer flowering, yellow flowers

A flower within a flower within a flower … Hoya australis

I find this one of the most curious flowers from our native vine species, it is a large highly perfumed umbel of tiny wax like flowers which is almost fractal like, I could look at it for hours. The leaves… Read more ›

13/04/2021

Kath Gadd

Drought hardy, Natives for containers, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

climber, drought hardy, drought resistant, fragrant, Hoya australis, Indoor plant, Scented, twining plant, Waterwise native, white flower

Try something exotic! Tecomanthe hillii

How non native does this spectacular flower look?! It is the flower of the Fraser Island Vine or Tecomanthe hillii a gentle climber which is endemic to North Eastern Queensland. Tecomanthe hillii enjoys fun sun to part shade in a… Read more ›

20/10/2020

Kath Gadd

Butterfly attracting, Natives for containers, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Tropical garden

bee attracting, climber, large flower, native bees, pink flowers, shade tolerant, Tecomanthe hillii, tropical species, understory planting, warm climate, well drained soil

I need to remember this fern: Blechnum cartilagineum

I am not very good with my native ground cover ferns, I have a handful which I use over and over again which I know to be hardy and pretty. I was walking in the Blue Mountains this weekend and… Read more ›

03/11/2019

Kath Gadd

Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Tropical garden

Blechnum cartilagineum, clay soils, dry shade, foliage contrast, heavy shade, moist shade, Reddish foliage, understory planting

Peppery Goodness: Tasmannia insipida

I did a little bush walk last weekend that followed a fire trail down the back of Helensburgh and then ended up crossing the Hacking River, as I was in the company of four children we stopped and had a… Read more ›

08/06/2017

Kath Gadd

Bush tucker, Illawarra natives, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

Bush Foods, rainforest species, tasmannia insipida, understory planting

The Versatile Spider Lily: Crinum pedunculatum

I have only just realised how very adaptable this plant is after seeing it growing on the beach in Murramarang National Park last week, I had no idea it would grow on sand in a front line coastal position and look… Read more ›

23/01/2016

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Frost tolerant, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

boggy soils, clay soils, Crinum pedunculatum, fast growing, large flower, rainforest species, Scented, summer flowering, understory planting, white flower, wind tolerant

Kendall Community Pre-School: One inspiring place

I was lucky enough be part of a Horticulturl Speakers Day in Kendall on the NSW Central coast last month And seeing as it was going to be quite a drive I decided to make the most of the opportunity… Read more ›

16/08/2015 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Bush tucker, Kids gardens, Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

understory planting

Portfolio: Gordon Courtyard Garden Design

This small courtyard garden is part 2 of a 3 stage garden design for clients on the upper north shore. This was a middle garden that services a flat/studio attached to the main house, to say it was fairly un-loved… Read more ›

01/06/2015

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Portfolio, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Tropical garden

Acacia howittii 'Honey Bun', Banksia robur, Bird Bath, Ceratopetalum 'Johannas Xmas', Davidsonia pruiens, Doryanthes excelsa, Macrozamia communis, rainforest species, Rhododendron lochiae, understory planting

Extremely fast growing screen: Homalanthus populifolius

You have to love a species that can pop up by itself, grow a couple of metres in a year and will do so in full shade. Well I do anyway, although it may appear uninvited in your garden (it… Read more ›

06/04/2015 13 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Illawarra natives, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Small tree, Tropical garden

clay soils, Homalanthus populifolius, large leaves, part shade, rainforest species, Reddish foliage, summer flowering

One of the Best Street Trees: Buckinghamia celsissima

This is Buckinghamia celsissima or the Ivory Curl tree, it is another small to medium tree that is in flower over the summer months, chances are you have seen it around, it is VERY hard to miss. I saw this one… Read more ›

19/02/2015 33 Comments

Kath Gadd

Drought hardy, Medium Tree, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small tree, Tropical garden

bee attracting, Buckinghamia celsissima, clay soils, feature tree, large flower, street address, Street Trees, summer flowering, white flower

Blue Tongue: Melastoma affine

This showy little shrub is Melastoma affine or Native Lasiandra, it really does look like a dwarf form of the incredibly popular south American Tibouchina, which lights up the streets of many inner western Sydney suburbs. However, this is not… Read more ›

16/11/2014 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Bush tucker, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Tropical garden

Ceratopetalum 'Johannas Xmas', clay soils, Indigofera australis, large flower, Melastoma affine, purple flower, understory planting

Super Showy Waratah: Alloxylon flammeum

This is the QLD Tree Waratah, I have mixed feelings about this plant, there is something a little too showy about its blooms and whenever I see it growing in NSW it is always strangely devoid of bird life…why is… Read more ›

08/10/2014

Kath Gadd

Medium Tree, Screening plants, Small tree, Tropical garden

Alloxylon flammeum, feature tree, large flower, rainforest species, Red flowers, street address

Mallee Design

Native Garden Design & Consultation

Category Archives: Tropical garden

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Summer Scents: Hymenosporum flavum

A flower within a flower within a flower … Hoya australis

Try something exotic! Tecomanthe hillii

I need to remember this fern: Blechnum cartilagineum

Peppery Goodness: Tasmannia insipida

The Versatile Spider Lily: Crinum pedunculatum

Kendall Community Pre-School: One inspiring place

Portfolio: Gordon Courtyard Garden Design

Extremely fast growing screen: Homalanthus populifolius

One of the Best Street Trees: Buckinghamia celsissima

Blue Tongue: Melastoma affine

Super Showy Waratah: Alloxylon flammeum