Tag: drought hardy

  • Another striking Australian Ornamental Grass: Austrostipa verticillata

    Another striking Australian Ornamental Grass: Austrostipa verticillata

    I saw this species of Austrostipa growing in Canberra a few weeks back, and photographed it thinking it was Austrostipa ramosissima. However, on closer inspection I realised it was a native grass which I hadn’t come across before, how exciting! a newbie to add to my native ornamental grass planting palette. After much research I…

  • Powerful Pollinators: Leptospermums

    Powerful Pollinators: Leptospermums

    We are mid the Australian Annual Pollinator Week and I have been admiring our our native tea trees all Spring so I thought I would bring them to your attention this week as they are wonderful plants to grow for our native pollinators. “Australian Pollinator Week acknowledges our important and unique insect pollinators during our…

  • The almost native pig face: xDisphyllum ‘Sunburn’

    The almost native pig face: xDisphyllum ‘Sunburn’

    Meet a new addition to the Australian native succulent family, well maybe more a half sibling or cousin, as technically this lovely green pig face is half south African 😳 shock horror! However there are so few Australian succulents I am calling this a native!  xDisphyllum ‘Sunburn’ is a cross between two plant genera, one…

  • A flower within a flower within a flower … Hoya australis

    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 are thick and fleshy and a little like a succulent leaf and the vines stem…

  • An oldie but a goodie: Thryptomene saxicola ‘FC Payne’

    An oldie but a goodie: Thryptomene saxicola ‘FC Payne’

    This is a classic 70’s native garden plant, a WA species which doesn’t need to be grafted to grow elsewhere in Australia and for good reason it has stood the test of time. Thryptomene saxicola ‘FC Payne’ is hardy and tough, growing and flowering through shade, frost, drought and a harsh prune. It enjoys a…

  • Landscaping with Dwarf Kangaroo Paws: Anigozanthos ‘Bush Pearl’

    Landscaping with Dwarf Kangaroo Paws: Anigozanthos ‘Bush Pearl’

    I couldn’t help myself when I was in Canberra last month at the Botanic Gardens, before I even considered what I was doing I was snapping away at these Anigozanthos ‘Bush Pearl’. They just looked so stunning in the foggy morning light, dry out from the Winter frost but punchy as ever. Generally I am…

  • The small tree Emu Bush: Eremophila longifolia

    The small tree Emu Bush: Eremophila longifolia

    This is another Emu Bush to add to my database, Eremophila longifolia is classically not so bushy in habit but more upright and weeping. I think it makes a lovely small feature tree with its long, droopy leaves and clusters of pink bell flowers. It can be pruned into other shapes if needed but the…

  • Drought Hardy Emu Bush

    Drought Hardy Emu Bush

    In this post I am adding to my Eremophila database and also trying to increase awareness of native plants which I believe have proven to be reasonably drought hardy. As a genus Eremophilas are very tough native shrubs, they will grow in a well drained soil in full sun to part shade and although they mainly come…

  • My favourite Acacia cognata dwarfs

    My favourite Acacia cognata dwarfs

    I used to be completely devoted to Acacia ‘Mini Cog’, one of the many dwarf shrub forms of Acacia cognata or the River Wattle. This image is of ‘Green Mist’ weeping over the edge of a large stone retaining wall, I couldn’t think of a better use for it. Acacia cognata has very narrow long lime…

  • Favourite grass

    Favourite grass

    Ficinia nodosa or as previously known Isolepsis is one of my favourite grasses, it grows anywhere from sand dunes to swamps.