Tag: foliage contrast

  • The ‘New’ formal Native Garden

    The ‘New’ formal Native Garden

    When most people think of a formal garden the first images that spring to mind are rows of neatly clipped Buxus borders with some Robinia topiary and maybe a screening Camellia hedge. These are some of the easiest plants to use if you are copying the European template for creating a formal style garden, they…

  • The aptly named Grey Honey Myrtle: Melaleuca incana

    The aptly named Grey Honey Myrtle: Melaleuca incana

    I took so many photos of this Melaleuca incana in full bloom a few weeks ago but I didn’t manage to capture the multitude of bees feasting on its nectar 🙁 The whole shrub was buzzing as they collected the nectar for their hives, I’m pretty sure it was going towards making some delicious honey myrtle…

  • Happy Yellows: Senna artemisioides

    Happy Yellows: Senna artemisioides

    I love the colour combination of grey and yellow especially when its in the garden and is on a lone flowering plant! Senna artemisioides grows on well-drained sandy soils in a variety of habitats, through out many states located inland  Australia. Senna artemisioides grows to between 1 and 3 metres tall and can get to…

  • Outstanding: Grevillea arenaria

    Outstanding: Grevillea arenaria

    This is an outstanding plant for attracting birds, providing nesting habitat, shelter and nectar for honeyeaters and insectivorous birds. George Adams ‘Birdscaping Australian Gardens’ Thanks George I couldn’t have said it any better! I love my copy of the above book and use it all the time, I also love Grevillea arenaria or the Nepaean…

  • Another Silver Leaved Beauty: Eucalyptus pulverulenta

    Another Silver Leaved Beauty: Eucalyptus pulverulenta

    This is Eucalyptus pulverulenta another of my favourite small silver foliaged feature trees, it rates highly on my list along with Leptospermum brachyandrum ‘Silver’, Calothamnus quadrifidus ‘Grey’ and Eucalyptus ceasia ‘Silver Princess’. Eucalyptus pulverulenta is known as Silver-leaved Mountain Gum, it grows to about 5-6 metres high x 2-3 metres wide, there is also a compact form called Eucalyptus…

  • The Brightest of the Acacias? Acacia podalyriifolia

    The Brightest of the Acacias? Acacia podalyriifolia

    It has always seemed to me that Acacia podalyriifolia is one of the first wattles to flower every winter, and so profusely! or at least it is one of the most immediately noticeable 🙂 The native bees think so too as you can see in the photo above. The combination of the silver foliage with…

  • The Potential of Eucalyptus ‘Blue Veil’

    The Potential of Eucalyptus ‘Blue Veil’

    This is Eucalyptus camaldulensis ‘Blue Veil’, which is one of my favourite native plants, I have been quite obsessed with it for many years now. I see so much potential in this species to be used in different ways in a garden design. Eucalyptus camaldulensis ‘Blue Veil’ is a grafted variety of Eucalyptus camaldulensis or the…

  • Portfolio: Garden Design Lewisham

    Portfolio: Garden Design Lewisham

    This garden in Lewisham was built in early spring of 2016 so is roughly 6 months old at the time these images were taken. It is a special garden that was part of a new renovation and was considered very early on by the clients and architect. In the image below you can see what…

  • Portfolio: Garden Design Ashfield

    Portfolio: Garden Design Ashfield

    Dear Kath, the garden is beautiful and makes me very happy These are the words that I love to hear and is how this client describes her garden, and I can’t ask for anything more from a garden. This garden was built in December 2015 please see this link for details and this is my first…

  • My Favourite Native Hibiscus

    My Favourite Native Hibiscus

    Many people are not aware of the range of native hibiscus species that grow here in Australia, they are often not seen in cultivation or mistaken for exotics. I have a few favourites that I like to incorporate in my gardens and at the moment these are my top three, however everything is subject to…

  • Tapestry Gardens 2: MONA

    Tapestry Gardens 2: MONA

    When I was at Mona in Hobart last month as always I had my camera with me, I love the planting design at MONA and I had a few spare minutes between consuming modern art to snap some inspiring pictures. I took these photos because I loved the plant combinations and wanted to sure these…

  • Silky Emu Bush: Eremophila nivea Grafted

    Silky Emu Bush: Eremophila nivea Grafted

    This has to be one of the most tactile of native plants, rivalled closely by Adenanthos sericeus, with its silver white foliage and hundreds of purple flowers it is a coveted specimen for many gardeners. The bees love it too as you can see in the image above.   Eremophila nivea is absolutely striking even when…

  • Wonderful West Australian Mallees

    Wonderful West Australian Mallees

    I love Mallees, obviously hence my business name, and Western Australia has an amazing array of these characteristic Eucalypts. As part of my recent trip to WA I stayed in an area called Dryandra, a short drive south east of Perth. We stayed in the Dryandra Forest and within this area there was the iconic…

  • Portfolio: Garden Designs Gordon Update

    Portfolio: Garden Designs Gordon Update

    This is an update about one garden, however within that one garden are 3 very different areas and these areas were approached as stand alone projects and designs and built secretly. I was gaining to blog about them separately but I think it is nice to show how varied one garden can be. You can…

  • Portfolio: Garden Design Centennial Park Update

    Portfolio: Garden Design Centennial Park Update

    Last week I went on a mission to visit as many of my garden design projects as possible, to collect photos and catch up. I love re-visiting these gardens especially when I am doing a little garden maintenance at the same time. This garden in Centennial Park required a well needed shape and prune. The growth…

  • The colour combinations of Grevillea ‘Amber Blaze’

    The colour combinations of Grevillea ‘Amber Blaze’

    I am not a massive fan of the larger flower spike type of Grevilleas species, I often associate them with attracting noisy miners and rainbow lorikeets, not desirable native birds for me. However, this Winter I have had two Grevillea ‘Amber Blaze’ specimens take my breath away.   The photos in this blog post are…

  • ‘Red Iron Bark’ – Eucalyptus sideroxylon Rosea

    ‘Red Iron Bark’ – Eucalyptus sideroxylon Rosea

    I live in Iron Bark territory, on a clay soil, near the coast, the local Iron Barks stand up to the strong coastal winds and often boggy soil. One introduced Iron bark that does very well in my area is Eucalyptus sideroxylon Rosea, this is a stunning medium sized tree, that I giggly recommend for…

  • Showy Winter Flowers: Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’

    Showy Winter Flowers: Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’

    I have been noticing in the past few weeks the large numbers of Grevilleas that seem to be flowering profusely all through Autumn and welcoming Winter with a colourful wave. This particular Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’ began budding up in late Summer and I have been anticipating the show for weeks.   These photos have been…

  • Garden Design: Leichhardt Front Garden

    Garden Design: Leichhardt Front Garden

    I happened to be in the inner west this afternoon and was very nearby one of my gardens, I thought I would do a drive by and see how a Eucalyptus caesia was going after I re-staked and pruned it 12 months ago. This is what I saw, a very happy Eucalyptus Silver Princess with…

  • Bright climber or scrambler for dry shade: Hibbertia dentata

    Bright climber or scrambler for dry shade: Hibbertia dentata

    Hibbertia dentata is one of my favourite climbers or low growing scramblers to use in shady spots, unfortunately I find it quite difficult to source but it is definitely with using if you can get hold of it. One of the reasons I love this plant is the reddish new growth of the tendrils and…

  • Sun loving Moss? Scleranthus biflorus

    Sun loving Moss? Scleranthus biflorus

    The common name for this species is ‘Canberra Grass’ even though it has a very un-grass-like appearance, it is commonly mistaken for a moss and makes a wonderful  moss substitute in Japanese style gardens. It is happiest in a sunny position and contrasts well with broad-leaved plants. Scleranthus biflorus likes growing in areas with low humidity, it can…

  • Portfolio: Garden Design Chatswood

    Portfolio: Garden Design Chatswood

    I designed this garden in Chatswood in March 2013, pretty much exactly three years ago. The client has been chipping away at building the garden from my drawings over the years, it is a large garden that backs onto some beautiful bushland, where weeds have been a constant problem. Below you can see an image…

  • Keith’s Garden

    Keith’s Garden

    This is my friend Keith’s native front garden in Bulli, I have wanted to take photos of this garden for a long time and on a recent visit finally remembered my camera. Phew! I had to snap quickly as the sun was setting and the mozzies were out. The garden is located on the escarpment…

  • Portfolio: Coledale Consults

    Portfolio: Coledale Consults

    I have been consulting on this coastal garden for about 3 years now maybe a bit more, and it has really begun to settle in, some of the growth especially in the rear garden is amazing. The client has installed a beautiful mosaic letterbox made by his sister, it is large and bright and a…