• Olearia microphylla more than just a filler

    Every time I see this dense medium sized native shrub in flower it is covered in insects, perhaps because the shrub itself is covered in tiny flowers. This is Olearia microphylla and I am also very taken with its thick rambling habit and ability to fill a difficult spot. Olearia is a wonderful genus, the…

  • Canberra’s banksia garden

    I do love a Winter visit to our nation’s capital, it reminds me of my childhood growing up with real seasons. On my quick visit to the The Australian National Botanic Gardens earlier this Winter I stumbled upon their new collection which to my delight is a Bankisa Garden built to Celebrate their 50th Anniversary.…

  • Citrus australasica ‘Red Centre Lime’

    If you ever thought – I like finger lime’s but wish they were bigger and easier to juice… then this is the plant for you! This hybrid was created in the 1990’s as a cross between Citrus australasica (a red finger lime) and an acidic mandarin hybrid (Rangpur lime). This hybrid is very hardy, it…

  • Tough Daisy Bush:Olearia tomentosa

    One of my favorite Olearia’s, so hard to pick just one. Olearia tomentosa is possibly the neatest of the Olearia’s naturally creating a rounded form and very tough. It would be lovely to be seen more often, it is a hardy shrub for well drained, moist soils in full sun or semi shade. The leaves…

  • Easy to grow WA species for the East Coast: Gastrolobium celsianum

    Another one! And this one is a winner, it ticks so many boxes and it is hard to believe it comes from southern WA. Gastrolobium celsianum or Brachysema celsianum is a wonderful native plant, it is relatively easy to source, grows quickly and flowers in shade. It also tolerates moderate frost. The common name for…

  • More Native plants for Containers

    I absolutely love growing native plants in pots or containers, it enables me to grow species which would just up and die if I planted them in the ground. It also means I am increasing the amount of flowers in my garden and providing extra food for pollinating insects. One species I have had several…

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providing resources for native plant gardeners and designers.


Mallee Design was created by Kath Gadd in 2012 to document and share her love for native Australian garden design. Her original motivation was to inspire those interested in learning more about native Australian plants. The Mallee Design blog has since grown into a rich resource, used by gardeners, horticulturalists, landscape designers and others.

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