February 2013 – Mallee Design

Indigenous Eclectic Garden

This is a very, very special garden that I visited last year, from the moment I walked in, the space spoke to me. It is private and secluded and quite small, but jam packed with Illawarra indigenous species.

26/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small tree

climber, decorative fruit, Emmenosperma alphitoniodes, garden sculpture, Indigenous to the Illawarra, Morinda jasminoides, Omalanthus populifolius, Pond plants

Dwarf Dwarf Dwarf Banksia: Banksia ‘Coastal Cushions’

Dwarf, low growing, ground cover, shrub or little Banksias are showing up everywhere, and there isn’t a plant I’m more happy to see coming into ‘fashion’.

22/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Winter flowering

Banksia 'Coastal Cushions', banksia spinulosa, Banksia spinulosa dwarf, large flower, mounding habit, spreading habit

Grass tree spheres

Xanthorrhoea species or Grass Trees are a pretty standard ‘feature plant’ in a native garden, with their showy black trunk and perfect grass head on top they are almost a signature plant for a lot of Australian gardens.

19/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Bush tucker, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Shade tolerant

foliage contrast, grass tree, large flower, ornamantal grass, well drained soil, Xanthorrhoea

Acacia cardiophylla

I am always on the look out for small “feature trees”, something that can be planted in front of a hedge and still be walked under. Or to be placed in a garden bed and have enough space to have… Read more ›

16/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Screening plants, Small tree, Winter flowering

Acacia cardiophylla, fragrant, Quick growing, weeping habit, yellow flowers

Native ginger: Alpinia caerulea ‘Red Back’

This is native ginger, Alpinia caerulea ‘Red Back’, planted in an internal courtyard, doesn’t it look beautiful? It had been recently cleaned out and cut back as it was a bit too happy. It has naturally arching canes that form… Read more ›

13/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Bush tucker, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

Alpinia 'Red Back', alpinia caerulea, bee attracting, bird-attracting, clay soils, fast growing, large leaves, lizards, moist shade, rainforest species, shade tolerant, summer flowering, understory planting

Layers

I saw this little entrance garden to a Leisure centre last weekend and thought that the layers of different foliage were really well done. A little bit formal with the three tiered hedges of Acacia cognata dwarf, Austromyrtus inopholia and… Read more ›

11/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Formal gardens, Hedge, Landscape Design

Acacia cognata dwarf, Austromyrtus inophloia, Baekea virgata dwarf, foliage contrast, Layers, Westringia 'Zena'

Banksia as small trees: Banksia marginata

Every Australian Native garden should have at least one Banksia, even if it is a ground cover or low spreading shrub, they are a signature plant. Banksia marginata grows to be a beautiful small tree with a thick canopy and… Read more ›

08/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Hedge, Screening plants, Small tree, Winter flowering

Banksia marginata, cut flowers, feature tree, large flower, well drained soil, wildlife habitat, wind tolerant, yellow flowers

Gates

I love gates, a good old fashioned entrance marker that you hardly see anymore, you know the ones where its just enough space for one person to walk through, where it has nothing to do with garages or driveways, put… Read more ›

05/02/2013

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Landscape Design

Entrance ways, Eucalyptus maculata, gates, pathways