Tropical garden – Mallee Design

The glossy leafed Eupomatia laurina

This ancient flowering plant has a fossil record of 120 million years, it’s primitive flowers are a legacy from Gondwana. Isn’t that mind blowing!? The perfumed, glossy screen tree with edible fruits is the perfect addition to a bush food… Read more ›

Bird attracting, Bush tucker, Feature shrub, Hedge, Illawarra natives, Natives for containers, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small tree, Tropical garden

bee attracting, bird-attracting, Bush Foods, clay soils, dense habit, edible fruit, Edible native plant, Illawarra natives, large leaves, moist shade, natives for pots, Scented, understory planting, white flower, wollongong local species

The elegant branches of Leptospermum brachyandrum ‘Silver’

I have written about this favourite tea tree of mine before, however I think it deserves another post which is more dedicated to its elegant branches and decorative bark. I took these photos of Leptopsermum brachyandrum ‘Silver’ at Kuranga native… Read more ›

19/09/2023 2 Comments

Feature shrub, Frost tolerant, Landscape Design, Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Small tree, Tropical garden

clay soils, creek planting, decorative bark, foliage contrast, grey green leaves, heavy soils, Leptospermum brachyandrum 'Silver', temporary inundation, weeping habit, wet weather, white flower

The Bronze Highlights of Gymnostoma australianum

This almost Christmas like tree is part of the Casuarina family, at first glance can look like a conifer or pine tree, but fuller in habit. Its overall texture and colour is very similar to She Oaks when they are… Read more ›

Coastal, Formal gardens, Hedge, Natives for containers, Screening plants, Small tree, Tropical garden

Autumn Flowering, bird-attracting, casuarina family, christmas tree, cone, dense habit, fence screening, foliage contrast, full sun, Gymnostoma australianum, part shade, privacy screen, prolific flowers, QLD species, rainforest species, well drained soil, wind break

The adaptable possibilities of: Banksia plagiocarpa

This Banksia not only has beautiful flowers but also eye-catching bright red new growth that is covered in tiny hairs giving it a velvety texture, similar to the new growth on Banksia robur. Banksia plagiocarpa has great ornamental potential in… Read more ›

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Small garden, Tropical garden, Winter flowering

Australian Native Garden, banksia plagiocarpa, bee attracting, bird-attracting, drought tolerant, large flower, long flowering period, medium shrub, Native Garden Design, temporary inundation, well drained soil, wet weather

Lucious, Shade-loving: Trochocarpa laurina

Note: The photos on this post were originally misidentified as Decaspermum humile. Thanks to @nightjarnatives who corrected the id on instagram! Trochocarpa laurina or ‘Tree Heath’ is a large shrub to small tree which loves the shade. I have recently… Read more ›

Bird attracting, Bush tucker, Butterfly attracting, Hedge, Illawarra natives, Medium Tree, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small tree, Tropical garden

bird-attracting, dense habit, heavy shade, moist shade, rainforest species, Reddish foliage, shade tolerant, subtropical species, Trochocarpa laurina, understory planting, weeping habit

What to Plant for Poorly Drained Soils

Wet Weather Gardening After yet more rain on the east coast many plants in many gardens are suffering water-logging. Even in reasonably well drained soils the inundation has been too much for some plants. Physically, the force of rain, streams… Read more ›

15/07/2022 3 Comments

Coastal, Feature shrub, Hedge, Screening plants, Small tree, Tropical garden

Agonis 'Burgundy', Agonis flexuosa, Baloskion tetraphyllum, Banksia robur, bee attracting, boggy soils, Casuarina 'Cousin It', Casuarina 'Freefall', Casuarina 'Green Wave', Casuarina glauca prostrate form, clay soils, Grevillea baileyana, Leptospermum 'Starry Night', Melaleuca armillaris Pink, Melaleuca viridiflora 'Burgundy Weeper', Melastoma affine, Syzygium wilsonii, water logged soils, wet weather

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 2 Comments

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 ›

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 2 Comments

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 ›

Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Tropical garden

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

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

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 ›

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

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

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 6 Comments

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 ›

Medium Tree, Screening plants, Small tree, Tropical garden

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

Exotic looking native: Rhododendron lochiae

There are several native plants that I like to use when either designing a planting that already has some exotic species established or when trying to convince people that not all native plants are straggly, open and dry looking. This… Read more ›

18/09/2014 4 Comments

Formal gardens, Natives for containers, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Tropical garden

cut flowers, large flower, rainforest species, Red flowers, Rhododendron lochiae, well drained soil

4 Reliable Shadies

I have been visiting many shady gardens lately, where there hasn’t really been much scope for planting anything besides ferns and their relatives. This has made me stop and think about tough, reliable shade plants, natives for ground cover, lower… Read more ›

Groundcover, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

Cyathea cooperi, Doodia aspera, dry shade, Lepidozamia peroffskyana, moist shade, Pteris umbrosa, understory planting

Shady Lilly Pilly: Syzygium wilsonii

There are so many Lilly Pillys around, different cultivars, that apparently grow faster, thicker, thinner, redder and so on, they are used for hedging everywhere (which is great, far better than Murraya) and can be a little over done. This… Read more ›

28/10/2013 4 Comments

Feature shrub, Hedge, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Small tree, Tropical garden

clay soils, pink flowers, rainforest species, Syzygium wilsonii, weeping habit

Plum Bush Tucker: Davidsonia pruiens

This is the Davidsons Plum (Davidsonia pruiens) sending out its flower spikes, getting ready to cover itself in juicy, tart plums YUM. I saw this one in a clients rainforest garden and it was very striking, each of those like… Read more ›

Bird attracting, Bush tucker, Feature shrub, Natives for containers, Shade tolerant, Small tree, Tropical garden

clay soils, Davidsonia pruiens, edible fruit, rainforest species, understory planting

Australian Plants Society Open Gardens: Aitkin Garden Bonnet Bay

So over the weekend some of the members of the Australian Plant Society Sutherland Group opened their gardens to the general public, for me this is like a dream come true, theres nothing I like more than having a sticky… Read more ›

Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

Asplenium nidus, Cordyline petiolaris, Cordyline stricta, Dendrobium speciosum, Dicksonia antartica, Doryanthes excelsa, foliage contrast, Graptophyllum ilicifolium, Lomatia silaifolia, Macrozamia communis, Omalanthus popufolius, rainforest species, understory planting, Xanthorrhoea

Soft Feathery Grass: Baloskion tetraphyllum

I tend to use a lot of grasses in my gardens, I am not totally reliant on them and can manage without, however I mostly use plants with a weeping, soft appearance, and grasses are valuable in creating texture and… Read more ›

Naturalistic garden, Ornamental grass, Tropical garden, Water plants

Baloskion tetraphyllum, clay soils, foliage contrast, frogs, Pond plants, water logged soils, weeping habit

Rainforest planting

With the excessive amount of rain we have been receiving over the last few days and with more scheduled to come I am noticing how the different sections of my garden are coping. Over half of my garden is in… Read more ›

Shade tolerant, Tropical garden

Anopterus macleayanus, Asplenium nidus, clay soils, Doryanthes palmerii, foliage contrast, Platycerium bifurcatum, rainforest species, water logged soils