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A true carpeting ground cover: Pratia pedunculata
This is a native ground cover which sometimes gets classed as a steppable (not a real word ;)), meaning it works well between steppers and pavers and can be walked on occasionally without too much fuss. I like to use it mixed with other low growing ground covers like Dichondra and native violet to get…
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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…
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The densely layered Leptospermum rotundifolium ‘Julie Ann’
It’s no secret that I love tea trees, I forgive them for their short flowering periods and sometimes sporadic and un reliable floral displays, and this particular Tea Tree has really tested my patience. This is Leptospermum rotundifolium ‘Julie Ann’ a low growing spreading shrub form of Leptospermum rotundifolium from Jervis Bay. It grows to a…
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Low and Large: Grevillea ‘Cooroora Cascade’
This Grevillea ground cover always looks optimistic to me, with its large sunny gold flowers and luscious green fine leaves, it scrambles around the garden filling gaps with its happy go lucky stems. Grevillea ‘Cooroora Cascade’ is a prostrate form of ‘Golden Lyre’ with the same large flower spikes yet scrambles along the ground forming a…
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Are native plants really drought tolerant? Casuarina ‘Cousin It’
When someone tells you they want a drought tolerant garden, what comes to mind? or you may be told a certain plant is ‘water wise’Â what does this really mean? As the current drought wears on and wears thin and watering your garden becomes something you can only do under strict regulations many people are looking…
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Portfolio: Gladesville Front Garden Design
This sweet front garden was built earlier this year after a quite extensive house renovation in Gladesville, it is somewhat of a “treat” for the client and the house to have a fresh start after a year of messing building work. I have been looking for the before photos on my hard drive for half…
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Portfolio: Northmead Garden Design
I was lucky enough to be asked back for some follow up advice for this charming native habitat garden in the outer suburbs of Sydney today. The renovations are finally over and the garden hasn’t faired too badly with all the coming and going. This property is located backing onto bushland which in times of…
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Portfolio: Woolooware Garden Design
This residential garden was designed at the beginning of 2017 and built later that year, to complete the property’s brand new modern extension. The owners had acquired some beautiful, large sandstone boulders from offsite to be used in the new landscape and these and the existing Eucalyptus in the rear neighbours garden informed the the…
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Remember daisies make you happy! Xerochrysum ‘Dargan Hill Monarch’
I need a little cheering up today, and although I have hundreds of interesting plant and landscape design photos from my recent Victorian trip I just need to share some sunny happiness in the form of yellow native daisies, bear with me … The paper daisy in the above photos is Xerochrysum ‘Dargan Hill Monarch’…
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Happy little rambler: Goodenia ovata ‘Goldcover’
I am a huge fan of Goodenia ovata, it is an extremely useful shrub, hardy and floriferous and now I am also going to sing the praise of its off shoot Goodenia ovata prostrate ‘Goldcover’. This little ground cover has the same leaves and flowers as its parent shrub but possesses the skill of rambling…
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The silver cascading Banksia ‘Roller Coaster’
This is one of the most useful native plants around, a prostrate form of the coast Banksia, Banksia integrifolia. I like to use it for covering embankments like the one in these images at the Bulli Grevillea Park. It also layers upon itself giving it some height and density and therefore creating a useful mounding shape.…
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Portfolio: Bundeena Garden Design Revisit
I visited one of my favourite gardens today and it did not disappoint, I haven’t seen this coastal Bundeena garden for 18 months and many of the trees and shrubs have really filled out in that time. I feel so lucky to be able to keep track of this gardens progress and check in when…
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Some plants are just plain tough: Melaleuca ‘Ulladulla Beacon’
I seem to be on a bit of a Melaleuca tangent of late so I am just going to go with it, Melaleucas are tough and perform beautifully under a range of conditions especially in a heavier clay soil, this is one of the many reasons I love Melaleuca hypericifolia ‘Ulladulla Beacon’. Melaleuca ‘Ulladulla Beacon’ is…
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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…
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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…
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Good Old Native Daisy: Brachyscome multifida
Brachyscomes are one of those native plants that have multiple uses in a garden, they brighten up a dull corner, keep weeds at bay with their dense mounding habit and add interest and contrast to a layered mixed planting. They are easy to care for and will perform under many different conditions. They are…
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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…
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Native Lawn Substitute: Dichondra repens
I paid a visit to one of my old garden designs last week and discovered that since I had last seen the garden it has become completely lawn free, as in grass lawn. The owner has been busily dividing up tube stock of Dichondra repens in order to give him green pathways throughout the garden,…
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One of my Favourite Grevillea Groundcovers: Grevillea curviloba
I have been waiting a long time to be able to photograph Grevillea curviloba in full flower, it is a favourite of mine even when not in flower. Finally, I came across two specimens in a private garden that were both covered in blooms, and full of native bees, mind you. Introducing Grevillea curviloba! Hooorah!…
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Myoporum Lawn: Myoporum parvifolium
I dislike lawn, not the idea of it but the maintenance aspect; mowing and edging, weeding and watering, fertilising and aerating, all this for a bit of green open space. I do like the idea of ‘green open space’Â where you can lay down in the sun or do cartwheels or set up a trampoline or…
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Groundcover grass: Themeda ‘Mingo’
I am slowly discovering all the different forms of Kangaroo grass, trust me there are more than you think! This is a blue form which is so weeping it is basically like a ground cover. Native ornamental grasses can fulfil so many rolls in the garden, they can be borders, edging, provide habitat, food for…
Tag: carpeting ground cover