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Privacy with punch: Leptospermum lanigerum ‘Seclusion’

Please meet Leptospermum ‘Seclusion’ which I am finding to be an outstanding native screening plant, originally I admit to buying it for its intriguing cultivar name ‘Seclusion’, who doesn’t want that in their garden right? It also has a classic Read more ›

Try hedging with something a bit different: Lomatia myricoides

I have already written about this large native shrub Lomatia myricoides or River or Long-leaf Lomatia, please see the link below. This post is not so much about this Lomatia as a specimen plant but about its potential as a Read more ›

Merry NSW Christmas Bush: Ceratopetalum gummiferum

I am a bit of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas and often one of the things which pulls me our of my un-festive slump is our Ceratopetalum gummiferum or native Christmas Bush. This year I was a little Read more ›

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 Read more ›

Luscious, Dense and Green: Xanthostemon chrysanthus

This showy small to medium tropical tree was flowering its head off on my recent trip to Brisbane and northern NSW. It was such a welcome sight after the damp, soggy Summer we have had, finally a species revelling in Read more ›

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 ›

Inala Conservation Reserve: Bruny Island

Forty Spotted Pardalote Image above by Alfred-Schulte The Inala Reserve on Bruny Island was the highlight of my recent trip to Tasmania, we spent two nights staying in the cabins inside the reserve bird watching and exploring this natural wonderland. Read more ›

The very versatile Lomatia myricoides

I have been wanting to tell you all about the River Lomatia for some time but have been waiting to find some fully grown shrubs to photograph and I finally found them on my recent Summer trip to  Mount Kosciuszko. Read more ›

Bee Friendly Gardening

Bees play an important role in our ecosystem and we rely heavily on them to pollinate our food crops and our native bushland, not to mention supply us with delicious honey. There are over 1,500 native bee species in Australia Read more ›

Small Scented Shade Tree: Leptospermum petersonii

I finally found a mature Lemon Scented Tea Tree to photograph which shows off its stunning weeping habit and shapely trunk and branches. Leptospermum petersonii really does make a wonderful small feature shade tree in the garden, the strong thick Read more ›

Emu Bush No. 9: Eremophila bignoniiflora x polyclada

Three years ago I set myself a challenge to learn 12 Eremophila species in 12 months, it hasn’t been going very well …..yet again I have failed to meet my own deadline ? However, my desire to learn more about Read more ›

Luscious green screen: Myoporum acuminatum

Some native plants are just so useful and practical I really don’t understand why we don’t see them being utilised everywhere…. and Myoporum acuminatum is one of them. It is a mystery to me why this very fast growing , Read more ›

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 Read more ›

Softly softly: Eucalyptus ficifolia ‘Fairy Floss’ Grafted

These soft, gentle pink flower clusters belong to another grafted Eucalyptus (Corymbia) ficifolia dwarf grafted gum, this sweet small tree is called ‘Fairy Floss’, isn’t the name just perfect? This small feature tree flowers in the warm summer months between Read more ›

The Greatest Geebung: Persoonia pinifolia

Geebungs are a wonderful Genus of native plant, they below in the Proteaceae family like Banksias and possess a variety of flowers, leaves and habits. In fact I have already written about Persoonia pinifolia a couple of years ago, see here.  Read more ›

A must have in your habitat garden: Bursaria spinosa

All hail sweet Bursaria! this native plant is a superstar performer in a native habitat garden fulfilling so many critters requirements and needs. I have been collecting images of Bursaria spinosa for about 10 years now, always looking for a Read more ›

Another special Dwarf Eucalyptus for small gardens: Eucalyptus citriodora ‘Scentuous’

The lemon scented gum is one of my favourite fragrances, that pungent citronella smell released after the rain or at dusk on a summer evening makes me all sentimental about our incredible flora. Unfortunately Eucalyptus or Corymbia citriodora doesn’t mix Read more ›

Why the name Mallee?

I am often asked if I come from Mallee country in Victoria and sadly the answer is no, Mallee Design my business name was not chosen for geographical reasons it was chosen for aesthetic reasons. I am in love with Read more ›

The display gardens of Austplant Nursery

I have been away in Victoria for the past few weeks, camping on Wilsons Prom and then visiting native nurseries and gardens on the Mornington Peninsula. It was a wonderful holiday that has left me with a touch of post Read more ›

A unique feature: Baeckea virgata Dwarf

I spotted this delightful front garden in Crows Nest a few weeks ago, I loved it for its simplicity, it shows off one of my favourite low mounding plants Baeckea virgata Dwarf perfectly! Baeckea has had a few names changes Read more ›

The exploding Leptospermum ‘Starry Night’

I have been monitoring these Leptospermum obovatum ‘Starry Night’ shrubs (that   I planted in a neighbours garden) closely, waiting, waiting for them to flower and BOOM! last week they exploded! I love reddish or burgundy foliage and there are Read more ›

Two toned toughie: Eremophila racemosa ‘Peaches and Cream’

This hardy little shrub is aptly named for its two toned flowers, this Emu bush has yellow flower buds which once open change colour to white…get it peaches and cream … boom ching! Anyway cliche plant breeder names aside this Read more ›

The most weeping of the weeping: Myoporum floribundum

I am obsessed with plants with a weeping habit or drooping foliage, some people find them sad and depressing looking but they are my favourite. There are many native plants with soft long leaves or gently falling branches, they can Read more ›

The many colours of Eucalyptus ficifolia grafted

I have been taking photos of grafted flowering gums for the last 10 years and have been meaning to make a colour comparison between some of my favourites. It can be very confusing deciphering the different pinks and reds, not Read more ›