WA – Mallee Design

Chorilaena quercifolia: Another WA toughie

I can’t help myself, I seem always to be drawn to the unique foliage and flowers of the native plants which grow naturally in Western Australia. Which then leads me to buy many grafted native plants or grow them in… Read more ›

14/11/2022 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Hedge, Screening plants, Shade tolerant

Chorilaena quercifolia, dry shade, frost tolerant, long flowering period, part shade, understory planting, WA, well drained soil

The Partying Pea: Chorizema cordatum

This outrageous little pea flower is growing in my daughters primary school, it thinks it is unassuming and doing its own thing, little does it realise what a show off it is! Chorizema cordatum is a wonderful South West Australian… Read more ›

15/09/2020 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Butterfly attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Winter flowering

butterfly attracting, Chorizema cordatum, long flowering period, low spreading habit, orange flowers, part shade, pink flowers, prolific flowers, understory planting, WA, well drained soil

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 ›

29/01/2020 23 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Screening plants, Small garden, Small tree

bee attracting, Corymbia ficifolia 'Fairy Floss', Eucalyptus ficifolia 'Fairy Floss', Eucalyptus ficifolia grafted, feature tree, large flower, pink flowers, summer flowering, WA, well drained soil

Level 2 Water Restriction friendly plants: Calothamnus quadrifidus

Yesterday NSW moved into level 2 water restrictions, it has been a long time coming, with bushfires still burning up and down the east coast and dam levels at an all time low. The hardest hit are out west where… Read more ›

11/12/2019

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Hedge, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Winter flowering

Just because it’s beautiful….Grevillea insignis

Sometimes I feel the urge to promote plants based on their aesthetic appeal and not much more really… and this is one of them Grevillea insignis, this is a little bit indulgent but I saw this Grevillea growing in Cranbourne Botanic… Read more ›

18/03/2019

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Screening plants

Cranbourne Botanic Gardens, Grevillea insignis, grey green leaves, pink flowers, WA

Another true blue Banksia ground cover: Banksia petiolaris

This is another great WA prostrate ground cover Banksia that grows and flowers directly on the ground like Banksia blechnifolia. They have a very similar habit, however their leaves and flowers are quite different. Banksia petiolaris has a lovely bluish… Read more ›

20/11/2018

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Shade tolerant, Winter flowering

Banksia petiolaris, grey green leaves, large flower, understory planting, WA, wildlife habitat, wind tolerant

A true blue Banksia ground cover: Banksia blechnifolia

This is the real deal when it comes to a Banksia ground cover, it naturally grows along the ground it is not a cultivar or hybrid, it “wants” to grow like this! And I love it for that, happily creeping… Read more ›

14/11/2018 6 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Groundcover, Shade tolerant, Winter flowering

Banksia blechnifolia, Red flowers, unusual leaf, WA, well drained soil, wind tolerant

There’s nothing quite like Maireana oppositifolia

There truly is nothing quite like Maireana oppositifolia, the strange and intriguing habit of this silver foliaged beauty is unique. It has a strong upright habit with its branchlets compact and forming points giving it a sculptural affect. In the… Read more ›

06/10/2018 3 Comments

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Drought hardy, Shade tolerant

eremophila 'Kalbarri Carpet', foliage contrast, front line coastal, grey green leaves, Maireana oppositifolia 'Smokey', silver foliage, WA, wind tolerant, year round flowering

Two more lovelies for the Emu Bush Challenge: Eremophila cuneifolia and rotundifolia

I am still very, very slowly working on my Emu Bush plant palette, adding these two beauties Eremophila cuneifolia and Eremophila rotundifolia makes six, I’m halfway to my desired dozen…phew Both these species were grafted where I saw them in… Read more ›

17/09/2018 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Frost tolerant, Winter flowering

bee attracting, Eremophila cuneifolia, Eremophila rotundifolia, foliage contrast, grafted, pink flowers, purple flowers, silver foliage, WA, well drained soil, wind tolerant

The arching canes of Old Socks: Grevillea leucopteris

There are a group of Grevilleas which throw their flowers out on tall leggy canes, up into the air far away from their foliage. Grevillea petrophiloides is probably one of the better known and more available ones in NSW, but… Read more ›

31/08/2018 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Frost tolerant, Screening plants

foliage contrast, fragrant, Grevillea leucopteris, grey green leaves, large flower, Modern Australian Native Garden, WA, white flower, wildlife habitat

Spectacular: Eucalyptus erythrocorys

I almost feel like writing no text necessary next to these images of Eucalyptus erythrocorys, this truly has to be one of the most wonderful eucalyptus flowers in the Australia! those colours, can it get any better? This specimen is growing on… Read more ›

26/03/2018 7 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Small tree

Autumn Flowering, decorative bark, decorative fruit, decorative seed head, Eucalyptus erythrocorys, feature tree, WA, well drained soil, yellow flowers

It’s a great Summer for the Grafted Eucalyptus!

The Western Australian Eucalytpus ficifolia have been wonderful this summer, actually they started off dramatically in Spring and are still going strong despite the hot, hot, hot weather. This blog post features two of the grafted species in an attempt… Read more ›

30/01/2017

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Feature shrub, Screening plants, Small tree

bee attracting, Eucalyptus 'Dwarf Red', Eucalyptus 'Summer Beauty', feature tree, large flower, Red flowers, street address, summer flowering, WA

The Beautiful Gardens of Zanthorrea Nursery

I set aside a morning to visit the Zanthorrea Nursery when I was in Western Australia last August. This was a much anticipated adventure as I have heard much about the nursery and often have recommended it to Western Australians… Read more ›

03/11/2016

Kath Gadd

Hedge, Kids gardens, Landscape Design, Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Small tree

Acacia howittii 'Honey Bun', Austromyrtus dulcis, Baekea virgata dwarf, Banksia 'Birthday Candles', Banksia 'Stumpy Gold', Banksia spinulosa dwarf, Hibbertia dentata, Lomandra 'Tanika', Modern Australian Native Garden, Phebalium squamulosum, Themeda 'Mingo', understory planting, WA, water

The Granite and Woodlands Discovery Trail

On my recent WA wildflower expedition I had a longing to get as far east as possible, to the desert areas to see the wildflowers. This is no mean feat when you have two young children for whom sitting in… Read more ›

16/10/2016

Kath Gadd

Drought hardy, Frost tolerant, Winter flowering

Calothamnus quadrifidus grey form, Eucalypt Woodland, Flame Grevillea, Great Western Woodlands, Hakea scoparia, Kwongan, McDermid Rock, Tammar scrub, WA, Wave Rock

Wonderful West Australian Mallees

I love Mallees, obviously hence my business name, and Western Australia has an amazing array of these characteristic Eucalypts. As part of my recent trip to WA I stayed in an area called Dryandra, a short drive south east of… Read more ›

03/10/2016 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Small tree, Winter flowering

decorative bark, decorative fruit, Eucalyptus caesia, Eucalyptus kruseana, Eucalyptus orbifolia, Eucalyptus rodantha, foliage contrast, grey green leaves, large flower, Mediterranean garden design, WA, weeping habit

Happy National Wattle Day: Acacia glaucoptera

How wonderful is the smell of Wattles flowering right now? I have an Acacia fimbriata Dwarf growing next to my driveway and at the moment wherever I go I seem to be leaving a trail of pale yellow wattle flowers… Read more ›

31/08/2016 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Small garden, Winter flowering

Acacia glaucoptera, grey green leaves, interesting foliage, Scented, understory planting, WA, yellow flowers

Grass Trees of Fremantle

I have just come back from Western Australia and have maaaany photos to share, as I am a little overwhelmed by the volume of my images and don’t really know where to start I thought I would start at the beginning… Read more ›

29/08/2016 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Feature shrub, Naturalistic garden

street address, Street Trees, WA, Xanthorrhoea, Xanthorrhoea preissii

Native Plant Suppliers at the Collectors’ Plant Fair 2015

Yesterday I attended the COLLECTORS’ PLANT FAIR 2015 “Australia’s Treasured Gardening Event” www.collectorsplantfair.com, it is my 2nd time, the first was some years back when it was still held in Bilpin and it rained and rained and rained causing it to… Read more ›

12/04/2015 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Natives for containers

Eucalyptus orbifolia, native plant growers, rare plants, Rhododendron lochiae, WA

Great in the Ground: Alyogyne ‘Blue Heeler’

There is one problem with this plant and I have failed to use it in gardens even when my instincts told me it would be perfect. It looks terrible in a pot in the nursery….not something that can be helped… Read more ›

14/10/2014 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Drought hardy, Groundcover, Natives for containers

Alyogyne 'Blue Heeler', Clematis 'Southern Stars', large flower, purple flowers, WA, wind tolerant

Grafted Grevillea of the moment: Grevillea petrophiloides ‘Wild Beauty’

I am beginning to come around gradually to grafted Grevilleas, it has taken me about 5 years to slowly but surely start including them in my designs. I’m not really sure why I was so reluctant to begin with, maybe… Read more ›

24/09/2014

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Frost tolerant, Hedge, Screening plants

grafted, Grevillea petrophiloides, large flower, pink flowers, WA, weeping habit

Easy to grow WA species for the East Coast

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,… Read more ›

03/08/2014

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Drought hardy, Groundcover, Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant, Winter flowering

bird-attracting, Brachysema celsianum, Gastrolobium celsianum, grey green leaves, Honeyeater, low growing, Red flowers, spreading habit, understory planting, WA

Native Christmas Tree

So I can be a bit of a grinch when it comes to Christmas, it makes it hard when your kids are feeling the christmas cheer and really, really want to be festive. Nothing wrong with being festive its just… Read more ›

08/12/2013 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Kids gardens, Natives for containers

Adenanthos sericeus, foliage contrast, grey green leaves, Red flowers, WA, well drained soil

CAD and a clean slate

This is a very large garden that is an ongoing project at the moment, yesterday was the first plant out day. I would say about 85% of the plants went in yesterday and today, Phew! it was a beautiful day… Read more ›

19/10/2013

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Formal gardens, Groundcover, Landscape Design, Naturalistic garden, Portfolio

foliage contrast, grey green leaves, WA, wind tolerant

Easy to grow WA species: Melaleuca incana

I would so love to have a garden in Western Australia, all the interesting natives I could grow Eucalyptus macrocarpa, Banksia coccinea, Macropedia fulignosa….ahhh but we always want what we can’t have…. So I continue to trail things in my heavy… Read more ›

09/10/2013

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Screening plants, Small tree

clay soils, foliage contrast, grey green leaves, Melaleuca incana, WA, weeping habit, wind tolerant, yellow flowers

Mallee Design

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Tag Archives: WA

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Chorilaena quercifolia: Another WA toughie

The Partying Pea: Chorizema cordatum

Softly softly: Eucalyptus ficifolia ‘Fairy Floss’ Grafted

Level 2 Water Restriction friendly plants: Calothamnus quadrifidus

Just because it’s beautiful….Grevillea insignis

Another true blue Banksia ground cover: Banksia petiolaris

A true blue Banksia ground cover: Banksia blechnifolia

There’s nothing quite like Maireana oppositifolia

Two more lovelies for the Emu Bush Challenge: Eremophila cuneifolia and rotundifolia

The arching canes of Old Socks: Grevillea leucopteris

Spectacular: Eucalyptus erythrocorys

It’s a great Summer for the Grafted Eucalyptus!

The Beautiful Gardens of Zanthorrea Nursery

The Granite and Woodlands Discovery Trail

Wonderful West Australian Mallees

Happy National Wattle Day: Acacia glaucoptera

Grass Trees of Fremantle

Native Plant Suppliers at the Collectors’ Plant Fair 2015

Great in the Ground: Alyogyne ‘Blue Heeler’

Grafted Grevillea of the moment: Grevillea petrophiloides ‘Wild Beauty’

Easy to grow WA species for the East Coast

Native Christmas Tree

CAD and a clean slate

Easy to grow WA species: Melaleuca incana