Tag: well drained soil

  • the always blooming Grevillea × semperflorens

    the always blooming Grevillea × semperflorens

    This is a little known Grevillea Hybrid which has been around for a long time, I have never really understood why this Grevillea isn’t more widely used. It is highly ornamental and spends much of the year in flower. In fact semperflorens actually means always blooming. It is a hrybrid between G. thelemanniana and a yellow-flowered…

  • for lovers of purple:Melaleuca nesophila

    for lovers of purple:Melaleuca nesophila

    I must admit purple is not one of my favourite colours and when clients specify purple flowers I often come up a blank and can only think of Hardenbergia, which is completely ridiculous as there are Brachyscome, Scaevola, Patersonia and soooo many Melaleucas have purple flowers, silly me. This one is one of my favourites…

  • What a Summer for Corymbia ficifolia!

    What a Summer for Corymbia ficifolia!

    This Summer of 2023 – 2024 has been extremely kind to out flowering gums, enabling them to put on a prolific show Australia wide. I’m not sure what has made them so happy, it could be adequate moisture whilst they are budding up or enough heat in the sun to make the blooms pop, whatever…

  • Hide it with Hibbertia scandens

    Hide it with Hibbertia scandens

    Hibbertia scandens or Guinea Flower is one of the most hardy and useful native plants I know of. It can be used as a ground cover, a low shrub, climber or it can even be pruned and shaped into lovely topiary shapes. In the images of this post I used it as a screening species…

  • Two top Thomasias: Thomasia macrocarpa and Thomasia solanacea

    Two top Thomasias: Thomasia macrocarpa and Thomasia solanacea

    Thomasia is a native shrub species which can be found largely in the south of Western Australia, like many of the species located in that area of Australia it is quite adaptable. For some reason all of this genus is endowed with showy, textured foliage like few other native species, making them a wonderful edition…

  • Phenomenal Phebaliums: the delicate blooms of Phebalium nottii and squamulosum

    Phenomenal Phebaliums: the delicate blooms of Phebalium nottii and squamulosum

    I am a long time fan of the Phebalium genus, these small to large shrubs which belong in the Rutaceae family can be found growing over much of the south and east coast of Australia. However Phebalium squamulosum is an extremely variable species which means it contains a number of forms and subspecies. So I must…

  • The Bronze Highlights of Gymnostoma australianum

    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 flowering, which is probably why this specimen caught me eye. The male and female flowers…

  • The adaptable possibilities of: Banksia plagiocarpa

    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 the garden, as it can be grown a a large shrub or can be shaped…

  • Light it up: Grevillea lanigera ‘Mellow Yellow’

    Light it up: Grevillea lanigera ‘Mellow Yellow’

    I have mass planted Grevillea ‘Mellow Yellow in a semi shaded position in my garden and have been surprised at its tenacity and ability to cover its self in blooms for an extended period of time. The small striking spider like flowers appeared in Summer and are showing no sign of slowing down as we…

  • Try hedging with something a bit different: Lomatia myricoides

    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 fabulous tall screening shrub. I have found Lomatia myricoides to be extremely versatile in the…

  • The constantly evolving beauty of Ozothamnus diosmifolius

    The constantly evolving beauty of Ozothamnus diosmifolius

    This small to medium native shrub is a hard one to capture both in an image and in words, I have been documenting these three specimens in my garden since they were planted a couple of years ago. It never seemed the right time to photograph them as the flowers are always changing colour and…

  • Australian Native Plants in Japan

    Australian Native Plants in Japan

    It was inevitable that I wouldn’t be able to turn off my native plant nerd brain whilst overseas in Japan last month…. I tried, I really did. I took photos of Japanese plants, seed pods and flowers and researched after visiting the gardens and temples. BUT every Australian plant seemed to call out to me…

  • Merry NSW Christmas Bush: Ceratopetalum gummiferum

    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 late, as many have finished thier show by the time Christmas actually arrives. However, I…

  • Kangaroo Paw Care – Get the Pruners Out!

    Kangaroo Paw Care – Get the Pruners Out!

    The Kangaroo Paws in this Bundeena garden are a rainbow of colour, they were planted three years ago in a swathe to test Angus Stewarts ‘Anigozanthos ‘Landscape series’ range. They have a striking effect mass planted and it was a delight to go back and visit them in full bloom a couple of weeks ago.…

  • Chorilaena quercifolia: Another WA toughie

    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 pots or try the ‘see how she goes’ test in my garden. This is Chorilaena…

  • A true carpeting ground cover: Pratia pedunculata

    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…

  • The purple punch of Prostanthera ovalifolia

    The purple punch of Prostanthera ovalifolia

    There is something about this particular shade of purple that is both eye catching and calming at the same time, it’s a lovely vibrant lilac which covers the entire shrub and lights up a shady corner. This native Mint Bush also does well in full sun as well as part shade, making it quite a…

  • Bold Blue Tongue: Melastoma affine

    Bold Blue Tongue: Melastoma affine

    The colour of this flower is contentious, is it purple or deep pink? it also looks different in the flesh as opposed to on screen and it comes in a white form. This is Melastoma affine, a medium shrub found naturally in tea tree swamps or on creek edges in our sub tropical and tropical…

  • Happy National Wattle Day!

    Happy National Wattle Day!

    We hope your gardens are in full bloom and continue to bring you and the native wildlife joy throughout the month of Spring. This years Wattle is Acacia linifolia or Flax Wattle, it flowers from Summer through to Winter. Changes are afoot this month and we have some some exciting announcements which we thought worthwhile…

  • Happy Eucalyptus Day! Eucalyptus risdonii

    Happy Eucalyptus Day! Eucalyptus risdonii

    This is a Eucalypt species very close to my heart, you can see it in my banner at the top of the website. Yes, I took photos of it almost 10 years ago and have recently revisited the vegetation community where it can be found. Eucalyptus risdonii grows only on the eastern shore of Hobart…

  • The almost native pig face: xDisphyllum ‘Sunburn’

    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…

  • Wildflowers of the Illawarra

    Wildflowers of the Illawarra

    This wildflower season I have stayed local due to travel restrictions, which has meant I have walked the Illawarra escarpment a lot more than I normally would. Usually in the winter wildflower season we would travel to the Blue mountains or further west or even north for outdoor adventuring and bush exploring. So it has…

  • Portfolio: Helensburgh Consult

    Portfolio: Helensburgh Consult

    Front gardens play such an important role in most streetscapes but especially in suburbia where the repetition of built form and front lawns can become almost claustrophobic. These clients wanted something different to look out on from inside of their home but also a welcoming garden on arrival home from work. The new native garden…

  • Happy National Wattle Day: Acacia binervia ‘Sterling Silver’

    Happy National Wattle Day: Acacia binervia ‘Sterling Silver’

    Spring! if ever there is a seasonal change to bring hope and excitement for the future surely Spring is it? I have been watching the Wattles all Winter long, they have been lovely this year and very appreciated during extended lockdown wanders. But now we have made it to Spring (Hooray) a time for growth…