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Silver in the Shade: Plectranthus argentatus

If you are looking for a native understory plant to grow where no plant has succeeded before give Plectranthus argentatus a try. It will grow in the dry soil under large trees and ramble about filling in bare patches and 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 ›

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 ›

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 ›

The Grevillea screen that could: Grevillea ‘Dorothy Gordon’

This is a Grevillea that can…screen out neighbours, fill an empty hole quickly, attract nectar feeding birds, give privacy, flowers profusely and is quite unusual looking. I would say its closest cousin is Grevillea ‘Strawberry Blonde’ another favourite of mine Read more ›

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 Read more ›

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 Read more ›

Last Wattle for the Season: Acacia argyrophylla

OK I promise this is the last Acacia profile for the year, usually I try and mix it up a lot more on my blog. I am well aware the page is now aglow with lovely yellow ball flowers which may Read more ›

Yum Yum: Acacia cardiophylla

This is a wattle close to my heart, it is one of the most strongly perfumed Australian native flowers I have come across, but not in a over-powering sweet, honey-nectar way, it is more of a Boronia type scent…yum, yum… Read more ›

Pink and Grey: Guichenotia ledifolia

As a colour combination pink and grey is one of my favourites, especially on a plant, grey leaves and a soft pink flower win me over every time! Luckily for me it is a fairly common combination in native Australian Read more ›

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 Read more ›

Correas and Croweas: Special Shady Friends

I spent last weekend in Mount Victoria, staying in a log cabin surrounded by a wonderful bush garden. There were plenty of Banskias, Eucalypts and Acacias but what really filled the garden out were the swathed of Correas and Croweas Read more ›

It’s that time of year again! Banksia ‘Coastal Cushions’

It’s my favourite time of year again Autumn! Hooray! goodbye humidity, I will not miss you and neither will my favourite native plants. Autumn is also wonderful because the Banksias are budding up or out already and everywhere I go Read more ›

Expert Grass Tree advice!

My favourite supplier for Grass Trees is located on the Northern NSW coast they are called Bruinsma Grass Trees and stock lovely healthy specimens, however that is not all they do… They also follow up and offer excellent advice through 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 ›

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 ›

Brilliant Banksia ‘Orange Glow’

I have written a lot about the dwarf varieties of Banksia spinulosa but virtually nothing about the dwarf forms of Banksia ericifolia, I must rectify this! They are also prolific flowerers and have a wonderful dense habit and are equally bird Read more ›

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 ›

Outstanding: Grevillea arenaria

This is an outstanding plant for attracting birds, providing nesting habitat, shelter and nectar for honeyeaters and insectivorous birds. George Adams ‘Birdscaping Australian Gardens’ Thanks George I couldn’t have said it any better! I love my copy of the above Read more ›

Marvellous Banksia ‘Mini Marg’!

This is another form of Banksia marginata, a dwarf form that grows dense and low but still covers itself with bright yellow insect and bird attracting flowers in Summer through to Autumn. Banksia ‘Mini Marg’ is quite variable in height Read more ›

Another Silver Leaved Beauty: Eucalyptus pulverulenta

This is Eucalyptus pulverulenta another of my favourite small silver foliaged feature trees, it rates highly on my list along with Leptospermum brachyandrum ‘Silver’, Calothamnus quadrifidus ‘Grey’ and Eucalyptus ceasia ‘Silver Princess’. Eucalyptus pulverulenta is known as Silver-leaved Mountain Gum, it grows to Read more ›

My Favourite Native Hibiscus

Many people are not aware of the range of native hibiscus species that grow here in Australia, they are often not seen in cultivation or mistaken for exotics. I have a few favourites that I like to incorporate in my Read more ›