-
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 in recent years, including Babbingtonia and now Sannantha, however there is no other plant quite like…
-
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 several species of Leptospermum with a red tinge to the leaf however ‘Starry Night’ is…
-
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 is number seven in my memorable Eremophila line up. Eremophila racemosa ‘Peaches and Cream’ is…
-
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 create dense screens, focal points or backdrops. Weeping foliage in a garden gives a relaxed informal…
-
A job done well: Pandorea pandorana ‘Snowbells’
If you need a reliable, quick growing climber to screen or cover an area, that attracts birds and bees and generally looks healthy and flowers profusely… well then what do you think of Pandorea pandorana ‘Snowbells’? This is form of Pandora produces masses of snowy white trumpet-like flowers in late winter and early spring, attracting…
-
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 I would also like to bring attention to Grevillea leucopteris. In the image above you…
-
The delicate floral leaves of Spyridium parvifolium
This year I have become somewhat obsessed with native shrubs that have a tendency towards growing in part to full shade and have rusty, furry leaves or flowers. I am always looking for plants that are happy with a little shade and have a certain texture to their foliage, Spyridium parvifolium is one of them. The…
-
Some like it hot! Buckinghamia celsissima
All this hot weather has certainly been of benefit to the Ivory Curl trees in and around Sydney, they are blooming themselves silly! This photos in this blog post are of a specimen in my mums garden in Wollongong, the scent is intoxicating and the bees are having a major harvest. Buckinghamia celsissima or Ivory…
-
Quick Screen & Habitat: Hakea salicifolia
This is the Willow Leafed Hakea or Hakea salicifolia, friend to Hakea sericea, the reason I think they are friends is that they have a lot in common, plus they were growing so happily together when I took these photos 😉 as you can see in the image below. Hakea salicifolia is a fast growing…
-
Hakea sericea: Pink or White?
Whenever I am asked what is a great small bird attracting shrub for native gardens Hakea sericea is often on the top of my recommended list. It is a medium to large shrub with a dense habit and sharp needle like leaves for the small birds to seek refuge in. Thornbills, finches and honeyeaters will…
-
Shade loving Leionema ‘Green Screen’
This is still one of my favourite native shrubs for growing in dry shade or part sun, Leionema ‘Green Screen’ is a hybrid of L. elatius and L. lamprophyllum, and is an extremely useful plant! In the image above you can see its mature habit, thick and bushy and dense with flowers in mid to…
-
Portfolio: Glebe Re-visit
I have done it again, another sneaky drive by whilst in the area, and another very pleasant discovery. This garden is looking wonderful and full of flower and interest as we enter the dull colder months. This tiny front garden in Glebe received a little extra attention about 6 months ago where I added…
-
The Versatile Spider Lily: Crinum pedunculatum
I have only just realised how very adaptable this plant is after seeing it growing on the beach in Murramarang National Park last week, I had no idea it would grow on sand in a front line coastal position and look so beautiful. In the image below you can see how symmetrical the clumps of the…
-
Verge Gardens
I am a big fan of a front garden that makes a statement in the street-scape or somehow breaks up the monotony of the suburban front garden ‘norm’. I often kick myself for not being able to stop or being without my camera when I spot a front garden that goes out of its way…
-
One of the Best Street Trees: Buckinghamia celsissima
This is Buckinghamia celsissima or the Ivory Curl tree, it is another small to medium tree that is in flower over the summer months, chances are you have seen it around, it is VERY hard to miss. I saw this one on a street in Mosman, I think it was planted by a resident as there…
-
The Very Loveable Parsley Bush: Lomatia silaifolia
This is Lomatia silaifolia or Parsley Bush, a very under-utilised plant in most native gardens, I include Lomatia in many of my gardens as it grows in shade or full sun, it is a reliable when it comes to flowering and grows very quickly. Many people look at Lomatia and think it is a Grevillea,…
-
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!…
-
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’ where you can lay down in the sun or do cartwheels or set up a trampoline or…
-
Portfolio: Glebe Re-visited
I went back to this front Terrace garden in Glebe a couple of weeks ago to do some follow up work; re-mulching and pruning and I was struck again by how quickly the garden is filling out, it is still under a year old and already you can see the structure as the plants begin…
-
The Temperamentally Fruiting Plume Pine: Podocarpus elatus
I am always excited when I get to taste a new bush tucker food, these Australian native plant foods seem to get a fairly bad rap when it comes to flavour and usually I am pleasantly surprised when something ends up being quite palatable and occasionally delicious! Therefore it was fantastic to find a Podocarpus…
-
Coastal Correa ground cover : Correa alba prostrate
I have been trying to wait until I have a photo of this useful low growing shrub in flower and I’m sure I do somewhere but I have become impatient! This is a ground cover form of Correa alba and I have been finding it to be a wonderful performer under the most difficult conditions.…
-
Butterfly attracting Pimelea ‘White Jewel’
This is a low growing form of Pimelea linifolia called ‘White Jewel’, it has proven itself to me to be very hardy and versatile. One of the main reasons I like using this plant is its shape, it grows into a thick luscious looking mound about 30cmHigh x 60cmWide which has the appearance of having…