Shady Garden Makeover

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Shady Garden Makeover

Growing plants in shady, moist situations can be really difficult, in fact shady spots are classic problem areas in many gardens. The traditional solution has been to plant clivias (Clivia miniata). They have bright orange flowers, and there are also hybrids available which have creamy yellow or red flowers.

Don planted up a dark, wet area under some trees with an interesting alternative to clivias: a highly ornamental Australian native called the stream lily, or helmholtzia. He used the “put and look” method, simply trying the plants in different spots until satisfied they looked right. The 25 stream lilies were planted roughly a metre (3′) apart, then mulched and watered in.

Plant details

Common name: Stream lily
Botanical name: Helmholtzia glaberrima
Description: Australian native perennial herb 0.5 to 1.5 metres (2-5′) tall. Fan-like tufts of sword-shaped leaves grow from branched rhizomes. Creamy white to pale pink flowers are produced in summer.
Climate: Very adaptable. Best in temperate and subtropical areas. Worth a try in protected sites in mountain areas and the tropics.

Good points:

loves shady, moist positions – will grow in water showy white flowers mixes well with ferns and palms tolerates light to moderate frosts

Care:

Stream lilies need a moist, shady position in a well-composted soil.

Cost and availability:

Helmholtzias may be difficult to find, but it’s definitely worth encouraging your local nursery to stock them. They are available at specialist native plant nurseries, for example: Sydney Rainforest Nursery, Ourimbah, NSW has plants in 200mm (8″) pots for about $16. Phone: (02) 4362 2499 Wirreanda Nursery, Ingleside, NSW has 200mm (8″) pots for around $16. Phone: (02) 9450 1400 Kuranga Native Nursery, Ringwood, VIC, has stream lilies in 75mm (3″) tubes for $4. Phone: (03) 9879 4076 Fairhill Native Plants, Yandina, QLD, stocks plants in 140mm (6″) for about $6. Phone: (07) 5446 7088

Orange varieties of clivias are available at nurseries from $15 to $25 for a 200mm (8″) pot and $9-$12 for a 150mm (6″) pot. However, new varieties will probably have to be ordered from specialist growers through your local nursery. Offsets of the cream-lemon varieties range in price from $50-$60 and flowering plants can be more than $100. Seeds can cost $8 to $10 each. Clivias can also be ordered via mail order from: Mr. W. Morris (a clivia breeder), PO Box 17, Medowie, NSW, 2318. Clivea Gardens, 120 Caporn Street, Wanneroo, WA, 6065. Phone: (08) 9405 1027. Digger’s Seeds, 105 La Trobe Parade, Dromana, VIC, 3936. Phone: (03) 5987 1877 or fax: (03) 5981 4298. Allan Grundy, phone (03) 9736 1425.