There has been a tremendous renewal of interest in recent years in Australian native plants. However, most people think of shrubs like grevilleas, wattles and banksias when they think of native plants. There are a whole range of Australian native annuals from Western Australian which would do just as well as petunias or other exotic annuals in a cottage garden.
Native annual varieties
Rhodanthe chlorocephala ssp. rosea (Rosy Everlasting) – Papery flowers in a range of shades of pink with narrow leaves. Excellent in the garden or for cut or dried flowers.
Rhodanthe manglesii (Mangle’s Everlasting) – Flowers in both pink and white with broader leaves. Smaller growing than R. chlorocephala spp. rosea.
Schoenia filifolia ssp. subulifolia (Showy Everlasting Daisy) – Yellow papery flowers with very narrow leaves.
Brachyscome iberidifolia (Swan River Daisy) – These flowers in white, pale blue, dark blue and mauve varieties of daisies.
Climate: Will grow in most areas of Australia except severe frost zones.
Care:
sow in autumn where you want them to flower in spring
plant in raised beds outdoors for well drained soils
they grow well in pots as a beautiful display
Availability
Seeds for the Australian native annuals are available from Mount Annan Botanic Garden shop through mail order, phone: (02) 4648 2477. They cost from $2.10-$3.60 per packet. Seeds are also available in a range of Everlasting Daisies from Yates Seeds and Mr Fothergill’s Seeds (available from most major nurseries Australia-wide). Seeds are also available from Nindethana Seeds, PO Box 2121, Albany, WA, 6331. Phone: (08) 9844 3533 or fax: (08) 9844 3573. Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for a catalogue.
Further information
Mount Annan Botanic Garden, Mount Annan Drive, Narrellan, NSW, 2567. Phone: (02) 4648 2477 is open daily from 10am-6pm (October-March) and 10am-4pm (April-September). There are picnic grounds and a visitor centre, admission is charged per vehicle and costs $5 per car or motorbike and $2 for pedestrians and cyclists.