Most gardeners think of cyclamen as delicate indoor plants. However they can be grown outside, and in fact occur naturally in harsh, rocky areas in the Mediterranean and Europe. The miniature wild Italian cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium), will thrive and multiply in a...
Dwarf Diosma Coleonema pulchrum and its various forms are very popular garden shrubs, with their aromatic foliage and starry flowers. The old fashioned green dwarf form ‘Compactum’ is often overlooked these days in favour of its sport ‘Sunset...
English Roses Many of the old fashioned or heritage roses have a colour, form and scent that’s unrivalled by most of the modern varieties. The Centifolia group of roses is wonderful in hot climates and includes Fantin-Latour, a vigorous plant with pale pink...
Eremophila nivea Don looked at Eremophila nivea, an emu bush with silvery leaves covered with fine hairs which trap moisture. Although perfectly adapted to survive in the drier parts of Australia, in humid coastal zones this plant is not easy to grow and is...
Callistemon ‘Harkness’ is a hybrid from the Gawler area of South Australia. It is one of the best bottlebrushes ever, with its long lasting, spectacular display of showy red flowers. Plant details Common name: Harkness bottlebrush Botanical name:...
The world is full of weird and bizarre plants, but the most strange and bizarre would have to be the carnivorous plants. It’s amazing to think of plants trapping living creatures, and slowly digesting them. If you saw the movie “The Day of the...
Chinese lanterns or abutilons (Abutilon x hybridum) are charming evergreen shrubs with attractive maple-like leaves and an open, pendulous habit. They grow to about 2-3 metres (6-10′) tall. The lantern-shaped flowers are produced in September to December, but...
One of the best things about bulbs is that they’re a great investment! They’re practically guaranteed to perform, at least in the first year, because each bulb comes complete with everything it needs to flower, stored inside. You may only buy, say twenty,...
Members of the Apocynaceae, or Dogbane family, Mandevillas are native to central and South America. Named after Henry Mandeville (1773-1861), a keen gardener and member of the British Foreign Office in Argentina,they are fast growing woody climbers, with trumpet...
Many gardens in Australia flower for only two months a year and then retire until spring. But at Lambley Nursery near Ballarat in Victoria, David Glenn has a wide variety of perennials that will keep gardens in flower right through summer and autumn. Australians spend...