Don looked at one of the best of the bougainvilleas, a spectacular red flowering variety called ‘Scarlett O’Hara’. This particular plant was growing in a dry, narrow garden bed. Bougainvilleas are very hardy and will survive without much water or...
These fascinating tropical American natives come in a wonderful variety of sizes, shapes and foliage colours. They seem very strange and exotic, but one of our most common fruits, the pineapple, is actually a bromeliad. Many bromeliads are epiphytes (ie they live on...
A landscaping trend over the past few years is for happy, strong colours in gardens. After years of a vogue for soft pastel tones in garden plants, the mood is now more adventurous so you can enjoy vibrant, strong colours and be fashionable. Camellias are often...
‘Gay Baby’ is a cross between the hybrid camellias ‘Ruby Bells’ and ‘Tiny Princess’. It flowers from around early June to about mid September. Plant details Common name: Gay Baby Botanic name: Camellia ‘Gay Baby’...
Abutilons (Abutilon x hybridum) are commonly known as Chinese lanterns, because they have pendulous, lantern-shaped flowers. These beautiful evergreen shrubs grow from 2-3 metres (6-10′) tall, and have attractive, maple-like leaves and a wispy, delicate form....
A horticultural survivor from Ancient Greek and Roman times, Acanthus mollis is one of the great garden plants. It was so highly regarded in the ancient world that a motif shaped like an acanthus leaf was used to decorate the tops of Corinthian columns. Plant details...
This showy climber from tropical America is very popular in warm climate gardens, where it is often seen growing on fences, walls and pergolas. It produces large, stunning yellow flowers over several months of the year. The genus name commemorates Dr. Frederic...
Evergreen foliage plants are wonderful in the garden, because they give you stunning colour all year round. Many plants with brilliantly coloured leaves belong to the family Amaranthaceae. They include the popular bloodleaf (Iresine herbstii) with its bright red...
NSW Rock Lily Spring is a time when exotic bulbs and blossom trees flower. However, nearly all the Australian wildflowers also flower in spring. Peter Valder looked at one of the most spectacular, the NSW rock lily. This is not a lily at all, but a type of orchid....
New Waratahs Most people would be familiar with the New South Wales state floral emblem, the waratah (Telopea speciosissima). Although its traditional red flower is much loved by Australians, the colour is not so popular for the export bloom market. Another problem...