Burke’s Backyard recently visited the 2 acre native garden on a 5 acre property belonging to Merv and Olwyn Hodge in Queensland. The natives include a large number of grevilleas (about 160 species and many hybrids that Merv Hodge has bred himself) as well as eucalypts, hakeas, banksias, eremophilas, grass trees, palms and spear lilies. The plants generally survive on rainfall only and the soil is impoverished decomposed sandstone.
Merv is concentrating on developing some low growing grevilleas that are suitable for the smaller backyard. Some recommended grevilleas for backyards and others that were featured include:
Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ – A small growing shrub (about 1-1.5m or 34′ high and about 1.5-2m or 4-6′ across) with red flowers throughout the year. Attracts native birds and is a hybrid between G. banksii and G. bipinnatifida. It is worth growing in all areas of Australia.
If you want to start a native garden Merv Hodge suggests removing the grass by spraying it with Zero herbicide and digging up the garden ready for the native plants. Native plants and in particular grevilleas benefit from regular pruning. Grevillea specialists recommend pruning the plant in early spring and cutting it back by about one third. Old plants that are looking scruffy can be rejuvenated by pruning in this manner. With small, low-growing grevilleas that have become scrawny it is best to simply pull them up as they can be readily replaced with a new, vigorous plant. Within six months the new plant will have become well established. Grevilleas do not require a lot of fertilising but Merv Hodge uses fish emulsion products when fertilising his grevilleas.
Contact your local specialist native nursery for these native plants. If they are not available the nursery should be able to order them in.
The Hodge’s native garden will be open in late winter 1999 under the Australian Open Garden Scheme (AOGS). Contact the AOGS next year on their toll free number next year for the details, phone: 1900 155 064.