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These elegant, South African natives are amongst Peter Valder’s favourite bulbs. They are hardy, easy to grow and they add a splash of colour to otherwise drab, autumn gardens. Peter particularly likes the white Nerine flexuosa ‘Alba’, but there are...
Most people are familiar with edible ginger (Zingiber officinale), but it is only one of hundreds of members of the Zingiberaceae, or ginger family. Many are used in the garden rather than the kitchen, and these are called ornamental gingers. This group of plants is...
Teena Crawford is co-host of radio program ‘Smart Gardening’ on Melbourne’s 3AW. Two years ago she planted her front yard with Liriope muscari as a lawn substitute. On the day Burke’s Backyard visited, Teena’s ‘lawn’ was in...
Don looked at Eremophila nivea, an emu bush with silvery stems and leaves, and purple tubular flowers in spring and summer. This attractive, upright shrub grows to around 2m (6′) tall and 1.5m (5′) wide. Although perfectly adapted to survive in the drier...
Many people have been disappointed by Australian native plants in the past, but there is enormous potential to create superb gardens with natives. Don met nurseryman and author, George Lullfitz, who used spectacular Western Australian natives to demonstrate that you...
Don looked at a new variety of hardenbergia called Bushy Blue. Plant details Common name: Bushy Blue Botanic name: Hardenbergia violacea ‘Bushy Blue’ Description: Developed from a selected seedling of the native climber Hardenbergia violacea, Bushy Blue is...
Heliotrope or cherry pie (Heliotrope arborescens) is an evergreen shrub from tropical Peru. It grows to around 1m (3′) tall and 1.5m (5′) wide. The foliage is dark green and crinkled, with golden (‘Aurea’) or purple leaved (‘Lord...
Recently introduced into cultivation, Agonis flexuosa ‘After Dark’, is a variety of the West Australian willow myrtle. It has burgundy to purple coloured foliage all year round, with tiny white flowers in spring. It grows around 6m (18′) high and...
The Hibiscus Although widely known as Hawaiian hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was probably native to Southern China and south-east Asia, then spread to the Pacific Islands long before Europeans reached that part of the world. Today it is very popular as an...
Don looked at holly, a native of Europe, north Africa and western Asia. In the Northern Hemisphere holly is associated with Christmas time, because it produces bright red berries around December. In the Southern Hemisphere the berries are produced between May and...