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The Sturt’s Desert pea is a well-known Australian native flower that is the state floral emblem for South Australia. Although much admired these plants are notoriously hard to grow outside their natural desert environment as they are prone to fungal diseases and...
The rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum) is the most dangerous plant in Australia. It is classified as a noxious weed in New South Wales and South Australia and those growing the plant in these states can be fined up to $2000. If you live in other states and have a...
Deciduous magnolias produce their spectacular winter and early spring blooms on naked branches. Although expensive plants to buy they are longlived, slow growing trees which bring a stunning display to your garden each year. Colours range from port wine through...
Bamboos are wonderful plants and there are over a thousand different species and dozens of garden varieties. In eastern Asia they are used for almost everything from building homes, to making furniture and their shoots are even used in cooking. There are two distinct...
Autumn colour is a wonderful sight, yet many associate this season’s colour with changes in tree foliage. Flowering plants do make an impact with autumn colour and Peter Valder recently looked at some autumn flowering bulbs which were named after Nereis, a sea...
Queensland grower Richard Tomkin has produced a spectacular new range of hybrid grevilleas. Although not available to the public for another two years, they promise to be the best grevillea varieties of the future. Grevillea ‘Billy Bonkers’, named after...
An ornamental grape is a great climber to go over a pergola or fence. It is the same species as the wine making grape but the ornamental variety aborts its fruit so that it doesn’t make a mess. Details Common name: Ornamental grape. Botanic name: Vitis vinifera....
Pansies are annuals which are generally planted in autumn for flowers through winter and spring. In cooler climates pansies can also be planted in late winter and spring for flowering into summer. Today we take pansies and violas for granted in our gardens but the...
Peonies with their large blowsy, rose-like, fragrant flowers are among the most romantic plants in the world. There are two forms, tree and herbaceous species. Peter Valder, who has a special interest in Chinese plants, recently looked at herbaceous peonies. At around...