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Some native plants that have been promoted by nurseries in the past have not proved to be good garden plants – either being short-lived or, in the case of trees such as Eucalyptus nicholii, out-growing their promised size and so becoming too big for a garden....
May bush is one of the most spectacular white flowering shrubs you can have in the garden, but it is even more so when used as a hedge. The name can be confusing as it flowers profusely in September and October in the southern hemisphere but flowers in May in the...
There has been a tremendous renewal of interest in recent years in Australian native plants. However, most people think of shrubs like grevilleas, wattles and banksias when they think of native plants. There are a whole range of Australian native annuals from...
The native hibiscus is an Australian native plant which has a beautiful mauve purple hibiscus-like flower and forms a medium sized shrub. Plant Details Common Name: Native Hibiscus, Lilac Hibiscus Botanical name : Alyogyne huegelii Best Climate: It will grow...
A wonderful Australian native is the native iris which has beautiful, tiny flowers and soft foliage that would be suitable in a cottage garden. Plant details Common name: Native Iris, Purple Flag Botanic name: Patersonia occidentalis Climate: Will grow in all areas of...
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...