She-oak At certain times of the year and particularly in winter many she-oaks go reddish brown and look as if they are dying. Well, they aren’t necessarily dying indeed it is quite the opposite. The tree is actually flowering. She-oaks have separate...
Banksia Serrata Banksia Banksia spinulosa Banksias are the ultimate natural food tree for native wildlife, especially in winter when other food is scarce. Their flowers are honey-scented spikes of gold, yellow, orange or red. They provide nectar for insects, birds and...
[metaslider id=31335] The lilly pilly is one of the most popular plants in Australia today, particularly for hedging and topiary. Lilly pillies are evergreen rainforest plants with glossy green leaves. Many varieties have flushes of colourful new growth, ranging from...
Palm trees evoke memories of relaxing holidays, secluded tropical beaches and cool, moist rainforests. The good news is that you can instantly create a restful oasis in your own garden: just buy a mature palm, dig a hole and drop it in. Even better news, palms are...
This tree is native to southern China, where a substantial industry once revolved around the harvesting and processing of its waxy seeds. They were thrown into boiling water to remove the wax, which was skimmed off and used to make candles. The seeds were then pressed...
Prunus x blireana is one of the best spring flowering blossom trees. It is a cross between the cherry plum of the Middle East and the winter flowering plum of China and Japan. It is a deciduous tree growing to around 5m (15′) tall, with slender, arching...
Ginkgos were widespread at the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth, around 125-220 million years ago. Today Ginkgo biloba is known as ‘a living fossil’, because it is the only surviving representative of a group of plants which was once common all over...
Gordonia Peter Valder looked at one of the very best small trees for Australian conditions. Plant details Common name: Gordonia, fried egg plant Botanic name: Gordonia axillaris (renamed Franklinia axillaris, but still known and sold as Gordonia axillaris) The genus...
Trees are great survivors; some can live for hundreds to thousands of years. Don looked at two magnificent old gums in his garden, which to the casual observer look half dead and ready for the chop. Both are centuries old and even though they have hollows and parts of...
Japanese maples are usually grown for their magnificent displays of autumn colour. However, in Australia they also look wonderful in spring, when they are covered in lush, new growth. There are hundreds of cultivars available, and they come in a huge range of leaf...