GardenWay Home & Garden Centre in Darra, a suburb of Brisbane, was featured recently on Burke’s Backyard. Some of the plants shown were ornamental gingers, herbs and colourful annuals.
Some of the plants featured in this segment included the following gingers:
Clerodendrum speciosissimum ‘Jaffa Crown’– this plant has colourful red-orange flowers and deep emerald-green leaves. It grows to about 1m (3’3″) in sun or shade but prefers protection from frost. A 150mm (6″) pot costs around $9.
Siam Tulip (Curcuma alismatifolia ) – pink and mauve coloured flowers in summer and autumn. Excellent garden or container planting to 40cm (16″) tall – flowers remain on the plant for up to three months. Good as a cut flower. Deciduous in winter. Priced around $11 for a 150mm (6″) pot.
Curcuma roscoeana – this ginger from Burma has a stunning orange flower which can last up to one month (flowers summer and autumn). Can be used as an indoor or shaded outdoor specimen, but protect from wind. Grows to approximately 1m tall. A 150mm (6″) pot will cost around $10.
Thai Beauty (Globba winitii) – this miniature ginger has tubular yellow and reddish-purple flowers on a pendulous stem. Long flowering plant with aromatic foliage. Dormant in winter. Ideal for container plantings. Grows to 60cm (2′). 150mm (6″) pots are priced around $8.
Climate
These plants will grow well outdoors in areas north of Coffs Harbour. In southern areas these plants may need a protected environment, such as a well-lit patio or a hothouse.
Other plants featured in this segment included.
Tillandsia cyanea – member of the Bromeliad family. Will grow in a shady outdoor position or as a hardy indoor plant. The bright pink bracts with clear purple flowers provide autumn colour and will last up to three months. Protect from full sunlight and frost. Priced at around $16 for a 125mm (5″) pot.
Austromyrtus inophloia ‘Blushing Beauty’ – this lillypilly-like plant is highly ornamental with deep burgundy new foliage which fades to a mid-green flushed with copper. These are very hardy plants which will grow in a shady situation, as a tub specimen or even as a low hedging plant. ‘Blushing Beauty’ has small white flowers in summer, followed by small black fruit. It will grow to 1.5m (5′) tall with a spread of 1-1.25m (3-4′). A 140mm (5″) pot will cost between $6-8.
Herbs are never a waste of space in the garden. Some popular herbs to grow at the moment include: coriander, basil and the Hot Thai Chilli plant (a form of chilli).
Availability
Plants should be available in nurseries located in the above regions. Our segment was filmed at GardenWay Home and Garden Centre, 269 Monier Road, Darra QLD, 4076. Phone (07) 3279 3100 or fax (07) 3376 7443. Besides having a wide range of plants, this nursery has an a la carte restaurant that is open for lunches; a gift shop; and a section which the owners describe as a ‘mini-department store’ as it stocks a large range of indoor and outdoor furniture and ornaments many of which are imported from Asia.