Market Day

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Market Day

Every month, wholesale nurserymen put together a selection of the most attractive and interesting plants they have for sale, and take them to market. The growers set to work displaying their plants at first light, ready to sell and take orders from retail nursery owners and buyers who arrive later in the morning. Trade market days are usually not open to members of the public. Don visited a typical trade market, and was amazed by the huge range of plants in flower in the middle of winter. Years ago plants in flower were not readily available, but due to advanced growing techniques you can go along to your local nursery every week of the year and fill your garden with colour.   

Lilly pillies

Don was very interested to see many different varieties of lilly pilly for sale on market day. Over 20 years ago when he first went to America he saw lilly pillies used as hedges, and at Disneyland they were even shaped into topiary figures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck! The Americans called the plants Burbank Laurels, after the Los Angeles suburb. However, the lilly pilly was largely ignored in its native Australia, and for years whenever Australian gardeners wanted hedges or topiary they automatically thought of box (Buxus spp.). Times have changed, and lilly pillies have become very popular in Australia for hedging and general ornamental use. They produce flowers and attractive berries as well as interesting foliage, so garden designers are using them as an alternative to box.

Exciting new varieties have been developed in Australia, including small growing forms such as the dwarf lilly pilly ‘Tiny Trev’ (Syzygium australe ‘Tiny Trev’) which reaches around 1m (3′) tall. These new lilly pillies could well make an impact on gardens right around the world.

Further information

Lilly pillies, including ones with clipped or shaped forms are readily available at nurseries Australia-wide. For a wide selection of different species and cultivars visit a specialist Australian native plant nursery including:

NSW
Annangrove Grevilleas Native Nursery, Kenthurst, NSW. Phone: (02) 9654 1380
Cranebrook Native Nursery, Cranebrook, NSW. Phone: (02) 4777 4256
Sydney Wildflower Nursery West, Marsden Park, NSW. Phone: (02) 9628 4448
Sydney Wildflower Nursery South, Heathcote, NSW. Phone: (02) 9548 2818

QLD
Fairhill Native Plants, Yandina, QLD. Phone: (07) 5446 7088
Nielsen’s Native Nursery, Loganholme, QLD. Phone: (07) 3806 1414

VIC
Kuranga Native Nursery, Ringwood, VIC. Phone: (03) 9879 4076
Mt Cassell Native Nursery, Pomonal, VIC. Phone: (03) 5356 6351

SA
Nellie Nursery, Mannum, SA. Phone: (08) 8569 1762

WA
Zanthorrea Nursery, Maida Vale, WA. Phone: (08) 9454 6260

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