If the promise of warmer weather has you itching to get into garden, why not use our tips for planting much loved Australian natives with a twist to inspire your next project.
Our e-nursery manager, Tamara, shares the favourites she’s been growing…
The Kangaroo Paw, but not as you know it…
Crimson reds, bright golden yellows and even tangerine orange are colours we’ve come to know and love in the ever-popular kangaroo paw – but more recently, a special breeding program has seen the creation of highly unique blue hued and purple varieties as well a green and gold plus striking multi-neon coloured. These exciting new additions to the Kangaroo Paw family bred by Kings Park Botanic Garden took nearly a decade to develop and brings stunning new dimensions to your garden with intriguing year-round flowers of never seen before colour combinations. Multi-plant in pots to create interest in courtyard gardens, or add spectacular washes of colour to larger spaces by planting en masse or as borders. They also make superb cut flowers. Best suited to full sun / partly shaded positions in well-draining soil. Low maintenance as well as frost, salt and drought hardy, we suggest you prune after flowering to encourage new growth.
We’re excited to be now growing the Anigozanthos Celebrations ‘Carnivale’ PBR (the purpled hued variety) and Anigozanthos ‘Masquerade’ (blue flowering), Anigozanthos Celebrations ‘Aussie Spirit’ (green and gold flowering) plus Anigozanthos ‘Fireworks’ (multi hued) – all in limited supply – at our e-nursery to share with fellow native plant enthusiasts. Be sure to snap up yours to bring something highly prized to your outdoor space. Order here.
Get creative with gorgeous grevillea..
Grevillea can sometimes be thought of as a little straggly, but this classic Australian native can be the ultimate dense shrub filled with textural interest, interesting foliage and a delightful array of flowers from creamy lemons and apricots to more brilliant oranges and reds. Don’t limit their application, try them in pots, plant along a retaining wall, create a screen or use to great effect as a hedging plant. Just be sure to prune shrub varieties once a year to encourage dense bushy growth – best done at the end of spring after the main flush of flowers has finished but it can also be done in autumn. This otherwise low-maintenance plant is also loved by birds too.
Consider the pretty ice pink hues of Grevillea ‘Coconut Ice’ if you need a medium sized shrub in your garden that can be both singular statement or planted en masse as a screening plant. The options are endless for Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’, a compact, year-round bright red flowering variety that is happy in a wide range of soil types and climates. We particularly love it mass planted for a low hedge effect. Or seek out Grevillea juniperina ‘H22’ PBR Gold Cluster, a great ever-green shrub with attractive groupings of golden flowers that droop and hang making it a great choice for mass planting over retaining walls.
Check out all the gorgeous grevillea in stock at our e-nursery. Start exploring here.
Beautiful Banksia
From their striking flowers in a host of hues and dramatic foliage to their bird and bee attracting qualities, these architectural marvels make a statement in all styles of gardens. Don’t think banksia are only for larger gardens, there’s varieties that are perfect in pots, great as ground covers as well as small shrubs perfect for hedging or covering an unsightly wall.
Try Banksia spinulosa ‘Coastal Cushion’, a vigorous growing ground cover that produces beautiful golden spike flowers through Autumn and Winter. You could also give this variety a go in containers and pots too.
Or if you’re after a screening plant, consider Banksia occidentalis, a great bushy shrub with bright green narrow leaves and spectacular red flower spikes occurring from Summer into Winter. This variety loves poorly drained soils prone to waterlog, but also adapts to other soils. Do plant in cool temperate or Mediterranean climates (this variety definitely does not like humid Summers!)
And if you’re needing a statement plant, the dramatic looking Banksia robur – ‘Swamp Banksia’ delivers in spades. Growing up to two metres, it’s fast growing and adaptable to a wide range of conditions and soils. Once established, this variety’s blue green flowers turn yellow-green and as the flower continues to age to interesting brown and grey shades. The large serrated leaves and velvety coating of brown hairs make this variety full of attractive features. Just make sure it has plenty of sun. Happily these varieties – and a bounty more banksia – are available at our e-nursery to add to a Native Plant Box. Order here.
