Alloxylon flammeum
JUSTICIA ADHADOTA
WISTERIA
THIS MONTH
IN THE GARDEN
with Jan
SEPTEMBER
IN THE GARDEN
with Jan
SEPTEMBER
EUPATORIUM
CYMBIDIUM LOWIANUM
ERANTHEMUM
Let nature be your guide
DENDROBIUM
Soft Cane
Soft Cane
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Shrubs/Trees Abutilon Alloxylon flammeum Ardisia (berries) Azalea Bauhinia Bougainvillea Brugsmansia Brunsfelsia Buddleia Calliandra Calodendrum capense Camellia Clerodendrun Dombeya cacuminum Dombeya burgessiae Eranthemum Eremophila Erythrina (coral tree) Eupatorium (mist bush) Euphorbia cotinifolia (leaf) Euphorbia millii Grevilleas Hibiscus Justicia adhatoda Justicia nodosa Lorapetalum Photinia Polygala Raphiolepis indica Rhodosphaera Rondeletia Roses Schotia Senecio petasitis Spiraea cantoniensis Strelizia Strobilanthes goldfussia Tabebuia Teucrium Tibouchina Westringia Xanthostemon (golden penda) |
Perennials Aloes Angelonia Anthurium Brillantasia (Giant Sage) Browallia Coleus Crassula Daisies - Argyranthemum Daisies Brachyscome Osteospernum Dianthus Euphorbia Diamond Frost Euryops Geraniums Gerbera Heliotrope Justicia brandegeana Pelagoniums Kalanchoe Nasturtium Orlaya Orontium Pelargoniums Pentas Petunias Plectranthus Porphyrocoma pohliana Rosemary Russellia Salvias Statice Vines Banksian Rose Clerodendrun Cobaea scandens Dalechampia Jasminum Maurandya Phaseolus caracalla Petrea Tecomanthe ‘Roaring meg’ Thunbergia mysorensis Wisteria |
Orchids Cattleya Coelogyne Cymbidium Dendrobiums native Dendrobium Softcane Epidendrum Oncidiums Phalaenopsis Rhyncostylis Zygopetalums Bromeliads Aechmea Billbergia Guzmania Hohenbergia Quesnelia Tillandsia Vriesia Bulbs/Rhizomes Anomatheca laxa Bulbine Chasmanthe Clivea Cyrtanthus/Ifafa lily Dietes Hippeastrum Hyacinth Iris Ornithogalum Oxalis Scadoxus |
What a lovely winter we have had, but spring has started very dry and looks like continuing that way with some hot days on the forecast. We will need to keep an eye on the watering to keep things going and mulch to retain what moisture there is.
I have been cutting back most of this year as there has been so much growth this winter. I have also decided to get rid of my large Bromeliads and have filled a trench 40 meters long that evolved from a rock wall we have installed.
GROWING NATIVE PLANTS WITH EXOTICS
Having joined the Native Plants Society in 2017 to try and learn more about what native plants to grow, I found that a lot of the people in the native plants groups are very much against exotic plants to the point that I feel guilty discussing the garden that I have built over the last 46 years.
We bought our property because it had the native trees still standing and we have kept them as the pillar stones of our garden. I have increased the number of native plants in my garden as my knowledge has grown, but I will always grow exotics as I love finding out what plants grow in other parts of the world in similar climate to ours.
I think a garden is a personal space and it gives me great pleasure to grow all plants to their best and to group plants together to create a harmonious living picture.
I also love the bush and the diverse zones we have in Australia from tropical rainforests to arid deserts and observing what grows in these microclimates and how nature adapts the plants to the climate, soil and conditions.
There are a lot of Landcare groups all over Australia that continually try to eradicate weeds that have been introduced to different areas and many of these are garden plants that have ‘escaped’. As gardeners, I believe, we do have a responsibility not to grow plants that could become a weed in the bush. A WEED IS A PLANT IN THE WRONG PLACE; What is a weed in one area may not be a weed in another area.
Insects, birds and animals are happy with the exotics as this is how they are propagated
There have been a lot of exotic plants that I have stopped growing because of the seedy nature and there are a few native plants also that can be weedy here e.g. The umbrella tree,
I will put a list of these plants on my website.
In the Garden; Gerberas, statice and all the daisies are giving great colour and are backed by the Banksian Rose.
Trees also add colour with the white and pink Bauhinia Trees, Orange Coral Tree, Red/Orange Tree Waratah and Schotia which is very aptly named the ‘Drunken Parrot Tree’. It is lovely to hear the parrots having a wonderful time in the Schotia and Coral tree and know that the garden is being enjoyed by the wildlife. The Red Cedar (Toona australis) and Liquid Amber (much loved by the bees) exude anticipation as they slowly sprout their new growth. The Red Cedar’s new shoots are red which sets a lovely scene and is followed by the Euphorbia cotinifolia’s deep burgundy shoots.The Cape Chestnut, (Calodendrum capense) shows off its beautiful flower clusters. Another lovely small tree is the Robinia pseudo acacia ‘Frisia’ which completely defoliates by winter, so is bare for quite a while. Its new shoots are a lovely lime green which stay this colour until the warmer weather arrives.
The Shrubs; Eranthemums, Eupatoriums (mist flower) add a blue haze to the border and are accompanied by the Salvias which are always happy to oblige with flowers in a myriad of colours.
Bulbs are also making sure they are not left behind. Chasmanthe, cliivias and Scadoxus are slowly emerging waiting until it is a little warmer before they strut their stuff.
Native orchids are also making their presence felt from trees and on rocks with their beautiful sprays.
The May bush is starting to bud and will burst forth in white blossom to rival any apple tree grown in the cooler areas. The irises are making a move to open as the Fiddlewood trees are yellowing and losing their leaves, which gives an autumn feel to this sub-tropical spring.
Good Gardening
Jan
I have been cutting back most of this year as there has been so much growth this winter. I have also decided to get rid of my large Bromeliads and have filled a trench 40 meters long that evolved from a rock wall we have installed.
GROWING NATIVE PLANTS WITH EXOTICS
Having joined the Native Plants Society in 2017 to try and learn more about what native plants to grow, I found that a lot of the people in the native plants groups are very much against exotic plants to the point that I feel guilty discussing the garden that I have built over the last 46 years.
We bought our property because it had the native trees still standing and we have kept them as the pillar stones of our garden. I have increased the number of native plants in my garden as my knowledge has grown, but I will always grow exotics as I love finding out what plants grow in other parts of the world in similar climate to ours.
I think a garden is a personal space and it gives me great pleasure to grow all plants to their best and to group plants together to create a harmonious living picture.
I also love the bush and the diverse zones we have in Australia from tropical rainforests to arid deserts and observing what grows in these microclimates and how nature adapts the plants to the climate, soil and conditions.
There are a lot of Landcare groups all over Australia that continually try to eradicate weeds that have been introduced to different areas and many of these are garden plants that have ‘escaped’. As gardeners, I believe, we do have a responsibility not to grow plants that could become a weed in the bush. A WEED IS A PLANT IN THE WRONG PLACE; What is a weed in one area may not be a weed in another area.
Insects, birds and animals are happy with the exotics as this is how they are propagated
There have been a lot of exotic plants that I have stopped growing because of the seedy nature and there are a few native plants also that can be weedy here e.g. The umbrella tree,
I will put a list of these plants on my website.
In the Garden; Gerberas, statice and all the daisies are giving great colour and are backed by the Banksian Rose.
Trees also add colour with the white and pink Bauhinia Trees, Orange Coral Tree, Red/Orange Tree Waratah and Schotia which is very aptly named the ‘Drunken Parrot Tree’. It is lovely to hear the parrots having a wonderful time in the Schotia and Coral tree and know that the garden is being enjoyed by the wildlife. The Red Cedar (Toona australis) and Liquid Amber (much loved by the bees) exude anticipation as they slowly sprout their new growth. The Red Cedar’s new shoots are red which sets a lovely scene and is followed by the Euphorbia cotinifolia’s deep burgundy shoots.The Cape Chestnut, (Calodendrum capense) shows off its beautiful flower clusters. Another lovely small tree is the Robinia pseudo acacia ‘Frisia’ which completely defoliates by winter, so is bare for quite a while. Its new shoots are a lovely lime green which stay this colour until the warmer weather arrives.
The Shrubs; Eranthemums, Eupatoriums (mist flower) add a blue haze to the border and are accompanied by the Salvias which are always happy to oblige with flowers in a myriad of colours.
Bulbs are also making sure they are not left behind. Chasmanthe, cliivias and Scadoxus are slowly emerging waiting until it is a little warmer before they strut their stuff.
Native orchids are also making their presence felt from trees and on rocks with their beautiful sprays.
The May bush is starting to bud and will burst forth in white blossom to rival any apple tree grown in the cooler areas. The irises are making a move to open as the Fiddlewood trees are yellowing and losing their leaves, which gives an autumn feel to this sub-tropical spring.
Good Gardening
Jan
WHAT IS FEATURING IN THE GARDEN IN SEPTEMBER:
