This attractive shrub has never found itself in the limelight here in Australia and in my humble opinion unfairly so. It is hardy, coping with sun and cold well and not fussy about soil types. Its habit is upright to about 3metres and it will make a suckering clump which makes it ideal as a …
These stunning North American bulbs are called Trout Lilies amongst other common names due to the lovely mottled leaves. The only European species E. dens-canis is known as a Dog toothed Violet due to its bulbs looking somewhat like a dogs canine tooth(they however look nothing like a violet to me!) all the species of …
The European Spindle berry, so called because its hard wood was used to make spindles for spinning wheels and it apparently was also used for rolling pins as well, how useful! It is however for its hardiness and ornamental values that I plant and recommend this small tree. It is a deciduous plant to 4metres …
I know that this isn’t the rarest thing around but of all the scented plants I know Winter sweet has to be my favourite. Forget your Daphnes and Jasmines I would take this plant above all others for perfume and it is tough as they come as well. It is a large deciduous shrub from …
This small South African autumn flowering bulb is apparently rare in the wild and yet I find it a good doer that multiplies well for me at the nursery. It is in flower in April each year and grows about 25cms. tall with white flowers striped pink on the outside of the petals. It seems …
This small elegant evergreen from the Eastern United States is unfortunately basically ignored in Australia and yet it would make a good pot plant or shrub in a cool border that would replace admirably a scruffy old lacewing ridden and petal blight prone Evergreen Azalea ( I know they are botanically Rhododendrons all you pedants!). …
This giant of its Genus is a bulb from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa and in areas with little to no frost it is certainly a conversation piece. Its large bulbs sit half out of the ground atop of which sits a cluster of evergreen bright green strappy leaves. Come early summer it …
Ornamental onions can be great garden plants as well as long lasting cut flowers or dried seed heads and if you get too many you can eat the surplus! This species that flowers in high summer on 50cm. tall often twisted stems is a favourite of mine for all the above reasons and it makes …
The Crazy Filbert has to be one of the best conversation piece plants you could have in your garden especially for its winter effect. It will eventually become a large shrub and its main claim to fame are the twisted contorted branches which in late winter are festooned with pale yellow catkins. No one can …