Apart from having more ‘U’s’ than almost any other plant name that I know this herbaceous perennial climber is a boon to the garden as long as you don’t mind controlling its suckering habit by digging excess out, putting in a root barrier or growing it in a large pot. It is ideal to grow …
This stunning evergreen shrub is a native of the cool forests of Tasmania and it usually surprises those that don’t know it as it looks more at home amongst Rhododendrons and azaleas than with Bottle brushes and Eucalyptus. This plant will slowly grow to 2 to 3 metres and has rich deep green serrated leaves …
At this time of year when the last autumn leaves are shedding I start to notice some of the more subtle plants around the garden and this is definitely one of them. It is an evergreen perennial or sub-shrub grown basically for its pretty chocolate foliage. The flowers are small and the same colour as …
This rarely offered bulb is a great thing for the water saver as it comes from coastal areas around the Mediterranean so obviously will do well in almost any sunny well drained site in southern Australia. If it does get some water it can be more or less evergreen but is quite happy having a …
We all know about the Maiden Hair tree, the Wollemi Pine of its time. Known only from fossils in coal and found throughout the world imagine the amazement when the real thing was found in China. What is often not known is that the Gingko is a conifer relative even though it hardly looks like …
If there was ever a plant that should be planted under the bedroom window this is it. I would certainly stop anyone from escaping that way! It is a large shrub with almost no foliage but with green winged and seriously spiny branches which have given it the names of Anchor Plant and Crucifix Plant. …
This group of hardy perennials is well known for the mauve flowered species T. violacea commonly called society garlic even though its oniony flavour is perhaps marginally useful in cooking. The plant however is a good thing in the garden. Perhaps even less useful in the kitchen because of its tiny stature but none the …
We can never have enough tough shade tolerant shrubs that can also take it dry and with this in mind I imported this bizarre cross between Mahonia aquifolia and Berberis sargentii in 2003, so I thought it about time I promoted it! It will grow to about 1.5metres each way with stems erupting from ground …
Spring might be a fair way away but don’t forget that if you want to enjoy spring you need to have the bulbs in! This tiny Narcissus triandrus hybrid bred by Rod Barwick in Tasmania has to be one of my best sellers each spring so you will probably miss out if you wait till …
I have grown to love cannas over the years although one has to say that seeing them in beds of mixed colours with nothing to soften them can be off putting, think council bedding. These statuesque plants should be used as features amongst other things such as ornamental grasses et.al. Canna glauca could be said …