Category: Foliage plants
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Albuca nelsonii
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
Stephen Ryan
Canna ‘Grande’
If you still think of Cannas as those old things then you are definitely behind the times! I know that for years we were inflicted with large beds full of nothing but in council plantings with no colour coordination what so ever and these beds are still out there! But as great tropical looking foliage
Stephen Ryan
Puya alpestris
This Genus of cold hardy plants in the pineapple family from South America are plants that I have become attached to, in more ways than one! They are tough as guts drought tolerant bold foliage plants ideal in tubs or a centre piece for a rock garden that will let you put your hand in
Stephen Ryan
Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’
Bronze and purple foliage plants are so useful in the garden that I find it hard to stop and unless you are a gardening Goth you do need to hold back. After all they are great with hot colours and will tone them down and they are equally at home with soft pinks and other
Stephen Ryan
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
This is the Chinese walking stick bamboo and is also sometimes seen listed as Qiongzhuea tumidinoda which is a wonderful name although I’m not sure how one should pronounce it! It only found its way into Western horticulture in 1987 but had long been used in China to make said walking sticks. Be warned it
Stephen Ryan
Griselinia scandens
I first saw this South American arching shrub at the Mt. Tomah Botanic gardens and immediately knew I had to have it. It has elegant long arching branches clothed with stemless glossy apple-green leaves and in winter it produces open clusters of tiny chocolate flowers. It is however its habit and leaves that it should
Stephen Ryan
Maesa montana
This odd shrub came my way quite some time ago and didn’t initially make much impact. The leaves are large and a bright green but not of a particularly interesting shape so I plonked it in the garden to see what if anything interesting it could do. It has now made a shrub of about
Stephen Ryan
Miscanthus ‘Giganteus’
Tis the season to jolly fa la la la la la. If you want a different festive look for your garden you need to start early. First buy a plant of this impressive ornamental grass and let it rip. When it becomes dormant in winter instead of cutting down its 3metre stems just remove all
Stephen Ryan
Matteuccia struthiopteris
If you can get beyond or even say the botanical name of the Shuttlecock Fern you are well on your way to being elected as the president of the local garden club! It is however a fabulous herbaceous fern from the Northern Hemisphere rarely grown in Australia unfortunately. Unlike evergreen ferns this plant goes through
Stephen Ryan
Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’
The Golden Hop has to be one of the most useful climbers I grow. Its lovely leaves are attractive from spring till autumn and it will quickly soften or disguise any garden eyesore. Because it is herbaceous it won’t smother host trees or shrubs and if it is grown over a pergola it will be
Stephen Ryan