Category: Shrubs
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Craibiodendron yunnanensis
Sick of Rhododendrons and azaleas? Looking for something for summer interest with an elegant habit to take the place of these obvious and often lumpy shrubs or even an elegant specimen for a tub in a semi-shaded aspect then you could do far worse than the extremely rare Craibiodendron from China. It can eventually grow
Stephen Ryan
Zenobia pulverulenta
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!).
Stephen Ryan
Fascicularia bicolor
This Chilean tough as they come pineapple relative is a must have for any garden, With its attractive evergreen foliage in large drought tolerant mounds. The colonies can get to 1metre tall by half as much again so allow room for it. Although if all else fails it can be divided easily. When it decides
Stephen Ryan
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
Brugmansia sanguinea
I have always had a love hate relationship with the Angel’s Trumpets as I love them but they hate our cold frosty climate! However I have found that the hardiest species B. sanguinea in both its forms thrive at less than tropical Macedon and I now have one of each that have to be at
Stephen Ryan
Viburnum opulus ‘Notcutt’s Variety’
Viburnums must be one of the most useful groups of garden shrubs, some offer scent, some autumn foliage,some bold evergreenness, some structural form and some fabulous berries. My selection in this blog has probably my favourite for berries and at least in my garden the birds leave them alone so that I get to enjoy
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
Callicarpa bodinieri var.giraldii
There are masses of plants with red, yellow or orange berries and i love them all but isn’t it fun to have something completely different? The plant in question Callicarpa ( which translates as Beauty berry which doubles as its common name) is one such. It is a deciduous shrub to 2metres or so with
Stephen Ryan
Rubus phoenicolasius
The Japanese wine berry is a close relative to the ubiquitous Blackberry and as the common name would suggest is Asian. It makes a suckering clump with arching stems to 2metres or so long, which when the plant is bare in winter are covered with masses of tiny bright red bristles. For me this is
Stephen Ryan