Natives

Callistemon demesne Pink Alma is a compact native bottlebrush with an open and slightly weeping form. Unusual soft mid-pink flowers appear in spring and often flush again in autumn. Callistemon flowers provide valuable food for birds, insects and small mammals. Excellent as a narrow screen or small hedge due to its naturally compact growth habit.

Soil: Suitable for a wide range of soils.
Conditions: Full sun to semi-shade. Drought, frost and coastal tolerant.
Size: Height 2m x width 1.5m

Although Boronia megastigma, or the Brown Boronia, has a reputation for being touchy and short-lived, it is worth growing for the beautifully perfumed flowering in spring. The small fragrant blooms are abundant and feature shades of brown to red-brown with contrasting yellow centres. It is often pot grown so it can be moved to where the fragrance can float through the garden and home. The Brown Boronia will benefit from a feed with a good native fertilizer before flowering, and a light tip prune after flowering is recommended.

Soil: Humus rich, moist and well drained. The boronia loves a cool root run, which can be ensured with a good layer of mulch. A large rock or two will also help.
Conditions: Part shade to light shade. Drought and coastal tolerant.
Size: Height 1m x width 0.80m

Landscape Orange is a magnificent kangaroo paw with very tall, slender bi-colour spikes. The clusters of bright orange and yellow flowers put on a fabulous show from spring to mid-summer. Annual fertilising after flowering using an Australian native fertiliser will be beneficial. Once flowering is finished, prune the whole stem to the base, and the plant will reshoot with new stems from the underground rhizome.

Soil: Well-drained soil.
Conditions: Full sun. Drought, light frost and coastal tolerant.
Size: Height 1-2m x width 0.40-0.80m

Regal Velvet is a very hardy, densely-foliaged Kangaroo Paw. The flowers are a stunning mix of pale green and ruby red and can reach a statuesque 1.4m high. As with all kangaroo paws, Regal Velvet will attract native birds and bees to the garden with its nectar-rich flowers. Ideal for mass planting, pots and low-maintenance gardens or landscapes.

Soil: Well-drained soil.
Conditions: Full sun. Drought, coastal and frost (-5c) hardy
Size: Height 0.50-1.4m x width 0.40cm

Anigozanthos Bush Ballad is one of the most prolific, year-round flowering of all kangaroo paws. The bright red flowers make a dramatic statement as a feature plant in the garden, in rockeries and in mass planting. As with all kangaroo paws, it is a bird attractant and stunning as a cut flower. Remove spent flower stems at ground level as well as any blackened leaves. Feed with a good native in the warm months watering well afterwards.

Soil: Well-drained soil.
Conditions: Full sun. Drought, light frost and coastal tolerant.
Size: Height 0.80m x width 0.50m

The wild Australian native maidenhair species, Adiantum aethiopicum, is a tough species that grows well outdoors in moist, shaded locations. The foliage consists of fine, bright green fronds with small, fan-shaped leaflets arranged along dark, wiry stems. The fronds have a soft, feathery appearance and form a dense, spreading mat that remains green year-round in suitable conditions. Native Maidenhair Fern is versatile in landscaping, ideal for shaded garden beds, borders, or as a ground cover under trees. It also makes an excellent indoor plant, bringing a touch of greenery and elegance to indoor spaces. It can be used in hanging baskets, containers, or as part of a fernery. Fertilize lightly in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, and trim away any dead fronds to maintain a neat appearance.

Soil: Moist, well-draining, humus-rich soil.
Conditions: Thrives in shaded to partially shaded areas. While it is frost-tolerant, it performs best in frost-free climates. It requires high humidity and benefits from regular watering, especially during dry periods.
Size: Height 0.30-0.50m x width 0.60-0.80m

Isopogon Cuneatus is an attractive, hardy upright native shrub with leathery dark green mature foliage with copper tones on newer leaves. It has an abundance of spectacular, drumstick-like pink coneflowers appearing from spring through to late summer. The flowers are followed by large globular seed heads which remain on the plant - giving it a decorative appearance even when not in bloom. It works well when used in informal hedging, mass plantings, specimen plants in gardens or pots and as cut flowers

Soil: Well-drained soil
Conditions: Full sun to part shade. Coast, drought and frost hardy
Size: Height 1.2m x width 1m

A small scrambling shrub with beautiful lilac/violet coloured pea shaped flowers, Hardenbergia violacea Bliss is part of the family known as the Coral Pea or False Sarsparilla. Leathery dark green foliage offsets the vibrant purple flowers creating a colourful display during the cooler months. If left unsupported Bliss will grow into a loosely shaped shrub. Bliss shows off a vigorous growth habit and is a useful plant for growing on pergolas, trellises and fences, or simply let it spread into a creeping ground cover.


Soil: Well-drained soil
Conditions: Full sun to part shade. Adaptable to most Australian climates.
Size: Height 1-1.5m x width 1-1.5m