Plant inspiration! The choices out there are endless, exciting and yes, sometimes overwhelming. So if you need some extra direction when making plant selections, here’s what we’re buying and planting this week as we get stuck into spring gardening jobs.
KANGAROO PAW
Red and blue kangaroo paw plants (Anigozanthos flavidus) are truly striking. Their vibrant, tubular flowers resemble (yes, you guessed it) kangaroo paws. The red variety features deep crimson blooms and the blue variety showcases stunningly unusual blue-green hues. Kangaroo paws thrive in gardens with well-drained soil and full sun. This is native beauty at its very best!
COUSIN IT
Beyond its playful name, Cousin It (Casuarina glauca) is a fascinating, evergreen native with slender, needle-like foliage. It’s drought-tolerant and thrives in sandy or coastal soils, making it suitable for beachside gardens and other harsh locations. When grouped together with other Cousin Its, this plant species’ fine texture adds a wonderful softness to borders, creating excellent windbreak forms with plenty of ornamental appeal.
COTTON LAVENDER
Cotton Lavender (Santolina Chamaecyparissus) is an alluring perennial herb with a delightful fragrance, feathery silver-grey leaves and yellow button-like flowers which appear in late spring and summer. Originally from the Mediterranean region, this easy-to-manage, drought-tolerant beauty works extremely well in Sydney’s climate. It thrives in well-drained soil and full sun, making it ideal for establishing beautiful borders.
TRACTOR SEAT PLANT
The darling of the moment – but for good reason. This one’s a stunner. Tractor Seat Plant (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora) is a popular, exotic succulent that’s native to Madagascar. It’s low-maintenance and drought-resistant, thriving in environments with bright light and well-drained soil. Vibrant, paddle-shaped leaves often sport a stunning reddish hue at the edges when they’re exposed to full sun, adding a delightful splash of extra colour and interest to your garden. Just gorgeous.
GOLDEN CANE PALM
When you want to establish screening without significantly blocking out the sun, the lush and vibrant Golden Cane Palm (Dypsis lutescens) is a great choice. This tropical, hardy beauty can grow to up to 10 feet in height (tall but not too tall) and its feathery, arching fronds allow filtered sunlight to permeate your garden. It thrives in well-drained soil and prefers bright, indirect sunlight. Bye-bye neighbours. Hello paradise atmosphere.
