A fine and warm morning was enjoyed at Maria and Don Hitchcock’s garden, Fangorn, on Saturday, 17 February. The visit followed a much-welcomed storm the previous afternoon, which delivered between 8 and 47 mm of rain across Armidale, depending on location. The garden was looking particularly vibrant as a result.
We were greeted by two Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, who were patiently waiting for everyone to leave so they could resume dismantling Maria’s Banksias. After some time, they gave up on us and departed for quieter surroundings.
The day began with morning tea, during which Maria shared the story of the house, garden, and nursery. She recounted her involvement with the Australian Plant Society’s Armidale branch and her efforts to challenge the prevailing belief that Armidale gardens should only feature non-native plants.
Maria is an esteemed member of the Australian native plant community, having received an OAM and Life Membership in the Australian Native Plants Society. She led the Correa Study Group for 16 years (1991–2007) and authored Correas – Australian Plants for Waterwise Gardens. During her tenure as Study Group Leader, Maria traveled extensively across Australia, collecting and photographing Correas in their natural habitats. Many of these were introduced to gardeners and are now widely used in mainstream landscaping.
Maria currently holds the living Correa collection, which is registered with Plant Trust. Her woodland-style country garden, home to the collection, is also registered as a private botanic garden with BGANZ (Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealand Limited). Many cultivars in the collection are registered with ACRA (Australian Cultivar Registration Authority).
The tour began with a highlight of the garden: a stunning Banksia integrifolia x marginata hybrid, possibly collected in Tasmania, which Maria named ‘Honey Brush.’ This compact tree, reaching about 4 meters, dominates that section of the garden. It gracefully overhangs a Melaleuca decussata, home to a perfectly constructed Blackbird’s nest, and shades a Correa baeuerlenii (Chef’s Cap Correa) that was straining toward the sun. The Correa’s distinctive calyx, or “cap,” has a delightful bubblegum-like scent.
Moving on to the nearby Croweas, Maria noted a Crowea exalata ssp magnifolia specimen, which grows naturally on the corner of the Bundarra Rd and Old Bundarra Rd, and is the floral emblem of the Armidale APS group.
We then walked past her Banksia spinulosa Gold form from the Blue Mountains, whose foliage was quite yellow. She mentioned that it would require a lot of iron chelate to fix, but considers that the foliage may actually be naturally a little yellow.
The discussion shifted to a red-flowering Grevillea, with some debate over whether it was Grevillea speciosa or the Grevillea Lady O cultivar. The group ultimately concluded it was likely Grevillea Lady O, situated next to a Grevillea arenaria subsp. arenaria.
For comparison, Grevillea arenaria subsp. canescens typically has jelly bean-shaped leaves and reddish flowers, and is much smaller in stature. Meanwhile, Grevillea arenaria subsp. arenaria is a large, robust, and vigorous shrub. Despite being a reluctant flowerer with nearly inconspicuous yellowish blooms, it is highly attractive to birds and grows rapidly, making it a satisfying addition to the garden.
Maria mentioned plans to remove a couple of Casuarinas from the middle of the garden, as they compete too aggressively with other plants. Last winter, she and Don removed several senescing trees from another section and are now renovating that area with less competitive plants, such as Hakea salicifolia, Banksias, and Kurrajongs.
To manage the weeds that emerged with the extra light, Maria eliminated a blackberry infestation and employs heavy mulching throughout the garden. Large sections are covered with a layer of newspaper topped with sugarcane mulch, effectively suppressing weeds and retaining moisture.
Maria reflected on the prevalence of Correa decumbens hybrids often sold under the name of the species itself. One example is the hybrid ‘Kawarra,’ which is well-suited to the local climate and flowers prolifically over long periods. She also discussed Correa glabra var. turnbullii from South Australia, formerly known as Correa schlechtendalii. This variety is prized as grafting stock, with many seedlings appearing naturally in her garden.
Maria also has an impressive Eucalyptus codonocarpa. Naturally a small mallee growing to about 6 meters in its native range north from Ebor, the specimen in her garden has grown considerably larger. Nearby, we admired Homoranthus prolixus, a plant native to Goonoowigal near Inverell. Its attractive terraced branches and bluish foliage are complemented by upright yellow flowers in late spring, which emit a delightful scent of toast and honey. We also observed Bulbine bulbosa, notable for its edible roots.
The tour continued to a true specimen of Correa reflexa var. nummulariifolia from Flinders Island, identifiable by its slightly rough-textured round leaves. Maria also showcased Correa Kawarra and Correa Candy Pink, an older cultivar but still highly regarded, alongside a venerable Eucalyptus nicholii, itself not an endangered specieses. A tall Sydney Blue Gum (Eucalyptus saligna) has thrived in her garden, finding sub-soil moisture to support its growth.
Another highlight was Correa Vanilla Ice, sent to Maria as a cutting from Victoria. This robust plant has spread to nearly 4 meters and requires regular pruning to keep it in check. Close by stood a striking dwarf Acacia fimbriata.
Maria shared her long-standing struggle to grow Eremophilas due to the cooler climate. However, with the increasingly warmer summers, she has successfully cultivated a variety of them in her garden.
The group admired the soft-foliaged Hakea ochroptera from the Dorrigo region. The specimen, estimated to be 15–20 years old, is a frost-hardy, handsome small tree thriving at around 800 meters above sea level. While it does flower, it has only recently started to set seed and has now reached its maximum size.
We also observed Leionema ‘Green Screen’, a hybrid of Leionema elatius and Leionema lamprophyllum. This plant is notable for its winter display of masses of white flowers and its suitability as a hedge. Its branches grow to the ground and become denser with pruning, making it an excellent choice for part sun or dry shade. It typically grows to 1.5–2 meters high and wide. The foliage is fragrant, and the flowers attract bees and butterflies, adding to its appeal as both an ornamental and functional garden plant.
We then returned to the gardens surrounding the house and admired a stunning Correa OMG in a pot. This cultivar, developed by Peter Ollerenshaw of Bywong Nursery, grows to about 1.5 meters but thrives equally well in a pot. Maria’s specimen was flowering profusely and looked exceptionally healthy, leaving the group thoroughly impressed.
Towering above this section were two Banksia serrata ‘Superman’, collected in 1986 from the mid-north coast of New South Wales, between Nambucca Heads and Grassy Head. These remarkable specimens feature giant cones at least twice the size of typical Banksia serrata and leaves nearly twice as long. Although an attempt to have it recognized as a subspecies was unsuccessful, Maria named it ‘Superman’ to reflect the plant’s extraordinary inflorescences and leaves, while aligning with the common name for Banksia serrata—Old Man Banksia.
In its natural habitat, ‘Superman’ is unique in growing with its roots in saltwater, unlike most other Banksia serrata, which prefer sandy coastal hills. Cockatoos are especially fond of it and have stripped the tops of these impressive trees.
Below was Correa Kiss Me Kate (a Correa pulchella cultivar), thriving in a pot and purchased from Mole Station Nursery.
Nearby stood a Correa Red Empress, formerly known as Correa ‘Neil’s Best’. Interestingly, this is one of the few Correas that suckers.
In another pot, there was a beautiful Phebalium speciosum. This plant was previously called Phebalium nottii, but a 2013 study reclassified it as a distinct species. Phebalium speciosum is critically endangered, as it grows in only two locations—on the volcanic plugs of Battery Hill and Callawajune Mountain near Urbenville.
Distribution and Abundance
The NSW Scientific Committee (2016) reports that the geographic distribution of Phebalium speciosum is extremely limited. Both its area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence are estimated to be only 8 km². The AOO calculation is based on 2 x 2 km grid cells, as recommended by the IUCN (2014).
Currently, two known populations of Phebalium speciosum exist.
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Battery Hill Population:
This population is located within Yabbra State Forest. While much of the flat land in the forest is used for pine plantations, Battery Hill itself retains natural vegetation. An informal census on the slopes and summit of Battery Hill estimated over 1,000 individuals. Of these, fewer than 10% were juveniles or seedlings, primarily found in disturbed areas near the road at the mountain’s base (A. Goodwin, personal communication, April 2015). -
Cullawajune Mountain Population:
This population has not been comprehensively surveyed. However, a 2013 observation by Telford recorded approximately 250 individuals in an undisturbed rocky gully. Most of the habitat on Cullawajune Mountain is within Yabbra National Park, though it is bordered to the north, northwest, and east by pine plantations in Yabbra State Forest. Further surveys are needed to assess the extent of this population across the mountain.
In total, current estimates suggest there are approximately 1,150 mature individuals of Phebalium speciosum across both sites.
Department of NSW Environment and Heritage
The Phebalium nottii group is currently under study by PhD students at the University of New England (UNE), supervised by Dr. Ian Telford and Professor Jeremy Bruhl. It is anticipated that the Phebalium nottii group will be split into approximately 20 distinct species, as each population is growing in isolation and exhibits clear differences upon comparison. These Phebalium species generally need to be cultivated in pots only.
Also thriving beneath the Banksias was Prostanthera ringens, a fine-leaved species native to the Pilliga region. Its flowers range in color from blue to greenish-yellow. A discussion followed about the importance of collecting and propagating plants to preserve biodiversity, as some species may disappear from their natural habitats over time. Plants growing along roadsides, such as Grevillea scortechinii, are particularly vulnerable to threats like council road grading.
Nearby, we admired a large specimen of the local Lomatia fraseri and an unusually large Callistemon ‘Little John’, which defied its name. While typically advertised as growing to about 1 metre, this specimen—and others like it—stood at an impressive 2 metres. Beneath it grew a handsome Correa ‘Canberra Bells’, and further along was an old and substantial Hakea salicifolia.
On the other side of the house, we encountered a Stenocarpus sinuatus (Firewheel Tree) flourishing in a warm courtyard. This specimen, approximately 30 years old and 3 metres tall, was heavily in flower—a remarkable feat given that Stenocarpus sinuatus is challenging to cultivate in Armidale. This species typically doesn’t flower until it is 10–15 years old and requires a specific pollinator, which may be absent in this region. In its natural rainforest habitat, north from the Nambucca River, it can grow up to 35 metres tall. A striking specimen can be seen at the entrance to the Coffs Harbour Botanic Gardens.
Maria’s Stenocarpus sinuatus has yet to set seed but is being utilized as grafting stock for waratahs. She has also cultivated some seedlings. Grafting, like with Correas, must be done at the right time of year for success. If you’re interested in learning more or joining the local APS grafting group, you’re encouraged to contact Maria.
