The long journey of our Lord Howe Wedding Lily – In My Garden Series
This collection of four stories follows South East APS NSW members as they reflect on what they’ve learned while growing native plants in their own backyards. Their experiences—practical, honest, and often unexpected—offer inspiration for gardeners at any stage.
Growing Dendrobium orchids a few tips
The common name is Pink rock orchid and is an outstanding reliable plant for any garden with a few rocks to establish them on. They only grow to about 15 cm tall and the flower spikes are about 10 cm tall. They are many flower colour variations from white to purple.
Eryngium ovinum – common name “The Blue Devil”
Eryngium ovinum with common name The Blue Devil plant. It is a fascinating perennial herb native to Australia I now have in our garden. See my photos.
It might not be preferred due to its prickly and somewhat weedy-looking nature but the blue-purple colour is certainly interesting.
Boea hygroscopica, commonly known as Rock Violet
Rock Violet is typically found growing along creek beds, on moist banks, and moss-covered rocks in rainforests, open forests, vine
forests, and gallery forests.
Wirreecoo Wildflower Garden
Seems Spring is in the air and the Wirreecoo Garden is feeling its lure with surprise flowerings. Here are some or our select favourites.
Elaeocarpus reticulatus – A plant that should be growing in everyone’s garden!
This is a popular, fast growing plant that has been in cultivation for well of 70 years. The
common name is Blueberry Ash, because it produces many small bright blue berries about
one centimetre in diameter after flowering.
A Pruning tip to keep Callistemons (bottlebrush) and Melaleuca plants looking healthy
A tip to help stop Callistemons (bottle brush) and Melaleuca plants becoming straggly after repeat
flowering,
Australian native plants that I grow reliably – Grevillea lanigera Mt Tamboritha form
This plant is a compact form of Grevillea lanigera which has been widely grown and
available in plant nurserys for many years. Interestingly, this plant does not originate
from Mt Tamboritha (a 1840 metres high mountain located on the western edge of
the Victorian Alpine National Park) however while there is a form originating from Mt
Tamboritha it is not readily available.
Melaleuca fulgens
Melaleuca fulgens is an erect shrub reaching a height of three metres, with a spread to 2
metres wide. In my garden it has never grown past a metre high and wide, perhaps too dry. It
occurs mainly in the south-west region of Western Australia. It is typically found on granite-
rocky outcrops to sandy and sandstone soils – often near creeks, in heathland.
Hovea longifolia, a hardy reliable plant for any garden
I have had this plant growing in my garden for years with no maintenance except a prune
after flowering. It is inconspicuous in my garden and I really only notice them after decent
winter rain, as they typically grow around Sydney along creek lines and banks in moist-dry
and wet sclerophyll forests. It is a medium shrub to 3 metres tall, usually with a narrow
spread.
Pheballium squamulosum A great white flowering plant
A recommended hardy and reliable plant —-. I have been growing this plant in my garden for
many years with success. It grows best in semi shade and in raised beds over my clayish
soils. The plant in this photo is growing at the base of a large eucalyptus and receives ample
watering from water flowing down the trunk during rain.
Science in the Garden – Allelopathy
Allelopathy is the production and release of chemicals by organisms into their environment that act on other organisms. It is important for plants and other organisms that cannot move, as this provides a chemical defence mechanism. For plants this can be used to protect against herbivores, disease, and is even used when competing with other plants.
Raising orchids from seed
Recently, whether from madness or some sense of optimism for the future, I have been buying orchid flasks. With just a couple of hundred dollars outlay I find myself in possession of around 300 new plants – by my justifications a good investment. Buying orchids grown from seed offers a few benefits. In the first instance, the obvious value.
Desperately seeking Phytophthora – in labs, on boots, with RATs and dogs
Phytophthora, or “plant destroyer’, when translated from Greek, is a genus with many pathogenic species that together threaten thousands of plants worldwide. It’s not easy to distinguish symptoms of Phytophthora infection from those caused by many other pathogens. The Sydney Botanic Gardens has recently developed a very efficient screening test for Phytophthora, that will help particularly in successfully restoring populations of threatened species in the wild. Phytophthora-sniffing spaniels may be useful to detect the pathogen over large areas. Cleaning your boots in hygiene stations with brushes and disinfectant to kill pathogens may not be as effective as you think!
A few thoughts on yellow flowers
I have a liking for yellow flowers ever since I saw the flowers of Senna artemisiodes many
years ago. It was the first yellow flowering plant in my garden. For me the big advantage of
yellow flowers is they brighten up my lightly shaded garden. While they do not flower as
prolifically if they were in full sun, they still brighten up my garden.
Growing Waratahs
Waratahs, being Australia’s plant emblem, have always attracted me. Early in my gardening career, I purchased two Telopea speciosissima plants consecutively. Both died very quickly and I gave up trying just as quickly. I realise that my garden soil, being clay-based, did not provide a promising planting medium. I have enjoyed seeing waratahs in bloom in Leura domestic gardens and also in the rocky heights above the sea entrance of the Hawkesbury River.
Native Microbes promote Conservation and Restoration of Threatened Ecological Communities
This study examines how soil inoculation using microbes from remnant Brigalow woodlands can enhance native plant growth while inhibiting invasive weed species. The findings suggest that whole-soil inoculants could be a valuable tool for restoring degraded ecosystems and managing invasive plants.
Creating a Native Cottage Garden
This article explores how to create a cottage garden using Australian native plants. It outlines the charm and history of cottage gardens, describes key design elements like mass planting and seasonal colour, and explains how to use colour effectively. With Australia’s rich variety of native species, gardeners can create vibrant, sustainable, and wildlife-friendly gardens that also help prevent weed spread into natural bushland.
“Bindera”
Pip Gibian recounts the transformation of a former cattle property in the Gloucester district into a thriving native garden. Over the years, she and her husband created three mound gardens using fill from construction projects, allowing them to grow grevilleas and other native plants in the full sun—something they couldn’t achieve in their shaded Sydney garden.
The Woody Pear (Xylomelum pyriforme)
A few months ago, I visited the back of our bush block to check on a stand of Woody Pears growing in a sheltered position between sandstone boulders and a cliff above the creek. Approaching the trees, I noticed fruit along with new flower buds.
Fantastic fungi with Dave Noble
David has a inexhaustible knowledge on fungi and we were shown many interesting species. Historically, we have always talked about flora and fauna. But we are now being advised that it should have always being 3 x Fs – flora, fauna and fungi. Fungi are in their own kingdom and are more closely related to animals than plants. There are hardly any instances where fungi are protected by environmental legislation.
Exploring the Art of Native Bonsai: A Recap of the 40th Annual Bonsai Show
Discover the art of Australian native bonsai with highlights from the 40th Annual Bonsai Show at Ray Nesci’s Nursery. From striking Banksias to vibrant Bottlebrushes, this unique showcase celebrates the beauty and adaptability of native plants in miniature form, inspiring plant enthusiasts to explore bonsai with a local twist.
Mulch and native plants – a few thoughts
There have been many articles written on mulch, and the following are my views together with the results of some research that you may find of benefit.
The wonderful world of wattles or Amazing acacias
Acacias are very representative of Australia. With about 1,000 species, the shrubs and trees are found across Australia in a range of ecosystems including rainforest. This article is a summary of Rhonda’s talk at the APS NSW quarterly gathering on 14 September 2024 hosted by Harbour Georges River Group.
Boronia success at last
Boronias have the reputation for being difficult to maintain in the garden. In this article, Jeff explains how he successfully grew a Boronias Showoff in his backyard after years of careful preparation!
How to create a bushland or habitat garden
A bushland or habitat garden mimics nature. Such gardens are designed to create as much habitat as possible for local wildlife.
Bush Foods for your Home Garden
On one of our walks back in January, we visited the soon to be launched Bush Food Walk at the University of Wollongong. Some of you may know I am working on a similar project at the Illawarra Grevillea Park Botanic Garden, so I thought I might pass on a few suggestions for growing native food plants in the home garden.
Sturt Desert Peas don’t grow in Sydney, do they?
Over the past 6 months, I’ve been having a go at growing a Sturt Desert Pea (Swainsona formsa) plant from seed, with some minor success. I thought I’d put together a little report on what I did and what the results were.
Recycling old clay pipes for garden use
Dan explains the utility of recycling clay pipes in modern gardening.
Designing your native garden
At the quarterly gathering in March 2024, Heather Miles gave an interactive talk on designing your native garden.
Garden Design in Theory and Practice
At the Harbour George River Group’s meeting October 2023, James Middleton, who is a
member of the Group and a professional landscape gardener, described his practice in
landscape design. His talk was illustrated with reference to a community garden project he is
working on with the Clemton Park Uniting Church. Members of the church group also talked
about their vision for the garden. This was followed by a discussion on how to implement the
garden vision with a limited budget and lots of muscle power.
Botanical Vampires! Parasitic and Carnivorous Plants in Hawkesbury Sandstone Vegetation
In Hawkesbury Sandstone vegetation a range of parasitic and carnivorous plants can be found. Does it surprise you to know that you could find more than ten different species? Many of these plants can be hard to find: some are ephemeral (short-lived); some very small; a few grow high in the branches of trees; and others are rare.
Creative ecology – mini forests as one strategy for urban greening
Global warming, biodiversity loss and the deteriorating urban environment are reducing the quality of urban life. Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist, began practising creative ecology in the 1970s and devised the “tiny forest” to counter these undesirable trends. Tiny forests have been taken up in Australia recently and may be useful as a strategy in improving some environmental and social aspects of our urban environments.
All about mulch
A mulch is any covering put over the top of the soil, such as bark, woodchips, leaves, gravel and groundcovers – even a layer of leaf litter counts as a mulch.
An old burrawang in a new garden
About 40 years ago, in the early 1980s I took the family to stay in some cabins near Racecourse Beach just north of Batemans Bay for the summer holidays, shaded by iconic spotted gums with a burrawang understory.
Embrace mistletoes, don’t cut them loose
Seeing isolated dead trees that show signs of past, heavy mistletoe growth in our semi-cleared landscapes might suggest that mistletoes are the culprit. On the contrary, they are keystone ecological species, attractive components of our flora and can be part of our own gardens.