GROUNDCOVER Indigenous for Ballarat Gardens

Photograph (above): Tony Rodd Leek Lily semibarbata

FAST FACTS An Australian native groundcover, Leek Lily days of purchase. Give it a good ½ bucket Groundcover ( ) is a small with of water as soon as you plant it and it Family: a few long, narrow, rounded, hollow should be fine after that. about 20cm tall. Although there are a few Seed : If left alone, the flowers will have Size: 20cm H scattered occurrences of Leek Lily around produced lots of small black seeds by the Position: Shady Ballarat, this plant is more widespread to end of summer. These can be collected Soil: Moist the north and west of Victoria. and potted to grow into new plants or they Flowers: Spring Location : Leek Lily likes to be planted in a can be left to fall where some may grow Fruits: Papery capsules bit of shade in a moist spot. It stays as a into new plants. Care: Low maintenance small tuft, so would look best if grown in a Tip : Leek Lily is an annual. After the seeds patch of 5-10 plants in your garden bed have fallen, it will die. Next year, however, amongst other small plants. Plant about some of the seeds will grow into new 20cm apart. plants near the original plant. So it may be Flowers : In spring, it grows a flower stem a good idea to put a small stake into the covered in small bright yellow flowers. ground to remind you of the location.

Planting : Leek Lily is quite tough and will grow well in your garden if planted in a hole not much larger than the pot within a few

For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Federation University Australia. www. federation.edu.au/ipbg