Small plants Groundcovers Common Rasp Fern Austral Storks Bill Milky Beauty Heads Running Postman Doodia media ssp. australis Pelargonium australe Calocephalus lacteus Kennedia prostrata DESCRIPTION A fern with bright green fronds Soft, hairy herb with rounded, bright green Sprawling groundcover with dense, silvery Trailing groundcover with foliage of three that have an attractive, red blush leaves held on slender stalks. As the plant foliage and trailing stems. Chalky white, ball- rounded, hairy, wavy-edged leaflets. The plant when young. The edges of the matures, trailing stems with smaller leaves shaped flowers are produced above the foliage in will rapidly cover several square metres in ideal leaflets are finely saw-toothed. sprawl for up to one metre. Clusters of slender spring. The seed heads are long-lasting, fading conditions. In spring, clusters of scarlet pea May spread by underground pink flowers, finely striped with red are to grey over a period of several months and may flowers with yellow centres are produced over stems to form a groundcover in produced in early summer. As leaves die they still be present when the next flowers emerge. several weeks. These are followed by narrow, ideal conditions. may develop vivid pink, purple and red colours. hairy pods that pop open on hot summer days. SIZE 30 cm high. 40 cm high. 20 cm high and up to 1 m across. 5 cm high, may cover more than 1 m across. GARDEN USES Grows best in damp soil with Grows best in moist, well-drained soil with Prefers boggy soil and full sun. Will tolerate Favours dry soils and sunny conditions though high humidity, light to heavy some light shading. some light shading and summer drought. It it will tolerate light shading. Drought tolerant. shade and sheltered conditions. This species grows particularly well amongst can be grown beside pools and in bog gardens. The plant works particularly well on the edges of It will grow under trees and rockeries and retaining walls. It tolerates The flowers attract nectar-feeding insects such retaining walls, amongst rockeries and dry slopes. shrubs where these conditions summer drought though it may die back and as butterflies. It creates good daytime and The hard seeds are extremely long lived and may exist. It will survive periods of reshoot in autumn. The leaves provide an summer-time shelter for frogs near ponds. germinate decades after the parent plant has died. summer drought, dying back and interesting contrast to other foliage types Pea Blue Butterflies eat the seeds within the pods. re-sprouting when rain returns. and are pleasantly scented. Common Blue butterflies eat the leaves. Plant in damp areas, in green- houses and beside pools or drains where humidity is high. FAMILY BLECHNACEAE GERANIACEAE ASTERACEAE FABACEAE 16 17 Groundcovers Climbers Climbing Saltbush Ruby Saltbush Small-leafed Clematis Purple Coral Pea Einadia nutans Enchylaena tomentosa Clematis microphylla Hardenbergia violacea DESCRIPTION Groundcover with small, silvery- A succulent groundcover with small blue- A light, vigorous scrambling creeper with A light scrambling creeper. The wiry stems green arrowhead shaped leaves, green leaves covered in fine velvety hairs. finely divided, light green leaves. The plant carry tough, dark green leaves. In spring there held on tangled, scrambling Small brilliant red or yellow berries are may scramble several metres up trees and is dramatic floral display of sprays of deep violet stems. Tiny bunches of red produced through much of the year. over fences or boulders. Flowering is in late pea flowers. The garden cultivar called ‘Happy berries are produced in summer. winter. Male plants produce abundant showy Wanderer’ is a much more rampant plant. Stems often die back for a short cream coloured blossom. Female plants have period in winter, re-sprouting drooping, greenish flowers followed by seeds vigorously soon after. with silvery hairy ‘tails’. SIZE 20 cm high, 2 m across. 20 cm high, 1 m across. Climbs several metres when supported. Climbs to 2 m high. GARDEN USES A hardy plant for dry areas that A hardy groundcover, surviving the harshest Favours moist, well-drained soil. It will cope Favours dry, well-drained soils in full sun. It can also cope with short periods drought conditions, in full sun or lightly with summer drought and short periods of also does well in light shade. of waterlogging. Thrives in sun shaded below native trees. Some yellow- waterlogging in winter. Plant where the stems Looks good in rockeries, tumbling over or full shade. Works well spilling berried forms grow in soil that is waterlogged can grow into the sun. the edge of retaining walls and scrambling over retaining walls and in rockeries. for short periods in winter. This plant can be grown over a wire fence, over through low fences and shrubs. It may be It adds interest to leaf litter Looks good in retaining walls and rockeries. boulders, low paling fences or through a sturdy used as a potted specimen. below established trees. May be planted en masse as an attractive mature shrub. The seeds of the plant are eaten by caterpillars The berries are eaten by finches groundcover in harsh conditions. Can The dense, tangled stems create excellent of native moths, butterflies and beetles. and pigeons. Ground-hunting create a weed-resistant dense mat cover. nesting for wrens, scrub-wrens and finches. birds can find insects in the moist Occasional patches may die off but new Seeds provide nest lining. soil amongst groundcovers when growth usually repairs these. summer sun has driven other The berries are popular with small birds, insect life below ground. parrots and pigeons. FAMILY CHENOPODACEAE CHENOPODACEAE RANUNCULACEAE FABACEAE 18 19 Small and medium shrubs Large-leaf Bush-pea Rock Correa Twiggy Daisy Bush Small-leafed Eutaxia Pultenaea daphnoides Correa glabra Olearia ramulosa Eutaxia microphylla DESCRIPTION A slender, erect, lightly Densely branched, low growing shrub. Foliage Upright shrub, densely covered in small Small shrub with slender branches covered with branched shrub. It has a is dark green and shiny above, paler and duller narrow green leaves. In spring the shrub regularly arranged, tiny blue-green leaves. In small canopy of dark green, below. In autumn and winter, lime-green produces a showy display of white daisy spring the plant is liberally covered with small blunt-ended leaves. A short tubular flowers are produced profusely flowers along the branchlets. yellow pea flowers. The closely related Eutaxia but spectacular floral display amongst the foliage. microphylla has a prostrate, groundcover habit. in spring features bunches of gold and brown pea flowers. SIZE 3 m high. 1.5 m high, 3m across. 2 m high and 1.5 m across. 1 m high and 50 cm across. GARDEN USES Prefers moist, well-drained soil, in Grows vigorously in moist, well-drained soil Thrives in moist, well-drained soil but is tolerant Tolerant of dry soils and full sun. It will grow full sun or light shade of native and light shade but tolerant of dry soil and full of dry areas. It prefers full sun or light shade. slowly in the dry shade of mature native trees. trees, tolerant of summer drought. sun to deep shade. This is a rapidly growing shrub that will form a Very attractive in a rockery, retaining wall or Most attractive planted in small This plant makes an excellent understorey to low, quick-growing screen. Light pruning dry sloping bank. groups about one metre apart. large trees. It can be planted as a hedge and will help maintain bushiness. The plant is The plant creates excellent shelter for small It can form a quick growing will respond to light trimming with increased short-lived in most conditions, requiring skinks. Native bees are attracted to the flowers. screen. It is generally short lived foliage density. replacement after several years. and may require replacing after It is a very strong attractor of Honey-eaters in The blossoms are particularly attractive to several years. winter, especially the Eastern Spinebill and native nectar-feeding insects. Various insects feed on the leaves, New Holland Honey-eater. nectar and seeds of this plant. FAMILY FABACEAE RUTACEAE ASTERACEAE FABACEAE 20 21 Small and medium shrubs Hop Goodenia Rosemary Grevillea Austral Indigo Tree Violet Goodenia ovata Grevillea rosmarinifolia Indigofera australis Hymenanthera dentata DESCRIPTION Small, rounded shrub with fresh Small prickly shrub with dense, dark green A slender, sprawling small shrub with an open Variable in form. It will be dense, leafy and green, aromatic foliage. Yellow needle leaves clothing the branches. Pink, habit. The stems hold sparse, blue-green feathery supple in shady moist areas. In dry, exposed flowers appear amongst the spidery flowers are produced amongst the foliage. In spring, sprays of pink pea flowers are sites it is smaller with rigid, spiny branches and foliage for much of the year. foliage throughout winter. Plants from the arrayed on the ends of the branches, followed sparse foliage. Tiny, creamy-coloured, perfumed local area are smaller and less rampant than by bunches of narrow brown pods. flowers cluster along branches in mid-winter. most garden cultivars of this species. Purplish berries are produced in summer. SIZE 1 m high and across. 1 m high and 1.5 m across. 1.5 m high. up to 3 m high and across. GARDEN USES Most vigorous in moist soils in semi- Prefers dry soils in full sun, will tolerate light Prefers moist, well drained soils in a semi-shad- Tolerant of a wide range of conditions from shade but also tolerant of drought, shade below native trees and windswept areas ed position. Will tolerate dry soils, summer full sun to full shade and dry to wet soils. waterlogging, dense shade and full near roadways.