Some of Gail's Favorite Plants to Use in Gardens

Home , Acacia vestita, Adenanthos sericeus, Grevillea lanigera

SOME OF GAIL’S FAVORITE PLANTS TO USE IN GARDENS

Ground Cover:

ACACIA cognata ‘Cousin Itt” – Adorable, elegant, small mounding form of Acacia cognata. 4-6’ x 2- 3’high. Well drained soils in full sun/partial shade. Beautiful draping emerald green narrow leaves. Great in container or hanging over embankment or wall or edging path. Drought tolerant. ACACIA glaucoptera (Clay Wattle) Very ornamental, generally low-growing flat, wing-like, triangular leaves and new growth flushing red. well-drained and sandy soils, prefers sun but will tolerate dappled shade. Prostrate form excellent for draping over walls or as low border plant. CORREA ‘Wynn’s Wonder’, C. Dusky Bells’. C. ‘Pink Flamingo’ – Low growing, bushy spreading shrub 3’8’, thick ground cover for most soils and situations. Shade or sun. Attracts Hummingbirds, long lived. “Wynn’s Wonder’ is a lovely variegated species. GREVILLEA ‘Austraflora Fanfare’ Beautiful prostrate grevillea with deeply lobed leaves with reddish new growth and burgundy toothbrush flowers in spring/summer. Prefers acidic soils but will grow well in alkaline soils if you add sulphur at planting. Responds well to hard pruning. Great for embankments or large containers. 8-16’. Sun/partial shade, drought tolerant when established. GREVILLEA lanigera ‘Coastal Gem’ - Outstanding fast-growing grey grevillea with dark pink flowers most of the year. Well drained soil, full sun/partial shade. Drought and frost tolerant. Great bird, bee attractor. 1’ x 6’, easy and dependable.

SHRUBS (and sometimes small trees):

ACACIA bookmani (Snowy River Wattle) - Upright ornamental shrub 9’15’ x 6-15’, narrow grayish green leaves. Lovely movement in the wind. Suckers from roots and can form a copse-great for covering a large area or for windbreak in hard to reach areas. Tolerates low water/extended wet as well. ACACIA covenyi (Blue Bush) - Fast growing ornamental shrub or small tree w/small white-grey leaves, lovely bark and yellow flowers in spring. Sun/partial shade in well-drained soils. Great windbreak or screen and makes quite a statement because of it’s color. ACACIA iteaphylla (Flinder’s Range Wattle) Beautiful flowing acacia w/weeping habit, grey-green leaves, pink/red new tips and profuse yellow flowers in winter. Dense spreading medium shrub 9-15’. Tolerant of extended dry periods, moderate frosts and saline soils. Ornamental screen/windbreak. Drought tolerant. ADENANTHOS sericeus (Wooly Bush) - Adorable ornamental large grey shrub 8-12’ x 8-12’, well drained soil necessary. Fast growing, good windbreak/screen. Very soil and fuzzy and is good cut flower. Drought tolerant. AGONIS flexuosa ‘Nana’ – bright green leaves, red tipped, 3’ x 6’, drought tolerant CALLISTEMON ‘Little John’ (Dwarf Bottle Brush) Low grown shrub, grey/green leaves, bright red flowers. 3’ x 5’, great for hummingbirds/bees. Good low screen. COPROSMA ‘Marble Queen’ Mirror Plant – 4-5’ x 6’’, evergreen shrub with bright white variegated, glossy leaves. Tolerates coastal conditions and is hardy to about 20 degrees. Very striking plant. Good as specimen plant or placed in position of drama. Brightens things up. Part sun/light shade, well-drained soil with semi regular water. Good in containers as well. GREVILLEA – LOTS OF THEM G. ‘Red Hook’, ‘Ivanhoe’, ‘Robyn Gordon’, ‘Superb’, G. Parvula, G. ‘Masons Hybrid’. Each different but often ornamental large shrub 6-15’ x 9-12’ with fern-like foliage and toothbrush flowers (mostly reddish). Very hardy large shrub for well-drained soils in full sun/partial shade. Good screen/hedge or small tree. Very delicate looking and quite lovely. Hummingbirds love and it’s great for cut flowers. Good drainage and don’t fertilize. Drought tolerant HAKEA elliptica – Handsome shrub with beautiful large oval bright green leaves and rusty new growth in spring. Profuse, white, scented flowers in winter. Excellent hedge or screen in partial shade/full sun. Responds well to pruning the foliage used for cut flowers. Drought tolerant when established. LEUCADENDRON ‘Jester’, L.linifolia, L. sessile, L. salignum ‘Blush’- Love all Leucadendron but ‘Jester’ is special…medium sized shrub x’ x 5’ with beautiful pink variegated leaves & red flush in fall/winter/spring. Frost and drought tolerant once established. Slow growing initially great screen or hedge for well drained soils in full sun. Excellent foliage for cut flowers. A read show stopper in sunlight. PROSTANTHERA rotundifolia - (variegated) Handsome erect shrub prefer variegated version, good replacement for Rosemary shrub. Smells good, low water use, adds spark and heft. Prune for bushier growth. Fast growing, excellent screen plant, sun/shade, 6’ x 3-5’. PROTEA ‘Pink Duke’, P. ‘Pink Ice’, P. ‘Sylvia’, P. aristata - Attractive, upright shrub 8’ x 8’, green leaves and clear pink flowers in later winter/spring. Outstanding flower. Best in full sun, well-drained soils. Excellent hedge/screen and great cut flower. Drought tolerant. SANTOLINA ‘Lemon Fizz’ Chartreuse mounds of fragrant foliage provide sizzling color year-round, topped with bright yellow flowers in summer. Compact, rounded habit good for borders, edging , ground cover or container plant. Only 12-18” high x 12-24”, partial/full sun, occasional water. Great pop of color. WESTRINGIA fruticosa ‘Morning Light’ and W. fruticosa ‘Smokey’ Morning Light the variegated form of fruticosa with green leaves and cream band. Low growing, rarely exceeding 3’. “Smokey’ taller by 3’ and slightly less green. Hardy shrubs for inland or coastal, tolerant of salt spray. Excellent low hedge. Great landscape shrub. Drought tolerant.

TREES:

ACACIA cognata (River Wattle) A graceful weeping small tree (15-25’). Full sun/partial shade, well drained soil, tolerant of extended dry periods and frost although like summer watering. Fast Growing) ACACIA vestita (Hairy Wattle) Ornamental dense to open small tree 15-20’ with weeping habit and bright yellow ball flowers in spring. Most soil types, both coastal and inland. Drought tolerant once established. ARBUTUS marina and unedo (Strawberry Tree) Small but beautiful trees with fed flaking bark and edible red berries, followed by adorable small bell-shaped flower clusters. Bees and birds love this plant. Evergreen and lovely and offers year round pleasure. Prune to shape. Marina can reach 40’ (unless you obtain a dwarf version such as Oktoberfest) but is a slow grower, Unedo is smaller. A wonderful tree to play well with others or as a stand alone specimen. Needs good drainage.

GRASS-LIKE PLANTS:

LOMANDRA confertifolia ‘Seascape’ and L. Breeze - (Handsome clumping perennial, evergreen, very hardy, EXTREMELY low maintenance for sun or light shade, drought tolerant, quick to establish, good in groupings and containers – Seascape is a lovely delicate grayish green, Breeze bright green) RESTIO (any) - These are rush-like plants native to South Africa and Western Australia that resemble reeds or even bamboos or horsetails but are related to neither. They form their own family, Restionaceae…restios for short. Varying in size depending on species, they are perennial, evergreen and create a great textural presence in the garden. Unlike grasses, they are easy to care for and can adapt to little water. Very dramatic. Upright with little brown nodules along the way that speak to one of foreign places and add that feeling to the garden. Good in containers.

ALL SUCCULENTS!