GROUNDCOVER Indigenous Plants for Ballarat Gardens Billy Buttons Craspedia variabilis FAST FACTS Billy Buttons (Craspedia variabilis ) is an them inside for a striking floral Groundcover imposing native groundcover from the arrangement. Family: Asteraceae forests and grasslands around Ballarat. Planting : Plant in a hole not much larger Daisy Location : Prefer full sun to light shade and than the pot within a few days of purchase. Size: 40cm H x 30cm W because of their stunning, large, drumstick- Give each plant a bucket of water as soon Position: Sunny like flower heads emerging high above the as it’s in the ground. Once settled, Billy Soil: Well drained foliage, should be planted in an area where Buttons need occasional watering but Flowers: Summer they can reach their full height. A narrow don’t allow the soil to remain too wet. Fruits: Inconspicuous bed beside a driveway without overhanging Care: Low maintenance Care : Tidy up Billy Buttons at the end of foliage might be ideal. summer by removing old flower stems Leaves : The low strappy, slightly hairy when they start to tire. Plants will remain as blue- green leaves are not particularly neat and fairly inconspicuous leaf clumps in exciting but several plants in a row along a your garden until the new flower stems narrow bed form a nice small soft structural emerge next year. feature. Seed : When pruning, leave some flower Flowers : Tall-stemmed, long-lasting, large, heads uncut until they turn brown as the yellow drumstick flower heads will remain seeds ripen. Collect the seed to grow extra on the plant for several months if you can plants for family and friends but also save resist the temptation to pick and bring some for other spots in your own garden. For further information contact Environmental and Conservation Science, Federation University Australia. www. federation.edu.au/ipbg .