Superb pea-shaped flowers make this slender climber good as a groundcover, for fences, pillars and lovely in pots (with bamboo stakes for support). Will attract birds and butterflies, loves light to medium shade and a regular native plant food controlled release fertiliser. Prune hard after flowering. Flowers all winter and into spring. Comes in purple, pure white and pink. Flowers are borne on long racaemes and bear a tiny green spot on each of the petals.

Great plants for garden beds, banks and retaining walls, mass plantings, rock gardens, bush gardens and containers. We like growing the purple intermingled with the white.

Purple varieties: 'Mini Haha' is in full flower at present, as is 'Bushy Blue' (which is actually purple!), while 'Happy Wanderer' is probably the most commonly grown but there are many new varieties now available. All our slightly different.

White varieties: There is nothing more beautiful in winter than a snow white carpet of Hardenbergia. Look out for new white cultivars 'Free and Easy', 'White Out', 'Flat Out' and 'White Wanderer'. Some grow into medium shrubs (some up to 1.5m tall) and others very prostrate climbers. Climber varieties will wander happily over a support, fence or garden floor.

Feed with native plant food in spring.