Plants
Australia’s First Camellia?
28 July 2015 | Graham RossHer journey and namesake, has criss-crossed the oceans and lands from Australia, China, England and Europe for four centuries creating one of gardening’s most intriguing stories. But is she Australia's first camellia? Graham Ross finds out.
Read MoreWinter Fragrance
06 March 2015 | Linda RossLinda Ross steps into the winter garden for aromatherapy of the botanical kind.
Read MoreBanksia spinulosa 'Birthday Candles'
06 March 2015 | Ally JacksonThis prostrate banksia hugs the ground to a height of about 50cm. It bears pale yellow flower heads with lilac styles from late summer to winter. These are held above the foliage and provide much-needed food for birds when there is little else in flower.
Read MoreCanna ‘Australia’
18 March 2015 | Libby CameronThe popularity of cannas is due to their long display of bold foliage and vibrant flowers. This hybrid is one of a new series called ‘Show Off’, which has been bred for resistance to disease and for clean, sculptural foliage.
Read MoreGeraldton Wax
06 March 2015 | Ally JacksonThe unerringly fake-looking flowers of Geraldton wax appear now and emphasise the beauty that can be found outdoors in winter.
Read MoreNative bluebell
03 March 2015 | Ally JacksonSpring sees the stunning blues of our native bluebell appearing in the bush and in gardens. The blue becomes electric when it’s teemed with an acacia ‘Limelight’ in a rockery or garden bed.
Read MorePink Waratah
16 March 2015 | Linda RossNew cultivars of pink waratahs have been developed by plant breeders to offer better garden performance than the wild flower.
Read MoreQueensland firewheel tree
06 March 2015 | Ally JacksonThese stately trees brighten autumn with their wheel-like inflorescence, aflame in reds, yellows and oranges.
Read MoreRhodanthe ‘Paper Stars’
16 March 2015 | Linda RossThis pretty daisy is covered in tiny white paper flowers with a yellow centre. It’s ideal for gardens with a cottage feel.
Read MoreShowy Honey Myrtle
12 March 2015 | Linda RossThe contrast of the pinkish/purple flower heads, the deep green shiny foliage and the light-coloured, almost-smooth paperbark makes this an excellent feature for the bush garden.
Read MoreA story about the breeding of grafted gums
20 April 2015 | Graham RossGraham Ross tells the inspiring story of Queensland nurseryman Stan Henry’s determination to create a flowering gum that anyone could grow.
Read MoreAcacia cognata 'Limelight'
24 February 2015 | Linda RossWe have successfully grown the shrub form of ‘Limelight’ in Sydney for ten years – through drought and flooding rains! – and love its waterfall of luminous lime leaves.
Read MoreAgapanthus
14 May 2015 | Linda RossThe sparkling blue and white flowers of agapanthus cool the summer garden, and new colours are a real thrill.
Read MoreAlgerian iris
17 March 2015 | Linda RossAlso called the winter iris, this plant originates from the Mediterranean and North Africa and consequently enjoys impoverished soils. It produces flowers on and off throughout the winter.
Read MoreAlyogyne huegelii
19 February 2015 | Libby CameronThis gorgeous plant will stop you in your tracks in a garden of either native or exotic plants. It’s a spectacular new form of the native hibiscus, or ‘blue hibiscus’ with attractive blue-green foliage, and masses of deep mauve flowers.
Read MoreAngel's Trumpet, Brugmansia
25 April 2015 | Sandra RossIt’s easy to see why the common name for the dramatic Brugmansia is angel’s trumpet. These sub-tropical beauties offer months of flowers and fragrance, all in an easy-care package.
Read MoreArno's South East QLD Report
13 March 2016 | Arno King
The days are starting to cool off and it's a very pleasant time to get stuck into the garden. Before you know it, the day has gone. We’ve been waiting patiently for the ‘wet’ to finally arrive and, and moisten the soil. Now that it’s started to rain, there has been a great surge of growth.
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Arnos Subtropical Kitchen Garden
23 January 2018 | Arno KingLooking for herbs and vegies that are well suited to the subtropics? Arno has you covered.
Read MoreAutumn crocus
07 May 2015 | Libby CameronThis tough little bulb flowers in profusion after rain – hence its sometime alias, the storm lily. It has shiny evergreen foliage and the flowers are white and open, like fragile crocuses.
Read MoreAutumn-toned Climbers
20 May 2015 | Sandra RossLeafy deciduous climbers give fabulous summer shade when trained to cover a pergola, and some of these colour in a dramatic way once temperatures drop in autumn.
Read MoreBanksia
20 May 2015 | Graham RossVisitors to Empress Josephine’s garden at Malmaison outside Paris were wowed by her banksia collection. Two hundred years later gardeners still thrill to these bold and beautiful flowers, but have cold feet about growing them. Graham Ross explains why, and reports on the new cultivars now available.
Read MoreBeautiful Bamboo
01 June 2015 | Graham RossBamboozled over whether bamboo is a garden pest or a garden saviour? Graham explains why this lovely group of plants can be both – and how to choose the right one for your needs.
Read MoreBeauty Bush
26 February 2015 | Linda RossA vase-shaped deciduous shrub, grown for its outstanding purple berries, which cluster along the stems in autumn, following the tiny lilac flowers.
Read MoreBegonias
28 May 2015 | Sandra RossYou might be most familiar with the sun-hardy bedding begonias, the ‘wax flowers’ whose red and white blooms shine on through hot weather. But there are many other types of begonias, some with beautiful patterned leaves as well as those simple, charming, waxy flowers.
Read MoreBlue Ginger
03 March 2015 | Linda RossThere is no blue quite like the cobalt of Blue Ginger. And the good news? It's a cinch to grow and loves the company of frangipani, hibiscus and angels trumpets. Hello holiday at home.
Read MoreBootlace Oak
03 March 2015 | Ally JacksonThe common name of this hakea describes its long, thin leaves, which grow up to 70cm long. We think it must have been named when not in flower as the stunning 12cm long, pendulous blooms in shades of yellow, orange, white or green would surely have distracted its discoverer from the lovely, lace-like foliage.
Read MoreBottlebrush
03 March 2015 | Linda RossYou can use bottlebrush as a feature tree to attract birds and bees; in a regularly spaced row to screen neighbourly views; as a groundcover over an embankment; or as a low hedge at hip-height.
Read MoreBrachyscome multifida
26 February 2015 | Linda RossThe pretty hybrids of this groundcover daisy are the result of years of development in native plant breeding.
Read MoreBromeliads
25 April 2015 | Graham RossGraham has discovered the brilliance of bromeliads. Now he's keen to make up for lost time and introduce you to the all-year-round splendour of these easy care show-stopping sensations.
Read MoreBrown Boronia
22 May 2015 | Libby CameronAll boronias have fragrant foliage and flowers, but not all share the sweet scent of the brown boronia.
Read MoreBulbs: Buried Treasure
26 February 2015 | Linda RossThere are few gems in the garden as reliably dazzling as bulbs. Buy now, plant soon and in spring your reward, for barely any effort at all, is a garden bejewelled with colour.
Read MoreCabbage Palm
18 February 2015 | Linda RossCabbage palms are a stunning native palm indigenous to Sydney. Captain Cook noted them on his first excursion onto land at Botany Bay. Livistona grow in moist, sheltered gullies along the coast. They were common around Sydney Harbour and can still be seen in remnant bushland along the coastal fringe.
Read MoreCamellia japonica
30 April 2015 | Graham RossThe Camellia japonica is the queen of winter, unrivalled for glamour, yet she is down to earth, easy to manage and long-lived. Graham Ross has the details.
Read MoreCamellia reticulata
16 March 2015 | Linda RossIf Camellia japonicas are the stately queens of winter then Camellia reticulata are the cheer girls that dance us into spring. They are hard to find, but by no means shy, with gorgeous flowers like big ruffled skirts. Linda Ross takes a peep.
Read MoreCamellia reticulata favourites
16 March 2015 | Linda RossOur favourite Camellia reticulata
Read MoreCamellia sasanqua
26 February 2015 | Linda RossAn evergreen shrub from Japan with subtly fragrant autumn flowers.
Read MoreCercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
26 February 2015 | Linda RossThis small, deciduous shrub or tree has bright pink, pea-shaped flowers that open on bare stems. The flowers are followed by interesting, flattened, purple pods like long beans. And the leaves? Well they speak for themselves!
Read MoreCherry Blossom
03 March 2015 | Ally JacksonIt’s no wonder the Japanese dedicate a whole month of ‘Hanami’ celebrations to the beautiful blossoms of the cherry. You know spring’s arrived when their pink-hued blooms blanket these perfectly shaped trees.
Read MoreChinese Lanterns, Abutilon
20 May 2015 | Sandra RossThese versatile shrubs with their charming bell-like flowers are commonly called Chinese lanterns, even though all 1000 species are native to South America!
Read MoreClimbing ‘Pierre de Ronsard’
16 March 2015 | Linda RossThe Meilland family in the south of France created this beloved climbing rose in 1987. They named it after the 16th century French poet, whose sensuous, romantic and musical poems were highly regarded during his life.
Read MoreClimbing Frangipani
03 March 2015 | Linda RossThe yellow-centred, white pinwheel flowers of the climbing frangipani vine really do look exactly like the frangipani tree!
Climbing Roses
27 May 2015 | Sandra RossClimbing roses give height, floral interest and elegance to a garden. They can tumble over fences, cascade from pergolas or screen water tanks and dunnies. Here are some of my favourite ways with climbing roses.
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