A TASTE OF WINTER DELIGHTS

Luculia gratissima - Deliciously fragrant, multi-branching open shrub. Suits a sheltered south-easterly aspect. These scent and grandeur of these flowers is a definite asset to a garden if you have the right site.

The gigantic flower spikes emerging from Doryanthes excelsa. These will open up in spring and hold for quite a while. It's just such a magnificent structure to have and utilise in a garden.

The delicate appearing but very durable flowers of Leptospermum scoparium (Tea Tree). Many Australian natives flower in winter when climatic conditions are not as harsh, and so that their seed pods appear and are ready to be dispersed from spring to autumn when fire is more prevalent across the environment.

Agave attenuata - Give this plant some space and let it fill it without too much fuss and bother. It's an all year round performer - good structure, texture and colour.

Bronze juvenile growth of the Coastal Tea Tree - Leptospermum laevigatum. Leaf colour and changing leaf colour can be a very useful element when thinking about plants for your landscape.

Strelitzia reginae - Bird of Paradise, has been around in Victorian and Australian gardens almost since exotic plants started arriving, and for a very good reason. This Mediterranean plant has great architectural form - strong and purposeful, the flowers are interesting, prolific and long lasting on the plant. They are a great cut flower and provide interesting colour contrast.

Ground Covers

This is a Helichrysum of some sort. I need to find out what species. It's a great little native ground cover, like a little ray of bright sunshine.

Viola ground cover flowers. An often overlooked plant these days but still has a purpose in a semi shaded site, although it is not as drought tolerant as some ground covers available now. If you have a semi-shaded site that received some watering, then this could be an option for you. Plant on mass for a deserved effect.

Metallic purple-blue berries of Dianella tasmanica. This is a treat - this fantastic unusual colour should be considered, especially in a native garden.