Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Mar 31, 2009 6:55 pm Our front yard is well underway, and I'm happy with how it's shaping up. I spent today shopping for more plants, then moving some existing ones around (woman's prerogative and all that...), before beginning to plant my new babies. I have a couple of beds left to fill, and while I know what I want to do with one, the other is a mystery. I'm waiting for the universe to reveal a plan.....or perhaps you good people may be able to help. The plants I have so far are: Dietes Iridioides Libertia "Goldfinger" Acacia Cognata Leucophytia Brownii Phormium something-or-other. Tallish bronzey-red anyway. Liriope Muscari Liriope "Evergreen Giant" Cordyline Australis Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) Feature plants: Cordyline "Red Star" Dragons Blood Tree Trees: Waterhousia Floribunda (weeping Lilly Pilly) Magnolia Little Gem I plan to move the magnolia and plant a row of them along the side boundary, probably underplanted with more liriopes of some kind. That'll happen once the house next door is finsihed and the tradies stop walking in my garden - and dropping their leftover mortar, bits of broken tile etc there. This is the area I want to plant, with the soon-to-be-relocated magnolia: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ What I want is to avoid a "bitty" look. I want the dramtic effect of mass plantings, but I don't know whether to use some of the same plants I already have, or go for something different. At the back of this bed (which is dissected by a path), against the house, are the two cordylines. Melbourne. Faces East-ish. Yukky clay soil, but that can be improved. Ideas??? Re: Plant suggestions 2Mar 31, 2009 7:02 pm I have no advice kek, but I've been reading your blog! You are a woman on mission! Man, when you set your mind to something..... Looking great! I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Plant suggestions 3Mar 31, 2009 7:27 pm Er.....I think the word you're looking for is obsessed, Jo. Re: Plant suggestions 4Apr 01, 2009 7:16 am I love your range of plants - especially the Acacia. I'm thinking of planting the limelight in my front yard to make a border. As for the clay, I know what you mean. At the moment I don't have any landscaping and with this wet weather there is clay inside and outside the house. I was thinking you using some gypsum to help break the clay up and then put on a layer of organic soil over the top before planting. Keep up the good work. Adrian T. Re: Plant suggestions 5Apr 01, 2009 8:33 am kek Yukky clay soil, but that can be improved. Ideas??? viewtopic.php?f=19&t=14734&hilit=gypsum Drax I was thinking you using some gypsum to help break the clay up and then put on a layer of organic soil over the top before planting. My experience with western suburbs heavy clays soil improvement (Point Cook)....pick axe...organics...and time...dug up the soil, mixed it with organics, mulched it with a good quality much and within about a year I had the healthiest garden on the street...hard work but satisfying. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Plant suggestions 6Apr 01, 2009 7:22 pm forget Gypsum, it takes around 3 years to have a positive effect on the soil structure and also takes that and longer to reach deeper in the soil. Powerfeed by the seasol folks will outperform gypsum by miles. It is an organic based product in a way. The fulvic and humic acids in it have an immediate effect on soil structure and regualr use has an unbeatable effect. trials on gypsum and the effects humic acids have on soil show that 10ltrs of Powerfeed will have the same effect as one tonne of gypsum! And the knock on effects of the powerfeed are not even factored into that. Gypsum will not make the soil healthy. Powerfeed will. I am going to have a go later at picking some plants for your garden kek P.S. No I have no kick backs from Seasol, it just is a good product and so is Powerfeed. The Book "Gardening Down Under" by Kevin Handrek, will help anyone understand what happens with soils and why. (CSIRO Publishing) Re: Plant suggestions 7Apr 02, 2009 7:10 pm Thanks Fu.... I've been pondering it today and I'm thinking that I have plenty of strappy-leaved plants, so maybe I need a contrasting shape? The bed next to the one in question has the Phormium (a very dark bronze one) and the Liriope Evergreen Giant. The one on the other side will be empty, just large river pebbles. Perhaps a correa - there's a cute little grey-leaved one? Like this: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ It looks good in massed plantings. Not sure what else though. Any suggestions welcome. Re: Plant suggestions 8Apr 02, 2009 7:16 pm Drax I love your range of plants - especially the Acacia. I'm thinking of planting the limelight in my front yard to make a border. As for the clay, I know what you mean. At the moment I don't have any landscaping and with this wet weather there is clay inside and outside the house. I was thinking you using some gypsum to help break the clay up and then put on a layer of organic soil over the top before planting. Keep up the good work. Adrian T. The acacias are just gorgeous, Adrian....one of my new favourite plants. Now I need the perfect rocks to set them off. No shortage of those around here, I'll just send my husband for a nice walk around the neighbourhood with the wheelbarrow. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I'm with Fu on the clay - I've gardened in clay soil for over 20 years now, and I've learned that organic matter is the bomb when it comes to improving it. I've always used compost and manure in the past, but I'm going to hunt down some Seasol Powerfeed and give that a go for sure. Might have to leave the credit card home whenever I go to the nursery though - this plant addiction is hurting my bank balance! Must....exercise....restraint.... Re: Plant suggestions 10Apr 05, 2009 4:52 pm I wandered around the nursery today, looking for inspiration. Couldn't find any of the correas I fancied. I liked both the blue fescue, and the white convolvulus - we had a couple of the convovulus at our old house. But together, in the one strip? I think not. Too much grey. The only other things that really appealed were strappy-leaved plants, and I don't want any more of those out the front. Think I'll have to take a walk around the neighbourhood, see what I can spot that looks good. Fu - I picked up some Powerfeed. I'll give it a go this week sometime. Thanks for the tip! Re: Plant suggestions 11Apr 05, 2009 6:58 pm I sat in on one of the seminar thingies out at the Imagine garden at the MIFGS and they too mentioned that powerfeed was better than gypsum for clay! I didn't doubt Master Fu for a second, but it's always good to hear it from more than one person 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Plant suggestions 12Apr 06, 2009 8:59 am lisanne I didn't doubt Master Fu for a second, but it's always good to hear it from more than one person This rain is fantastic....if I can just decide on those plants, I could get them in the ground and take advantage of the free water.... I'm still leaning towards these, if I can just find them: http://www.thewaterwisegarden.com/correa.htm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ But something else..... green, I think....maybe a groundcover....?? Hmm.... Re: Plant suggestions 13Apr 06, 2009 7:45 pm Kek the dietes, and the liriopes will spread agresively in the garden. Dietes Grandiflora not as bad as bicolour. Just make sure that is all you want in that bed. The liriopes will even have babies shooting off the germinating seeds still left on the plants! I'm a bit iffy about the waterhousia. Once it gets going growing things under it will be tough and the roots will draw a heap of moisture from surrounding soils once established. The little Gem won't be anything like that. Magnolia Kay Paris is a better small Magnolia being faster growing and heavier flowering. Doen't grow as wide as Little Gem but same height. Blue fescue is great. I have heaps out the front of mine They do look a bit off at times so a good cut back sorts that out. Check out Banksia Cherry Candles or birthday candles. If you like the acacia you love those plants keep trying on the Correas. These are really amazing. Wins wonder and dusky bells are rippers! A good ground cover like dicondra emerald will green things up nicely. You only need one and do your own propagation on them, easy as. Something I am into using right now is Ipomoema which is an ornamental sweet potato. They have light green and red and purple. They can be used to incredible effect! They do die off in the cold though then return in the warmer months. Very easy to grow and take easy from cuttings. Re: Plant suggestions 14Apr 06, 2009 8:45 pm Thanks Fu. I'll keep an eye on the dietes - they're now segregated in a strip next to the driveway. I had them at our old place and they do like to multiply.... I'll be watching the liriopes too. I've seen banksia birthday candles before. Might go back and revisit those at the nursery. I think I'm really leaning towards the correas, so I'll hunt some down. Dusky bells is pretty, maybe that will do....I did have my heart set on the white flowers though. I'll take a look at the dichondra - coincidentally, I bought a grey-leaved one for the backyard yesterday. And the magnolias....I have some Little Gems in pots already, but I can always use those around the back somewhere. Hmm, got a few things to think about now - thanks for the ideas. Re: Plant suggestions 15Apr 06, 2009 9:45 pm The dichondra emerald is the green version of silver falls you bought Re: Plant suggestions 16Apr 08, 2009 4:31 pm Kek, the Correa alba you like is a coastal plant so it prefers sandy soil, make sure there is good drainage. It's a lovely plant and very hardy and grows to about 1.5m x 1.5m. You should be able to get it at a nursery (I have seen it at Bunnings in the 'Mighty Tuff' range and in their native range). As an alternative to the Blue Fescue, you might want to try Lomandra 'Seascape'. It has the same colouring but is a little taller (about 75cm). Another grassy plant I like is Carex testacea which gives you the copper tones. I've found it to be quite drought tolerant, surviving through the hot summer in a pot, with little watering. Re: Plant suggestions 17Apr 08, 2009 8:29 pm donna_p Kek, the Correa alba you like is a coastal plant so it prefers sandy soil, make sure there is good drainage. It's a lovely plant and very hardy and grows to about 1.5m x 1.5m. You should be able to get it at a nursery (I have seen it at Bunnings in the 'Mighty Tuff' range and in their native range). As an alternative to the Blue Fescue, you might want to try Lomandra 'Seascape'. It has the same colouring but is a little taller (about 75cm). Another grassy plant I like is Carex testacea which gives you the copper tones. I've found it to be quite drought tolerant, surviving through the hot summer in a pot, with little watering. Thanks Donna, I'll look out for those. I had one of the Correas at our old house and it didn't mind the (improved) clay soil. Our considerate builder spread a heap of sand all around our new house, so the soil is a really weird mixture... Re: Plant suggestions 18Apr 13, 2009 1:07 pm Got my correas. Found them at Bunnings - thanks for the tip, Donna. Woohoo! I'm off to plant them now.... Re: Plant suggestions 19Apr 13, 2009 6:01 pm i was just looking at your house and garden and how lovely it all looks.your garden has given me some needed ldeas for our houses garden finished building 40 square home on 5 acres with perry homes.working on the landscaping just finished pool deck with ://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=2217 Re: Plant suggestions 20Apr 13, 2009 6:51 pm Thanks, Yvette - I'm pleased with how it's shaping up. Only thing is.....now I'm wondering if I've crammed too much into it. My next door neighbour commented that it was looking "busy". Not the look I was aiming for. Ah well, based on past experience I'll probably look at it in six months' time, decide it isn't right and move things around. I'll post a photo when it's all done and see what people think....maybe a poll is needed. 0 5097 Hi, Looking to add an ensuite to one of the bedrooms and make it a Master BR. Please see the attached current floorplan. Need suggestions on what's the best way to do… 0 7633 Suggestions please for acrylic rendering Color to match austral brick urban one pepper. Pic for reference. Thanks 0 5546 |