Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Aug 09, 2012 10:08 am Our garden seems to be growing well. Our lawn was finally established last year and is looking awesome (thanks to some tall fescue seed sown amongst the buffalo turf - which is a little brown atm). We have 2 dwarf spotty gums in 2 corners, about 10 red kangaroo paw (coral gem or something like that) which have the most gorgeous 2m tall flower spikes. I have 3 banksias that I raised from seed (well, 3 that survived) that are now about 30cm tall (Banksia sphaerocarpa I think - I know it was a WA variety that has the needle-like leaves). I also have about 12 Lomandra which are looking like monsters and I either need to reduce the size (dig up and break apart) or replace them with something else. If I do rip them out, they will leave a vast portion of the fenceline bare (which I'm not too concerned about as the darned things have nasty spikes!) so I will need to replace them with something else. Anyone with any suggestions on yellow/cream/white/red flowering natives that don't produce fruit/berries the birds will scatter everywhere, and that grow to 2-3m? We have 3 Proteas in the front that seem to be going ok, so that would be an option. We also have Hakea in the front yard which apart from the caterpillars munching on are doing well, so they would be an option too. I also think the honey myrtles (Melaleuca) look pretty in flower but tend to get a bit straggly - any cultivars people would recommend? I also saw a gorgeous "scarlet blaze" wattle online, but don't know if it's available commercially (or if it would grow well in the western burbs of Melbourne) or perhaps the Cinnamon Wattle? Ideally I would like to create a floral/foliage screen of the boundary fence that ties in with the "native" theme. P.S We have lovely little birds that forage in the garden - a Scarlet Robin has been spotted a few times and numerous Superb Wrens - male and female frequent the bushes and sit on the fence. P.P.S Any native garden pictures you could share would be great! Second Time 'Round Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 2Aug 09, 2012 12:36 pm How about some lechadedrons. (s african plants) some of them are lovely. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ or some of the grevillea's, boronias, bottle brushes? Apart from all the weeds currently in my front garden I have a number of the lechadendrons above, lots of native plants, and the wrens love them all. Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 3Aug 09, 2012 12:46 pm I do have some leucadendrons (sp?) in the front yard too, but while they are pretty, I was looking for something a bit taller and more densely growing so I can't see the fence behind. I'll add them to my list ETA: I did plant 5 "peaches and cream" Grevilleas and 2 "moonlight" Grevilleas and all of them died. I have come to the conclusion that our soil doesn't suit them (they were in all different spots from mostly shade to full sun). Grevilleas are one of my favourites but they just don't suit (I don't want to spend more money on them to just curl up and die). Callistimons just don't do it for me... I just don't find the whole plant attractive - the flowers are lovely but the stems and trunk are woody and ugly. Plus a lot of them grow way bigger than 3m! Second Time 'Round Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 4Aug 09, 2012 2:10 pm leucadendrons can be several different sizes. I've grown a couple of the peaches and cream grevilleas as well. I lost one and the other doesn't look too happy but I have other grevilleas that are quite happy. I tend to agree with you about the callistmons which is why I only have one. It's a low one and I have yet to plant it. Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 5Aug 09, 2012 7:48 pm http://primeplants.com.au/plants/Hedgin ... bbie%20ge/ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ These can get easily to over 2 m in height. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ and make a good hedge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevillea_olivacea Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ http://www.lullfitz.com.au/search/facts ... list_id=10 Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ one of these last two is growing in boggy soil downhill from our leech drains in soil that is very soggy in winter and always damp in summer. The other is is far less boggy - mostly clay soil near by. I added perlite to the ground as well as some organic soil when I planted them. But they like a dry soil as well. Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 6Aug 10, 2012 10:50 am On my short-list so for: Acacia leprosa (preferably the red variety 'Scarlet Blaze') Acacia myrtifolia (Myrtle Wattle) Melaleuca incana (Grey Honey Myrtle) Melaleuca thymifolia (White Lace) Telopea speciosissima (Waratah - Shady Lady red and white varieties) Telopea oreades (white variety) Leucadendron (varieties - Devil's Blush, Gypsy Red, Safari Sunset and Winter Gold) Leucospermum (varieties - Carnival Red and So Cheerful) Leptospermum lanigerum (Wooly Tea Tree) Leptospermum obovatum (River Tea Tree) I also wouldn't mind throwing in a couple of Magnolias - not native I know, but seem to thrive in our area - perhaps 'Alba Superba' or 'Black Tulip' or 'Galaxy'. Second Time 'Round Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 7Aug 10, 2012 12:51 pm safari sunset is a lovely leucadendron. we have one of these. Envious of you being able to grow magnolias. too much hot wind here still. I've killed 2 so far. Hubby said I can't try again. Once more of the wind slowing bushes /trees and shrubs have grown I will try again. Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 8Aug 16, 2012 11:52 pm Theres a chap in Lara or Geelong that is one of the best Australian Native growers and retail garden centres. stufed if I can recall the name of it. i've had some massive fails with Scarlet Blaze. Has so much promise You can clip nearly all natives into any shape or size. try not to limit choice to thse that the garden centre suggests. Go all out. Hakeas, Callistemon, wattle, Grevs, are all good. Check out Geelong Indigenous nursery. Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 9Aug 17, 2012 9:22 am Thanks Fu, I think you mean Vaughan's. It's a bit over an hours drive from here but I've been meaning to go for ages and still haven't been. I think a trip may be in order - the Indigenous Nursery would be on the way I'm just scared that my budget can't handle it! Second Time 'Round Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 10Aug 17, 2012 5:28 pm You'd be best advised to buy small tube stock plants for a number of reasons. •They grow faster over 12 months than a plant bought in say a 200mm pot. So what that means is in 12 months, the little tube stock plant will be bigger than the expensive 200mm plant. Faster established hedge using smaller plants •You get healthier roots systems from tube stock. •You save a fortune on planting costs Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 11Aug 20, 2012 2:57 pm Seriously Fu, you are the best!!! I just need to ignore the pretty bushes and think of what the tubes will be like this time next year... Second Time 'Round Re: Aussie native (or close relatives) suggestions for fence 12Aug 20, 2012 11:55 pm Na, couldn't string a sentence together at the best of times. I'm knackered all the time. Fig Landscapes has produced an e-book and native plant index, available for purchase from their website. It's a great resource, full of inspiration and tips. Another… 1 12253 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 7338 Suggestions please for acrylic rendering Color to match austral brick urban one pepper. Pic for reference. Thanks 0 5067 |