Native Plant Gardens
Episode: #1 10/03/07
Presenter: Dean Boone
For a long time, a garden full of native plants was considered a second best option. Gardeners thought of them as scrappy, messy and a little boring. Dean is in a garden that will totally change your opinion of native plants – and it’s just bursting with colour.
Dean is at Mount Annan Botanic Gardens, a native garden that shows just what little forethought can achieve. Apart from being really waterwise, the garden is bursting with a display of colour for most of the year. With a good design you also need to always consider plant selection carefully.
It is also important that the plants in the garden are chosen to compliment one another. Dramatic foliage from Gymea Lilies (Doryanthes excelsa) – set against a sea of perennial colour from native daisies to lovely little yellow buttons is a great way to set the scene.
The contrast of silver grey foliage is always a sign of a drought hardy plant, something like the bold, red Dwarf Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos hybrid) is a good example. Foliage form and colour are just as important as the flowers the plants produce.
The key to any good garden is in the preparation, and a free draining soil is essential for most natives, particularly in the Sydney area. The garden beds also need to be mulched to reduce water loss, and a little extra TLC is always needed when establishing any new plants.
To keep a garden in great shape, perennials need to have their spent flowers removed from time to time, and a fertilizer low in phosphorous is essential. An occasional good, deep watering, rather than lots of little drinks, will also keep them at their very best.
Native Plant gardens are on display at the Mount Annan Botanic Gardens, south west of Sydney, and it has to be the best place to learn about native plants. There is literally an Australian alternative for every situation.
To get all the right information about waterwise gardening for your local area, make sure you read our autumn edition of the Garden Gurus Newspaper. It is packed full of great ideas and available from your local garden centre right now.
Mount Annan Botanic Gardens
Mount Annan Drive,
Mount Annan NSW 2567
Ph: (02) 4634 7903
www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/mount_annan_botanic_garden
Presenter: Dean Boone
For a long time, a garden full of native plants was considered a second best option. Gardeners thought of them as scrappy, messy and a little boring. Dean is in a garden that will totally change your opinion of native plants – and it’s just bursting with colour.
Dean is at Mount Annan Botanic Gardens, a native garden that shows just what little forethought can achieve. Apart from being really waterwise, the garden is bursting with a display of colour for most of the year. With a good design you also need to always consider plant selection carefully.
It is also important that the plants in the garden are chosen to compliment one another. Dramatic foliage from Gymea Lilies (Doryanthes excelsa) – set against a sea of perennial colour from native daisies to lovely little yellow buttons is a great way to set the scene.
The contrast of silver grey foliage is always a sign of a drought hardy plant, something like the bold, red Dwarf Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos hybrid) is a good example. Foliage form and colour are just as important as the flowers the plants produce.
The key to any good garden is in the preparation, and a free draining soil is essential for most natives, particularly in the Sydney area. The garden beds also need to be mulched to reduce water loss, and a little extra TLC is always needed when establishing any new plants.
To keep a garden in great shape, perennials need to have their spent flowers removed from time to time, and a fertilizer low in phosphorous is essential. An occasional good, deep watering, rather than lots of little drinks, will also keep them at their very best.
Native Plant gardens are on display at the Mount Annan Botanic Gardens, south west of Sydney, and it has to be the best place to learn about native plants. There is literally an Australian alternative for every situation.
To get all the right information about waterwise gardening for your local area, make sure you read our autumn edition of the Garden Gurus Newspaper. It is packed full of great ideas and available from your local garden centre right now.
Mount Annan Botanic Gardens
Mount Annan Drive,
Mount Annan NSW 2567
Ph: (02) 4634 7903
www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/mount_annan_botanic_garden
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