Re: What's "new"?

bridget lamp wrote:
I was just thinking today that Australian plants need
to be explored beyond Hebe spp.

Hi Bridget
I would be most interested to have the name of any Australian species of Hebe you are familiar with. Perhaps these have never reached NZ as we have so many of our own of which all but one (H.elliptica, which we share with South America) are endemic. There are countless hybrids also both locally bred and many also returned to us from Europe, where they have been popular for more than a century. I do think it likely that most of the Hebes you are familar with hale from NZ rather than Oz and so might be more correctly be described as Australasian instead of Australian.

One could certainly make a garden solely out of Hebes if so inclined, as they not only have a range of flowering times but many have good foliage and attractive habit also, some growing quite naturally as though shaped by topiary.

If you want to increase your range of Australian Proteaceae there is an almost bewildering number of genera to choose from. Protea itself however is strictly South African, but apart from Banksia you could look for Grevillea, Hakea, Telopea and Isopogon, to name only some of the better known and even (if you should fancy growing your own nuts) Macadamia'

Apart from Proteaceae very attractive small shrubs are found among the Correas, often nicknamed the Australian Fuchsia (which they do somewhat resemble) and there are also many good plants both large and small in the very distinctive group with "bottlebrush flowers", notably in the genera Callistemon and Melaleuca. If you have a sunny and well drained site you could find the curious looking Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos and related species) to your taste. There are also a whole host of species of shrub with fine sprays small of flowers mostly in red, pink and white shades and including such genera as Thryptomene, Leptospermum, Boronia and Crowea.

If you have room for any trees what about the wattle family (Acacia) whose golden flowers light up late winter and spring gardens? Some of the smaller eucalypts have showy flowers also, mainly in red and pink shades with the occasional yellow.

There is in fact a huge number of very garden-worthy Australian plants and I have barely touched on what might be available. If you are interested in widening your acquaintance with them I suggest you might like to start by looking for a descriptive book of Australian garden plants. You would probably be amazed at the extent of the field.

Best wishes for your search

Moira

--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
NEW PICTURES ADDED 4/Feb/2004

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