Re: Hardy 'pretty' flowers/Kangaroo Paw?

A particularly good reference book on salt/wind tolerant plants is Seaside Plants of the World.  Although out-of-print, copies are available through http://www.abebooks.com/. 
 
Edwin Menninger
  SEASIDE PLANTS OF THE WORLD.
  (NY: Hearthside, 1964). large format, 303 pp., index, bibliography, appendices, well ill. with 400 b&w photos; an exhaustive encyclopedic work covering 1500 species in 875 genera.
 
 
Contents include - The Problem, salt, sand wind, good soil, planting, erosion, reclaiming land, ground covers, vines, grass and lily, herbs and shrubs, palms, salt tolerance, salt resistant, cold.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: d*@attglobal.net
To: m*@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Friday, December 06, 2002 6:56 AM
Subject: Hardy 'pretty' flowers/Kangaroo Paw?

Hi
 
My indigenous garden is 4 years old and thriving. However, I am being badgered by the government (my wife) to introduce  'pretty' flowers,  and some colour (other than blue and grey) into the garden.
 
Can anyone recommend long-flowering or colourfully foliaged plants for a garden that is subject to salt-laden, high-speed winds (although there are barrier plants in place) and a Mediterranean type climate. In this case the 'soil' is hydrophobic sand that proteas and  restoids, for instance, thrive in.  The plants will be mulched and watered as water restrictions permit.
 
 The plant would thus have to cope with acidic sand, be salt and wind tolerant and be able to endure long, hot dry spells with intermittent watering.  Also, it needs to withstand some root disturbance as I co-exist with some 'creeping' moles (at the cost of the odd protea).   
 
Would the Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos flavidus) be suitable and can one grow it from seed as I have not come across it in local (Western Cape) nurseries?
 
Your advice would be appreciated
 
Regards
Charl     
 
PS Reading the above, it seems that I might have to engage in some genetic engineering 
 
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