Re: Growing Aussie plants in the cold

Hi Samantha,

It really depends which part of Ireland your friend is in.Here in north
Mayo, 25 miles from the Atlantic, we get temperatures down to -7C ( 20F)
for a few days every winter and coupled with much winter rain ( but never as
much as this winter) few Australian plants I've tried do well outside all
year round. Kangaroo Paw is easy if overwintered in a cool greenhouse,
Prostanthera rotundifolia survives outside all year in the shelter of a
south wall., the Eucalyptus I have tried
 E.perriniana,E.niphophila,E.gunnii ) all seem quite happy outdoors.
Two hundred or so miles further south , around the coastal areas of counties
Kerry and Cork, there is more scope , but even in the more favoured areas,
growing many of the Australian natives outdoors is likely to be successful
only in the short term.I was at Glanleam subtropical gardens  on Valentia
Island off the coast of Kerry in May 1997 and was shown the list of plants
growing there in the 1950s and another list of surviving plants  at the time
the present owner bought the estate in the early 70s.
Seven species of Metrosideris had all died, as had six different Acacias and
Callistemon citrinus and C.salignus.This may not have been due to the
climate, of course, but I also noticed that many  of the recently replanted
species were already dead.On the other hand, some plants have done very
well.In 1975, Eucalyptus globulus measured 66 ft, Clethra arborea was 70ft
and forming thickets, Dicksonia antartica was 21 ft, Pittosporum eugenoides
variegatus 39 ft ,Embothrium coccineum 60ft  and Myrtus luma when I saw it
was rapidly becoming a weed....but not much here in the way of Australians
.I just don't think we get enough sun to keep them happy.
Hope this helps!
Jane
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