Eremophila Magic Blush
Bought Feb 2020. Planted in front garden at fork in paths – Flowering September 2020
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Hibiscus splendens
Hibiscus splendens is a large, sprawling, dry-rainforest shrub that grows 3-6 metres high. The leaves are hairy and slightly prickly. Stems can be prickly. Flowers are large, pink and typical hibiscus shape. Individual flowers open and close with the sun but only last 1-2 days but new flowers continue to open over a long period,
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Crinum pedunculatum Swamp or River Lily
Also known as River Lily, this plant is very hard and adaptable – shade to full sun, pots or in the ground, dry to soggy soils. Strong green strappy leaves with a large, delicate flower, popular with the native bees. The original plant was bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho, and has been moved several times.
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Doryanthes excelsa – Gymea Lilly
First flower winter 2020. It’s taking so long to open. Once the flower opens it is popular with the native bees and the honeyeaters. This is in the front garden on the mound so well-drained and quite dry. Tussock plant with sword-like leaves to 1 Metre high Aspect: Full Sun / Semi-Shade Soil/Conditions: Moist /
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Dampiera diversifolia – kangaroo lobelia
Bought from Australian Plants Online July 2020 Planted in front bed
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Old Man Salt Bush – Atriplex nummularia
The Brisbane Local Food group had a great outing and lunch at Neilsen’s Native Nursery today. I managed to resist everything except this. I’ve been looking for Old Man Salt Bush for months. Planted in front west garden. Propagating more from cuttings for the verge. Links: Gardening with Angus
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A short walk to the shops after rain
Today I walked a longer route to my local shop to buy milk. Everything is looking fresh and green now the rain has finally come. I thought I’d check to see how the raingarden at the bottom of the hill was doing. The rain garden was installed by the council several years ago and has
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Walking from North West Hospital to Everton Park Shopping Centre
This walk would normally take about 20 minutes. It was very hot so I walked slower and paused under trees to check my map, taking almost 40 minutes. That is where the phone is invaluable when walking. Like many Brisbane suburbs, Everton Park is not built on a grid system. Take a wrong turn while
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Sauropus albiflorus
SHRUB TO 1 METRE TALL BY 40 CM ACROSS Low, open habit, fine foliage and white flowers and green berries throughout the year. An excellent understorey plant in shady positions. (Paten Park Nursery) Tubestock from Kumbartcho December 2019 Planted half way along the back fence in a very shady spot.
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Waiting for Buses in the Burbs
The bus at the corner of my street comes every 30 minutes. Every hour in the evenings and weekends. There’s a big difference between the every 15 minutes BUZ services where you just turn up at the bus stop knowing that a bus will be along in an average of 7 minutes, and standing at
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The Untapped Potential of Suburban Bus Stops
Our bus stop had a revamp last year. The old seat with its back to the road was removed, a new slab laid, and we waited to see what would take its place. Perhaps it would get a bus shelter like the one on the other side of the road, especially as this one is
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Cullen tenax – Emu foot
Atractive nitrogen-fixing vine with common name of Wild or Native Lucerne Attracts Chequered Swallowtail, Common grass-blue and the Tailed pea-blue butterflies Small purple flowers attract native bees. I got the tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery and put it in this hanging pot and forgot about it. Transplanted December 2019 in front of pond near the bee
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Hovea acutifolia
Also known as purple pea bush “A small to medium evergreen Australian shrub that gets small 1cm purple flowers in Aug to Sept. Leaves are green on top with a golden brown underside.” Bought tubestock Kumbartcho March 2019 and struggling in the dry bed against the east wall (water it more), another tubestock bought December
Dianella caerulea
Taller than Dianella brevipendunctulata, grows up to a metre high and wide. Also known as blue flax-lily, blueberry lily, or paroo lily 3 x Tubestocks Kumbartcho Nursery December 2019 I have put them against the fence beside the bins – a previously unloved piece of ground, but also on the blue tongue’s pathway from their breeding
Eremophila debilis
Common names winter apple or amulla, endemic to east coast extending from north Queensland to near the border between New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. (wikipedia) It is a prostrate shrub with lance-shaped leaves and white, rarely deep mauve flowers. Spreading weak stems up to 1 metre long. Flowering mainly in spring and summer,
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Glochidion sumatranum (umbrella cheese tree)
Common names: Cheesetree; Pin Flower Tree; Sumatran Buttonwood; Umbrella Cheesetree; Buttonwood White flowers, cheese shaped greenish pink seed capsules & red bird attracting seeds Tree to 15 m high (keep it in a pot) Tubestock from Kumbartcho December 2019. Planted in brown square pot with Brachyscome multifida and Viola banksii below.
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Melaleuca nodosa (prickly-leaved paperbark)
Melaleuca nodosa , commonly known as the prickly-leaved paperbark, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with narrow, sometimes needle-like leaves and profuse heads of yellow flowers as early as April or as late as January (wikipedia) Grows to 7 metres
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Silky Hakea
Hakea sericea , commonly known as Needlebush or Silky Hakea, is a large species of shrub native to Australia. It is native to New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania but is found outside these states. It grows up to 3 metres (10 ft) as a spreading and bushy shrub, flowering from winter to early spring. Tag
Hymenosporum flavum (Native Frangipani)
Tree to 20 Metres High with cream fragrant flowers darkening to yellow in autumn through to summer. This one is staying in a pot Bird Attracting Butterfly Attracting Bee Attracting Prune young and regularly for best effect
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Peperomia blanda
Herb to 30 cm High Shaded / Semi-Shade Rocks, Moist but not too wet, with ferns Prostrate Clumping Evergreen Perennial Grey-Green soft leaves to 3 cm, Small White flowers on spikes to 13 cm Also suits pots and indoor.
Mentha satureioides – Bush Mint
Bush Mint sometimes referred to as “Native Pennyroyal” Mat-forming herb, rhizomatous and often producing ascending to prostrate branches at nodes; branches glabrous or covered with short spreading hairs. Grows in sandy-clay to clay-rich soils, frequently in grassy areas Sun or shade, attracts bees & insects. Tiny, white flowers will attract bees in summer. The plant
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Ozothamnus diosmifolius – Rice Flower
Common names: Sago Bush, Rice Flower, White Dogwood, Pill Flower Shrub to 2.5 Metres High by 2 Metres Spread Full Sun / Semi-Shade, Adaptable Description: Dense Upright Habit Evergreen Perennial Dark Green aromatic leaves to 15 mm long White flowers in 3 mm clusters of 20 to 100 in Spring to Summer Attracts Australian Painted
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Artanema fimbriatum – Koala Bells
Perennial, erect stems with dark green leaves and purple/ blue flowers in Spring/Summer. Shade tolerant, moist. Use as hanging basket, pot plant, or in a rockery. Will grow bushier when cut right back after flowering. Herb/Shrub grows to about 1 m tall. Also called Native Snapdragon Said to attract the Blue-banded Bee 3 Tubestock from
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Glycosmis trifolata – Pink Lime Bush
Glycosmis trifoliata – known as Òrange Berry or Pink Lime Bush Rounded open habit, evergreen, perennial shrub to 4 Metres Full Sun / Semi-Shade Moist /Well-Drained Green glossy leaves to 15 cm long White flowers to 5 mm in clusters in Spring to Summer Pink soft berry fruit to 12 mm diameter Family: Rutaceae Natural Habitat: Dry
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Wikstroemia Indica – Bushman’s Bootlace
Also known as Tie Bush, Bootlace Bark and Bushman’s Bootlace Evergreen perennial shrub with dense rounded habit to 1.5 Shade / Semi-Shade Soil/Conditions: Adaptable / Moist Dark Green leaves to 6 cm, Dull underneath Green tubular flowers to 7 mm in Spring to Autumn Orange to Red berry fruit to 7 mm – TOXIC Family:
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Graptophyllum spinigerum “Spiny Fuchsia”
Also known as Queensland Holly or Veiny Graptophyllum Understory plant in Wet Sclerophyll Forest (Full Shade / Filtered Sun but will tolerate full sun) A compact rounded shrub with attractive dark green leaves, and white flowers in Spring. The fruit is club-shaped and about 1cm. long. Attracts Carpenter Bee, Blue-banded Bee and stingless bees. Tubestock
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Alphitonia excelsa
Alphitonia excelsa, commonly known as the red ash or soap tree Fast growing, semi-deciduous tree – when planted in a well-drained position it makes a splendid shade tree which can grow to a height of about 21 m in warm moist conditions – keep in pot Food plant for the caterpillars of the moonlight jewel (Hypochrysops delicia )
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Hakea actites – Wallum Hakae
Shrub or Tree to 5 Metres (taller than Hakea sericea) Full Sun / Semi-Shade Rounded Open Habit Evergreen Perennial Dark Green needle-shaped leaves to 8 cm White small flowers on branches in Winter Brown woody capsule to 35 mm Very Prickly so Small Bird Shelter Plant Bought Kumbartcho December 2019
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Cupaniopsis parvifolia- Small Leaved Tuckeroo
A hardy, small tree, up to 20 m but usually smaller, with spreading crown creating good shade. Small panicles of pale flowers are followed by bird-attractive fruits. Host Plant for Deudorix diovis (Bright Cornelian) butterfly. Caterpillars tended by ants. Tubestock from Kumbartcho December 2019
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Alpinia caerulea
Clumping Habit Evergreen Perennial also called Native Ginger, (Blueberry Ginger Grows to 3 Metres High Sun / Semi-Shade Rainforest plant – adaptable / moist soil Green glossy elliptical leaves to 40 cm x 10 cm White tubular flowers to 10 mm on spikes to 30 cm in Spring Blue berry fruit to 10 mm Edible
Spartothamnella juncea
Endemic to Queensland and New South Wales. Common names are Native Broom, Square-stemmed Broom or Bead Bush Evergreen perennial shrub to 1.5 Metres High, Full Sun / Semi-shade Almost leafless with tiny white 5-petalled flowers, orange / red globular fruit most of the year Dry Rainforest said to attract birds but I will be watching to
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Cissus antarctica (Kangaroo Vine)
Tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery December 2019 Label says: Scrambling / Climbing Woody Vine or Ground Cover to 5 Metres, Evergreen Perennial, Bright Green leaves to 12 cm, Yellowish flowers to 5mm, Purplish-Black grape-like edible fruit Semi-Shade / Shade Soil/Conditions: Moist / Well-Drained Joseph’s Coat Moth Host Plant Bird Attracting Hanging Basket plant Indoor Plant Aboriginal
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Reframing Lawn – Zoysia Nara Native Turf
Early this year, I finally got rid of the last bit of the dreaded couch lawn – from both inside the yard and out on the verge. No need for all the mowing paraphenalia. No need for the shed. Then I went to the Nambour Garden Show and saw a stand with Zoysia Nara Native
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Cyathea Cooperi tree fern
Planted August 2019 in front west garden towards the bottom of the slope. It is shaded by trees above, and most morning sun will be blocked by the westringia. The plan is that it will grow to be an understory plant and get more sun as it is bigger and more able to cope as
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Eremophila oppositifolia “Moonlight” white form of the oppositifolia emu bush
Eremophila oppositifolia is a subtle shrub, not showy like the grevilleas or the wattles, but it is one the draws the most admiration from visitors. This one lives at the top of a slope, with little care and attention. It flowers in late autumn and early spring. The little brown honey eaters hang from the
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Verge Update July 2019
It’s two years since the main verge was planted out. The street tree is thriving. The westringia against the road are well establised. Myoporum (in the foreground right) seems to be indestructible and has tiny white flowers. Cuttings strike well. Pink and white cosmos have come up from seed and brightens the mid-winter garden. The
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February Flower Hunt 2019
It’s important to have a variety of flowers all year round for the pollinators. Yesterday I brought home my first beehive so was a bit worried that there might not be enough flowers for the visiting bees as well as the new residents. Time for a flower hunt. and there are more. Zuchinnis, cucumber, eggplant
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My First Beehive
Although I’ve had native bees visiting the garden for years, I’ve not had a hive – until now. Many thanks to Dianne from Brisbane Local Food for letting me have one from splitting her hive. The hive has been placed on an upturned clay pot under the acacia at the back, in the shelter with
Pollinator Link
My garden – and verge – are part of the Brisbane Pollinator Link. Well, sort of. The Brisbane Pollinator Link is a great idea, aiming to have enough Brisbane gardens in close proximity to create connecting habitat for bees, butterflies and other bugs. But it’s based on the south side of the river, and one
Goodenia ovata – yellow flowers on an unassuming but attractive plant
Although Goodenia ovata is often described as a small, open shrub, it grows as a ground cover on the verge. It’s extremely hardy and always seems to have cheerful yellow flowers.The leaves are glossy green with a serrated edge. Bought as tube stock from Kumbartcho Nursery A second Goodenia bought from Plant Shack in August 2018.
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Sunflowers and Native Bees
This is reason enough to grow sunflowers. This sunflower is beside the pond and gets the morning sun. It has lots of tiny native bees and a single larger one. I’m not sure what type of bee it is. And here are some more against the fence facing west. Note to self: get some more
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Dianella brevipendunctulata – Blue Flax-Lily
Dianella berries (November 2018) on front verge. Rich purple berries follow delicate flowers. Bought as tubestock (3), Kumbartcho, December 2016. Planted on west side of tank. Bought as tubestock (30), Kumbartcho, December 2016. Planted on south side of verge. Dianella flowering September-October 2022. This is blue tongue territory. Sweet peas in foreground, Doryanthes excelsa – Gymea
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Pentas
Pentas have hairy green leaves and clusters of flowers in shades of red, white, pink, and purple. I planted some in the front bed from a punnet of seedlings and forgot about them until a year on I found this one thriving despite considerable neglect.
July Flower Hunt
This morning, we went for a flower hunt to see how many different flowers there were in the garden, including the verge. Here’s the list: Acacia Fimbriata (Brisbane Wattle) is coming into flower. In the morning sun, it is abuzz. Also popular with birds of all sizes Subtropical Nectarine blossom Graptophyllum ilicifolium (Holly Fuchsia) popular
Acacia Fimbriata – Brisbane Wattle
The focal point of our front garden is the Brisbane Wattle. It has birds of all sizes in it every day – fairy wrens, small brown honey eaters, Australasian fig bird, Noisy friarbirds, willy wagtails, all love this tree. In late winter, it has a mass of yellow flowers and is abuzz with bees. 22
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What is Greenspace, anyway?
In debates about the environment, urban planning and development, the need for greenspace is a bit of an accepted wisdom. “Protect our greenspace” is the one argument against a new development that nobody dares argue with. But what do people really mean when they talk about greenspace? Does everyone mean the same thing? Do they
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Verge Update – end of July 2017
The sunny side of the verge is starting to look more like a garden. The annuals – alyssum, nasturtiums and strawflowers are filling space while the tubestock natives are growing. The alyssum is flowering, attracting bees, keeping weeds down and making the mulch path look like a path – no hard borders are allowed under
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Verge Garden – Native bed around the Street Tree
With the street tree planted in late April, the cooler weather and recent rain meant that May was the month for completing Stage 3 of the verge. It is the largest part, between the concrete path and the kerb. The traffic calming means that I don’t have to worry about people alighting from parked cars
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Myoporum boninense ssp.australe (Boobialla)
Suggested by a volunteer at Kumbartcho Nursery as a more local Myoporum than the finer leaved ones you buy in the shops, and a very hardy low-growing shrub for the front verge. Small white flowers in Autumn followed by berries. Full sun or semi-shade Grows to approx. 50cm with spread of 1 to 2 metres
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Putting the Native Back into Nature Strips
On Friday, our new street tree was installed in line with the blue dot by two friendly workmen from the BCC. They called it a “Lop Con” short for Lophostemon confertus (Queensland Brush Box), and it’s the same as the others in the street. One neighbour who is also missing a tree has already ordered
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