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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

(was Melastoma affine, also known as Native Lassiandra) Native Lassiandra is a rounded shrub grows to three metres high with lilac flowers to five cm across, and flowers from Spring to Autumn. It has attractive rough textured leaves, and purple stems. The purple pulp of the fruit stains the mouth which is why this 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 [...]

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: [...]

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 [...]

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) and [...]

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  

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

Commonly known as lemon-scented tea-tree, swamp may, olive teatree, or lemon teatree, is a shrub to 4 m found naturally growing in wet coastal heath in Eastern Australia. Leaves are 5–7 mm long, with a distinctive lemony aroma. (wikipedia) Fine dense foliage and soft pink flowers in spring. Suitable for large container planting. Prefers a [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

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. Label says: Herb to 60 cm High Aspect: Full Sun / Semi-Shade Soil/Conditions: Dry / Well-Drained [...]

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.  And today I saw them again at the Bribie Island [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery, December 2016. Planted in south-west corner. Very shaded so plant is quite leggy. Bought a second plant Kumbartcho Nursery, December 2019 for the verge. Shrub to 0.5 Metres High by 1 Metre across Aspect: Full Sun Soil/Conditions: Adaptable / Moist to Sandy Description: Dense Prostrate Habit Evergreen Perennial Grey-Green [...]

Frogsmouth shown here in a pot with some Mazus Pumilio partly submerged in the front pond. It started as a tiny tubestock from the Nambour show and was growing well with many flower spikes about  metre long. You can see how it gets its name from the yellow flowers – one just visible in the [...]

Holly Fuschia is a  pretty shrub with leaves that look and feel like holly leaves but red fushia-like flowers rather than berries.  If you have fond memories of holly from the Northern Hemisphere – or associate it with Christmas – this is a good substitute. But it is much more than that. The flowers suit [...]

Scaevola is suddenly fashionable. It’s a pretty plant with flowers that look like half a daisy – hence fan flowers. In the new bed between the tank and the house, I have Aussie Winners – aemula which has larger, softer leaves and larger flowers, and some slightly smaller cheaper versions from Ridgy-Didge. They have morning [...]

Creeping herb with green circular leaves. Said to have greenish-white 5 mm flowers in Spring/Summer but I have yet to see any. I find this a useful creeping groundcover in the front lawn, on the verge, on mulched paths.  It dries out quickly in hot sun but usually comes back again when it’s cooler. Mows [...]

I planted this along at the bottom of the eastern fence several years ago but it became overshadowed by a more vigorous westringia. Earlier this year the Westringia went and with the new access to light and space this little shrub has grown well. It is now quite leggy but I read it responds well [...]

Herb to 10-70cm tall. Shade. A tufted perennial herb with fleshy tuberous base and mid-green soft felt-like leaves, bears non-aromatic pale blue to violet blue flowers most of the year. Tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery Planted under wattle tree 20/12/2016

Bought as tubestock at Kumbartcho Nursery 10/12/2016 Label says: Round bushy, shrub to 1m in sun or semi-shade.  Likes well drained, moist soil. Dark green leaves to 5cm long. White/lavender flowers in spring and summer. Attracts birds, bees and butterflies. Planted at the base of a birdbath by the back tap. The little birds – [...]

commonly known as the Waxvine or Common waxflower Bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery 10/12/2016 Planted in pot with native violets at base. Wikipedia – Hoya Australis says it is an evergreen climbing vine which may reach 4–10 m (13–33 ft). It has simple opposite glabrous (shiny) leaves 3–6 cm long and 2–5 cm wide. [...]

Bought as tubestock from Kumbartcho Nursery 10/12/2016 Planted toward eastern end of back fence. Sprawling shrub, needs tying to fence. Round, dense shrub to 4m tall.  Sun/semi-shade. White flowers in spring. Attracts birds and bees. Leaves aromatic when crushed. ANPSA “Usually found in sandy or sandstone-derived soils but sometimes found in basalt soil or rocks, [...]

Also known as snake vine, climbing Guinea flower or golden Guinea vine Tubestick from Kumbartcho, planted in north-east corner near fence – January 2017 http://anpsa.org.au/h-sca.html a fairly vigorous climber or scrambler, growing to 2 to 5 metres long. It has elliptic to obovate leaves 3-9cm long by 1-3 cm wide. The large golden yellow flowers, [...]

I call the native violet my weed of choice. This is not meant in a derogatory sense. Bare soil will always be colonised by something so why not encourage this friendly little plant to out-compete less attractive weeds and be the default groundcover. Native Violets grow in all sorts of places from full shade to [...]

I got some Okinawa spinach cuttings from Diane at BLF. They strike very easily, stand up to summer heat, and are another option for greens. And it seems it is also attracts the Blue Tiger butterfly.

Stenocarpus ‘Doreen’ – according to its tag is an attractive medium shrub with delicate mid-green foilage and large clusters of creamy flowers in summer. Full sun to part shade, 2m high and 1.5m wide. It has done well but a couple of years later it is more like 4m high and .75 m wide – [...]

Backhousia citriodora (common names lemon myrtle, lemon scented myrtle, lemon scented ironwood) is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, genus Backhousia. (wikipedia) See also http://www.lemonmyrtle.com.au/ Bought at native Plant sale September 2016

A flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae, native to Australia from Queensland to Tasmania. It is known in Australia by the common names false sarsaparilla, purple coral pea, happy wanderer, native lilac and waraburra. (wikipedia) Hardenbergia violacea is usually a climbing plant whose branches twist around the stems of other plants. It is moderately [...]

Common Name – Swamp Mazus. A native ground cover for wet to waterlogged soils. Rosettes of tiny oak-like leaves. Unusual asymmetrical lilac/blue flowers in Spring-Summer. Grows in full sun or part shade. Low perennial herb forming rosettes connected by rhizomes. Flowering: September–April Bought Native Plant Sale: September 2016 Doesn’t like to dry out. Divides easily. [...]

Attractive, scrambling shrub to 1m. Flowers white or pale mauve from spring to autumn. Sticky fruits adhere to clothing, skins and pets and may be a minor nuisance near walkways or other high traffic locations. (ref) Grows as an understory plant in monsoon forest and vine thickets (ref) Food plant for Zebra Blue butterfly. Bought: [...]

Eucalyptus curtisii, or Plunkett mallee, is a small tree that is native to Queensland in Australia. It is a mallee eucalyptus that grows from 2 to 7 metres in height and has smooth, grey bark that peels in long strips. The adult leaves are 6 to 13 cm long and 10 to 25 mm wide. [...]

Small shrub from Mt Barney & Mt Lindesay.  Thin wiry branches are slightly hairy. Whorled leaves. Attractive and prolific pink or white flowers with 4 to 10 petals in spring and summer. Also been referred to as Madder-Leaved Bauera. Rambling shrub to 2 metres.  Occurs in wet, shaded areas of New South wales, Victoria, Tasmania, [...]

It is a medium to large evergreen tree growing to 30–36 m tall with a trunk up to 1.5 m diameter. The leaves are lanceolate, 5–15 cm long (to 25 cm long on vigorous young trees) and 6–18 mm broad. The seed cones are dark blue-purple, berry-like, with a fleshy base 2-2.5 cm diameter bearing a single oval or [...]

Bought: Nambour Garden Show July 2016Planted: Against back fence to climb on wires (southfacing, gets sun in summer)Prefers full sun or part-shadePruning after flowering can restrain growth and plants respond well to hard pruning. Pandorea Jasminoides – Bower of Beautyclimbing on back fence February 2019(It’s in a large pot along the back fence.  A second [...]

There are two ways to get shade – to build it or to grow it – and I need shade on the western side of the house. When we moved here there was a mock orange hedge – horrible thing.  It was two metres high but didn’t block the sun, it billowed out and filled [...]

This pale yellow clivia is by the path to the front door. It has moved around a little but seems to have found its niche. Poor clay soil, deep shade in winter, not so deep in summer. I cut off the seed pods after the first show of flowers and sometimes get a second. Plants [...]

This stuff grows anywhere, tolerates poor and dry soil, strikes from small pieces. Small yellow flowers.  The blue tongue lizards like it. I was a bit concerned about weed potential but it seems to spread, not jump and is easy to pull out.  To kill completely, just sheet-cover or out-compete. Alyssum can beat it. August [...]