Banksia
Banksias are a great choice for understory plantings with a spicy fragrance & attractive, delicate flowers that are mostly pink.
There are over 600 species of this genus, ranging from small shrubs to large trees. Wattles (Acacia spp.) are evergreen with yellow flowers in late winter or spring, but the foliage may be feathery, flat or needle-like.
How to grow wattle in a garden
- Choose a place in the garden that gets full sun to part shade. Prepare the planting area well by digging in Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser.
- Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Remove the plant from the container.
- Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed. Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes.
- Mulch around the base with organic, keeping it away from the trunk.
- Feed in Autumn and Spring with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser to ensure strong root development.
How to grow wattle in a pot
Best suited to the Acacia cognata varieties such as “Limelight”.
- Choose a pot that is at least twice the size of the selected plant. Position in the garden that receives full sun to part shade.
- Fill the pot with a quality potting mix, such as Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter.
- Remove the plant from the container.
- Position in hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.
- Mulch around the base with organic, keeping it away from the trunk.
- Feed in Autumn and Spring with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser to ensure strong root development.
Growing tips
- Wattles are very fast growing, but are short-lived plants
- There are many different varieties of A. cognata ranging from standard forms to the more common low dense forming shrub.
- Various species of native wattle are classed as weed species in some states. Check your local council for details on the best species to grow in your area.
- Reliable and adaptable species are:
Gold dust wattle (A. acinacea). Height 1-2 metres, Width 1-2 metres.
Cootamundra wattle (A. baileyana). Height 3-5 metres, width 3-5 metres.
Box-leafed wattle (A. buxifolia). Height 2-3 metres, Width 2-3 metres.
Black wattle (A. decurrens). Height 6-9 metres, Width 3-5 metres.
Sydney golden wattle (A. longifolia). Height 4-5 metres, Width 2-3 metres.
Queensland silver wattle (A. podalyriifolia). Height 3-4 metres, Width 3-4 metres.
Golden wattle (A. pycnantha). Height 3-5 metres, Width 2 metres. This variety is Australia’s national flower.
Birds Nest Fern
The Birds Nest Fern (Asplenium australasicum) is a stunning feature plant that is regularly seen in the shaded Australian garden
Boronia
They are a great choice for understory plantings that have a spicy fragrance and attractive, delicate flowers that are mostly pink, but some brown and yellow.
Bottlebrush
Bottlebrush plants are attractive shrubs or small trees with brush-like flowers in shades of cream, yellow, pink or red.
Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser
Create organic nutrient rich soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter for better root growth, stronger plants and more flowers and fruit.
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