Banksia
Banksias are a great choice for understory plantings with a spicy fragrance & attractive, delicate flowers that are mostly pink.
The Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa) is an attractive dense shrub that has grey-green foliage and small white or pale-lavender flowers. It is great as a hedge and can be easily shaped into balls. It is also highly adaptable as it can withstand salt sprays, strong winds and dry conditions.
How to grow westringia 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.
- Carefully remove the plant from the pot ensuring not to disturb any of the roots.
- 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 mulch, keeping it away from the base of the plant.
- Feed occasionally with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser to ensure strong root development.
How to grow westringia in a pot
- 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.
- Carefully remove the plant from the pot ensuring not to disturb any of the roots.
- Position in hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.
- Mulch around the base with organic mulch, keeping it away from the base of the plant.
- Feed occasionally with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser to ensure strong root development.
Growing tips
- Westringias dislike having constant wet feet. Take care not to over-water.
- When pruning, ensure that you only cut back to the soft leafy growth and not to hard wood. Westringias don’t respond well to hard prunes and won’t rejuvenate if cut back to hard wood.
- If using as a hedge, space the plants at least 50 cm apart. This will also depend on the overall size of the variety chosen. If it is a larger variety you will need to expand on the spacing to reduce competition. If it is a dwarf variety, then you can plant them closer together to create a denser hedge.
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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