Daisy-like flowers always look so cheery; it’s almost impossible not to feel just a little bit happier every time you look at one. The daisy family (Asteraceae) is huge – there are almost 24,000 different species. It includes many garden favourites such as ageratums, asters, chrysanthemums, cosmos, dahlias, marigolds, sunflowers, zinnias and gerberas. Gerberas occur...Read More
Salvias are wonderful garden plants. They belong to the mint family, and there are nearly 1000 species, including annuals and perennials and evergreen shrubs. They are drought tolerant, thrive in the heat, grow quickly, and flower profusely for months on end. They often have interesting foliage, which may be smooth and shiny or soft and...Read More
Petunias have long been a favourite of the flower grower. With a profusion of bright flowers in a startling range of colours, an ability to tolerate heat and poor soil, and a willingness to flower throughout the year in warm climates, these plants have well and truly proven themselves over the years. So it’s no...Read More
Australian wildflowers are grown commercially as cut flowers both here at home and in other countries including Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Israel and the USA. They are hugely important internationally, and the best-selling of them all is the Geraldton Wax (Chamelaucium spp.). Geraldton Wax (Chamelaucium spp.) – Photo Arnelia Nursery These beautiful shrubs come from Western Australia,...Read More
Lots of our native plants flower in winter. Grevilleas and Callistemons are probably the mostly well-known and widely grown native flowering shrubs, but there are plenty of others that are well worth growing. One of my favourites is the Australian rice flower, Ozothamnus dismofolius, which is native to Eastern Australia from north Queensland as far...Read More
Chocolate is the most popular sweet in the world the average Australian eats somewhere between 5 and 6 kilograms of the stuff every year. Most of us love chocolate, and so imagine how exciting it would be to have a chocolate scented flower in your garden. Cosmos ‘Choca Mocha’ will give you that irresistible chocolate...Read More
