Pittwater Life June 2018 Issue

Native
colour
tough
and
hardy
Brighten the cold winter days
with colourful native plants.
As the introduced European and
other exotic plants in the garden
slow down waiting for spring,
many of the native shrubs come
to life.
Grevillea Crackles (above)
gives a brilliant display of fiery
orange and scarlet flowers from
autumn to late spring. Perfect
as a hedge or grown in a mixed
native garden bed, it is a favourite
of the honeyeaters and
attracts the native bees.
Gardens are getting smaller
and need smaller plants where
space is a problem. The tiny
grevillea Pinky Petite is low
Slipper fits
Lady Slipper Orchids (right),
are easy to grow and often
forgotten. Unlike the more
exotic tree-hugging, epiphytic
moth orchids and cattleyas
that have gained so much
popularity, Lady Slipper orchids
grow in the ground.
They make wonderful pot
plants for indoors or out.
There are 60 different 'Paphiopedilum'
orchids – from the
colder climate of the Himalayas
to the warmth of the
South China Sea. You can tell
which will grow in the cooler
or warmer temperatures from
the foliage colour; those that
have plain green strappy
leaves will grow in the cool
and those with mottled leaves
need the hotter climate.
All Lady Slipper orchids
have the distinctive flowers
with the pouched front petal
and horizontal side petals
that are crowned by a huge
hooded petal above. The flowers
last for several weeks.
The colours vary: the cooler
climate varieties are earthy
shades of yellows greens
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growing; it will spread about
1m across with a height of just
30cm. The abundant, soft pink
flowers show off against the
soft grey foliage. Plant it in a
tub or use it as a ground cover.
The silver leaves of the variegated
coast rosemary, Westringia
Smokey (right), sparkle in
the winter light. Smokey is the
perfect backdrop for the glowing
grevilleas.
Aussie native plants work well
in any garden. Mix and match
them with your summer tropical
garden for a garden that works
year-round. Feed native trees
and shrubs with Bush Tucker
fertiliser for healthy plants.
and browns, while those
from warmer climates can be
two-toned purples, burgundy,
violet, pink or cream.
Cymbidium orchid mix is the
perfect potting medium for
slipper orchids. Often grown
as indoor houseplants, Lady
Slipper Orchids will happily live
outside in a sheltered position
and flower like clockwork
every winter. Feed them with
Strike Back for Orchids to keep
them growing and bring them
in when they are in flower for
winter colour.
JUNE 2018 69
Garden Life