Pittwater Life November 2018 Issue

Garden Life
Garden Life
Delight Flamenco in hibiscus the amazing makes
colours brilliant of stamp hydrangeas of colour
Lush,
Always tropical
a favourite
Hawaiian
for
hibiscus were in
Christmas demand in colour, the ’80s hydrangeas
and ’90s but as the ‘new
look’ and
are
trend
flowering
towards
their
low maintenance
heads
became
off!
popular,
They look
their
wonderful
popularity waned. The
Hawaiian
in the
hibiscus
garden,
were
brightening
grafted plants grown by
the
specialist
semi-shaded
nurseries,
areas
but many
and
of these nurseries
glowing closed as in clipped the full, hedges protected and strap-leaved plants
sunlight. took over Once and hibiscus the older were hard to buy.
varieties The huge were flowers either of pink the older or hibiscus lasted
blue just one depending day and the on shrubs the soil, needed constant
additional care. The warm, lime will tropical deepen gardens of the northern
the beaches pinks are and boosted blueing by tonic a flash of colour – and
(sulphate nothing can of compete aluminium) with will bright, spectacular
heighten flowers of the blues, new flamboyant but the Flamenco hibiscus.
new They named will flower varieties continuously will for nine months
maintain of the year, their with colour. blooms White that will last on the
never bushes changes. for up to There five or are six days before they
hydrangeas fade. The compact of every plants size are from great for pots,
the mass tiny planting dwarf in Piamina garden to beds the or even as a low
tall hedge traditional in the full Mop sun. Heads. If space is limited, plants
With that have so many been to trained choose as from standards are available.
it is They almost look too stunning difficult as focal to points of in the garden traditional mop Hibiscus heads, have few
that
problems.
can be two
They
metres
should
tall.
decide. beds, or There in tubs are on the sunny delicate balconies the or patios cone-shaped be flowers cut back of by a third The recently in late spring, introduced as they
lace with caps, colourful the petunias, huge blooms white allysum hydrangea or trailing, paniculata flower bushes on new growth. smaller Feed growing with a Picotee fertiliser that
silver dichondra growing underneath. There are will promote flowers varieties – I use with Sudden two-tone Impact flower for
nine different colours to choose from: white, plus Roses. Their only heads problem are is hard the hibiscus to leave beetle behind
the bright and if green you have leaves a semi-
and
pinks, yellows, salmon, tangerine and scarlet. that eats holes in
Their huge, single, frilly petalled blooms lives in the flower shaded buds. (Granular wall, the BugKilla climbing from
have dark centres.
Richgro will control hydrangea these irritating petiolaris insects.) is just
beautiful.
Hydrangeas are forgiving
Little Angel
plants
daisies
L
that are easy to grow.
ow-growing borders
They
add colour.
like regular
Little
water
Angel
and
is a
tight, compact plant
any
that
good
will easily
garden
adapt
soil.
to
Mulch
any
sunny position. It will gradually
the roots
carpet
with compost
the garden
to
edge with rosettes of bright
keep them
green
cool
leaves.
and
The
feed
large,
pure white, yellow-centred
them
daisies
in early
will
spring
appear
to
all
get
through the summer months.
them going. Grow them in
Little Angel makes a
pots,
great
or
border;
in the
it
garden;
will grow
bring
between pavers or down
them
the
inside
centre
when
of a driveway.
in flower
Pick the flowers and add
or
them
cut the
to
blooms
bunches
–
of
they
scarlet
last
geraniums for Christmas
well
table
in water.
decorations.
with Gabrielle Bryant
Christmas
bush that’s
a ‘Cracker’
New Zealand Christmas
Bush is an old favourite
for seaside gardens. The
soft, grey foliage is salttolerant
and tough. In the
past few years there have
Cherry been many new Guava varieties a
sweet
under cultivation.
surprise
All are
Ifantastic hedging plants for
n
salt
full
or
flower
as wind
in my
breaks.
veggie
garden
The newest
is my Cherry
newcomer
Guava,
is
sometimes
Metrosideros
known
Fire
as
Cracker.
a Strawberry
Fire Cracker
Guava. This
has
delightful
all the
evergreen
hardiness
shrub
of its
never
parentage
fails to
produce
but is quite
a heavy
different
crop of
in
cherry
guavas
appearance.
in early
Fire
autumn.
Cracker
is
It
a
is
perfect
a small,
name
pretty
for
tree
the
with
rounded,
explosion
glossy
of colour
green
in
leaves
the
that
new
only
leaves:
grows
bright
to about
yellow,
three
gold,
metres
pink and
in height.
scarlet
Keep
that
it
trimmed
cover the
into
dark
shape
green
after
and
fruiting.
gold
The
variegation
delicate fluffy
of the
flowers
older
are
leaves.
creamy white, growing close
to the
Grown
branches.
as a hedge
They are
that
followed
is
clipped,
by the
the
tangy
amazing
flavoured,
colours
sweet,
will dazzle
berry-sized,
you. It
cherry
can reach
red
fruit
a height
that are
of
high
three
in
metres
vitamin
and
C.
Unlike
grow
the
to be
taller-growing
two metres
deciduous
wide
if left
yellow
as an
guava
informal
that needs
shrub.
cooking,
This is a
the
Christmas
fruit can be
bush
eaten
that
raw
is grown
straight
for
from
its
the
leaves
tree
alone.
or
used
I have
in cooking,
never seen
jellies,
one
drinks,
flower.
sauces or jams.
You should protect the fruit
from fruit fly with a fruit fly bait.
Get into the
‘swing’ of Xmas
It is time to relax and enjoy
your garden. Look at your
outdoor seating requirements
– the shops are full of
amazing chairs and tables.
Hanging cane egg chairs have
been trendy for the past few
years and now the ‘Swing
Seat’ is back. Nothing is more
peaceful than swinging in a
seat for two, sheltered from
the weather with a roof to
shade from the sun – makes a
great Christmas present too!
72 68 NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2017 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991