Pittwater Life January 2019 Issue

Garden Life
Garden Life
Delight Echinacea more the amazing than just
colours a beautiful of hydrangeas
‘cone flower’
with Gabrielle Bryant
Echinacea
A
plants are native
colours.
lways a favourite for
Christmas to North America colour, where
The Echinacea ‘Sombrero’
hydrangeas
are flowering their
they have been used by
pallet of colours is brilliant.
the native American people for
These hardy, compact plants
heads off! They look wonderful
in the garden, brightening
centuries for their medicinal
grow about 50cm tall and will
purposes.
form clumps about 50cm wide.
the semi-shaded areas and
You won’t find information
These richly coloured flowers
glowing in the full, protected
about its uses amongst old
can be white, yellow, tangerine,
sunlight. Once the older
European herbal remedies
scarlet or deep red. All have the
varieties were either pink or
because it was not extensively
distinctive ‘hedgehog’ middle.
blue depending on the soil,
used until the beginning of the
Cone Flowers are close
additional lime will deepen
20th century.
cousins of the Sun Flower –
the pinks and blueing tonic
Commonly called the ‘Cone
grow them where they get at
(sulphate of aluminium) will
Cherry Guava a
Flower’ its name Echinacea
least six hours of sun each day;
heighten the blues, but the
sweet Snail
comes from the Greek word
they need good drainage and surprise
new named varieties will
for hedgehog, to describe the spiky cone-shaped once established are drought-tolerant.
I
maintain their colour. White
control
n full flower in my veggie
seed head that forms after the flower has finished. They will grow in any soil type and are tolerant
never changes. There are
garden is my Cherry Guava,
The wild Echinacea flower heads are creamcoloured
or mauve with dark, tan-coloured
the North American prairies.
of humidity, although their natural habitat is on
hydrangeas of every size from
sometimes known as a Strawberry
Guava. This delightful
a tale of
the tiny dwarf Piamina to the
centres. These are used today to make teas,
You can divide them in autumn or you can
tall traditional Mop Heads.
evergreen shrub never fails to
tablets or throat lozenges to relieve the symptoms collect the seed as it ripens and plant the seeds the tape
With so many to choose from
produce a heavy crop of cherry
of colds and flu (echinacea is a natural antibiotic). in spring; but remember that seed-grown plants
A
it is almost too difficult to of the traditional mop heads, that can be two metres tall. guavas fter the in early rain that autumn. has
In today’s garden Cone flowers are grown in will not usually be the same as the hybrid varieties
decide. There are the delicate the cone-shaped flowers of The recently introduced
It half-drowned is a small, pretty our tree gardens with
cottage gardens, as a border plant, in pots or that are available in garden centres – these are all
lace caps, the huge blooms hydrangea paniculata bushes smaller growing Picotee rounded, the snails glossy are out green in force, leaves
window boxes. Plant breeders have worked on grown from tissue culture.
varieties with two-tone flower that chomping only grows their way to about through
this very hardy perennial plant and have produced It is fun to grow the seeds – you never know,
heads are hard to leave behind
and if you have a semi-
trimmed Snail bait into containing shape after fruit-
three every metres tasty new in height. leaf in sight. Keep it
some wonderfully bright and exciting new
you might just get a brand new colour!
shaded wall, the climbing ing. metaldehyde The delicate is poisonous fluffy flowers to
Wall baskets to hydrangea beautify petiolaris fences is just are lizards, creamy birds white, and other growing wildlife close
beautiful.
to the branches. They are followed
the dying by the snail. tangy Some flavoured, baits are
I f you have narrow side paths, Hydrangeas or bare timber are forgiving
fences, it
that might eat either the bait or
can be tricky to find a way to cover them.
plants that are easy to grow. sweet, made with berry-sized, iron and cherry bran; these red
Climbers need to be planted into pots or garden beds. If
They like regular water and fruit are very that effective, are high in and vitamin although C.
pathways are paved or concreted, this can be difficult. Half
any good garden soil. Mulch Unlike they will the not taller-growing kill animals they deciduous
may yellow make them guava sick. that needs
baskets attached to the fence can be the answer. Either in
the roots with compost to
full sun or shade, they are easy to maintain.
keep them cool and feed cooking, Saucers the of fruit beer can will be attract eaten
Plant them up with hardy plants that will take little time
them in early spring to get raw and straight drown the from snails, the while tree or
to look after. In full sun, plant trailing geraniums, seaside
them going. Grow them in used crushed in cooking, egg shells jellies, make drinks,
daisies, silver dichondra or succulents that will multiply and
pots, or in the garden; bring sauces an effective or jams. border that will
trail over the rim of the baskets. Or or in more shaded areas,
them inside when in flower discourage You should the protect snails. the fruit
choose from liriope, bromeliads, stag horns or elks, the
or cut the blooms – they last from If you fruit want fly with a completely a fruit fly snailfree,
organic veggie crop then
bait.
hardy crucifix orchids, or bird’s nest ferns.
well in water.
On-Guard copper tape is the
Get answer. into Stick the the self-adhesive
tape round the edge of pots
‘swing’ of Xmas
Ior raised beds and it forms a
barrier
t is time
snails
to relax
won’t
and
cross.
enjoy
your
If you
garden.
don’t have
Look
raised
at your
outdoor
garden edges
seating
you
requirements
can apply
On-Guard
– the
snail
shops
gel to
are
the
full
soil.
of
amazing
This will last
chairs
for two
and
weeks.
tables.
Just
Hanging
make sure
cane
that
egg
snails
chairs
can’t
have
get
been
in from
trendy
overhanging
for the
foliage
past few
years
and that
and
the
now
area
the
is snail-free
‘Swing
Seat’
before
is
you
back.
trap
Nothing
them inside
is more
the
peaceful
protected
than
area,
swinging
as they won’t
in a
seat
be able
for
to
two,
leave.
sheltered
I have trialled
from
the
these
weather
products
with
and
a
they
roof
really
to
shade
work!
from the sun – makes a
great Christmas present too!
72 68 DECEMBER JANUARY 2019 2017
The Local Voice Since 1991