Asutralian Native Plants
May 25th 2006 02:00
Australian Native Plants
Apologies in advance for people who really don't care about, or come from Australia (oh well, you can't win them all!), but I think I must digress in this section to push for some Australian natives in your garden.
First, let me just say that I can 't believe a dude actually developed a piece of software for selecting Australian native plants to suit specific growing requirements. Check it out.
You've got way to much time on your hands mate, but great work!
Australian natives are important. You can grow species from other countries as many people do, but I think for many there is a move towards re-instating our sense of place within the Australian landscape by using Asutralian natives from the area to remind us of where we are, and give us a richer sense of place. Australians in the past have often looked to the the land as somewhat primitive and ugly. But there is a unique beauty in the Asutralian landscape that echoes throughout even the urban centres.
You don't have to go nuts about including Asutralian species. However in the long run they are better suited, and better for, the Asutralian eco-system.
Here are a few pointers from SGAP:
Sculptural plants such as tree ferns, banksias, and Gymea lilies are awesome, but you need to think carefully about their placement and usage, as they can be very dominat plants.
Groundcover plants like daisies, hibbertias (guinea flowers) and scaevolas (fan flowers) can be used to create a lovely effect at the ground level.
Australian daisies and grasses look great against rock features and rock walls, they give a different blendig of the man-made and the natural.
For water features you may want to use rushes, sedges and lilies, either upright or weeping. There are shrubs and small trees too with weeping foliage which is very appealing when reflected in water.
The form and texture of Australian plants is gorgeous and you really can have a field day with all the different effects. For some ideas on how to design with Australian plants, see here.
Happy gardening!
Apologies in advance for people who really don't care about, or come from Australia (oh well, you can't win them all!), but I think I must digress in this section to push for some Australian natives in your garden.
First, let me just say that I can 't believe a dude actually developed a piece of software for selecting Australian native plants to suit specific growing requirements. Check it out.
You've got way to much time on your hands mate, but great work!
Australian natives are important. You can grow species from other countries as many people do, but I think for many there is a move towards re-instating our sense of place within the Australian landscape by using Asutralian natives from the area to remind us of where we are, and give us a richer sense of place. Australians in the past have often looked to the the land as somewhat primitive and ugly. But there is a unique beauty in the Asutralian landscape that echoes throughout even the urban centres.
You don't have to go nuts about including Asutralian species. However in the long run they are better suited, and better for, the Asutralian eco-system.
Here are a few pointers from SGAP:
banksia baxteri
Groundcover plants like daisies, hibbertias (guinea flowers) and scaevolas (fan flowers) can be used to create a lovely effect at the ground level.
Australian daisies and grasses look great against rock features and rock walls, they give a different blendig of the man-made and the natural.
The form and texture of Australian plants is gorgeous and you really can have a field day with all the different effects. For some ideas on how to design with Australian plants, see here.
Happy gardening!
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