Wednesday January 28th, 2009
Acacia baileyana prostrate form (Cootamundra Wattle)
The prostrate form of Acacia baileyana is a lovely form of the taller tree. Even without flowers, the dense, grey green foliage is attractive in a garden setting. It cascades over slopes and follows the contour of the ground and it is excellent for covering large areas as a ground cover as it grows 30-60 cm tall and 3-4 metres wide. It has bright yellow flowers from winter to spring. It is a very hardy plant in most situations, withstanding dry periods and growing in full sun to part shade in sand, clay or loam.
A photo of the larger form in flower can be seen here.
Sunday January 25th, 2009
Chrysocephalum semipapposum (Clustered Everlasting)
A cottage garden is the ideal garden for many of the Australian native daisies. Chrysocephalum semipapposum (Clustered Everlasting) was growing in Canberra Botanic Gardens in a wild bush gardens which could have been turned into a cottage garden with its random planting arrangements.
The photo shows the ‘natural’ looking effect that can be achieved by planting several plants of a species in an irregular grouping, with other plants of different form, leaf and flower colour, and height.
Thursday January 22nd, 2009
Chrysocephalum semipapposum (Clustered Everlasting)
This is one of my favourite plants and it is a member of the daisy family. Members of The Daisy Study Group had several forms of Chrysocephalum semipapposum growing. Chrysocephalum used to be Helichrysm.
It is a variable species with grey to green leaves which vary in width from quite fine to a coarser leaved form. It has clusters of small yellow flowers, which, if picked quite early in the flowering stage, will keep as an everlasting. If picked to late the flower will continue to open and the seeds will fluff out.
The plants grow from 50-80cm tall and make clumps up to a metre wide. Flowering is from Spring through to autumn so they are good value in the garden, especially in a cottage garden setting. The plants shoot from the bottom, so when the first signs of shooting appear, it is time to chop the clumps back to the new growth.
This plant is hardy in most situations and grows in full sun to filtered or part sun. It withstands periods of dryness but does best with extra moisture. The plant is suitable for heavy clay, loams and sand.
Monday January 19th, 2009
Xanthorrhoea johnsonnii
I was delighted to see well grown plants of Xanthorrhoea johnsonii in Canberra Botanic Gardens, which has to be my favourite Botanic Garden. This photo was taken in the dry bushland section near the daisies and rockery. They are wonderful architectural plants and look spectacular with their dark trunk. The National Botanic Garden is built on a hillside with what must be great drainage, which these bush plants need.
I discovered that Canberra city has the same annual rainfall as Adelaide, so much of what I saw growing there has a fair chance of success in Adelaide and environs.
Saturday January 17th, 2009
Collection of Eucalyptus nuts
The Eucalyptus gum nuts (woody fruits) that are left on the tree after it has flowered, contain seed and chaff. When they have ripened some fall off naturally, or are nipped off by parrots and lorikeets.
These gum nuts can be collected and placed in a container or paper bag and left in a dry place until the valves in the top of the nut open and release the seed and chaff.
Some trees hold the nuts way past the first year. It is always best to take the older nuts as then you will be sure that the seed is mature and will germinate.
Some species of Eucalypt do not set much seed in the nuts, and some seed will not germinate.
Eucalyptus macrocarpa gum nut with seeds and chaff
Some easy ways to germinate the seeds:
Containers
Use a clean pot, about 100-150 mm across the top, with holes in the bottom.
Seed raising mix
You can buy seed raising mix from garden centres and some large supermarkets. It keeps, so just store it in a clean container, with a lid.
You can make your own with clean (washed) coarse sand and cocopeat.
- The cocopeat is available from garden centres and supermarkets. The block is the size of a house brick and is made from coconut husks.
- Half fill a 9 litre bucket with water, place the cocopeat brick in the water and leave it to absorb the water and expand and become moist and crumbly.
- Use about two parts peat and one part sand mixed together.
Sow the Seed
- Fill the pot to within 2 cm of the top of the pot and tap the pot on the table to settle the mix.
- Press the surface of the mix lightly to make it smooth.
- Sprinkle a pinch of the seed/chaff over the surface of the mix.
- Sprinkle a very light layer of the seed raising mix over the seed.
- Label the pot with the name of the species and the date.
- Labels can be made from the lid of an icecream container, or pop sticks.
130mm pot sown with Eucalyptus macrocarpa seeds
Caring for the pot of seeds
- Stand the pot in a container like an icecream container and fill the ice cream container with water.
- The water will soak up through the seed raising mix and wet the surface of the mix and the seeds.
- The surface of the mix should be kept moist, not soggy, so once the moisture is there, keep the water level in the ice cream container at about 3cm.
(You could use a fine spray from a hose to water. Be careful that it is fine so that you do not wash the seed out of the pot.)
Seed container in icecream cotainer
- Keep the pot in a sheltered, well lit spot, out of direct sun if the weather is hot.
- Seed should begin to germinate in 2-4 weeks, depending on the air temperature.
- When the seed has germinated, keep the water level in the icecream container quite low, or remove it altogether, keeping the potting mix just moist.
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