Plants for Screening and Hedges
I spent the weekend in Victor Harbor at a women’s conference. As usual hawk eyes was on the lookout for what native plants grow in this sea side town which we know reasonably well.
It rained on Saturday morning and at lunch time when the sun came out there was a wonderful smell of eucalyptus in the air. Having been to this CWCI conference many times at this venue, I have watched the Eucalyptus platypus planted along the boundary of the carpark. Some have split open in the extremes of wind, others have remained very sturdy and bushy trees ideal for the screening task. I am sure that Eucalyptus platypus has had a name change but I cannot recall it at the moment. Must do some research.
There are a number of hardy trees and large shrubs which would be good as a boundary planting. Unfortunately because they are often planted as a single row of plants, wind can be tunnelled along them or through them and cause the splitting or blowing over. Ideally another one or two rows of lower shrubs can prevent this happening and provide a perfect environment for small creatures and birds. Especially if some of the planting is devoted to providing nesting habitat with prickly plants. Not on the side where people get out of their cars of course!
Here is a list of some of my favourites in various sizes, tolerating coastal conditions, drought, moderate frost and lime:(I will add to this list later.)
Acacia iteaphylla (Flinders Range Wattle)
Acacia longifolia var. sophorae (Coastal Wattle)
Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle)
Adenanthos sericeus (Woollybush)
Allocasuarina muelleriana (Slaty Sheoak)
Alyogyne hakeifolia (yellow) (Red-centred Hibiscus)
Banksia media (Golden Stalk)
Banksia praemorsa (Cut-leaf Banksia)
Callistemon rugulosus (Scarlet Bottlebrush)
Calothamnus quadrifidus yellow or red (One-sided bottlebrush)
Correa glabra var. turnbullii (Rock Correa)
Chamelaucium uncinatum x axillare (Geraldton Wax family)
Propagation Records
I realised when I wrote the last entry that I had intended making a table of my propagation records for the Australian Daisy Study Group. A request was made for information in relation to the new book which is being prepared. It is not likely that many others will have the information that I have, so I do need to get on to this!
Most of the plant information that is published is geared to the Eastern States of Australia, so it becomes a necessity to keep records and make observations here to provide information for growers in SA. This becomes essential information at the two Plant Sales held by the Australian Plant Society in SA.
Another set of records that I must update is the use of smoke in germinating seeds. I had a great deal of success last Autumn.
Speaking of seeds germinating, I was thrilled to see the first seedlings of Sturt Peas (Swainsona formosa) showing through today. The trick will be to keep them going for the next week or so, to get their first sets of leaves.
Daisies
No Comments »16th March, 2006; Category: Daisies
Found more cuttings ready to plant on into bigger pots. I am beginning to run out of room. What a nice position to be in. I have a great head start for the Spring plant sale.
Olearia picridifolia (Rasp daisy-bush) is flowering in its pot. Usually it flowers from June to October in the wild. It is a plant about a metre tall, and mine has mauve- blue daisies on it. It is native to most parts of SA in mallee areas, on alkaline soils, as well as WA, NSW and Vic. It is rare to find any of the mallee Olearias in nurseries. They propagate fairly readily from cuttings, and seed is often successful, although not readily available. Members of the various Australian Plants Societies have access to some.
I noticed also that some of the perennial daisies are sprouting again. A number of these die back during the heat and dryness of summer, and sprout when the weather cools, or rain falls. I’ve been caught a couple of times throwing out the contents of a pot, only to spot at the last minute a touch of green, or strong juicy roots. It is often with a feeling of relief that I find that I still have that plant after all.
Favourite Plants
My favourite Australian native plants are members of the daisy family, Correas (sometimes referred to as native fuschia) and Eremophilas (known as emu bushes). There are numerous others that I like very much, but those I listed are the ones that I collect.
I joined the Australian Daisy Study Group years ago because I had fallen in love with a local daisy, Olearia pannosa, which is a threatened species I have since found out. I could not believe that a native daisy could have such a large flower, 2 inches or 5cm diameter. I was able to germinate some seed that winter, and have since struck cuttings of the plant. It grows naturally not far from home on the road side and is a lovely thing in flower in mid spring.
It is amazing which plants are daisies. Lettuce is an example that comes to mind. When I did some research on daisies for a talk that I gave, there was a huge list of common garden plants which come into this category, including a few vegetables.
The ADSG is a very proactive group. The first book published by the group was a general book on Australian Daisies, covering a few of the species which fit into this category of plants. Later came one on Brachyscomes, and the last was on Paper Daisies. Currently work is being done on a book on Olearias, like the one on the roadside near here.
The newsletter arrived yesterday, with a new seed bank listing!
Going to “Pot”
No Comments »14th March, 2006; Category: General
I have been planting on the rooted cuttings from the hot house. Can’t keep up with them. There has been a sudden surge of activity in the cuttings and I am wondering if the change in watering pattern has stimulated this. It helps too, that the number of severely hot days has diminished. Will need to be a little more scientific than I have been to work out what is happening.
Potting mix for the cuttings is always a continuing saga. Finding a mix that does not lose its “wettability”, does not weigh a ton when wet, is open and well drained, is readily available to me without travelling great distances, or paying a fortune in delivery charges… I don’t really want much!
There is certainly a great deal of pleasure to be had in potting on seedlings and cuttings that I have sown and set myself. That goes for the vegetable garden, too!