evergreen
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Our favourite evergreen plants for a lush garden year-round
Evergreen plants are the backbone of any garden. Whatever the season, they can be guaranteed to provide lush, leafy colour. As a bonus, many of them also offer flowers at different times of the year. There are evergreen trees, shrubs and perennials to enjoy for shelter, hedging or simply to fill garden beds with year-round interest. Keep evergreen plants in... -
Privacy Plants for Balconies
Do you have a balcony you don’t use because it’s overlooked? Perhaps you feel too exposed or uncomfortable to relax on your balcony, and this lack of privacy is why you never venture out! The right plants can transform an under-used and over-exposed balcony, sheltering it from the elements as well as from prying eyes. Plants act as green screens... -
Port Wine Magnolia
A Port Wine Magnolia in bud. When in bloom, the port wine magnolia adds a sweet scent to the air. It has small, insignificant creamy-purple flowers throughout the year, so catching a waft of scent is often the first sign that the shrub is back in bloom. The perfume of this flower is often described as having the scent... -
Top plant choices for cool climate gardens
Gardens in elevated and inland regions, such as west and north-west Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Southern Highlands, enjoy cold winters with lots of frosty mornings. These chilly gardens don't suit the lush, subtropical plants that are favoured in coastal gardens. However, they are perfect for a wide range of cold climate plants, many of which are bare and dormant over... -
Tibouchina
Tibouchinas are seen at their purple best in autumn when most are in full flower. These evergreen shrubs or small trees thrive in warm, sheltered gardens that are protected from frost. These are adaptable plants that can grow in full sun or part shade. Tibouchinas (also known as lasiandra or glory bush) originated in parts of tropical South America including... -
The perfect house plant: How to care for your Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum (Spathiphyllum commutatum) is a classic indoor plant grown for its lush green strappy leaves and long-lasting white flowers. The flowers are spathes and consist of a large white ‘petal’ that wraps like a hood around a central spike or spadex. The flowers are held on stiff stems above the green leaves and last for weeks. They can occur throughout... -
All about olive trees
Olives are widely planted in gardens but are not always grown for their fruit. This productive, long-lived evergreen tree from the Mediterranean is also valued in gardens for its good looks and heat and drought tolerance. Young olive trees have slender trunks and silver green leaves. Reaching 5 to 7 metres high they are used as shade trees or as... -
Viola Friolina
A little bit about Viola Friolina There’s no excuse for a dull and dormant autumn and winter garden when you have pretty perennial Viola Friolina in bloom. At a time when many flowering plants are enjoying a winter snooze, this autumn- and winter-flowering beauty is branching out and trailing, revealing an abundance of blooms as it goes. An evergreen, this... -
Leucospermum
A little bit about leucospermum Leucospermum is often caught up in case of mistaken identity. If it's not confused for a leucadendron, it’s often sold as a protea (though it's part of the same family, it's a different plant) by florists who don’t want to confuse customers with the long Greek name, which means ‘white seed’, from the shining seed vessels. Take... -
Jasmine
A little bit about jasmine If you know the sweet scent of jasmine, you know it’s impossible to forget. In fact, you can probably smell jasmine before you can see it. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the perfume world’s most popular aromas. Beyond its famous fragrance, jasmine is adorned with masses of flowers and offer fast growth and hardiness. Jasmine is so fragrant...