outdoor plants

Dracaena is a lush, tall, leafy plant that creates a tropical look indoors, on a balcony or in the garden. There are many species and cultivars that give a range of leaf colours and patterns. Some also have fragrant flowers. Dracaena varieties The most impressive dracaena variety is the dragon tree (Dracaena draco) (pictured above). This large, spreading, multi-branched tree...

Ahh, the palm. Is there any other plant that inspires such a feeling of relaxation? One glimpse and your mind is half a world away, lazing in a hammock and sipping on a cocktail. And bringing that relaxed holiday feel to your suburban Sydney home needn’t be difficult. No matter the size of your yard or the state of your...

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...

Living in an apartment or small home without space for a garden doesn’t mean growing your own food isn’t possible. Most plants, including edibles, can grow happily in a pot on a balcony or in a courtyard. Pots can be placed on hard surfaces or suspended from railings or walls. If there’s a little more space, grow a few vegetables...

Gardeners need to be patient as they wait for trees and shrubs to bloom and hedges to grow. But do we really have to wait ages for a beautiful garden? The good news is there are fast-growing outdoor plants out there that can quickly fill up empty spaces. Block out the neighbours One of the first plantings most new gardeners...

Groundcover plants are a very effective way of covering bare areas of the garden. They act as living mulch to keep soil and gardens cool, reduce moisture loss and even keep down weeds. Planting a native species can do even more for your garden. Like native shrubs and trees, native groundcover plants improve the environment, attract native species of birds...

Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica) is one of the most bulletproof shrubs around. Need a plant in a pot? Indian hawthorn. Need a low, compact hedge? Indian hawthorn. Want pretty spring flowers? Indian hawthorn. Need a shrub with small, glossy, dark green leaves? You guessed it, Indian hawthorn. Evergreen? Indian hawthorn. Suits an exposed balcony or garden with heat, wind, coastal...

Cottage gardens have charmed for centuries. If you'd like a timeless garden of your own, that's easy to maintain, consider going native. Taking inspiration from the classic English cottage garden model, you can create a beautiful informal tapestry of colour using purely Australian natives - mixing flowering shrubs, groundcover, grasses, bulbs, annuals and climbing plants. Australian native plants are drought-hardy...

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...

From foliage to flowering, groundcover to climbing, discover the best plants for creating a shade garden in your small space.   Foliage plants for small shade gardens By their very nature, foliage plants with big leaves are happiest in the shade because they’ve developed bigger leaves to help them catch more light for photosynthesis - and shade-loving foliage doesn’t get...