New Zealand Christmas bush

Plants that flower with bold red blooms in early summer are often bestowed with the title of Christmas bush. As far as being red, bold and definitely summer flowering goes, Metrosideros excelsa ticks all the boxes and definitely earns the name of New Zealand Christmas bush. It is also known as pohutukawa. While this plant is native to New Zealand, species...

Have you ever noticed how plants growing near the coast or on windy hillsides are often small and gnarled? They look as if they’re hanging on with all their roots, trying to keep their branches low and out of the wind. The very same plant growing in a sheltered spot usually stands tall and upright. If your garden, or even...

Next time you’re at the beach where there’s natural bushland, take a moment to scan the sand dunes and look at the trees and shrubs that lie behind them. These are true seaside plants. They’ve evolved to withstand salt air and battering wind. Although there are many different plants, they have some things in common including tough leaves - leathery...