Rhaphiolepis

There are some plants that are just so reliable in gardens that they are on every garden designer’s plant list. These reliable plants are often referred to as ‘landscaping plants’. They can be used to form a basic planting scheme that can be embellished to create an individual garden. Most also lend themselves to mass-planting for low-maintenance areas, or to...

Every Sydney garden needs a few staple plants. These are plants that you can plant once and never really worry about again, as they can grow with very little extra water, pruning or fertilising required. They may sound too good to be true, but these plants really are set-and-forget, and include plants for every purpose from flowers to groundcovers. Use...

Are you looking to get your garden or indoor jungle started with hardy, low-care, virtually unkillable indoor and outdoor plants? These low-maintenance plants for both indoor and outdoor settings genuinely thrive on neglect, and so are great options for beginner gardeners.   Best Unkillable Indoor Plants If you want to get the most out of this selection, provide a well-lit...

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...

Many people love the look of a plant-filled garden, but not all of us enjoy the upkeep. The good news? For those of us who like to plant and almost forget, there are a host of plants for you to choose from! This top 10 selection is made up of low-maintenance, non-fussy options that look good in a garden or...

Gardens and plants in outdoor containers may have taken a battering from the elements in the last few years through drought, blazing heat, humidity and flooding rains, but now is not the time to throw in the trowel. Those extreme conditions actually revealed many plants that thrive with little fuss through just about anything. Here are a few basic care...

Do you want a beautiful garden, but find yourself short on time to give it the attention it deserves? Perhaps you've tried gardening in the past and, through being busy or distracted, you've lost your plants. Or maybe you have a holiday house that is only inhabited periodically. With clever plant selection, even the most forgetful, absent, neglectful gardener can...

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...

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...

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...