Sunday, August 17, 2025

Plants

Plant PalettePlants

Lush, low-fuss Lilly Pillies

By Daniel Fuller

Are you a landscape designer, nursery grower, horticulturist or council decision maker who loves beautiful natives that require minimal upkeep?

Lilly Pillies, which are plants in the Syzygium, Acmena (now reclassified as Syzygium) and Waterhousea genera, are native shrubs and trees beloved for their resilience, versatility, as well as their beautiful glossy leaves, fluffy flowers and edible fruits.… Continue reading

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Botanic Gardens

Seed collections help safeguard the future

By Matthew Stray

While Agonis flexuosa may appear robust and resilient, this long-lived species should not be taken for granted, nor should access to its seed. Threats to A. flexuosa exist through the processes of climate change as well as a potential incursion of Myrtle Rust into south west Western Australia.Continue reading

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Fruit Trees

Fruit production: managing customer expectation

By Patrick Regnault

People like the idea of growing their own food, picking the fruits of their labour along the way, and juicing their own citrus every morning, fresh from the tree. If the picture in your head looks like advertising it is because it is as realistic as a commercial.Continue reading

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Botanic Gardens

Seed dormancy issues of native Ericaceae

by James Wood

The propagation of plants can be performed vegetatively or with seed. In many circumstances vegetative propagation is essential to achieve immediate conservation outcomes, but if you want to achieve genetically diverse outcomes germinating seed is generally preferable. When it comes to the functioning of seed banks, germination is also important.Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

Performance breeding shaping the future of landscape plants

By Todd Layt

Main photo: Grey Box Westringia performs very differently than regular westringia in the wet (Image by Ozbreed Green Life)

In the verdant realm of landscape and ornamental plant breeding, a significant evolution is unfurling. Plants that were once cultivated purely for their aesthetic allure are now being bred with purposeful intent, optimising performance to meet specific needs.… Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

Pacific Sky™ Lomandra confertifolia ‘LM700’ PBR

Combining the hardiness of Lomandra, the uniqueness of sky-inky-blue stems and beautiful blue-velvet weeping foliage, this plant is not just a visual spectacle but also a resilient and useful addition to your garden, landscape, or nursery.

Pacific Sky™ Lomandra’s striking appearance creates an immediate sense of intrigue, transforming landscapes into an artistic canvas.… Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

Low-growing marvels: compact plants with high impact

Could the two best low-growing Lomandra of all time be Evergreen Baby™ and Pacific Sky™? These low-growing Lomandra are a perfect blend of aesthetic appeal and resilience. Evergreen Baby™ captivates with its year-round green allure, while Pacific Sky™ fascinates with its unique weeping blue foliage.… Continue reading

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Botanic Gardens

Small but mighty – Tiny Forests

By Felicity Skoberne

Urban greening through planting trees in public spaces can often be challenging and draw a wide range of responses from the community. Wollongong City Council recently refreshed their urban greening approaches by engaging with the community to construct rapid growth forests.Continue reading

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Revegetation

Plants to the rescue – cleaning up contaminated sites

By Karen Smith

Delprat Garden, a phytoremediation garden overlooking the site that was once Newcastle’s steel works, was awarded a gold accolade in the architectural design category at the 2023 Australia Good Design Awards and is providing a model for large scale restoration of degraded industrial sites.Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

Aussie Flat Bush™ Rhagodia ‘SAB01’ PBR: Resilience meets beauty

Immerse yourself in the beauty of Australia’s native flora with the Aussie Flat Bush™ Rhagodia spinescens, a low-growing, compact shrub with fine blue foliage.

Found throughout mainland Australia, Aussie Flat Bush™ Rhagodia has adapted to both inland and coastal situations, demonstrating its versatility.… Continue reading

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