MEET THE WORLD BEATERS

OUR UNIQUE FLORA IS MAKING QUITE THE IMPRESSION – NOT JUST IN MUSEUMS BUT IN GARDENS AROUND THE GLOBE

1 HAVE A SPRAY

Turn a rocky road into an enticing path – grass trees are impressive and dominate, but little things fill out the picture. Line steps with native violets, let dwarf casuarinas (C. ‘Cousin It’) spill softly and make things pop with mulla and kangaroo paws!

2 WEIRDLY WONDERFUL

With flower heads shaped like a kangaroo paw, it’s no wonder this quirky plant (Anigozanthos sp) is much loved around the world. Originally from the dry environment of Western Australia, it has been bred to handle many climates – except deep shade and cold. And the wonderful colours? That’s the covering of fine velvety hairs.

When you think of iconic Australian plants, there are gums, wattles and grevilleas. And they dominate in our backyards and parks. But it’s our minor stars that are having a huge impact in gardens all over the world. They can be as punky as a solitary grass tree pulling focus amid cacti in Central America or as quirky as a mass of kangaroo paws adding spike and spice in the Mediterranean. Even little lovelies – daisies, buttons and sneaky climbers – have infiltrated European, American and Asian gardens. So if you don’t have one, or some, of these in your garden, you’re letting the side down!

3, 4 NEVERENDING SUMMER

Everlasting daisy, strawflower, paper daisy – call it what you will, but officially it’s Bracteantha bracteata – grow anywhere except wet or heavily shaded areas or in heavy soils. The flowers last from spring to autumn and, if you pick a few blooms for indoors, the plants will produce even more flowers! For pure gold, place them in company with chillies and yellow buttons.