Good performers in the May garden .. for you !!

Holmskioldia sanguinea lutea – Chartreuse Chinese Hat

Garden Lovers, did you know there’s another interesting near evergreen shrub to brighten the late garden that’s flowering now.. ? For an intriguing fresh chartreuse splash in the May garden, Holmskioldia sanguinea lutea or Gold Chinese Hat from the lower Himalaya & Myanmar is for you ! I’ve used it here in the ‘Sea-Changer’ garden in the Sun Trap plot that receives northern sun all year but it would also tolerate half day sun as a an upright to lax, 2m shrub with a cut after flowers to bring new canes for the following season.

Gold Chinese Hat combines well with yellow variegated flashed bromeliad (alcantarea)

Just nearby and for combined ‘pop’ at the same time of year, you could use Barlaria cristata ‘Lavander Lace’ as a really useful sub-shrub to around 1.5m with a cloud of pretty, striped, mini trumpets.

Soooooo pretty, just as the worst of the heat has passed and we look into the garden for some fresh seasonal change.

‘Planty Fierce ’18’ …. was a fun day

‘Sea-Changer’ mirror deck with Bruce Buddha

‘Planty Fierce ’18’ at the end of last month was a sparkling Autumn day, refreshed by an early shower and internet was high from all visitors, especially this young one having a closer look at the mirror Buddha on the long deck looking down to ‘Sea-Changer’s’ Shade Hut.

Talking to Ross & Chris Bolwell from ‘Bloom’n Greenery’ nursery

Nothing extinguishes interest and plenty of people arrived into brilliant sunshine in the Sun Trap plot where I spoke to many on questions around how to make their home gardens even better !

The unirrigated “L” shaped, west facing, wrap around garden surrounding ‘Sea-Changer’

The 2pm ‘Walk & Talk’ brought forward many interesting questions, like how to make a ‘green-fence’ alternative to fence palings using Solandra longiflora over black pvc coated mesh. Thanks to all PF ’18 Helpers and Peter & Ruth Donnelly’s fabulous Coachwood sales tables loaded with new and interesting ‘must haves..’.

‘Planty Fierce’ Saturday week, 28th April 2018 10am – 4pm

Rich textures & foliage colours at Ray Henderson’s ‘Paradox’

Cool sub-tropics gardens ‘Paradox’ and ‘Sea-Changer’ open for ‘Planty Fierce’ on the Central Coast (maps on links) … less than two weeks away !! Inspiration for your home garden or your client’s design and many plants from both gardens available for sale on the day. At ‘Paradox’ learn from Ray Henderson, the huge range of sun adaptable bromeliads that can be grown north facing when you plant them at the right time of year … Find out more about the kind of medium he uses, when to fertilise and how far apart your plants should be for best results.

Bruce Buddha on Peter Nixon’s Mirror Deck in greenwall surround at ‘Sea-Changer’

So many beautiful sub-tropical offerings for your garden from Peter & Ruth Donnally’s Coachwood sales tables at ‘Sea-Changer’.

At ‘Sea-Changer’ Peter will give a 2pm designer’s ‘walk & talk’ on how easily new plants could grow for your exciting new home garden or for your designs. So get your gardening buddy, colleague horticulturist, landscaper or garden designer friend together by sharing the ‘Planty Fierce’ link. Be on the Motorway on ramp at Wahroonga by 9am for the hour or so jaunt up to the Central Coast for a fun day of garden visits either side of lunch in Holgate at Bamboo Buddha !!

Peter’s 2pm ‘walk & talk’ at ‘Sea-Changer’

‘Planty Fierce’ Saturday, 28th April 10am – 4pm, $10 gate each garden, children under 12 free, no dogs, easy parking.

‘Paradox’ 25 Curringa Close, Glenning Valley – Ray Henderson Horticulture 0490 263 416‬

‘Sea-Changer’ 21 Lavinia Street, Forresters Beach – Peter Nixon, Paradisus Garden Design

0418 161513

‘Planty Fierce’ Saturday, 28th April 2018 10am – 4pm $10 gate at each garden

Manettia cordifolia – Brazilian Firecracker Vine at ‘Sea-Changer’ shade hut, a thick, high summer rug of tiny scarlet bells

Garden Lovers, see Facebook Event page for Planty Fierce details this year, bringing you two Central Coast gardens. Visit Ray Henderson’s iconic ‘Paradox’ at Glenning Valley in the morning and my ‘Sea-Changer’ after lunch at nearby Forresters Beach. Its a lovely day out of the city, to see a pair of exciting designer gardens as inspiration for your own, just an hour’s drive north on the Pacific Motorway from the on ramp at Wahroonga.

‘Paradox’ vibrant textures and exciting plants sales

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible, I’ll be giving a ‘ Q & A walk & talk’ at 2pm

Peter Nixon’s ‘Sea-Changer’ – 21 Lavinia Street, Forresters Beach plant sales by Coachwood’s Ruth & Peter Donnally

Ray Henderson’s ‘Paradox’ – 25 Curringa Close, Glenning Valley plants sales featuring sun tolerant bromeliads with designer companion plantings

NOTE: many of the plants you see at each garden will be for sale on the day !!

‘Planty Fierce’ 2017 is almost here …

This Saturday, 29th April ‘Planty Fierce’ opens 10am – 4pm $5 entry each garden, across three wildly exciting and horticulturally driven spaces made from plants.

‘Living Edge Garden’ – Frogs Foot Coleus (Solonostemon), Lomandra ‘Little Con’, Justicea betonica backed in Panicum ‘Heavy Metal’ by David Fripp & Blake Jolley at 1483 Peats Ridge Rd, Peats Ridge

Living Edge Garden by David Fripp & Blake Jolley at 1483 Peats Ridge Rd, Peats Ridge

Ray Henderson’s ‘Paradox’ Billbergia fasciata ‘Sangria’, Aechmea sp. backed with Ensetes ventricosum – Abyssinian Banana &
Furcraea foetida mediopicta variegata

‘Paradox’ by Ray Henderson at 25 Curringa Close, Glenning Valley

‘Sea-Changer’s … Sea Monkey garden of rich contrasts

‘Sea-Changer’ by Peter Nixon at 21 Lavinia Street, Forresters Beach

See all event details, map & lunch suggestions at Facebook’s event page ‘Planty Fierce’ Expert horticultural and design ideas for your gardens, with exciting designer plants sales at each garden – bring plenty of boxes, you’ll need them!

Kalanchoe humilis – Pen Wiper Plant for the sunny plot

Begonia textures perfect for shady groundcovers

Tradescantia sp. for sun or shade as pretty wed suppresser

Keen interest from last year’s ‘Planty Fierce’ ..

Peter Nixon’s 2pm designer “walk & talk” at ‘Sea-Changer’ and weather forecast is Good !!!

Robin Powell’s feature on ‘Sea-Changer’ for ‘Planty Fierce’ in last Saturday’s SMH Spectrum .. see you there !!!

‘Planty Fierce’ Saturday week, 29th April 2017 don’t miss it !

Peter Nixon’s ‘Sea-Changer’ for Paradisus at Forresters Beach – Dichorisandra’s Blue Ginger heads popping with Alocasia mafafa ‘Lime Zinger’ against pink puffs of Calliandra haematocephala

So much ‘Planty Fierce’ for you on Saturday week 29th April …

Start at any of these three fabulous Central Coast gardens only 20 mins apart, bursting with designer inspiration made by industry horticulturists. These are their own home gardens, where they have really been able to let it rip in mining the rich vein of warm temperate coastal plant selection. As SMH gardening contributor Robin Powell covered on Easter Saturday .. for Spectrum

David Fripp & Blake Jolley’s ‘Living Edge’ at Peats Ridge, with sculptural Agave sp. with A. gypsophila & Achmea bracteata

Belle guarding the ‘Paradox’ welcome garden by sun bromeliad specialist Ray Henderson with Portmea ‘Joe’ flushing into spike

Address details & lunch suggestions from the ‘Planty Fierce’ FB Event page Its a great garden day out of Sydney with exciting plant sales for your own garden at every destination,so bring plenty of boxes as you’ll be sorely tempted ! Peter Nixon with give a “walk & talk” at ‘Sea-Changer’ at 2pm and $5 entry at each garden, (no doggies please). Event map shown at.. Sea Changer Map – 2017

Su’s Neem Oil fixerupper .. !

Scale & mealy bug affected Citrus at Su’s

Get NEEM on your team …

Welcome to high summer and all its attendant pests and disease that can really spoil your gardening fun. I don’t often make product suggestions but Su Trathen has found Neem oil in her Balgowlah garden, to be an effective drench or foliar spray against sap sucking insects and maybe even those pesky Stink Bugs, that can commandeer your best citrus in a few hot weeks. Also effective against similar scaly attacks on orchids and especially patio pots like lush philodendron & spathiphyllum, susceptible to attack on dry foliage within overhanging eves or shade sails.

Clean citrus foliage within 9 days of application !

Its often the price we pay for a short summer holiday away, returning home to horrid plants looking a sticky mess. Try Neem as a quick and easy way to restore them to good health !!

‘Planty Fierce’ 2017 is on again !!!

‘Planty Fierce’ Sat 29th April, 2017

3 Central Coast gardens within 2o mins of each other, 1 day 10am till 4pm, $5 tiny dollars entry each garden, (children free, no dogs) PLUS fabulous plant sales at every garden. How can you resist !!!

We’ve shifted the date from early March to the cooler prospect of latest April, well after Easter, to make the ‘plantiest’ day possible for you .. all 3 gardens will be at their late summer peak.

‘Sea-Changer’ – 21 Lavinia Street, Forresters Beach – for Paradisus by Designer Peter Nixon

‘Paradox’ – 25 Curringa Close, Glenning Valley by specialist sun bromeliad grower Ray Henderson

‘Living Edge’ Garden & Nursery – 1483 Peats Ridge Rd, Peats Ridge supplied by Plantsman David Fripp designer by Blake Jolley

I (Peter Nixon) will be giving a half hour garden ‘walk & talk’ 2pm at ‘Sea-Changer’. Lunch at nearby cafe’s, see the Facebook Event ‘Planty Fierce’ for details. A pleasant hour’s drive from the Wahroonga on ramp, leave home by 8.30am for the most ‘Planty’ fun on the Central Coast you’ll have outside a Plant Fair.. !!

Canley Vale … high summer plant mecca

Excitement…. she’s made it to Kim Tran’s

I recently made it out to Kim & An’s delightful Canley Vale Nursery with Judy Taylor my partner in retail crime and essential plant sleuthing…

Around hour’s drive from Sydney CBD and far from disappointment, Kim’s in an old fashioned high street garden centre past an exception array of excellent Vietnamese & Korean cafe’s & restaurants, where you’ll find a cornucopia of “planty” treasures for your warm temperate garden.

Intriguing gesneriad from the African Violet genus, maybe a nematanthus monanthos, perfect for a hanging basket

No matter when I go, there’s always something I’ve been lusting after for years by virtue of Tran’s horticultural eye for the exceptional, interesting and or quirky. Not to mention every type of pot, hanger, stake, fertiliser your heart could desire.

Lush variegated Spiral Ginger (Costus speciosus variegata)

This time I also saw old fashioned tall dahlias, the staking kind that I know will have huge crowns of ruby, gold and flaming orange later this month. Also heliconia the Crabs Claw Gingers both tall like H. ‘Hot Rio Night’ and the dwarf H. stricta from Jamaica. Gorgeous Poysean Hybrid Euphorbia, species hippeastrums, Fireball Lily (Scadoxus multiflorus var. katarinae), medinilla and a new lutea form Golden Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla ‘Soleil’) I even snaffled a double flowering Rangoon Creeper (Quisqualis indica flora plan) scarce as rocking horse poo peeps !

Booty headed for ‘Sea-Changer’, all now safely in ground

Canley Vale Nursery – 62/68 Canley Vale Rd, Canley Vale 7 days 9723 2688

(between Cabramatta and Fairfield on the way to Campbeltown and its NOT further than you go for holidays )

‘Tabu’ by Mark Vowles in Cairns

Delicate copper water lily leaves at ‘Tabu’Garden Lovers, May last year brought the chance to revisit Cairns

Garden Lovers, May last year brought the chance to revisit Cairns and a long time colleague and friend Mark Vowles and his partner and interior designer Fairlie Kerr.

‘Tabu’, I would say, is the distillation of all Mark has learnt about wet tropics garden making and the planting combinations that excel in the monsoon driven rainforest.

Inviting descent to the cleverly designed pool ‘fence free’ pool

Aside from the impressive garden, ‘Tabu’ is also a swish Bed & Breakfast I can highly recommend for that next visit you’re planning to FNQ… !!

‘Planty Fierce’ Sat 29th April 2017 just 2 weeks away !

Belle guarding the ‘Paradox’ welcome garden by Ray Henderson at Gleaning Valley

Stapelia gigantea opeing at ‘Sea-Changer’s’ Shade Hut Foresters Beach by Peter Nixon

High contrasts at ‘Living Edge’ by David Fripp & Blake Jolley at Peats Ridge

That’s right, so mark your planners now !!

Recent rain since January & February’s heat has brought all three Central Coast gardens open Sat fortnight 29th April, 10am – 4pm for ‘Planty Fierce’ $5 entry at each garden, (cash only) including my own ‘Sea-Changer’ into their best condition for this season. There’s a suggested visiting order toes these inspiring industry gardens, all created by horticulturalists shown on the above link but you could just as easily reverse the order, starting at Peats Ridge for ‘Living Edge’ coming down into Glenning Valley for Ray Henderson’s ‘Paradox’ and onto Forresters Beach for my ‘Sea-Changer’. Whichever way you do it, for the “plantiest” day out of Sydney, best to get yourself onto the Pacific Motorway by 8.30am to get plenty of visiting time, lunch at several nearby cafe’s (as listed on link) AND of course, to get the best opportunity at snapping up some of the most exciting designer planting for your own garden with plant sales at all three gardens… !!

Really hope to see you all and I’ll be giving an informal 2pm “walk & talk” here at ‘Sea-Changer’ to reveal some of the best planting here for your own garden.

Peter Nixon ‘Sea-Changer’ – 21 Lavinia Street, Forresters Beach www.peternixon.com.au

David Fripp & Blake Jolley ‘Living Edge’ -1483 Peats Ridge Rd, Peats Ridge

Ray Henderson ‘Paradox’ – 25 Curringa Close, Glenning Valley

Garden Lights & Best Sun Broms for your garden ..

M.E. Lighting for Charlie Albone’s MIFGS bronze award

Charlie Albone’s beautiful design for Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, won bronze with Andy & Loretta Maitland’s swish new led fittings. Might be right for your own garden to leverage spaces for outside living at night.

Loretta Maitland 0410 662 418 Andrew Maitland, M.E. Lighting 0400 868 083 Kingsford Showroom 02 9700 9688 & Mittagong Showroom 024872 2257

Brom fair Apr17colour

Sat & Sun April 29th & 30th brings preferred Designer Growers Network suppliers Peter Tristram ptristr@bigpond.net.au & Gary Flemming’s 0265 539868 Concord Bromeliad Show. So if you can’t make ‘Planty Fierce’ on the Sat, think about getting along to Concord or even on the Sunday till midday !