‘Sea-Changer’ treasures for your garden ..

Love your garden ….plant for your growing conditions ! Burst of metallic purple Strobilanthus dyerianus – Persian Shield across ‘Sea-Changer’s’ Entry Garden

Select plants to suit your garden’s growing conditions and let them do most of the heavy lifting for you. That’s always been my message to you Garden Lovers and really nothing’s changed. What changes all the time is the kaleidoscopic expansion of interesting planting to make gardens from across the Designer Growers Network. These are my go to Growers to kick planting winners between the cool sub-tropics goal posts we garden in.

Micro-climate gardening of minimum winter overnight temp’s not falling beneath 5 or 6 degrees, modified by close proximity to the harbour/ocean. Cool subtropics could have a brief dry winter but these days, rain could come at any time, so plant selection that will tolerate cool and wet conditions during the June/July period is a consideration. Elevated humidity levels above 70% between Xmas and April with persistent high summer temps above 35 degrees, with a dry spring is also very likely between September and December.   

Alcantarea patriae flowering scape bracts, from one of Mark Paul’s Brazilian Adventures picking up nicely against intergeneric hybrid, Ruttyruspolia ‘Phyllis Van Heerden’

And its not always flowers that bring interest. Don’t forget other parts of plants  that can catch the eye just as well. One of the most conspicuous of the Giant Landscape Bromeliads, Alcantarea patriae   has flower scape bracts of bright raspberry shades.

Euphorbia poysean Thai Hybrid has persistently colourful bracts that long out last the tiny centralised flowers

Some ‘flowers’ are really persistent bracts that surround the tiny central inflorescences. Very deserving of that unirrigated hot spot facing west, in-fact I don’t think mine have fallen out of flower since planting 4 years ago !

Cool sub-tropics support beautiful textural contrasts to bring interest also. The perfect radial of this Alcantarea extensa rosette, pops well against mini clouds of Ruellia rosae & Bellaperone guttata dwarf form
Clerodendron incisum, the Musical Note just catch the eye because they can !

Probably at the edge of the cool subtropical range, Musical Note- Clerodendron incisum, has an inflorescence so eye catching its hardly possible to miss it. Useful as a front of the border sub-shrub to less than 1m, its lacy charms are a high summer delight.

There’s just a suggestion ‘Sea-Changer’ MAY open again this year for ‘Planty Fierce’. Stay tuned for more information on this and in the meantime, consider making contact if you, your bestie since primary school, your 20 years long work colleague or brother is making changes at home. Whether a new house build, major reno or simply an upgrade to the front of rear garden space,  NOW is the time to make it known, so works can complete way before the Xmas deadline.

Peter Nixon – Paradisus www.peternixon.com.au  0418 161513 

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Peter

Design & Project Manages gardens from exciting plants for the cool subtropics Sydney and Eastern Australian NSW Coast.

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