A plant list for my fellow plant nerds, who are curious about the species (rare or not-so-rare) growing in other peoples’ gardens. Zone 9b, Australian cool-temperate. Native species are marked with a star ★

★ Acacia cognata – var ‘Limelight’
⚬ Acer palmatum – Japanese Maple
★ Adenanthos sericeus – Baby Woolly Bush
★ Anigozanthos – Kangaroo Paw, var ‘Bush Pearl’, ‘Bush Bonanza’
⚬ Arthropodium cirratum – New Zealand Rock Lily var ‘Matapouri Bay’
⚬ Aulax cancellata – Channel-Leaf Featherbush var ‘Bronze Haze’
★ Banksia spinulosa – Hairpin Banksia, var ‘Birthday Candles’
★ Callistemon – Bottlebrush, var ‘Pink Champagne’, ‘Genoa Glory
★ Calothamnus quadrifidus – One-Sided Bottlebrush
★ Calytrix tetragona – Common Fringe-Myrtle
★ Correa pulchella prostrate – Native Fuchsia
★ Dianella caerulea – Flax-Lily var ‘Cassa Blue’
★ Grevillea – var ‘Fireworks’⚬ Liriope muscari – var ‘Isabella’
★ Lomatia tinctoria – Guitar-Plant
★ Melaleuca gibbosa – Slender Honey-Myrtle
⚬ Phormium – New Zealand Flax, var ‘Dark Delight’, ‘Bronze Baby’
★ Prostanthera aspalathoides – Scarlet Mint Bush
★ Tasmannia lanceolata – Mountain Pepper / Pepperberry
<1m tall
⚬ Aloe – several, various
⚬ Arthropodium cirratum – New Zealand Rock Lily
★ Causarina glauca ‘Cousin It’
★ Correa reflexa x pulchella – Native Fuchsia var ‘Jezebell’
★ Pycnosorus globosus (Craspedia globosa) – Billy Buttons
★ Crowea exalata rubra – Wax-Flower var ‘Festival’
★ Dianella tasmanica – Blue Flax-Lily
★ Dianella caerulea – Flax-Lily var ‘Cassa Blue’
⚬ Euphorbia x martinii – Mediterranean Spurge var ‘Tiny Tim’
⚬ Hebe – var ‘Santa Monica’
⚬ Hellebore – several, various
★ Grevillea – var ‘Mt Tamboritha’
Kniphofia uvaria – Red Hot Poker
★ Kunzea ambigua prostrate – Tick Bush
★ Leptospermum obovatum – Tea-Tree ‘Starry Night’
★ Myoporum parvifolium purpurea – Creeping Boobialla
⚬ Nandina domestica – Heavenly Bamboo
★ Orthrosanthus multiflorus – Morning Flag
⚬ Pieris japonica – Pieris var ‘Valley Valentine’
★ Pimelea ferruginea – Riceflower ‘Magenta Mist’⚬ Punica granatum – Pomegranate var ‘Mollar de Elche’
★ Stylidium armeria – Trigger-Plant
★ Telopea var – Waratah ‘Shady Lady’★ Telopea truncata – Tasmanian Waratah
⚬ Tuhlbagia violacea – Society Garlic
>1m tall
★ Acacia floribunda – Gossamer Wattle
★ Atriplex nummularia – Old Man Saltbush
★ Banksia marginata – Silver Banksia
⚬ Camellia – one pale pink, one hot pink★ Corymbia ficifolia – Pink Flowering Gum (Eucalyptus)
★ Dicksonia antarctica – Tree Fern, Man Fern
⚬ Dodonaea viscosa purpurea – Purple Hop Bush
⚬ Olea europea – Olive var ‘Manzanillo’
⚬ Metrosideros excelsa – Pohutukawa (NZ Christmas Bush) var ‘Pink Lady’
⚬ Rhopalostylis sapida – Nikau Palm
Deck succulents: echeveria, sempervivum, aeonium, sedum, haworthia, crassula, miniature aloe, winter cactus and spring cactus
Brick patio planter: Helleborus (several, various)
Ficus elastica – Rubber Plant
Sansavieria trifasciata – Snake Plant
Euphorbia milii – Crown of Thorns
Peace Lily
This year it’s tomatoes, tomatillos, zucchini, strawberries, mini-cucumber, kale, lettuce, spinach, beetroot, snow peas and bush beans…. may the odds be ever in their favour. Over in the perennials bed, we have: sage, blueberry, thyme, rosemary, perennial basil, chia, coriander, rhubarb, asparagus, Chilean guava and a dwarf cherry tree. So. Many. Plants.