Simon's Grevillea Rant - May 14, 2010
I promised myself when I started my native garden 4 years ago that I would Never become a gardening tragic, a collector obsessed with trying to plant as many different plants as possible, Guess what …….I was kidding myself 94 varieties of Grevillea later and I am still going!
I had the pleasure of going to the Illawarra Grevillea Park in Bulli on the weekend and had my ‘kid in the lolly shop’ moment and yes I did not walk out of there empty handed. There was everything there for the grevillea enthusiast. The park was well set out and most of the plants well sign posted. This place is a must see if you love your natives.
By far and away the grevilleas I love collecting are the western Australian varieties with their unusual flowers and interesting foliage my favourite at the moment is Grevillea leptobotrys it has a fierce reputation for dying. The leaves are silvery look like holly and the plant gets pink flowers from spring through to autumn and the smell like lollies to boot! Down at the park I counted 7 different plants growing quite happily. Fingers crossed for mine!
When I got back to work on Monday fresh from my recent visit I got a little over excited and filled the nursery up with all kinds of weird and wonderful Grevilleas and other flowering native plants. I got some great grafted plants to like Grevillea wild Beauty. The flowers on this plant are pink with green tips. Sounds weird I know but they look great and have to be seen to be believed.
If you have not got your mothers day present sorted get your mum a grevillea for something a little different. They will bring the birds to your garden. We have over 100 different varieties to choose from Ground covers to small shrubs up to the 3 metre beauts such as moonlight.