Work on the verge, or the nature strip as some like to call it, began about a year ago. It began as a folly because our family normally call this area the dead zone. Growing a native garden under a gum tree can be difficult but hopefully not impossible with the right plant choices. We live in a frost hollow so that adds further challenges. It is winter now so not much is happening. Still, I am like an expectant mum, bursting with excitement and ready to bring home the baby. But as you know, these things cannot be rushed.

The design concept evolved over the course of the year from growing whatever would grow in the dead zone under our brittle gum, to instead targetting plants that were native to our local area (Canberra, Australia); there being quite a lot of overlap in these groups. Unfortunately my enthusiasm was not matched by my knowledge and so occasionally I planted some non-local native species in my haste to get plants in the ground before dry weather was upon us again. The definition of our local region is also very broad covering both sub-alpine temperate forests through to natural temperate grasslands on the plains.

The garden is finally starting to take shape, albeit mostly in my head. To narrow down my plant choices, I began to incorporate a number of species found growing in my nearby local park or plants that perhaps ought to be growing in the park if it had been left in its original natural state. I suspect I have over-planted but I anticipate some losses. By popular demand (a couple of people), below is a list of the plants I’ve jammed into this small space. This list and accompanying photos will be updated from time to time.

Grasses

1. Cymbopogon refractus (Barbed-wire grass) – despite its name, very soft and beautiful but highly flammable when mature. I may need to reconsider although that choice may have been made for me as it appears to have died over winter 2022.
2. Enneapogon nigricans (Nine-Awn grass, Bottlewashers) – a small, buxom grass.
3. Poa sieberiana (Small blue Tussock Grass) – beautiful.
4. Poa spp (Snow Grass) – I think I have Poa helmsii. Maybe too big? Doing fantastically well.
5. Rytidosperma spp. (Wallaby Grass)
6. Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass) – growing in nearby park and elsewhere in my garden.

Climbers/Groundcovers

7. Billardiera scandens (Hairy Apple Berry) – local bush tucker.
8. Glycine clandestina (Twining Glycine) – growing in nearby park.
9. Convolvulus angustissimus – another species that occurs naturally at the park (where there are fewer snails!)
10. Hardenbergia violacea (Native Sarsparilla) – limited success previously but wrens seem to like it so I am trying again. Barely survived winter 2022.
11. Ziera prostrata – non-local threatened species. Unlikely to survive.

Shrubs

12. Eremophila ‘Piccaninny Dawn’ – non-local but an eremophila that survives in Canberra! I’ll take it.
13. Eutaxia obovata (Egg and Bacon Plant) – non-local. Shade-loving. Doing well.
14. Olearia phlogopappa white (Dusty Daisy Bush) – often found locally in alpine areas and/or moist to wet forests.
15. Pimelea linifolia (Slender riceflower) – a favourite of my son.

Herbs (Forbs)

16. Arthropodium milleflorum (Pale Vanilla Lily)
17. Arthropodium minus (Small Vanilla Lily) – eaten by cockatoos
18. Bulbine bulbosa (Bulbine Lily) – fire resistant, bush tucker
19. Bulbine semibarbata (Leek Lily) – fire resistant
20. Calocephalus citreus (Lemon Beauty Heads) – grassland plant doing really badly.
21. Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Common Everlasting/Yellow Buttons) – keystone grassland plant.
22. Chrysocephalum semipapposum (Clustered Everlasting, Yellow Buttons)
23. Craspedia variabilis (Billy Buttons)
24. Eryngium ovinum (Blue Devil) – spiky but beautiful, dies back in autumn. Seen previously in nearby park but no longer present. Also elsewhere in my garden.
25. Leucochrysum albicans (Hoary Sunray) – threatened species.
26. Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides (Button Wrinklewort) – endangered, heartbreaker, ie. difficult to grow. I’ve not had much growing it elsewhere in my garden.
27. Stylidium graminifolium (Grass Trigger Plant) – because I like them.
28. Thysanotus tuberosus (Common Fringe Lily)
29. Vittadinia muelleri (Narrow leaf New Holland Daisy) – growing in nearby park.
30. Wahlenbergia stricta (Native Bluebell) – native bee loves them. Prolific.
31. Wahlenbergia communis (Tufted Bluebell)

It is difficult to get the big picture of the garden from the small seedlings in the garden. I will post more photos in spring.

Happy gardening, everyone.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

*Photos from plants growing elsewhere in the garden.

Last Updated 30/10/2022