The GardenStyle 2005 Plant Collection
At last! A group of plants that gardeners can really relate to!
The GardenStyle 2005 Plant Collection is a group of 20 plants that has been hand-selected by professional nursery people and is designed to suit a range of gardening styles and needs.
Every plant in the GardenStyle 2005 Plant Collection is a strong performer in its own right and each offers gardeners something special. The three key ingredients of plant selection are covered: a long flowering period, bold foliage shape or colour, and a strong architectural growth habit.
All the plants in the GardenStyle 2005 Plant Collection perform well under a range of garden conditions and only require a semi-regular watering once established. The GardenStyle 2005 Plant Collection contains a mix of proven garden performers as well as new and recent releases. Importantly, all of the plants are widely available from retail garden outlets across Victoria and throughout Australia. It represents some of the best plants the professional garden industry has to offer.
The plants can be mixed and matched, or categorised into styles such as ‘Classical’, ‘Architectural’, ‘Au Naturale’ and ‘Functional’.
Classical
Gardeners who want a more traditional garden will revel in this combination of plants.
The structure is provided by a hedge planting of one of the best white camellias on the market Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’, and offset by a feature tree - a red maple (Acer rubrum). Another layer is provided by a new variety of azalea (part of the Encore Azalea series). This plant flowers not once but twice a year, in spring and again in autumn. It accentuates the timeless theme while adding a colourful punch to the display. The oak-leafed hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) performs admirably in the background all year round and comes into its own with strong autumnal tones. Even ‘modern’ plants such as Arthropodium ‘Matapouri Bay’ and Loropetalum chinense ‘Blush’ fit right into the classic theme.
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Architectural
For those thoroughly modern gardeners, the strong plant forms with an accent of foliage in this cameo garden are sure to appeal.
The bold spikes of both the Astelia chathamica ‘Silver Spear’ and Cordyline ‘Jurassic Jade’ are complemented beautifully with an inter-planting of Convolvulvus cneorum, with its silver tones, and the blues of Felicia amelliodes. The architectural theme is tied together with the deep foliage colour of Agonis ‘After Dark’.
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Au Naturale
This cameo garden is an eclectic mix of Australian and exotic plants, for those gardeners who want to mix it up a bit.
The hot reds of the flowering gum (Eucalyptus ficifolia ‘Summer Red’) and kangaroo paws (Anigozanthus ‘Bush Gems’) are contrasted with the deep purple of the Heliotropium Baby Blue. Hebe Snowdrift provides a low maintenance backdrop and a foreground planting of Banksia ‘Birthday Candles’, with its strong form and colour, completes the picture.
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Functional
Create a garden that is big on looks and low on maintenance.
The new, improved dwarf Lots ‘a’ Lemons means even courtyard gardeners can pick their own lemons. Create a screen using the compact and evergreen Magnolia ‘Little Gem’. Be rewarded with masses of white flowers from summer to late autumn with Hebe ‘Snowdrift’, a truly low-maintenance garden performer. Define the edges with a dwarf form of Japanese sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica ‘Nana’) and Salvia ‘Navajo’ provides your choice of seasonal colour (white, cream, rose, pink, dark purple, bright red).
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