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Pretty in Pink: Callistemon ‘Pink Champagne’
There are so many varying coloured Callistemons available now, there isn’t really any reason to only associate them with the traditional red anymore. I am a big fan of the softer coloured bottlebrushes, the greens pale yellows and pinks, the soft pinks in particular are some of my favourites. This is Callistemon ‘Pink Champagne’ a…
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Winter brightener: Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’
I have already written about this striking low growing Hakea here however I think this is one of the many very special native plants that deserves a second (and possibly third) plug 😉 This is Hakea myrtoides-x-petiolaris ‘Burrendong Beauty’ a wonderful hybrid low spreading shrub that loves to tangle itself up and create a dense prickly mess…
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Prune me! I am Eucalyptus pulverulenta!
This is without a doubt one of my favourite small Mallee Eucalypts, it is a very malleable mallee 😉 it responds so well to pruning that if you don’t prune it you are almost doing the plant a disservice. These photos were taken at the Arboretum in Canberra where there is a stand of Eucalyptus pulverulenta…
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We’re adjusting our pricing on July 1st 2019
On the 1st of July 2019, we’ll be adjusting our pricing to reflect rising copper prices and to invest in new tooling that will raise the finished quality of our dishes. The pricing change will not come into affect until the 1st of July 2019, so if you’ve had your eye on a Mallee Design…
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Pink and Grey: Guichenotia ledifolia
As a colour combination pink and grey is one of my favourites, especially on a plant, grey leaves and a soft pink flower win me over every time! Luckily for me it is a fairly common combination in native Australian plants, look at this Guichenotia ledifolia I photographed in Canberra Botanic Gardens last weekend. Guichenotia’s are…
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Portfolio: Woolooware Garden Design
This residential garden was designed at the beginning of 2017 and built later that year, to complete the property’s brand new modern extension. The owners had acquired some beautiful, large sandstone boulders from offsite to be used in the new landscape and these and the existing Eucalyptus in the rear neighbours garden informed the the…
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Mother appreciation day: 10% discount on Mallee Spun Copper Dishes
As far as I am concerned Mothers Day is a load of consumer hype, mothers should be appreciated everyday not once a year, you can tell that this mother is tired 😉 I dream of having a deep veranda with a comfy couch to sit on where I can read, watch the birds flit around my…
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A must have in your habitat garden: Bursaria spinosa
All hail sweet Bursaria! this native plant is a superstar performer in a native habitat garden fulfilling so many critters requirements and needs. I have been collecting images of Bursaria spinosa for about 10 years now, always looking for a flattering angle and light, it is not a particularly showy plant if not in flower,…
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Correas and Croweas: Special Shady Friends
I spent last weekend in Mount Victoria, staying in a log cabin surrounded by a wonderful bush garden. There were plenty of Banskias, Eucalypts and Acacias but what really filled the garden out were the swathed of Correas and Croweas planted densely under the gum trees. Both Crowea and Correa species like to grow in…
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Another special Dwarf Eucalyptus for small gardens: Eucalyptus citriodora ‘Scentuous’
The lemon scented gum is one of my favourite fragrances, that pungent citronella smell released after the rain or at dusk on a summer evening makes me all sentimental about our incredible flora. Unfortunately Eucalyptus or Corymbia citriodora doesn’t mix so well with the urban landscape, firstly they get tall, very tall and secondly as…
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Happy National Eucalypt Day! Eucalyptus leucoxylon ‘Euky Dwarf’
Happy National Eucalypt Day everyone! I really hope you were able to appreciate a Eucalpytus tree today at the very least, or possibly able to plant one? “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now” ― Traditional Chinese proverbs, one of my favourite quotes. If you weren’t…
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Just because it’s beautiful….Grevillea insignis
Sometimes I feel the urge to promote plants based on their aesthetic appeal and not much more really… and this is one of them Grevillea insignis, this is a little bit indulgent but I saw this Grevillea growing in Cranbourne Botanic Gardens earlier this year and was instantly drawn to it. I do love a holly…
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It’s that time of year again! Banksia ‘Coastal Cushions’
It’s my favourite time of year again Autumn! Hooray! goodbye humidity, I will not miss you and neither will my favourite native plants. Autumn is also wonderful because the Banksias are budding up or out already and everywhere I go lately one particular dwarf Banksia is catching my eye, Banksia spinulosa ‘Coastal Cushions’. This post…
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Expert Grass Tree advice!
My favourite supplier for Grass Trees is located on the Northern NSW coast they are called Bruinsma Grass Trees and stock lovely healthy specimens, however that is not all they do… They also follow up and offer excellent advice through their newsletter and love talking about growing this iconic sometimes mystifying Australian native. Below I…
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Another Callistmon for the resurgence: Callistemon subulatus ‘Brogo Overflow’
I have written before about my love of bottlebrush and how I wish for a resurgence in their use in garden design and the general landscape. There are many new interesting forms and cultivars that are a far shot from the ratty, sparse unloved street trees we all know. They come in soft pinks, deep…
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Why the name Mallee?
I am often asked if I come from Mallee country in Victoria and sadly the answer is no, Mallee Design my business name was not chosen for geographical reasons it was chosen for aesthetic reasons. I am in love with Mallee Eucalypts. A Eucalyptus becomes classed as a Mallee if it has the following attributes…
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The long lived Acacia pendula
We all know that wattles get a bad rap for growing quickly, becoming sparse and also attacked by borers, many people won’t plant Acacias purely based on their shorter lifespan, not me I plant them whenever possible and to be honest 8-10 years feels like a pretty long time to me right now 😉 However…
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The display gardens of Austplant Nursery
I have been away in Victoria for the past few weeks, camping on Wilsons Prom and then visiting native nurseries and gardens on the Mornington Peninsula. It was a wonderful holiday that has left me with a touch of post holiday depression but plenty of photos of native plants to share with you! One of…
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A unique feature: Baeckea virgata Dwarf
I spotted this delightful front garden in Crows Nest a few weeks ago, I loved it for its simplicity, it shows off one of my favourite low mounding plants Baeckea virgata Dwarf perfectly! Baeckea has had a few names changes in recent years, including Babbingtonia and now Sannantha, however there is no other plant quite like…
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The exploding Leptospermum ‘Starry Night’
I have been monitoring these Leptospermum obovatum ‘Starry Night’ shrubs (that I planted in a neighbours garden) closely, waiting, waiting for them to flower and BOOM! last week they exploded! I love reddish or burgundy foliage and there are several species of Leptospermum with a red tinge to the leaf however ‘Starry Night’ is…
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Two toned toughie: Eremophila racemosa ‘Peaches and Cream’
This hardy little shrub is aptly named for its two toned flowers, this Emu bush has yellow flower buds which once open change colour to white…get it peaches and cream … boom ching! Anyway cliche plant breeder names aside this is number seven in my memorable Eremophila line up. Eremophila racemosa ‘Peaches and Cream’ is…
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Happy little inner city garden: Leichhardt Garden Design
This small garden in the inner west of Sydney is actually quite generous, there is room for lawn, a studio and a seperate outdoor eating area. This means there is also room for lots of different native plants! Hooray! we planted for year round flower, colour, foliage contrast, texture and wildlife habitat. There is something…
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Another true blue Banksia ground cover: Banksia petiolaris
This is another great WA prostrate ground cover Banksia that grows and flowers directly on the ground like Banksia blechnifolia. They have a very similar habit, however their leaves and flowers are quite different. Banksia petiolaris has a lovely bluish hue to its leaf, in the image above you can see it growing amongst Themeda…
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A true blue Banksia ground cover: Banksia blechnifolia
This is the real deal when it comes to a Banksia ground cover, it naturally grows along the ground it is not a cultivar or hybrid, it “wants” to grow like this! And I love it for that, happily creeping along with its soft red furry new stems and hilarious flowers that sit on the…
Category: Bird attracting