Sunday, May 30, 2010

Grevillea 'Coochin Hills'

Magnificent Bougainvillea at Coochin Coochin homestead near Boonah in south east Queensland. It was planted to celebrate the homecoming of Aussie troops after World War1.
Coochin means red in the Jagera language of the Ugarapul people and is named for the red bill of the black swan

Coochin Run 1854
Conrad Martens (1801-1878)
Queensland Art Gallery

Grevillea 'Coochin Hills'indigenous to the area
Black Swan 1792
First Fleet Artwork Collection
Natural History Museum
London


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Cane-stem Begonia

Begonia coccinea Cane stem Begonia, pink flowering form
2017 update: I have stock of the white flower form.

Monday, May 17, 2010

English Gardening

'Lady Courteney devoted herself to gardening.The bags came out from London laden with bulbs and cuttings and soon there sprang up around the Legation a luxuriant English garden; lilac and lavender, privet and box, grass walks and croquet lawn ,rockeries and wildernesses,herbaceous borders, bowers of rambler roses, puddles of water-lilies and an immature maze'....

Monday, May 10, 2010

Petrea volubilis, Purple Wreath

Petrea volubilis
  Purple Wreath 
Named after Horticulturist Lord Robert Petre (1713-1742) and hailing from Mexico and Central America this is a spectacular climber for warm temperate and sub-tropical gardens.
Apart from the magnificant display of purple flowers, the leaves add a textural element for enhancing the enjoyment of visually impaired garden visitors at any time of the year as the leaves are large and sandpapery to touch.
I have found it slow growing to start with but once established it is hardy and robust and not fussy as to soil type or moisture.
2017 update: I currently don't have any stock available.