Centaurea gymnocarpa, Fiordaliso di Capraia

Centaurea gymnocarpa with blue leafed succulent Kalanchoe grandiflora

and tall white Euphorbia ammak 'Variegata'

Centaurea gymnocarpa 'Silver Fountain'

This small silver shrub (90cm) is from the Isle of Capri, a place so wonderfully described by Australian writer Shirley Hazzard in her memoir of Graham Greene. I would like to be having my morning coffee in the Gran Caffe` in the piazzetta of Capri right now ..... looking up at the imposing rock face of the Monte Solaro, before going off to do some plant hunting.......dream on..

The genus Centaurea is named after the centaur Chiron who was a herbalist/doctor and Achilles' tutor in Greek mythology. Most species produce thistle like flowers in summer either mauve pink or yellow. Other species, and there are almost 90, occur across the Mediterranean especially in the Iberian peninsula where they are commonly called Cardo estrellado.

In the home garden,Centaurea don't like good garden soils or any irrigation .They do best in poor ,rocky stony soils like in their native habitat. Growth is too rapid in good soil and whole plant often falls apart from the centre. A raised garden bed with well drained soil is best and when combined with stiff cacti and succulents, the soft silvery foliage makes a wonderful contrast.

2017 update: I have plants in stock

Pennisetum alopecuroides, Swamp Foxtail Grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides
 Swamp Foxtail Grass

Foxtail grass is found in most States of Australia as well as in Asia and the Pacific Islands. It naturally occurs along streams and in damp places but is fairly adaptable to general garden conditions where it may receive less water. It grows in a clump to about a metre and the bushy bristly purple tinged flower heads can appear anytime from December to April .I have seen it used as a decorative hedge plant growing along a fence line facing the street and fortunately the garden owner knew to prune it back hard during winter to allow new growth to emerge in Spring. It is very decorative mass planted under Eucalyptus as above and will tolerate light shade as well as full sun. Most grasses are fairly easy to divide if you want more plants. Fertilizer requirements are minimal.

Red

I like to see the colour red in gardens or on the football field.

To appreciate the colour red, it is worth viewing the giant sculpture by Anish Kapoor in the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane, Queensland.

Anish Kapoor, India /UK b1954

Untitled 2007

Resin ,fibreglass, lacquer

'Red is the colour I've felt very strongly about .....Of course it's the colour of the interior of our bodies. In a way it's inside out.' Anish Kapoor

Red in smaller works such as this sculpture by Lenton Parr playfully reminds us of farm machinery and the world of the tractor ,the story of which was so engagingly told in the Marina Lewycka novel A short history of tractors in Ukrainian.

Lenton Parr (1924-2003)

Rigel 1968

Painted Steel

When it comes to red in the garden, it is the red rose which is at the top of the list. My favourite one is the hybrid tea 'Mister Lincoln' which is reliable and free flowering ,producing lots of long buds which open to well formed long lasting flowers.The perfume is deep and rich.

Rosa Hybrid Tea 'Mister Lincoln'

There are lots of good red flowering Hibiscus which are still producing blooms even as the days get cooler. Below is the rich velvety red of 'Mollie Cummings' which has a glowing sheen to the petals.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Mollie Cummings'

Sometimes it is red foliage which is the feature. I have yet to confirm the identity of this plant and only know it by the ridiculous common name of "Garden Clown"

The red flowering Nerium oleander is one of the hardiest varieties known and is regarded as a freeze tolerant variety in the United States. The colour is so dark , it often needs a lighter coloured background to show it off well.

Red flowering annuals such as the Celosia below can look very regimented and a bit severe when viewed up close but when mixed with silver or black foliage and white flowers they really come alive.

Celosia argentea plumosa 'Kewpie Red'

The red Geranium is a bit of a garden classic especially when grown in terracotta pots. The one below is more on the orange side and is really vermilion in colour.

The dwarf flowering Eucalyptus 'Summer Red' is in flower now and looking spectacular.

Monstera deliciosa Fruit-salad plant

Monstera deliciosa 

This hardy fruit bearing ground cover /climber is known world wide as a decorative garden plant or as an indoor or office plant.The huge leathery,perforated and incised leaves are also popular with florists for tropical style decorations. I like it as a bold landscaping plant especially around the base of large trees or covering walls and tall fences.The Monstera has interesting flowers of the arum type,with a creamy white boat shaped 30cm spathe overarching a cylindrical spath.

The resulting fruit is a cone like structure about 20cm long. which may take up to a year to ripen. It is made up of a series of hexagonal plates which peel away from the base upwards. You can tell when it is ripe by the strong fruit salad /stinky cheese aroma emerging from under the leaves. The fruit never made it to the supermarket shelves because it has to be really soft to eat. Not only that, but each segment of fruit contain black flecks which bite the tongue and mouth with their sharp taste. The fruit is sometimes called Mexican Breadfruit as the plant is native to Mexico and Guatemala.

Monstera fruit (just don't eat the black bits)

The variegated form M.deliciosa 'Albo-variegata' has interesting white splashed leaves but is less vigorous with smaller leaves. The form M. deliciosa minima "Little Monster" has miniature leaves but my specimens have been very slow growing and spindly in habit.

Propagation is easy from cut stem pieces simply buried slightly beneath the soil. In frosty climates some leaf damage is to be expected during winter but new leaves unfurl from the stout stems once the warm weather starts.
2017 update: I no longer have the miniature form. I have plants of the white variegated leaf variety but it is fairly unstable and often reverts to green.

Quisqualis indica Rangoon Creeper

Quisqualis indica,

Rangoon Creeper in a Mosman garden, Sydney

This is quite a rampant climber in the tropics and has fallen out of favour in most tropical and sub tropical gardens because it is difficult to control ,spreading as it does by suckering . In warm temperate climates it is a little more well behaved, though the specimen above was cut off at ground level and it returned flowering within a year of this being done. The crimson flowers are sweetly perfumed and hang like bunches of cherries in clusters. Strangely the red buds open to white flowers which slowly deepen in colour from pink to crimson as they age..Foliage is also attractive with new growth taking on a bronze tone. It can be difficult to grow from cuttings which may be a reason why it is rarely offered for sale in nurseries.

2017 update:I have sold all of my stock and don't have any available.

Molineria capitulata syn Curculigo capitulata, Weevil lily

Molineria capitulata syn Curculigo capitulata
 Weevil Lily

The common name Weevil lily is an unfortunate one for this quite interesting plant .To me weevils are those pesky little buggers which spoil flour or get into the chook food and spin webs. I have no idea how the name arose. The flowers on this plant are rarely seen as they appear at ground level in small bright yellow clusters and are perhaps pollinated by a marsupial mouse visiting them on the rainforest floor. The lovely pleated leaves can reach at least a metre in length and react to the slightest breeze by rocking back and forth as if slightly drunk. Though a native of Far North Queensland rainforests, it does make an appearance in shady spots in many old gardens. Neglected specimens without humus rich soil and adequate water tend to brown off at the leaf tips spoiling the overall appearance. It spreads by underground rhizomes and is reasonably easy to lift and divide . It makes an excellent edging plant along shady walkways if given plenty of room to spread as shown in the top photo.
2017 update: I currently don't have any stock available.

Plectranthus argentatus

Plectranthus argentatus growing in front of Sansevieria trifasciata 'Silver Sheen'
Plectranthus argentatus leaf detail

This native plant from Queensland really needs no introduction as it widely grown and is a popular plant where a splash of silver is required to brighten shady garden corners .It is also an excellent contrast plant with black eg Mondo Grass or the red of New Guinea Impatiens. It usually reaches about 60 cm in height and sprawls about to at least a metre.. It is easily propagated by cuttings, so easy in fact, any prunings left on the ground after cutting back the bush ,may sprout roots and grow where you drop them. The cultivar 'Silver Shield' is worth seeking out as it retains a more compact growth habit and is less tall ,reaching about 40cm.
2017 update: I grow both forms and have stock ready on a regular basis. Call 0412-123-240 for more details.