Foundation plants
Callistemon ‘Pink Champagne’ was among the original plantings
We planted our one hectare garden in 2003 in the middle of the Milennium Drought. This meant that many plants that we wanted were not available and that some plants did not survive the lack of overhead protection, the heat and the very dry conditions.
Acacias
We planted a variety of wattles, 16 Acacia boormanii or Snowy River Wattle (two top images above), 9 Acacia cardiophylla or West Wyalong Wattle (bottom two images above), and 10 Acacia spectabilis or Mudgee Wattle. One Acacia melanoxylon planted itself by hitching a ride on a Tree Fern trunk and outlasting the fern. This volunteer tree is now the largest of our wattles. We still have many of our original Acacia boormannii around the fence line and have added another 18. These shrubs are not large, bloom extravagantly in the spring and have attractive silvery foliage that is popular with Silvereyes and other small birds. This wattle species comes with a warning that it may sucker, but we have not had any suckers on our property. The other wattles have not fared so well. All have been removed now for failure to thrive, although some have lasted up to the last few years. Both A. cardiophylla and A. spectabilis are beautiful plants when they are growing well and they provided much needed shade and shelter in the early days of our garden. 3021
Araucaria bidwillii
We planted one Araucaria bidwillii or Bunya Pine at the front of our property. We covered it during the first winter, as young plants are sensitive to frost. However, this tree has thrived and grown to 10 metres high and produces large female cones each year with edible seed much appreciated by cockatoos and parrots. The dense prickly foliage is also popular with Red-Browed Finches which weave their graceful grass nests under its protection and raise their young. We planted another Bunya Pine in September, 2016 and this plant has grown well and sheltered a procession of Red-Browed Finch nests at eye-level.
Baloskion tetraphyllus
Around the large pond we planted 36 Baloskion tetraphyllus or Tassel Cord Rush which were attractive for several years and then began to disappear – none are left now, but the pond is full of other native reeds which protect young fish.
Banksia marginata
We planted six specimens of our local banksia, Banksia marginata or Silver Banksia (photo above left). These grew well and produced attractive yellow flowers with plenty of nectar for the birds. In fact, Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoos quietly attacked a couple of trees and damaged them extensively. The silver-backed foliage as it moves in the wind has been a valued asset. All but one have now been removed. The remaining Silver Banksia droops over our lily pond and remains a favourite tree for small birds. We also planted one Banksia serrata or Old Man Banksia (photo above right). This tree has grown well and is developing the wrinkled trunk that makes older specimens so attractive. It bloomed well for a couple of years, but has not bloomed now for five years. Died overnight February 2024 - removed.
Callistemons
We planted a number of different callistemons, 64 Callistemon salignus (left two photos above) for the hedge along the front of the property, augmented by 20 Callistemon ‘Firebrand’ Fairhill form (right two photos above), and 26 Callistemon viminalis ‘Hannah Ray’. The hedge species was chosen for the beautiful pink new growth that echoes the colour of the hedges of Photinia robusta rubra which are commonly grown in Red Hill. This species has grown from miniscule to about 5m high and blooms well each year. We also planted five Callistemon ‘Kings Park Special’ in a diagonal row in the back garden to give some shade and blossom. These shrubs have perfomed well, grown to 4 metres high and bloom every year. 1389 P2190046
Casuarina cunninghamii
We planted five Casuarina cunninghamii or River Oak and three of these survive. Two were totally trashed by the fall of a large pine tree (Pinus radiata) in July 2016. One Casuarina has grown particularly well as it has its roots close to our largest pond. Rain on the leaves of casuarina is a beautiful sight and the red fluffy blooms are also attractive. The drooping branches are elegant, although do get nipped off by cockatoos.
Citrus limon - Meyer Lemon
In Ben’s courtyard we planted three Meyer Lemons as Ben had never lived anywhere before where lemons would grow. These three trees produce enough fruit to satisfy ourselves, our family, many friends and also two restaurants which we frequent. The lemons are particularly juicy and delightfully tangy.
Correas
We planted 34 Correa ‘Dusky Bells’ and 20 Correa glabra ‘Winter Glow’ (now more correctly called Correa glabra ‘Coliban River’) (two photos above). During the first summer hot spell ten of the ‘Dusky Bells’ succumbed, but most of the correas have lasted well. The ‘Winter Glow’ have been cloud pruned every two years and now form a pleasing mass under the original cypress trees.
Corymbia
We planted two Corymbia, C. citriodora (Lemon Scented Gum) and C. maculata (Spotted Gum). The Lemon Scented Gum has grown to 10m, blooms for a short time each year and the foliage scents the whole back garden whenever it rains. The Spotted Gum (a coastal tree) has grown to be the tallest of all our planted trees. In the truly appalling frost of 2018, all the leaves turned bronze and we thought that we would lose this valuable tree. However, it has rallied and the leaves have turned green again.
Dianella tasmanica
We planted 200 viro tubes of Dianella tasmanica, or Flax Lily, and these have not been successful. Originally they were in too much sun and we moved them into the shade where they thrived. However, about ten years ago, many Dianella in Canberra contracted a disease which causes their flower buds to remain closed and droop. We had planted a number of different dianellas over the years, but all have contracted this disease and we have removed most of them.
Dicksonia antarctica - Tree Fern
We planted 23 Dicksonia antarctica or Tree Fern, and these were immediately attacked by a persistent crew of cockatoos which left them looking battered. We ended up moving all 23 closer to the house where the birds are not so bold. The Tree Ferns have thrived, even those in full sun. Of course, the Crimson Rosellas do wreck the fronds later in the season when the spores develop, but that is after the magnificent spectacle of the new fronds unfurling.
Eleaocarpus reticulatis - Blueberry Ash
We planted 22 Eleaocarpus reticulatus ‘Prima Donna’, or Blueberry Ash (photos above), and have retained about 15 of these despite the damage caused by severe frost in 2018. These trees have flowered only a few times, after rain, but when they do, are very beautiful. When not flowering they provide glossy green foliage for a ‘rainforest’ look, rare in Canberra.
Hakea salicifolia
We planted five Hakea salicifolia, or Willow-leaved Hakea, but none of these remain. They were comprehensively shredded by Black Cockatoos.
Leptospermum ‘Aphrodite’
We planted 12 Leptospermum ‘Aphrodite’, developed at Bywong Nursery near Canberra by Peter Ollerenshaw. These plants have been trimmed up from the base to show off their slender, winding stems. They bloom every year with pink and green flowers, large or small, depending on the amount of rain we have received, (virtually microscopic this year, 2019, with only 390mm of rain!). All have now been removed to make space for other plants.
Lomandra leucocephala
We planted 25 Lomandra leucocephala, but have ended up giving most of these to other gardeners. They are very dependable, but somewhat coarse in the garden.
Xanthorrhorea australis - Grass Tree
We planted 11 advanced Xanthorrhorea australis, but unfortunately two of these were stolen after three years. The remainder have grown to twice their original height, bloomed on and off, and look iconic all year round.
Performing an inventory on your foundation plants is a valuable exercise, as I find that I have forgotten how hard it was to get these plants established and how useful they are in the garden. I do tend to take them for granted and move on in the garden to more delicate plants, but without their shelter and backbone the garden would be poor indeed.
