What to plant

 The spot is underneath our front steps.

The plant needs to be a native (preferably although other options will be
considered).

It must not grow more than ~1m tall, smaller preferably, or perhaps be grown
in a hanging basket

Soil is well-drained and plant must be able to survive on minimal water.

It will be in full sun most of the day (not early morning).

I'm thinking some sort of paper daisy ground cover. Maybe kangaroo paw. DH
wants to put cactus there (but I hate cactus).
There is a jasmine plant there but I'm not that fond of it.

Can't make up my mind.

Amanda

 

Hmmm, that gives you a VAST range of possibilities.  Tell us the *ideal*
height.  How large is the bed?  What kind of foliage do you want?  Fine?
Large? Strappy?  What about foliage: blue-green, grey-green, yelow-green,
dark, silvery?  Flower colour?  What time of year would you like to see it in
flower?

Just off-hand, look at the new native frangipani cultivar (Hymenosporum flavum
something) -- 1m, yellow-green foliage, not as open as the original plnt, and
yellow flowers.  There would be emu bushes (Eremophila spp) aplenty to fit
your requirements, or what about good old Melaleuca thymifolia, with flowers
that look like fairy floss?  There is a small Baeckia virgata which would fit,
except they don't call it a Baeckia any more (tiny dark green leaves thatfeel
beautifully soft, and little scented white flowers in spring).  Flannel
flowers could do well too.  I end to go for local species if I can, so that
might also narrow things down.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

 Chookie wrote:

I miss my old neighbour's native frangipani both littering and scenting my
backyard.
Can't wait to grow one here, and I know exactly where it is going ;)

 

Sorry shoud have clarified that the steps are just over 3m but its the lower
end that is currently vacant ... so less than 1m is the ideal height.
Don't care about the rest of the options ... just can't decide what to plant
there and need to think outside my own head for a while (or in other words
just be open to suggestion).  I'm bad I know ... every time I go to a native
plant nursery  I'm like a kid in a lolly shop and want one of everything.
I'm even contemplating just filling the area in with some rocks and hiding
the odd pot plant in there as its not just the water restrictions that area
a worry (as the spot is sheltered from rain) but the fact that it *is*
sheltered from rain and adding water to any plants growing tehre will make
it more attractive to termites.

flowers

thatfeel

These are what I'm thinking .... (but not the frangipani obviously).  We
already have several melaleucas in the garden so maybe one of those and some
kangaroo paw. .... but then I have a secret need to put some lavendar in the
garden and it might be the perfect spot.


Actually NO.
I think I've just had a brainwave.
Themeda triandra (Kangaroo grass).!!!

Ohhh thanks ... that's what I call getting out of my own headspace for a
minute ... I've managed to think of it whilst replying to your post!


Ta
Amanda

 
will be

be grown

paw. DH

One plant which I absolutlety adore is the parahebe.  It has glorious
soft, delicate flowers which remind me of Lavendar Shower (thalictrum
I think is the Latin name for LS) but the parahebe is as tough as an
old boot - needs no water but has these glorious soft looking flowers
in ealry summer.