Gardening with native plants

As I mentioned in the last article, Perth is in the middle of the spring wildflower season. I think I also said that I would be going to the "Spring Fling", a celebration of the beginning of spring hosted by the Wildflower Society of WA. I did.

It was a very interesting and informative visit. I collected a lot of information about the growing and the use of wildflowers in the design of a garden. The President of the Society said to me that the Society aimed to inform people of the way wildflowers can be used in the garden, what to buy, where to buy and how to buy. "We are also interested in advising gardeners on the best way to use native plants in their garden design," he said.

The countryside around Western Australia is blessed with magnificent natural flora and in the Southwest, where I live, we have more than a fair share. With the busy lifestyle that many poeple enjoy, it is not always possible to go out and see this wonderful show of wildflowers at this time of the year. So, why not bring nature to you? Incorporating some of the many beautiful wildflowers in your garden will bring the magnificence of the bush to your doorstep.

Many people seem to think that native plants are hard to grow. As a general rule they will enjoy improved soil, light pruning, some additional watering (other than rain), and fertilising, so long as the fertilising is light and regular. It seems there are a lot of easy to grow native plants now available. If you go to a nursery that knows something about wildflowers you could find that there are many varieties available. Don't forget either that Western Australian wildflowers are doing huge business overseas.

A really good tip I got, just by attending this Spring Fling was how to buy. I had always gone to a nursery, picked out a plant, gone home and planted it. One of the papers I picked up at the show suggested I take a notebook and pencil (instead of the wallet) on the first visit. Select the plants I liked, write down the size, features and special requirements. Go home, and plan the garden layout. This would make sure that what I bought fits in with the overall planning of the garden.

At the entrance to the show there were three different gardens: the bush garden, the cottage garden, the flower garden. These showed the variety one can obtain by varying the style of garden - all with the use of the wildflower. Ideas such as placing the tall plants at the back and small plants at the front; grey foliage plants scattered amongst green; grasses and lily-like plants to add interest helped me to rethink my own version of a wildflower garden. It is also possible to arrange plants in rows and arrange those with distinctive shapes together. All these sorts of effects should enhance the design and the attractiveness of a wildflower garden.

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