Flowering Season

Winter Flowering

133 plants

Purple-leaf Cootamundra Wattle · Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea' A fast small tree with ferny blue-grey foliage flushed purple on new growth, smothered in fragrant golden ball flowers in late winter. Showy but can self-seed beyond its range.
Fringed Wattle · Acacia fimbriata A soft, weeping wattle with fine fringed foliage and a profuse late-winter display of fragrant lemon-gold pom-poms. Fast, hardy and ideal as an informal screen or quick filler.
Queensland Silver Wattle · Acacia podalyriifolia A striking large shrub clothed in rounded silvery-blue phyllodes and bright golden winter blossom. One of the most ornamental wattles, valued for foliage as much as flower.
Tree Aeonium · Aeonium arboreum A branching shrubby succulent carrying glossy green rosettes atop bare woody stems, producing large conical heads of yellow star flowers in late winter to spring. A striking architectural feature.
Black Rose Aeonium · Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' A standout cultivar with large rosettes of glossy near-black burgundy leaves on branching stems, the colour deepening in full sun before yellow flower cones appear. A dramatic dark feature plant.
Krantz Aloe · Aloe arborescens A large branching shrub aloe with sprawling rosettes of toothed grey-green leaves, producing brilliant orange-red torch-like flower spikes through winter that draw nectar-feeding birds. A bold coastal feature.
Christmas Carol Aloe · Aloe 'Christmas Carol' A compact hybrid aloe with deep green rosettes marked by raised red bumps and toothed red margins that intensify in sun, sending up coral-red flowers. A festive small collector's pot plant.
Aloe Vera · Aloe vera A clumping rosette of thick fleshy grey-green leaves with toothed margins, filled with the soothing gel long used on burns, and sending up tall spikes of tubular yellow flowers. A practical pot staple.
Poppy Anemone · Anemone coronaria Jewel-toned poppy-like flowers with a dark central boss, raised from corms soaked and planted in autumn. Excellent for cutting; all parts are toxic if eaten.
Snapdragon · Antirrhinum majus Spires of pouched flowers that children love to snap open, a superb cut flower in the cool seasons. Pinch young plants for bushy, well-branched spikes.
Scarlet Banksia · Banksia coccinea A WA banksia prized for its squat, brilliant scarlet-and-grey flower spikes held above grey-green toothed leaves. One of the finest native cut flowers.
Heath Banksia · Banksia ericifolia A dense shrub with fine heath-like foliage and brilliant orange-gold candle spikes through autumn and winter, drawing honeyeaters in numbers. A superb screening and bird plant.
Little Eric Banksia · Banksia ericifolia 'Little Eric' A compact dwarf heath banksia with fine foliage and orange-gold flower spikes through autumn and winter. A neat, bird-attracting feature for small coastal gardens.
Giant Candles Banksia · Banksia 'Giant Candles' A large vigorous banksia hybrid producing enormous orange-bronze flower spikes up to 40cm long through autumn and winter. A dramatic bird-attracting feature and bold cut flower.
Coast Banksia · Banksia integrifolia · from $5.50 A hardy coastal tree with dark-green leaves silvery beneath and pale-yellow flower spikes through autumn and winter that feed birds. Exceptionally salt- and wind-tolerant for seaside windbreaks.
Coastal Cushion Banksia · Banksia integrifolia 'Coastal Cushion' A prostrate cushioning form of coast banksia with white-backed leaves and pale yellow flower spikes. Tough, salt-tolerant and ideal for coastal banks and erosion control.
Firewood Banksia · Banksia menziesii A WA banksia with zigzag pinkish new growth and large acorn-shaped flower spikes in shades of pink, red and gold. A striking bird-attracting feature and cut flower.
Cut-leaf Banksia · Banksia praemorsa A dense coastal WA shrub with blunt-tipped serrated leaves and large cylindrical flower spikes in wine-red or yellow. An excellent hardy screen and cut flower.
Birthday Candles Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Birthday Candles' A compact dwarf banksia with fine green foliage and gold and burgundy candle flowers through autumn and winter. A neat, bird-attracting feature for small gardens.
Cherry Candles Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Cherry Candles' A compact banksia with deep cherry-red and gold candle flowers through autumn and winter. A colourful, hardy and bird-attracting low feature shrub.
Cushion Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Cushion' A low, spreading dwarf form of the hairpin banksia forming a dense mound studded with gold-and-black flower spikes through the cooler months. A compact bird-attracting groundcover shrub.
Hairpin Banksia · Banksia spinulosa · from $5.50 A reliable evergreen shrub bearing golden-yellow flower spikes with distinctive hooked styles through autumn and winter, providing vital nectar for birds. Tough, frost-hardy and bushfire-adapted.
Honeypots Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Honeypots' A low compact banksia with fine foliage and gold honey-scented candle flowers in autumn and winter. A reliable, drought-hardy and bird-attracting dwarf shrub.
Stumpy Gold Banksia · Banksia spinulosa 'Stumpy Gold' A very compact dwarf banksia with golden candle flowers through autumn and winter on a low rounded bush. Excellent for containers and small bird-attracting gardens.
Pig Squeak · Bergenia cordifolia Large glossy leathery leaves form a weed-suppressing carpet that flushes burgundy in cold weather. Sprays of pink flowers rise on red stems in late winter.
Calendula · Calendula officinalis Edible golden and orange daisies that flower through the cool months and self-seed cheerfully. The petals brighten salads and have a long herbal tradition.
Baby Bear Camellia · Camellia 'Baby Bear' A miniature, very slow-growing hybrid with tiny leaves and small single pale-pink blooms. Naturally compact and bun-shaped, it is perfect for small pots, rockeries and bonsai.
Cinnamon Cindy Camellia · Camellia 'Cinnamon Cindy' A fragrant hybrid camellia bearing small, miniature peony-form blooms of pale pink with deeper rose outer petals and a sweet, spicy scent. A delightful perfumed pot and feature plant.
Quintessence Camellia · Camellia 'Quintessence' A low, prostrate fragrant hybrid bearing small single white blooms flushed pink, with a delightful sweet scent. Its trailing habit makes it ideal for hanging baskets and spilling over edges.
Scentuous Camellia · Camellia 'Scentuous' A fragrant hybrid with semi-double white blooms flushed pink on the reverse and a sweet perfume, carried on a loose, slightly pendulous bush. Lovely in pots near paths and entrances.
Wirlinga Princess Camellia · Camellia 'Wirlinga Princess' An Australian-bred Camellia x williamsii type with a graceful weeping habit and masses of small, single soft-pink blooms. Dainty and free-flowering, it is ideal for pots and cascading over walls.
Bob Hope Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Bob Hope' A celebrated japonica with very large, deep blackish-red semi-double blooms accented by a striking boss of golden stamens. Slow and upright, it makes a dramatic shaded feature or cut flower.
Brushfield's Yellow Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Brushfield's Yellow' A distinctive anemone-form japonica whose creamy-white guard petals surround a dense centre of soft primrose-yellow petaloids. Its unusual colouring makes it a collector's feature and cut flower.
Camellia · Camellia japonica Glossy evergreen leaves and sumptuous winter blooms make this the classic shade shrub for cool, sheltered, acidic gardens. Slow but long-lived and beautiful in flower.
C.M. Wilson Camellia · Camellia japonica 'C.M. Wilson' A spreading japonica with large, anemone-form blush-pink blooms whose centre is filled with frilly petaloids. Its low, wide habit suits espalier and informal screening.
Debutante Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Debutante' An early-flowering japonica with full, peony-form blooms of clear light pink that appear from early winter. Vigorous and upright, it is a long-loved feature and cutting camellia.
Desire Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Desire' An exquisite formal-double japonica whose pale blush petals deepen to clear rose-pink at the edges, opening with perfect symmetry. Slow and refined, it is prized as a feature plant and cut flower.
Emperor of Russia Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Emperor of Russia' A vigorous old japonica with large, loose peony-form blooms of deep red, sometimes splashed white, and showy golden stamens. A handsome shaded feature and cut flower.
Great Eastern Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Great Eastern' A vigorous old Australian japonica producing large rose-red semi-double flowers over a long mid-winter to spring season. Tall and reliable, it is excellent for shaded hedging and screening.
Lovelight Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Lovelight' A graceful japonica with large, semi-double pure white blooms whose airy petals frame a generous cluster of golden stamens. Upright and free-flowering, it lights up shaded gardens through winter.
Margaret Davis Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Margaret Davis' A famous Australian-raised japonica with creamy-white peony-form blooms edged in a fine rose-red picotee, each flower uniquely marked. An award-winning, much-admired feature and exhibition camellia.
Moshio Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Moshio' A japonica bearing brilliant scarlet-red semi-double blooms with prominent golden stamens against dark, glossy leaves. Showy and reliable for shaded features and cut flowers.
Nuccio's Gem Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Nuccio's Gem' A celebrated japonica bearing immaculate, formal-double white blooms of geometric perfection against glossy foliage. An award-winning show camellia, it is superb as a feature plant and cut flower.
Roger Hall Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Roger Hall' A compact japonica with glossy foliage and perfectly formal-double bright red blooms of even, rounded form. Its dense, slow habit makes it ideal for pots and small shaded gardens.
Tom Knudsen Camellia · Camellia japonica 'Tom Knudsen' A striking japonica bearing large, formal to peony-form blooms of deep dark red with darker veining and occasional black-red shading. A dramatic feature and exhibition camellia.
Black Lace Camellia · Camellia reticulata 'Black Lace' A reticulata hybrid bearing large, formal-double blooms of deep dark crimson-red with finely imbricated petals. Upright and striking, it makes a bold winter feature and dramatic cut flower.
Captain Rawes Camellia · Camellia reticulata 'Captain Rawes' The original cultivated reticulata, an old and stately camellia bearing very large, semi-double carmine rose-pink blooms. Tall and open, it makes a magnificent woodland feature.
Dr Clifford Parks Camellia · Camellia reticulata 'Dr Clifford Parks' A spectacular reticulata hybrid producing very large, vivid orange-red blooms in semi-double to peony and anemone forms. Vigorous and showy, it is a magnificent feature camellia for sheltered gardens.
Beatrice Emily Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Beatrice Emily' A sasanqua bearing peony-form blooms that open lavender-pink and pale to near-white at the centre, on a neat upright bush. A reliable hedging and feature camellia.
Bonsai Baby Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Bonsai Baby' A dwarf, dense sasanqua with small leaves and miniature formal-double red blooms, naturally compact and slow. Excellent for small pots, low edging and bonsai.
Edna Butler Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Edna Butler' A sasanqua with large, formal-double blooms of soft clear pink, unusually full for the species, on a bushy upright plant. A lovely screening and cutting camellia.
Hiryu Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Hiryu' A compact sasanqua densely covered with small, vivid crimson-red semi-double flowers through the cooler months. Its tight, slightly weeping habit suits low hedges, espaliers and large pots.
Hugh Evans Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Hugh Evans' A graceful sasanqua with single, deep rose-pink blooms borne profusely on slightly pendulous branches. Its arching habit suits espaliers, screens and large containers.
Jennifer Susan Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Jennifer Susan' A graceful sasanqua with soft rose-pink, peony-form blooms whose petals curl and twist prettily. Its slightly weeping habit suits informal hedges, espaliers and containers.
Kanjiro Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Kanjiro' A vigorous, upright sasanqua bearing semi-double rose-pink to red blooms profusely through autumn and winter. Tough and fast, it is one of the most popular camellias for tall hedges and screens.
Marge Miller Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Marge Miller' The first truly weeping sasanqua, with semi-double soft-pink blooms cascading from long trailing branches. Ideal for hanging baskets, raised pots and spilling over retaining walls.
Mine-no-yuki Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Mine-no-yuki' A spreading sasanqua whose name means 'snow on the mountain', bearing masses of white peony-form blooms in autumn. Its low, arching habit makes it excellent for espalier and cascading over walls.
Paradise Little Liane Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Paradise Little Liane' A naturally compact, upright sasanqua from the Australian Paradise series, with small glossy leaves and dainty white rose-form blooms. Its slim, dense habit makes it ideal for narrow hedges and formal pots.
Plantation Pink Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Plantation Pink' A vigorous, free-flowering sasanqua smothered in large single soft-pink blooms through autumn. Its arching, dense growth makes it one of the most popular hedging and screening camellias.
Pure Silk Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Pure Silk' A reliable sasanqua bearing single white blooms delicately edged and flushed with pink, set against glossy dark foliage. Its bushy, upright form suits screening hedges and feature plantings.
Sasanqua Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Setsugekka' A sun-tolerant autumn-flowering camellia bearing large single white blooms with ruffled, wavy petals and a boss of golden stamens. More open and faster than japonica types, making it a favourite for clipped hedges and espaliers.
Yuletide Camellia · Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' A compact, upright sasanqua bearing single fiery red flowers with a bright cluster of golden stamens, peaking around mid-winter. Its dense habit and festive timing make it a sought-after Christmas-flowering camellia.
Tea Camellia · Camellia sinensis The plant from which black, green and white tea are made, with glossy evergreen leaves and small, nodding single white flowers in autumn. Clip and harvest the young leaf tips for home-grown tea.
Geraldton Wax 'Purple Pride' · Chamelaucium uncinatum 'Purple Pride' A WA shrub with fine aromatic needle foliage smothered in waxy purple-pink flowers from winter into spring. A superb long-lasting cut flower and drought-hardy feature.
Bush Lily · Clivia miniata Glossy strap leaves and trusses of vivid orange trumpets light up dry shade where almost nothing else flowers. A long-lived clump-former; bulb and sap are toxic if eaten.
Dusky Bells Correa · Correa 'Dusky Bells' A low spreading shrub with dark green foliage and pendent dusky-pink bell flowers through autumn and winter. Shade-tolerant, bird-attracting and ideal for groundcover.
Federation Belle Correa · Correa 'Federation Belle' A compact rounded shrub bearing large pendent pink bell flowers through autumn and winter. Hardy and bird-attracting, ideal for borders and containers.
Marian's Marvel Correa · Correa 'Marian's Marvel' An upright shrub with long pink and yellow-green bell flowers through autumn and winter that draw honeyeaters. A hardy, shade-tolerant feature and informal screen.
Common Correa · Correa reflexa · from $5.50 A versatile small shrub with pendulous red-and-green tubular bells through autumn and winter that supply nectar to honeyeaters when little else flowers. Shade-tolerant and frost-hardy.
Granny's Grave Correa · Correa reflexa 'Granny's Grave' A hardy spreading correa with red and green tubular bell flowers through autumn and winter that draw honeyeaters. A tough, shade-tolerant feature and groundcover.
Jade Plant · Crassula ovata A robust shrubby succulent with thick woody stems and glossy oval jade-green leaves often edged in red, bearing clusters of starry white-pink flowers in winter. An enduring easy-care container classic.
Cymbidium Orchid · Cymbidium hybrid A robust orchid forming clumps of grassy leaves and tall arching sprays of waxy long-lasting flowers in a huge colour range. The mainstay cool-growing orchid for shaded patios and cut flowers.
Winter Daphne · Daphne odora 'Leucanthe' A compact rounded shrub prized for clusters of waxy pink-and-white flowers that pour out an exquisite perfume in the depths of winter. Demands perfect drainage; all parts are highly toxic.
Noble Dendrobium · Dendrobium nobile A cane orchid bearing clusters of large, fragrant flowers in white, pink and purple all along its leafless pseudobulbs in late winter and spring. A rewarding, free-flowering orchid for bright positions.
Tar Bush 'Kalbarri Carpet' · Eremophila glabra 'Kalbarri Carpet' A prostrate emu bush forming a dense silver-grey mat dotted with tubular yellow-green flowers that feed honeyeaters. An extremely drought-hardy groundcover for hot, dry banks.
Spotted Emu Bush · Eremophila maculata A rounded arid-zone shrub with spotted tubular flowers in red, pink, orange or yellow that feed honeyeaters through the cooler months. Exceptionally tough in heat and drought.
Yellow Spotted Emu Bush · Eremophila maculata 'Aurea' A rounded emu bush with bright green foliage and yellow tubular flowers through winter and spring that draw honeyeaters. Extremely drought-hardy for arid and coastal gardens.
Silky Eremophila · Eremophila nivea A choice shrub clothed in silvery-white woolly foliage and soft lilac-blue flowers in spring. A standout silver feature for hot, dry, perfectly drained positions, often grafted.
Silver Princess · Eucalyptus caesia 'Silver Princess' · from $6.50 An elegant weeping mallee with powdery silver-blue leaves, ornamental minni-ritchi bark and pendulous pink flowers with golden anthers followed by silvery gum nuts. A spectacular small feature tree.
Yellow Gum · Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Rosea' A hardy small to medium gum with smooth cream bark and showy pink to red flowers through the cooler months that draw flocks of honeyeaters. A reliable street and shade tree.
Bell-fruited Mallee · Eucalyptus preissiana A spreading WA mallee shrub bearing large bright yellow flowers and distinctive bell-shaped gum nuts. A hardy, showy small feature for dry, sandy gardens.
Red Ironbark · Eucalyptus sideroxylon 'Rosea' A handsome upright tree with deeply furrowed near-black ironbark and blue-grey foliage, carrying pink to red winter flowers rich in nectar. Tough, drought-hardy and excellent for birds.
Mediterranean Spurge · Euphorbia characias Architectural domes of blue-grey foliage topped by lime-green flower heads in late winter, unfazed by drought. The milky sap is a skin and eye irritant, so wear gloves to prune.
Freesia · Freesia hybrid Intensely perfumed funnel flowers on arching stems, a beloved cut flower that scents the whole garden. The species forms can naturalise and are a weed risk in mild climates.
Carolina Jasmine · Gelsemium sempervirens A graceful, twining evergreen climber smothered in fragrant bright-yellow trumpet flowers in late winter and spring. Elegant and hardy, but every part of the plant is highly poisonous.
Coastal Gem Grevillea · Grevillea 'Coastal Gem' A dense prostrate spreading groundcover with fine green foliage and small pink-red spider flowers through the cooler months. Excellent for banks and coastal gardens.
Deua Gold Grevillea · Grevillea 'Deua Gold' A compact shrub with fine divided foliage and abundant golden-yellow spider flowers through winter and spring. A bright, hardy, bird-attracting feature plant.
Scarlet Sprite Grevillea · Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite' A prickly-leaved rounded shrub smothered in red and cream spider flowers through winter and spring. A dense, bird-friendly habitat and screening plant.
Woolly Grevillea · Grevillea lanigera A prostrate, spreading grevillea that carpets the ground in soft grey foliage and pink-and-cream spider flowers through the cooler months, feeding honeyeaters when little else is out.
Rosemary Grevillea · Grevillea rosmarinifolia A hardy prickly-foliaged shrub resembling rosemary, flushing red-and-cream spider flowers through autumn, winter and spring. Excellent dense habitat and screening for small birds.
Red Pokers · Hakea bucculenta A tall WA shrub with narrow needle leaves and brilliant red-orange flower spikes held like pokers along the stems in winter and spring. A spectacular bird-attracting feature and cut flower.
Pincushion Hakea · Hakea laurina A large shrub or small tree with blue-green leaves and striking crimson pincushion flowers tipped with cream styles through autumn and winter. A nectar magnet for honeyeaters.
Free n Easy Native Lilac · Hardenbergia violacea 'Free n Easy' A vigorous twining climber smothered in white pea flowers through winter and spring. Hardy and fast, ideal for fences, trellises and screening in low-water gardens.
Meema Native Lilac · Hardenbergia violacea 'Meema' A non-climbing shrubby form of native lilac forming a dense mound smothered in purple pea flowers in winter and spring. Ideal for groundcover, banks and low borders.
Native Sarsaparilla · Hardenbergia violacea A vigorous evergreen climber that smothers fences and trellises in cascades of purple pea flowers through late winter — one of the first natives to announce spring.
Purple Coral Pea · Hardenbergia violacea 'Happy Wanderer' A vigorous twining native pea bursting into sheets of purple flowers in late winter and spring. A reliable, fast cover for fences, trellises and banks.
Winter Rose Hellebore · Helleborus 'Winter Rose' An Australian-bred hellebore series with large outward-facing flowers in white, pink and ruby that hold their colour for weeks through winter. Shade-loving and evergreen; all parts are toxic if eaten.
Lenten Rose · Helleborus orientalis Nodding, long-lasting blooms in winter and early spring brighten the shadiest corners under deciduous trees. All parts are toxic if eaten, so site away from grazing pets.
Hyacinth · Hyacinthus orientalis Dense waxy spikes pack an extraordinary fragrance into a compact bulb, superb in pots indoors or out. Needs winter chill to flower well; the bulbs can irritate skin and are toxic if eaten.
Pink Jasmine · Jasminum polyanthum A twining evergreen climber that erupts in late winter and spring with masses of pink-budded white flowers carrying a powerful sweet perfume. Fast and floriferous, though it can spread beyond its bounds.
Flaming Katy · Kalanchoe blossfeldiana A compact succulent with glossy scalloped green leaves smothered in long-lasting clusters of tiny bright flowers in red, pink, orange or yellow. A hugely popular flowering gift and patio plant.
Christmas Cheer Red Hot Poker · Kniphofia 'Christmas Cheer' Bold pokers open orange-red and fade to yellow, glowing through the cooler months when little else flowers. Drought- and coast-hardy, and a rich nectar source for honeyeaters.
Scarlet Kunzea · Kunzea baxteri A spreading WA shrub with fine foliage and brilliant bottlebrush-like scarlet flowers tipped with gold anthers in winter and spring. A showy, bird-attracting coastal feature.
Sweet Pea · Lathyrus odoratus Climbing tendrils carry waves of intensely fragrant butterfly flowers in spring, unbeatable for picking. Traditionally sown around St Patrick's Day; the seeds and pods are toxic if eaten.
Sidonie Lavender · Lavandula x allardii 'Sidonie' A large, vigorous allardii-type lavender bearing long mauve-blue spikes over much of the year. Heat- and humidity-tolerant, making it a strong performer in warm Australian gardens.
Avonview French Lavender · Lavandula dentata 'Avonview' A vigorous toothed-leaf French lavender flowering for most of the year in mild climates, topped with showy purple bracts. Tough, coastal-tolerant and quick to establish.
French Lavender · Lavandula dentata The toughest lavender for warm Australian gardens, with grey toothed leaves and an exceptionally long flowering season. Tolerates humidity better than English types.
Madrid Blue Spanish Lavender · Lavandula stoechas 'Madrid Blue' A compact, very early-flowering Spanish lavender from the Madrid series with rich blue-purple bracts over a long season. Neat and floriferous, perfect for containers and edging.
Major Spanish Lavender · Lavandula stoechas 'Major' A classic early Spanish lavender with deep purple 'rabbit-ear' bracts crowning chubby flower heads from late winter. Robust, aromatic and bee-friendly.
Princess Spanish Lavender · Lavandula stoechas 'Princess' A Spanish lavender topped with long, vivid candy-pink bracts above a dense flower head from winter into summer. Free-flowering, compact and excellent in pots.
The Princess Lavender · Lavandula stoechas 'The Princess' An improved, award-winning Spanish lavender carrying large rose-pink bracts in profusion from late winter to summer. Showy, weather-tolerant and quick to flower from young plants.
Weeping Tea Tree · Leptospermum 'Cardwell' · from $16.95 A graceful weeping tea tree smothered in masses of small white flowers in late winter and spring above fine arching foliage. A reliable, hardy feature and informal screen for native gardens.
Saucer Magnolia · Magnolia ×soulangeana A deciduous magnolia smothered in large, goblet-shaped pink-and-white blooms on bare branches in early spring before the foliage appears. A breathtaking cool-climate feature tree.
Star Magnolia · Magnolia stellata A dainty deciduous magnolia that opens masses of fragrant, star-shaped white flowers on bare twigs in late winter and early spring. Perfect for smaller gardens and courtyards.
Mahonia · Mahonia x media 'Charity' An architectural evergreen with bold ruffs of spiny holly-like leaflets and upright sprays of fragrant yellow flowers in winter, followed by blue berries. Superb for shady feature planting.
Stock · Matthiola incana Densely packed spikes of clove-scented flowers fill the cool-season garden and vase with perfume. Best sown in autumn for a long, fragrant late-winter display.
Grape Hyacinth · Muscari armeniacum Tight little spikes of grape-like blue beads carpet the ground in early spring and naturalise readily. Tough, cheap and perfect for edging, pots and underplanting.
Daffodil · Narcissus hybrid Cheerful trumpets that herald the end of winter and naturalise into drifts in cooler gardens. Every part contains toxic alkaloids, which also makes the bulbs rodent and deer proof.
Moonstones · Pachyphytum oviferum A captivating succulent with plump egg-shaped leaves coated in a frosted lilac-pink bloom resembling sugared almonds, on short stems. A slow, jewel-like collector's plant for bright pots.
Iceland Poppy · Papaver nudicaule Crinkled, tissue-paper flowers in glowing sherbet shades nod on slender hairy stems through the cool months. Sow direct in autumn; the fine seed needs light to germinate.
Slipper Orchid · Paphiopedilum hybrid A terrestrial orchid with mottled leaves and a single waxy bloom bearing a distinctive pouched lip in green, mahogany and spotted tones. A long-lasting, shade-loving collector's orchid.
Long-leaf Wax Flower · Philotheca myoporoides A neat shrub with aromatic foliage and pink buds opening to masses of starry white waxy flowers in winter and spring. A fine cut flower and a fragrant, hardy garden filler.
Winter Rouge Wax Flower · Philotheca myoporoides 'Winter Rouge' A compact shrub with aromatic foliage and rose-pink buds opening to white star flowers through winter and spring. Hardy and bee-attracting, ideal for borders and pots.
Flowering Plum · Prunus ×blireana A small deciduous tree carrying double rose-pink blossoms in early spring followed by coppery-purple foliage that holds its colour through the warmer months. A popular suburban feature.
Persian Buttercup · Ranunculus asiaticus Tightly ruffled, rose-like flowers in brilliant colours, grown from claw-shaped tubers planted in autumn. A florist favourite; the sap can irritate skin and is toxic if eaten.
Mistletoe Cactus · Rhipsalis baccifera A soft trailing epiphytic cactus of fine cylindrical green stems cascading in a dense curtain, dotted with tiny cream flowers and translucent white mistletoe-like berries. A lush, spineless hanging plant.
Christmas Cheer Rhododendron · Rhododendron 'Christmas Cheer' An early-flowering rhododendron whose pink buds open to blush-pink bells from late winter, an old cottage-garden favourite. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Rosemary · Salvia rosmarinus A culinary herb that doubles as a tough, drought-proof, clip-able hedge. Aromatic, bee-friendly and evergreen — earns its place in the kitchen garden and the border alike.
Christmas Cactus · Schlumbergera truncata An epiphytic forest cactus with flat segmented spineless stems that arch and trail, erupting in vivid pink, red or white tubular flowers in the cooler months. A long-lived heirloom basket plant.
Eve Price Laurustinus · Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price' A compact, dense laurustinus with deep pink buds opening to white winter flowers, followed by metallic-blue berries. An RHS Award of Garden Merit shrub making a reliable, drought-tolerant evergreen hedge for sun or shade.
Laurustinus · Viburnum tinus 'Lucidum' · from $17.95 A dense, hardy evergreen valued for clusters of pink buds opening to white flowers in winter and spring, followed by blue-black berries. A dependable frost-tolerant hedge or screen.
Pansy · Viola wittrockiana The cheerful face of the cool-season garden, flowering through autumn, winter and spring in every colour. The edible flowers are lovely scattered over salads and cakes.
Zygopetalum Orchid · Zygopetalum hybrid A handsome orchid with strappy leaves and upright spikes of intensely fragrant flowers patterned in green, brown and rich violet. Prized for its strong perfume and bold colouring in cooler conditions.