Foliage

Deciduous

305 plants

Freeman Maple · Acer ×freemanii A vigorous hybrid of red and silver maple combining fast growth with an upright symmetrical crown and dependable, long-lasting orange-red autumn colour. A premium street and shade tree.
Freeman Maple 'Autumn Blaze' · Acer x freemanii 'Autumn Blaze' A vigorous, broadly oval hybrid maple combining the fast growth of silver maple with the brilliant orange-red autumn colour of red maple. A superb, well-shaped deciduous shade tree.
Fernleaf Full Moon Maple · Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' A full-moon maple with large, deeply cut fern-like green leaves that turn spectacular shades of crimson, orange and gold in autumn. A bold-textured feature for sheltered gardens.
Coral Bark Maple · Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku' Prized for its coral-red young bark that glows through winter, paired with soft green summer foliage that turns golden-yellow in autumn. A standout cultivar for cold-season interest.
Crimson Queen Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen' A weeping, cascading lace-leaf maple with finely dissected deep crimson-red foliage that holds its colour exceptionally well through summer before brightening to scarlet in autumn.
Emperor Maple · Acer palmatum 'Emperor 1' A vigorous upright red-leaf maple similar to Bloodgood but leafing out later, helping it avoid late spring frosts. Holds dark purple-red colour well in summer heat before scarlet autumn tones.
Garnet Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Garnet' A weeping, mound-forming lace-leaf maple with finely dissected garnet-red foliage that holds colour well through summer and deepens to crimson in autumn. Ideal as a cascading container specimen.
Green Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Viridis' A graceful weeping lace-leaf maple with cascading, finely cut bright green foliage that turns gold, orange and crimson in autumn. A classic mounding specimen for dappled positions.
Inaba-shidare Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Inaba-shidare' A vigorous weeping lace-leaf maple with deeply dissected purple-red foliage that holds colour strongly through summer and turns crimson in autumn. One of the best red cascading cultivars.
Japanese Maple · Acer palmatum An elegant, slow-growing deciduous tree with delicate palmate leaves that turn brilliant shades of crimson, orange and gold in autumn. A timeless feature tree for sheltered, dappled positions.
Japanese Maple 'Beni-maiko' · Acer palmatum 'Beni-maiko' A small maple with brilliant scarlet-red new spring foliage that mellows to reddish-green through summer before colouring again in autumn. The name means 'red-haired dancing girl'.
Japanese Maple 'Beni-otake' · Acer palmatum 'Beni-otake' An upright maple with narrow, deeply divided strap-like purple-red leaves giving a fine bamboo-like texture. Holds rich colour through summer before turning crimson in autumn.
Japanese Maple 'Bloodgood' · Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' A reliable upright Japanese maple holding deep burgundy-purple foliage through summer before flaring to vivid scarlet in autumn. One of the best red-leaved cultivars for feature planting.
Japanese Maple 'Butterfly' · Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' An upright, slender variegated maple with small grey-green leaves edged in creamy-white and pink, tinting rose-magenta in autumn. A refined cultivar for containers and small gardens.
Japanese Maple 'Katsura' · Acer palmatum 'Katsura' A compact maple admired for its pale orange-yellow spring growth edged in red, maturing to green then returning to bright gold and orange in autumn. A reliable early-season performer.
Japanese Maple 'Orange Dream' · Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' A compact maple with golden-orange new growth flushed pink-red at the margins, maturing to soft yellow-green and finishing bright orange-gold in autumn. Excellent in containers.
Japanese Maple 'Osakazuki' · Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' An upright green-leaved Japanese maple famed for arguably the most intense fiery crimson-scarlet autumn colour of any cultivar. Large seven-lobed leaves give a bold display.
Japanese Maple 'Seiryu' · Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' An unusual upright lace-leaf maple combining finely dissected bright green foliage with a tree-like habit rather than a weeping mound. Spectacular gold, orange and crimson autumn colour.
Japanese Maple 'Shaina' · Acer palmatum 'Shaina' A dwarf, dense-branching sport of 'Bloodgood' with clustered deep red-maroon foliage on a compact bushy frame. Holds colour well and brightens to crimson in autumn; ideal for pots and bonsai.
Japanese Maple 'Trompenburg' · Acer palmatum 'Trompenburg' A vigorous upright maple with distinctive deeply lobed purple-red leaves whose margins roll under, giving fine texture. Foliage holds colour through summer then turns crimson in autumn.
Purple Japanese Maple · Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' A seed-raised upright maple with rich purple-red palmate foliage in spring and summer, intensifying to brilliant scarlet in autumn. A long-grown, dependable feature tree.
Red Maple · Acer rubrum A fast-growing North American shade tree with a tidy oval canopy that ignites in fiery red and orange autumn tones. Tolerant of damp soils and excellent for streets and parks.
Red Maple 'October Glory' · Acer rubrum 'October Glory' A fast-growing, oval-crowned red maple celebrated for its long-lasting, brilliant orange-red to crimson autumn display. An outstanding deciduous shade and avenue tree.
Golden Full Moon Maple · Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' A slow, rounded maple with luminous golden-yellow rounded leaves through spring and summer, taking on orange and red tints in autumn. Best with some shade to prevent leaf scorch.
Moonshine Yarrow · Achillea 'Moonshine' Flat heads of soft sulphur-yellow flowers float above ferny silver foliage all summer. An award-winning, drought-hardy yarrow that bees and butterflies flock to and that dries well.
Terracotta Yarrow · Achillea 'Terracotta' Broad flat heads open burnt-orange and fade through terracotta to soft buff-yellow over ferny grey foliage. A drought-hardy yarrow giving warm, shifting colour and excellent for drying.
Paprika Yarrow · Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' Flat clusters of cherry-red flowers with gold eyes age to soft salmon over ferny green foliage. A tough, spreading yarrow excellent for dry banks and pollinator borders.
Kiwifruit · Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward' The standard green kiwifruit, a vigorous deciduous vine bearing fuzzy brown fruit with sweet-tart emerald flesh. Female and needs a male vine such as Tomuri nearby for pollination, plus a strong pergola or trellis.
Sweet Lili Hyssop · Agastache 'Sweet Lili' Tall spikes of rose-pink and lilac flowers rise over liquorice-scented foliage, humming with bees and visited by honeyeaters. Drought-tolerant and long-flowering through the warm season.
Silk Tree · Albizia julibrissin A spreading umbrella-shaped tree with feathery ferny foliage and fluffy pink powderpuff flowers through summer that draw butterflies and bees. Gives light, elegant dappled shade.
Ornamental Onion · Allium hybrid Perfect spheres of starry flowers float on tall stems, magnets for bees and superb fresh or dried. The oniony foliage deters browsing animals and dies back as the flowers open.
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.
Japanese Windflower · Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' Pure white single flowers with golden stamens sway on tall wiry stems above handsome dark foliage from late summer into autumn. An award-winning, shade-tolerant classic; sap can irritate.
Custard Apple · Annona cherimola Knobbly green fruit with sweet, fragrant, custard-like flesh on a briefly deciduous subtropical tree. Hand-pollination greatly improves the crop in cooler districts.
Columbine · Aquilegia vulgaris Nodding, intricately spurred flowers in blues, purples and pinks dance above ferny grey-green foliage in spring. A charming, self-seeding cottage perennial; seeds and roots are toxic if eaten.
French Tarragon · Artemisia dracunculus The true French tarragon — aniseed-scented and essential to béarnaise — rarely sets viable seed, so it's grown from divisions or cuttings. Dies back in winter and reshoots in spring.
Dwarf Japanese Barberry · Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana' A compact thorny deciduous shrub with rich burgundy-purple foliage that intensifies to fiery red in autumn. Its dense prickly growth makes a low barrier hedge or colour accent.
Rose Glow Barberry · Berberis thunbergii 'Rose Glow' A purple-leaved barberry whose new growth is mottled rose-pink and silvery-white over a deep wine base, deepening to scarlet in autumn. Thorny and colourful for hedging, though it can self-seed and is a weed risk in some regions.
Silver Birch · Betula pendula A graceful deciduous tree with striking white papery bark, slender weeping branchlets and fluttering leaves that turn soft yellow in autumn. Lovely planted in groves.
Silver Birch 'Moonbeam' · Betula pendula 'Moonbeam' A graceful weeping-branched silver birch selected for brilliant white trunk and stems and fine, delicate foliage that turns clear yellow in autumn. An elegant feature, effective in groves.
Feather Reed Grass 'Karl Foerster' · Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' A strongly vertical clumping grass with stiff upright stems carrying feathery flower spikes that mature to golden wheat tones. Sterile and non-seeding, it makes an architectural, low-care exclamation point in borders.
China Aster · Callistephus chinensis Showy double daisies in cool jewel tones, long-lasting in the vase and flowering late summer into autumn. Rotate to fresh soil each year to avoid aster wilt.
Trumpet Vine · Campsis radicans A vigorous, self-clinging deciduous climber bearing bold clusters of orange-red trumpet flowers through summer that draw nectar-feeding birds. Robust and showy, but suckering and best given firm support.
Canna 'Bengal Tiger' · Canna 'Bengal Tiger' A bold bog-tolerant canna grown for dramatic green leaves boldly striped in yellow and edged maroon, topped by vivid orange flowers. Thrives in rich, wet soil at the pond margin or in borders.
Canna Lily · Canna indica Bold paddle-shaped leaves, often bronze or striped, topped by vivid tropical flowers all summer. Lush and fast in warmth, but the rhizomes can become invasive near waterways.
Indian Bean Tree · Catalpa bignonioides A bold shade tree with very large heart-shaped leaves and showy upright panicles of frilled white flowers in summer, followed by long slender bean-like pods. Dramatic and fast-growing.
Celosia · Celosia argentea Flamboyant plumes or velvety brain-like crests in fiery colours that thrive in summer heat and humidity. Striking fresh or dried; loves warmth and resents cold, wet feet.
Forest Pansy Redbud · Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' A small deciduous tree prized for luminous heart-shaped leaves emerging deep burgundy-purple, with rosy-pink pea flowers studding the bare branches in early spring.
Weeping Redbud 'Ruby Falls' · Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls' A compact weeping redbud with cascading branches and heart-shaped deep purple foliage, with rosy-pink pea flowers along the stems in spring. A sculptural small feature for pots and courtyards.
Judas Tree · Cercis siliquastrum A hardy small tree that bursts with clusters of magenta-pink pea flowers directly on bare branches and trunk in spring, followed by blue-green heart-shaped leaves. Thrives in dry climates.
Mountain Clematis · Clematis montana A vigorous deciduous climber that blankets itself in a profusion of dainty four-petalled pink or white flowers, many lightly vanilla-scented, during spring. Excellent for covering fences and arbours quickly.
Early Sunrise Tickseed · Coreopsis grandiflora 'Early Sunrise' An award-winning tickseed bearing semi-double golden-yellow daisies from late spring, often flowering in its first year from seed. Compact, free-flowering and bee-friendly.
Zagreb Tickseed · Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' Masses of golden-yellow star flowers cover a fine, thread-leaved mound all summer long. Drought-hardy and spreading, it makes a low, pollinator-rich carpet.
Cosmos · Cosmos bipinnatus Airy ferny plants topped by simple daisies that wave on tall stems and adore poor, dry soil. One of the easiest cut flowers from seed, loved by bees and butterflies.
Dahlia · Dahlia hybrid Tuberous summer stars in an astonishing range of forms and colours, from pompons to dinner-plate blooms. Lift or mulch the tubers in cold districts; deadhead for months of cut flowers.
Pacific Giant Delphinium · Delphinium 'Pacific Giants' Towering spires densely packed with blue, purple, white or mauve flowers, each with a contrasting central 'bee'. A classic seed strain for the back of the border; all parts are toxic if eaten.
Persimmon · Diospyros kaki Glowing orange fruit that hangs on bare branches like lanterns after the leaves drop in fiery autumn colour. Largely self-fertile and ornamental in every season.
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower · Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' An award-winning seed strain producing a warm mix of red, orange, gold, cream and rose flowers on compact plants. Drought-hardy and a magnet for pollinators.
Green Envy Coneflower · Echinacea purpurea 'Green Envy' An unusual coneflower whose petals open lime-green and flush rose-pink toward the centre as they age. A striking, long-lasting cut flower that bees adore.
Magnus Coneflower · Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' An award-winning coneflower with large rose-purple flowers whose petals are held flatter and more horizontally than most. A robust, pollinator-rich border perennial with sturdy stems for cutting.
PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower · Echinacea purpurea 'PowWow Wild Berry' A compact, award-winning coneflower covered in vivid rose-magenta blooms that hold their colour without fading. Free-flowering from seed and tidy enough for pots and small borders.
Purple Coneflower · Echinacea purpurea Big daisy flowers with drooping rose-purple petals around a bristly copper cone, a magnet for bees and butterflies. Seed heads feed finches if left standing into winter.
White Swan Coneflower · Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan' Pure white daisy flowers with drooping petals around a golden-bronze cone, blooming all summer. A reliable seed-grown coneflower beloved by bees and butterflies.
Black Genoa Fig · Ficus carica 'Black Genoa' A popular fig with large purple-black fruit and sweet, deep-red, juicy flesh, often giving two crops a year. Self-fertile, drought-hardy once established and easy in warm-temperate and Mediterranean gardens.
Brown Turkey Fig · Ficus carica 'Brown Turkey' A hardy, adaptable fig with brownish-purple fruit and sweet pink flesh, tolerating cooler districts and container culture. Self-fertile and forgiving, it can be kept compact with pruning for pots and small gardens.
Fig · Ficus carica Bold, lobed leaves and sweet, soft fruit on a tough, drought-hardy Mediterranean tree. Self-fertile and easy — thrives even in a large pot to keep its roots restrained.
White Adriatic Fig · Ficus carica 'White Adriatic' A green-skinned fig with strawberry-pink, very sweet flesh, traditionally prized for drying and jam. Self-fertile and drought-hardy once established, it thrives in hot, dry, sunny gardens.
Claret Ash · Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood' A handsome shade tree with fine dark-green foliage that turns a deep wine-claret purple in autumn. Fast and adaptable, it is one of the most popular deciduous avenue trees.
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.
Fuchsia · Fuchsia 'Swingtime' A shade-loving shrub dripping with pendulous red-and-white double flowers like tiny ballerinas through the warmer months. Perfect for hanging baskets and shady patios; nectar draws birds.
Arizona Sun Blanket Flower · Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' An award-winning, compact blanket flower bearing red daisies tipped with golden-yellow all season. Heat- and drought-hardy, flowering in its first year and loved by bees and butterflies.
Siskiyou Pink Gaura · Gaura lindheimeri 'Siskiyou Pink' Deep rose-pink flowers open from dark buds on wiry stems above bronze-tinted foliage, swaying in the lightest breeze. A long-flowering, water-wise butterfly favourite.
Whirling Butterflies · Gaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies' Airy wands of white, pink-flushed flowers dance on slender stems like a cloud of butterflies all season. Heat- and drought-tolerant, weaving beautifully through other plantings.
Rozanne Cranesbill · Geranium 'Rozanne' An award-winning, sterile cranesbill that flowers non-stop with violet-blue, white-centred saucers from spring to autumn. Spreading and weed-suppressing, it is one of the longest-flowering perennials grown.
Bloody Cranesbill · Geranium sanguineum A tough true geranium forming spreading mounds of finely cut leaves smothered in magenta flowers. Foliage flushes red in autumn and the plant copes admirably with dry shade.
Mrs Bradshaw Geum · Geum 'Mrs J. Bradshaw' An award-winning avens with semi-double scarlet flowers waving on wiry stems above a low rosette of hairy leaves. Long-flowering and a cheerful favourite of cottage gardens.
Ginkgo · Ginkgo biloba An ancient, virtually pest-free deciduous conifer relative with distinctive fan-shaped leaves that turn pure butter-yellow in autumn. Long-lived, tough and pollution-tolerant.
Gladiolus · Gladiolus hybrid Tall one-sided spikes of funnel flowers, a staple of the summer cutting patch, grown from corms planted in succession. Stake in windy spots; some species are environmental weeds.
Golden Honey Locust · Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst' A thornless, podless cultivar with airy ferny foliage that emerges bright gold, matures to lime-green and returns to yellow in autumn, casting light dappled shade. A graceful lawn tree.
Sunflower · Helianthus annuus Giant golden heads track the sun on towering stems, feeding bees in flower and finches in seed. One of the most rewarding and fast plants to grow from seed with children.
Plantain Lily · Hosta hybrid The premier foliage plant for shade, forming bold clumps of ribbed leaves in blue, gold, green and variegated forms. Lily-like flowers appear in summer; protect new shoots from snails.
Chameleon Plant · Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon' A spreading bog groundcover with heart-shaped leaves splashed red, cream, yellow and green, and small white flowers. Vigorous and can be invasive in damp ground, so often best contained in a pot.
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.
Annabelle Hydrangea · Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' Famous for enormous rounded heads of pure white sterile florets up to 30 cm across, carried on new wood so it can be cut hard each winter. Extremely hardy and reliable.
Bluebird Hydrangea · Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bluebird' A serrata-type lacecap with flat heads of fertile inner florets ringed by sterile blue or mauve-pink sepals. Compact and elegant, with reddish autumn foliage.
Endless Summer Hydrangea · Hydrangea macrophylla 'Endless Summer' A reblooming mophead that flowers on both old and new wood, giving a long display of large rounded heads through summer. Blooms blue in acid soils and pink in alkaline soils.
Hydrangea · Hydrangea macrophylla The beloved cottage-garden hydrangea with huge rounded flower heads whose colour shifts blue in acid soil and pink in alkaline. A shade-loving deciduous shrub spectacular through summer.
Renate Steiniger Hydrangea · Hydrangea macrophylla 'Renate Steiniger' A classic German mophead renowned for its intense gentian-blue heads on acid soil. One of the most reliably deep-blue cultivars for cool gardens.
Limelight Hydrangea · Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' A sun-hardy panicle hydrangea with large conical flower heads opening lime-green, ageing to creamy white then rosy pink. More cold- and sun-tolerant than mopheads and excellent for cutting.
Little Lime Hydrangea · Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Lime' A dwarf sport of 'Limelight' with the same lime-green to pink conical heads on a compact frame. Ideal for smaller gardens, borders and large pots.
Pinky Winky Hydrangea · Hydrangea paniculata 'Pinky Winky' A vigorous panicle hydrangea whose two-tone conical heads open white at the tip while the base ages to deep pink, giving a striking bicolour effect. Tough, sun-tolerant and flowering on new wood.
Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea · Hydrangea paniculata 'Vanilla Strawberry' Large panicles open creamy white then age through soft pink to strawberry-red, often showing all three tones at once. A striking, hardy summer-to-autumn feature shrub.
Oakleaf Hydrangea · Hydrangea quercifolia A handsome deciduous hydrangea with bold oak-shaped leaves that flame burgundy in autumn and conical white flower panicles ageing to pink. Offers multi-season interest in light shade.
Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea · Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' An oakleaf hydrangea with bold lobed leaves that turn rich burgundy in autumn and upright white conical panicles ageing to pink. Valued as much for its foliage as its flowers.
Bluebird Mountain Hydrangea · Hydrangea serrata 'Bluebird' A refined mountain hydrangea bearing delicate lacecap heads of blue to mauve-pink sepals over a central cluster of fertile florets. Compact, cold-hardy and good for smaller spaces.
Autumn Joy Sedum · Hylotelephium spectabile Fleshy grey-green clumps build all summer to flat heads of dusky pink that deepen to rust in autumn, swarming with butterflies. The seed heads stand handsomely through winter.
Japanese Blood Grass · Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' An ornamental grass grown for upright blades that emerge green and flush with deepening blood-red tips, glowing when backlit. Note the species is a serious weed, so confine to pots and remove any green-reverting shoots.
Japanese Water Iris · Iris ensata An elegant moisture-loving iris with large flat-faced blooms in shades of purple, blue and white over slender upright foliage. Loves wet ground in spring and summer but prefers drier feet in winter.
Louisiana Iris 'Black Gamecock' · Iris 'Black Gamecock' A Louisiana iris bearing rich velvety deep purple-black flowers with golden signals, held above strappy green foliage. Thrives in boggy ground or at the edge of ponds.
Jacaranda · Jacaranda mimosifolia A spreading subtropical tree famed for its haze of violet-blue trumpet flowers in late spring, carpeting the ground beneath. Fine fern-like foliage gives dappled summer shade.
Golden Rain Tree · Koelreuteria paniculata A tough, rounded shade tree carrying large airy sprays of yellow summer flowers followed by ornamental papery lantern-like seed capsules, with bright yellow autumn foliage.
Crepe Myrtle 'Acoma' · Lagerstroemia 'Acoma' A low, semi-weeping Indian Summer hybrid with white summer flowers, smooth grey-tan bark and purple-red autumn colour. Mildew-resistant and ideal as a small multi-stemmed feature.
Crepe Myrtle 'Biloxi' · Lagerstroemia 'Biloxi' A tall, upright Indian Summer hybrid with soft pale-pink summer flowers, dark mildew-resistant foliage and orange-red autumn colour. One of the larger crepe myrtles, suiting avenue and shade use.
Crepe Myrtle 'Lipan' · Lagerstroemia 'Lipan' A medium Indian Summer hybrid with lavender-pink summer flowers, striking near-white exfoliating bark and orange-red autumn colour. Mildew-resistant and well suited to feature planting.
Crepe Myrtle 'Muskogee' · Lagerstroemia 'Muskogee' A large, vigorous Indian Summer hybrid with long-lasting light lavender summer flowers, smooth mottled bark and red-orange autumn colour. One of the tallest and most disease-resistant crepe myrtles.
Crepe Myrtle 'Natchez' · Lagerstroemia 'Natchez' A vigorous Indian Summer hybrid crepe myrtle with abundant pure white summer flowers and outstanding cinnamon-brown exfoliating bark. Mildew-resistant with orange-red autumn foliage.
Crepe Myrtle 'Sioux' · Lagerstroemia 'Sioux' A medium Indian Summer hybrid with vivid mid-pink summer flowers, mildew-resistant foliage and rich maroon-red autumn colour. An upright, manageable feature tree for smaller gardens.
Crepe Myrtle 'Tuscarora' · Lagerstroemia 'Tuscarora' A popular Indian Summer hybrid bearing large trusses of coral-pink summer flowers above mildew-resistant foliage, with mottled tan bark and orange-red autumn colour. A reliable feature tree.
Crepe Myrtle 'Yuma' · Lagerstroemia 'Yuma' A medium Indian Summer hybrid crepe myrtle with bright lavender-lilac summer flowers, mildew-resistant foliage and orange-red autumn colour. A multi-stemmed feature for smaller gardens.
Crepe Myrtle 'Zuni' · Lagerstroemia 'Zuni' A compact Indian Summer hybrid with medium-lavender summer flowers, mildew-resistant foliage and orange-red to maroon autumn colour. A long-flowering choice for smaller gardens and screens.
Crepe Myrtle · Lagerstroemia indica A reliable summer-flowering tree bearing big crinkled trusses of pink, mauve, red or white bloom for months, with mottled peeling bark and rich autumn tones. A heat-tolerant favourite.
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.
Lily · Lilium hybrid Stately stems crowned with large, often heavily perfumed trumpet flowers, prized for cutting. Note that lilies are highly toxic to cats, causing kidney failure even in tiny amounts.
Liquidambar · Liquidambar styraciflua A tall, conical shade tree with star-shaped maple-like leaves that colour spectacularly in shades of crimson, purple and gold through autumn. A classic avenue and parkland tree.
Tulip Tree · Liriodendron tulipifera A stately fast-growing tree with uniquely shaped saddle-cut leaves that turn clear gold in autumn and curious greenish-orange tulip-like flowers in early summer. Needs room to spread.
Gold Flame Honeysuckle · Lonicera x heckrottii A well-behaved deciduous honeysuckle hybrid producing showy whorls of pink-and-yellow tubular flowers that attract nectar-feeding birds over a long season. Less invasive than its Japanese relative.
Russell Lupin · Lupinus 'Russell Hybrids' Bold, densely packed flower spikes in a brilliant range of colours and bicolours rise over palm-shaped leaves in late spring. A nitrogen-fixing cottage classic; seeds are toxic if eaten.
Magnolia 'Genie' · Magnolia 'Genie' A compact, columnar deciduous magnolia with deep maroon-burgundy cup-shaped flowers in spring and often a second autumn flush. Ideal for pots and small gardens.
Magnolia 'Leonard Messel' · Magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel' A hardy, free-flowering deciduous magnolia with many-petalled lilac-pink star flowers, deeper rose in bud, on bare spring branches. Frost-tolerant in bud and reliably floriferous.
Magnolia 'Star Wars' · Magnolia 'Star Wars' A vigorous deciduous hybrid magnolia bearing very large, bright pink star-to-goblet flowers over a long season from early spring, often reblooming. A fast, free-flowering feature tree.
Magnolia 'Vulcan' · Magnolia 'Vulcan' A deciduous hybrid magnolia prized for its very large, deep ruby-red tulip-shaped flowers in spring. A modern, richly coloured feature tree for small 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.
Saucer Magnolia 'Alexandrina' · Magnolia x soulangeana 'Alexandrina' A classic saucer magnolia with large goblet-shaped flowers, rosy-purple outside and white within, opening on bare branches in early spring. A vigorous, free-flowering feature tree.
Saucer Magnolia 'Rustica Rubra' · Magnolia x soulangeana 'Rustica Rubra' A vigorous saucer magnolia bearing large, rosy-red goblet-shaped flowers on bare branches in early spring. A reliable, free-flowering deciduous feature tree.
Lily Magnolia 'Nigra' · Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' A compact deciduous magnolia with deep wine-purple, lily-shaped flowers borne over a long period from mid-spring into summer. Flowers appear with the foliage on a bushy frame.
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.
Star Magnolia 'Royal Star' · Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star' A compact, slow-growing star magnolia smothered in fragrant, many-petalled white star-shaped flowers on bare branches in early spring. A choice deciduous shrub for small gardens.
Apple · Malus domestica The orchard staple — clouds of pink-white spring blossom give way to crisp autumn fruit. Most varieties need a compatible partner nearby for good cross-pollination.
Ballerina Apple · Malus domestica 'Ballerina' A narrow columnar apple that fruits on short spurs along a single upright trunk, needing almost no pruning and ideal for pots and small courtyards. Plant two different varieties or a crab apple nearby for cross-pollination.
Bonza Apple · Malus domestica 'Bonza' An Australian-bred mid-season apple with large red-blushed fruit and crisp, sweet, juicy flesh. A heavy cropper that suits home orchards and needs a pollination partner such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious.
Dwarf Ballerina Apple · Malus domestica 'Dwarf Ballerina' A compact columnar apple on dwarfing rootstock, staying under two metres and cropping on a single slim trunk perfect for balconies and large pots. Grow with a second variety nearby to ensure pollination.
Fuji Apple · Malus domestica 'Fuji' A Japanese-bred late-season apple with dense, very sweet, juicy flesh and excellent storage life. Needs a long warm season to develop its sugars and benefits from a pollination partner such as Gala or Granny Smith.
Gala Apple · Malus domestica 'Gala' A New Zealand-bred early-season dessert apple with sweet, crisp, aromatic flesh and red-striped skin over a yellow ground. Reliable and heavy-cropping, it pairs well with Granny Smith or Red Delicious for pollination.
Golden Delicious Apple · Malus domestica 'Golden Delicious' A reliable self-fertile American apple with golden-yellow skin and sweet, mild, juicy flesh suited to eating and cooking. A heavy and consistent cropper that also serves as an excellent universal pollinator.
Granny Smith Apple · Malus domestica 'Granny Smith' An Australian chance seedling from Ryde, NSW, prized for its bright green skin and tart, crisp, long-keeping flesh that suits both cooking and eating. Vigorous and reliable, ripening late in the season and a good pollinator for other apples.
Jonathan Apple · Malus domestica 'Jonathan' An old American mid-season apple with bright red skin and crisp, juicy, tangy-sweet flesh that is good fresh or cooked. Reliable in cool districts and a useful pollinator for many other varieties.
Pink Lady Apple · Malus domestica 'Cripps Pink' A Western Australian-bred late-season apple marketed as Pink Lady, with crisp, sweet-tart flesh and a pink blush over yellow-green skin. Needs a long warm autumn to ripen fully and a pollination partner such as Gala or Granny Smith.
Red Delicious Apple · Malus domestica 'Red Delicious' A classic American dessert apple with deep crimson skin, a tall five-lobed shape and mild, sweet, soft flesh. Best eaten fresh and needs a pollinator such as Golden Delicious or Granny Smith.
Sundowner Apple · Malus domestica 'Sundowner' A very late-season Western Australian apple (Cripps Red), sibling of Pink Lady, with deep red skin and firm, sweet-tart, long-keeping flesh. Needs a long warm autumn and a pollinator such as Gala or Granny Smith.
Crabapple 'Gorgeous' · Malus 'Gorgeous' A small ornamental tree wreathed in white-and-pink spring blossom followed by glossy long-lasting red crabapples that attract birds and make excellent jelly. Perfect for compact gardens.
Bechtel Crabapple · Malus ioensis 'Plena' An ornamental crabapple bearing large, fragrant double pink rose-like blossoms in mid-spring. A rounded small feature tree with good autumn foliage colour.
Chilean Jasmine · Mandevilla laxa A vigorous twining climber bearing clusters of fragrant white trumpet flowers through summer, hardier than its tropical relatives. The sweet evening perfume makes it a charming choice for warm pergolas.
Nardoo · Marsilea drummondii An Australian native aquatic fern with four-lobed clover-like leaves that float on the surface or stand above damp mud. An iconic inland wetland plant; its spore cases were ground for food by Aboriginal peoples.
Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Adagio' · Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' A compact clumping grass with fine silvery-green foliage forming a tidy mound, topped by pink-tinted plumes that fade to silvery-white. A smaller-scale feature grass for borders and pots.
Morning Light Maiden Grass · Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' A graceful clumping ornamental grass with very fine green leaves edged white that read silver from a distance, topped by coppery-pink plumes in autumn. A refined upright feature for borders.
Zebra Grass · Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' A tall clumping grass distinguished by horizontal creamy-yellow bands across its arching green blades, with feathery plumes in autumn. A bold, unusual feature for large borders.
Black Mulberry · Morus nigra Sweet, deep-purple berries that stain everything they touch — a self-fertile, long-lived shade tree the whole street's birds will find. Quick-growing and tough.
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.
Sacred Lotus · Nelumbo nucifera A striking aquatic perennial with large blue-green leaves held high on stems above the water and fragrant pink to white bowl-shaped flowers followed by distinctive seed pods. Best in full sun in warm climates.
Walker's Low Catmint · Nepeta x faassenii 'Walker's Low' A billowing mound of grey-green aromatic foliage smothered in lavender-blue flowers from spring into summer. Award-winning, tough and a superb low edging that bees swarm over.
Six Hills Giant Catmint · Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' A larger catmint forming a big, sprawling mound of grey aromatic foliage drenched in lavender-blue flowers. Long-flowering, drought-hardy and irresistible to bees and cats alike.
Love-in-a-mist · Nigella damascena Sky-blue flowers nestled in a ruff of feathery foliage, followed by inflated horned seed pods loved by flower arrangers. Sow direct where it is to grow; it resents transplanting and self-seeds.
Waterlily 'Attraction' · Nymphaea 'Attraction' A vigorous hardy waterlily bearing large deep garnet-red cup-shaped blooms flecked with white, held just above floating green pads. A classic, reliable choice for medium to large ponds.
Waterlily 'Colorado' · Nymphaea 'Colorado' A free-flowering hardy waterlily with warm salmon-peach blooms that deepen as they age, held above mottled pads. Compact enough for tubs and small ponds.
Water Snowflake · Nymphoides indica A dainty floating aquatic with small heart-shaped leaves and frilly white star-flowers fringed with delicate hairs. Quickly covers the surface of warm ponds.
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.
Virginia Creeper · Parthenocissus quinquefolia A vigorous self-clinging deciduous vine with handsome five-fingered leaves that ignite into fiery red and burgundy tones in autumn. Excellent for quickly covering large walls, fences and pergolas.
Boston Ivy · Parthenocissus tricuspidata A self-clinging deciduous climber whose three-lobed green leaves turn brilliant crimson and scarlet in autumn before falling. The classic clothing for brick walls, it attaches by adhesive tendril pads.
Purple Fountain Grass · Pennisetum advena 'Rubrum' A showy fountain grass with arching burgundy-purple foliage and soft furry pink-purple flower spikes that nod gracefully. Frost-tender and usually grown as a feature or container highlight.
Dwarf Fountain Grass 'Hameln' · Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' A dwarf, compact fountain grass forming neat mounds of fine green foliage topped with creamy bottlebrush plumes. Lower-seeding and well-mannered, it suits borders, edging and containers.
Nafray Fountain Grass · Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Nafray' An Australian-bred selection of the native swamp foxtail forming neat green clumps topped with fluffy purple-bronze bottlebrush plumes. Tough, low-care and sterile-flowering, making it a safer choice than the weedy species.
Swamp Foxtail · Pennisetum alopecuroides A clumping grass with arching green foliage and showy purplish foxtail plumes in summer and autumn. Self-seeds readily and is regarded as an environmental weed in parts of Australia.
Husker Red Beardtongue · Penstemon 'Husker Red' An award-winning beardtongue grown for its deep maroon-red foliage topped by airy spires of white, pink-flushed flowers. Cold-hardy, drought-tolerant and a striking foliage-and-flower combination.
Mock Orange · Philadelphus 'Virginal' An upright deciduous shrub that erupts in early summer with double pure-white flowers carrying an intense orange-blossom perfume. A classic fragrant cottage-garden shrub.
Chinese Pistachio · Pistacia chinensis A tough, drought-hardy shade tree with glossy pinnate foliage that turns brilliant orange, red and crimson in autumn. An excellent, reliable choice for hot, dry street and park planting.
London Plane · Platanus ×acerifolia A large, robust shade tree with broad maple-like leaves and striking flaking cream-and-grey camouflage bark. Famously tolerant of pollution, pruning and tough urban conditions.
Pickerel Weed · Pontederia cordata A hardy marginal aquatic with glossy spear-shaped leaves and showy spikes of violet-blue flowers through summer that attract bees. Excellent for pond edges and bog gardens.
Apricot · Prunus armeniaca Early white-pink blossom and golden, honey-sweet midsummer fruit on a mostly self-fertile tree. Flowers early, so a sheltered spot guards the crop against late frosts.
Moorpark Apricot · Prunus armeniaca 'Moorpark' An old favourite apricot with large, richly flavoured, sweet orange fruit excellent fresh, dried or bottled. Self-fertile and best in districts with cold winters and dry springs to avoid blossom disease.
Trevatt Apricot · Prunus armeniaca 'Trevatt' An Australian-bred apricot with medium, pale-orange, sweet fruit suited to eating fresh, jam and canning. Self-fertile, heavy-cropping and a reliable choice across southern Australian districts.
Lapins Cherry · Prunus avium 'Lapins' A self-fertile late-season sweet cherry with large, firm, dark-red, crack-resistant fruit of excellent flavour. Reliable and productive, needing winter chill and a sunny, well-drained site.
Stella Cherry · Prunus avium 'Stella' A self-fertile sweet cherry with large, dark red, richly flavoured fruit, making it ideal as a single tree in the home garden. Needs cold winters to crop well and is a useful pollinator for other cherries.
Sweet Cherry · Prunus avium Lavish white spring blossom and glossy summer fruit on a tall, handsome tree. Needs real winter chill and, for many varieties, a compatible pollinating partner.
Black Cherry Plum · Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' A popular flowering plum with deep blackish-purple foliage held all season and single pale-pink blossoms wreathing the bare branches in early spring. A reliable purple-leaf feature tree.
Blireana Plum · Prunus x blireana A popular flowering plum with rich coppery-purple foliage and fragrant double rose-pink blossoms in early spring. A compact, rounded feature tree holding purple colour all season.
Elvins Cherry · Prunus 'Elvins' An Australian-raised flowering cherry with arching branches densely covered in frilly pink-and-white single blossoms in early spring. A reliable, well-adapted small feature tree.
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.
Anzac Peach · Prunus persica 'Anzac' An early-season white-fleshed peach with soft, sweet, juicy fruit, popular in low-chill Australian districts. Self-fertile and reliable, it bears a heavy crop after a spring flush of pink blossom.
Flavortop Nectarine · Prunus persica var. nucipersica 'Flavortop' A mid-season yellow-fleshed freestone nectarine with large, firm, richly flavoured fruit and glowing red skin. Self-fertile and a strong cropper, it is a popular choice for the backyard orchard.
Golden Queen Peach · Prunus persica 'Golden Queen' A late-season clingstone peach with firm, golden, richly flavoured flesh that is the classic choice for bottling and canning. Self-fertile and a heavy cropper, it ripens in late summer to autumn.
Goldmine Nectarine · Prunus persica var. nucipersica 'Goldmine' A white-fleshed freestone nectarine with smooth red skin and sweet, juicy, aromatic flesh. Self-fertile and reliable, it ripens in mid to late summer and is well suited to home orchards.
Peach · Prunus persica Showy pink spring blossom ahead of juicy summer fruit on a fast-growing, self-fertile tree. Prune yearly for shape and to keep the fruiting wood young and productive.
Pixzee Dwarf Peach · Prunus persica 'Pixzee' A genetic dwarf peach reaching only about 1.5 metres yet bearing full-sized, sweet, yellow-fleshed fruit, perfect for pots and small gardens. Self-fertile and compact, it carries a pretty show of pink spring blossom.
White Satin Peach · Prunus persica 'White Satin' A mid-season white-fleshed freestone peach with sweet, low-acid, melting flesh and a fragrant aroma. Self-fertile and productive, it suits home gardens in warm-temperate and cooler districts.
Japanese Plum · Prunus salicina Juicy, richly coloured fruit on a vigorous tree carrying a froth of early white blossom. Most Japanese plums need a partner variety nearby to set a good crop.
Mariposa Plum · Prunus salicina 'Mariposa' A large blood plum with mottled red-purple skin and sweet, almost stoneless deep-red flesh, superb for eating fresh. Partly self-fertile but cropping best with Satsuma or Santa Rosa nearby.
Santa Rosa Plum · Prunus salicina 'Santa Rosa' A widely grown Japanese plum with reddish-purple skin and sweet-tart amber flesh, good fresh or cooked. Largely self-fertile and an excellent pollinator for other Japanese plums, cropping in mid-summer.
Satsuma Plum · Prunus salicina 'Satsuma' A Japanese blood plum with dark red skin and sweet, juicy, deep-red flesh that is excellent fresh or for jam. Needs a pollinator such as Santa Rosa or Mariposa and crops in mid to late summer.
Flagpole Cherry · Prunus serrulata 'Amanogawa' A narrow, columnar Japanese flowering cherry ideal for tight spaces, bearing fragrant semi-double soft-pink blossoms in spring. Foliage colours warmly in autumn on its upright frame.
Flowering Cherry 'Mt Fuji' · Prunus serrulata 'Mt Fuji' A spreading ornamental cherry with horizontal tiers of branches draped in large, semi-double, fragrant snow-white blossom in spring. A spectacular cool-climate feature tree.
Kanzan Cherry · Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan' The most widely planted Japanese flowering cherry, with a stiff upright vase shape and masses of large double rose-pink blossoms in spring. Bronze new foliage turns orange in autumn.
Shimidsu Cherry · Prunus serrulata 'Shimidsu' A spreading, flat-topped Japanese flowering cherry with pendulous clusters of large frilly double white blossoms, pink in bud, in late spring. A dainty, elegant feature tree.
Weeping Cherry · Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula' A graceful weeping flowering cherry with slender cascading branches smothered in soft pink single blossoms in early spring. A classic specimen for lawns and feature positions.
Pomegranate · Punica granatum Brilliant orange-red flowers in summer, then leathery fruit packed with ruby, juicy seeds. A tough, drought-hardy and self-fertile small tree that loves a hot, dry summer.
Wonderful Pomegranate · Punica granatum 'Wonderful' The leading pomegranate, bearing large red fruit packed with juicy, tangy-sweet ruby arils, after showy orange-red summer flowers. Self-fertile, drought-hardy and ornamental, it thrives in hot, dry, sunny positions.
Bradford Pear · Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford' A broadly rounded ornamental pear with dense white spring blossom and glossy foliage turning red-purple late in autumn. A vigorous shade and feature tree for street and garden use.
Cleveland Select Pear · Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer' A neat, tightly pyramidal ornamental pear with profuse white spring blossom and reliable burgundy-red autumn colour. A tough, disease-resistant street and feature tree.
Ornamental Pear 'Aristocrat' · Pyrus calleryana 'Aristocrat' A broadly pyramidal ornamental pear with horizontal branching, glossy wavy-edged foliage and white spring blossom. Autumn colour ranges through gold, orange and crimson-red.
Ornamental Pear 'Capital' · Pyrus calleryana 'Capital' A narrow, columnar ornamental pear bearing white spring blossom and glossy leaves that turn coppery-purple and red in autumn. Ideal for tight spaces, driveways and formal avenues.
Pear · Pyrus communis A long-lived, upright tree carrying white spring blossom and sweet, melting autumn fruit. Plant a second variety for cross-pollination and reliable cropping.
Snow Pear · Pyrus nivalis 'Snow Pear' A rounded deciduous pear grown for its silvery-grey felted young foliage and white spring blossom. Drought-tolerant once established and well suited to Mediterranean and dry gardens.
Manchurian Pear · Pyrus ussuriensis 'Manchurian' A hardy, broadly rounded ornamental pear with abundant white early-spring blossom and glossy foliage that turns brilliant red, purple and orange in autumn. A tough, cold-hardy shade tree.
Pin Oak · Quercus palustris A fast-growing oak with a distinctive pyramidal crown and deeply lobed glossy leaves that turn rich russet-red in autumn and often persist into winter. A superb large avenue tree.
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.
Christopher Wren Azalea · Rhododendron mollis 'Christopher Wren' A deciduous mollis azalea with large golden-yellow blooms flushed orange, carried in showy trusses in spring before rich autumn leaf colour. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Dr M. Oosthoek Azalea · Rhododendron mollis 'Dr M. Oosthoek' A deciduous mollis azalea bearing bold trusses of deep orange-red trumpet blooms on bare branches in spring, followed by rich autumn foliage. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Koster's Brilliant Red Azalea · Rhododendron mollis 'Koster's Brilliant Red' A deciduous mollis azalea bearing trusses of glowing orange-red trumpet blooms on bare stems in spring, followed by fiery autumn foliage. A cold-climate favourite. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Golden Robinia · Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' A fast-growing tree whose pinnate foliage glows golden-yellow from spring through summer before turning amber in autumn, lighting up the garden. Tough and tolerant of poor soils.
Twisty Baby Robinia · Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady' A novelty dwarf black locust with curiously twisted and contorted branches and curled blue-green foliage that turns gold in autumn. A sculptural feature tree, striking in winter silhouette.
Abraham Darby Rose · Rosa 'Abraham Darby' A robust English rose with large, deeply cupped blooms in a glowing blend of apricot, peach and pink. Strongly fruity fragranced, it forms a big arching shrub or can be trained as a climber.
Apricot Nectar Rose · Rosa 'Apricot Nectar' A classic floribunda bearing big clusters of pinkish-apricot blooms with a fruity, sweet fragrance. Robust and floriferous, an enduring favourite for warm-toned borders.
Bewitched Rose · Rosa 'Bewitched' An award-winning hybrid tea with large, high-centred clear rose-pink blooms and a strong damask fragrance on long cutting stems. Vigorous and prolific.
Black Boy Rose · Rosa 'Blackboy' A famous Australian-bred heritage climber raised by Alister Clark, with deep velvety crimson-maroon blooms and a strong old-rose fragrance. Vigorous and mostly spring-flowering.
Bonica Rose · Rosa 'Bonica' A landscape floribunda producing arching sprays of soft pink double blooms over a long season, followed by orange hips. The first rose inducted into the Rose Hall of Fame for shrub roses, tough and almost care-free.
Brilliant Pink Iceberg Rose · Rosa 'Brilliant Pink Iceberg' A colourful Iceberg sport with cerise-pink blooms often marbled and streaked with cream. Carries the same reliable, disease-resistant and prolific nature as its parent.
Burgundy Iceberg Rose · Rosa 'Burgundy Iceberg' A sport of Iceberg sharing all its toughness and free-flowering habit, but with rich deep wine-purple blooms that reverse to silvery mauve. Striking massed or as a hedge.
Cecile Brunner · Rosa 'Cecile Brunner' A dainty heritage polyantha known as the Sweetheart Rose, bearing perfectly formed miniature pale-pink buds with a light, sweet fragrance. Charming, healthy and almost continuously in bloom.
Climbing Iceberg Rose · Rosa 'Climbing Iceberg' The climbing sport of the famous Iceberg, draping pillars, arches and pergolas in cascading clusters of lightly fragrant pure-white blooms. Vigorous, nearly thornless and extremely reliable.
Crown Princess Margareta Rose · Rosa 'Crown Princess Margareta' A vigorous English climbing rose with large, full rosettes of rich apricot-orange and a fruity tea fragrance. Healthy and tolerant, it can be grown as a big shrub or trained upward.
Double Delight Rose · Rosa 'Double Delight' A striking bicolour hybrid tea with creamy-white blooms vividly edged in strawberry-red, the colour deepening in sun. Richly spicy fragrant and a perennial show-bench winner.
Double Knock Out Rose · Rosa 'Double Knock Out' A fuller-flowered form of the Knock Out shrub rose, with double cherry-red blooms over a long season. Shares the same exceptional disease resistance and low-care, self-cleaning habit.
Eden Rose · Rosa 'Pierre de Ronsard' An immensely popular climber bearing heavy, old-fashioned cupped blooms of creamy white flushed with rose-pink at the centre. A Rose Hall of Fame inductee, beautiful on pillars and arbours.
Flower Carpet Amber Rose · Rosa 'Flower Carpet Amber' A carpet rose from the next-generation Flower Carpet series, with warm amber-apricot blooms that age to soft cream. Heat-tolerant, disease-resistant and exceptionally free-flowering.
Flower Carpet Coral Rose · Rosa 'Flower Carpet Coral' A compact spreading carpet rose with clusters of warm coral-pink blooms above glossy foliage. Disease-resistant and drought-tolerant, perfect for the front of borders and containers.
Flower Carpet Pink Rose · Rosa 'Flower Carpet Pink' The original Flower Carpet carpet rose, smothering the ground in clusters of bright pink blooms over glossy disease-resistant foliage. Extremely tough, drought-tolerant and almost care-free.
Flower Carpet Red Rose · Rosa 'Flower Carpet Red' A spreading carpet rose covered in vivid red clusters of single to semi-double blooms above healthy glossy foliage. Tough, drought-tolerant and ideal for banks, borders and mass planting.
Flower Carpet White Rose · Rosa 'Flower Carpet White' A spreading carpet rose massed with clean white blooms above glossy green foliage. Disease-resistant, drought-tolerant and excellent for groundcover or trailing over walls and containers.
Fragrant Cloud Rose · Rosa 'Fragrant Cloud' A hybrid tea celebrated for its powerful, classic rose perfume and large coral-red to orange-scarlet blooms. A Rose Hall of Fame inductee and one of the most fragrant roses ever bred.
Gertrude Jekyll Rose · Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' An English rose renowned for its quintessential old-rose perfume, often cited as the strongest of any Austin variety. Rich pink rosette blooms on an upright shrub that can also be trained as a climber.
Gold Bunny Rose · Rosa 'Gold Bunny' A compact floribunda producing a long, generous display of bright unfading golden-yellow blooms. Reliable, healthy and available in both bush and climbing forms.
Graham Thomas Rose · Rosa 'Graham Thomas' One of David Austin's most celebrated English roses, with cupped rosettes of glowing warm yellow and a fresh tea-rose fragrance. Vigorous and free-flowering, it can be grown as a shrub or short climber.
Heritage Rose · Rosa 'Heritage' An English rose with beautifully cupped, soft shell-pink blooms of great delicacy and a lemony myrrh fragrance. Healthy and repeat-flowering on a graceful, rounded shrub.
Hybrid Tea Rose 'Mister Lincoln' · Rosa 'Mister Lincoln' The classic long-stemmed florist's rose — one large, high-centred, velvety-red bloom per stem with a powerful old-rose perfume. Upright and made for cutting.
Iceberg Rose · Rosa 'Iceberg' The world's most popular floribunda, producing masses of lightly fragrant pure-white blooms almost continuously. Tough, disease-resistant and nearly thornless, it is the backbone of countless Australian gardens.
Julia Child Rose · Rosa 'Julia Child' A rounded floribunda bearing buttery golden-yellow blooms with a sweet liquorice-anise fragrance. Exceptionally healthy and free-flowering, it earned multiple international awards.
Just Joey Rose · Rosa 'Just Joey' A much-loved hybrid tea with large, loosely ruffled coppery-apricot blooms and a fruity fragrance. Voted the World's Favourite Rose, it flowers freely and reliably.
Knock Out Rose · Rosa 'Knock Out' The landmark landscape shrub rose that revolutionised low-care roses, with cherry-red single blooms produced continuously. Outstanding disease resistance and self-cleaning, needing almost no spraying or deadheading.
Lady of Shalott Rose · Rosa 'Lady of Shalott' One of the toughest and most weather-tolerant English roses, bearing chalice-shaped blooms of warm salmon-orange with golden undersides. A warm tea fragrance with hints of spiced apple and clove.
Mary Rose · Rosa 'Mary Rose' A reliable, bushy English rose bearing loose rose-pink rosettes almost continuously, with a light old-rose fragrance. One of the most dependable and free-flowering of all Austin shrubs.
Mister Lincoln · Rosa 'Mr Lincoln' A vigorous hybrid tea bearing huge, velvety deep-red blooms on long stems, prized for one of the most powerful damask fragrances of any rose. An enduring favourite for the cutting garden.
Munstead Wood Rose · Rosa 'Munstead Wood' An English rose with sumptuous deep velvety crimson blooms ageing to dark wine, opening from rich red buds. Carries a strong old-rose fragrance with fruity notes of blackberry and damson.
New Dawn Rose · Rosa 'New Dawn' A shade-tolerant climber with abundant, lightly fragrant pearly blush-pink blooms held over glossy disease-resistant foliage. The world's first patented plant and a Rose Hall of Fame member.
Oklahoma Rose · Rosa 'Oklahoma' A hybrid tea bearing enormous, near-black deep crimson blooms with a heavy, intoxicating perfume. A sister seedling of Mr Lincoln, ideal for dramatic cut flowers.
Olivia Rose Austin Rose · Rosa 'Olivia Rose Austin' Considered one of the healthiest and most reliable of all English roses, with soft pink cupped rosettes and a fruity fragrance. Early to flower and remarkably resistant to disease.
Pal Joey Rose · Rosa 'Pal Joey' An Australian-bred rose with large, ruffled blooms in soft russet-apricot tones and a pleasant fragrance. A relaxed, free-flowering shrub for the cutting garden.
Papa Meilland Rose · Rosa 'Papa Meilland' A hybrid tea with large, velvety dark crimson blooms and one of the strongest, most intense damask fragrances of any rose. A Rose Hall of Fame inductee prized by perfume lovers.
Pascali Rose · Rosa 'Pascali' A classic white hybrid tea producing high-centred, weather-resistant creamy-white blooms on long straight stems. A Rose Hall of Fame inductee regarded as one of the best white cutting roses.
Peace Rose · Rosa 'Peace' The world's most famous hybrid tea, with large globular blooms of soft yellow edged in rose-pink and glossy dark foliage. Robust, free-flowering and historically released as WWII ended.
Pink Knock Out Rose · Rosa 'Pink Knock Out' A pink-flowered member of the Knock Out family, bearing single bright pink blooms continuously through the warm months. Robust, disease-resistant and undemanding in the landscape.
Pope John Paul II Rose · Rosa 'Pope John Paul II' A modern white hybrid tea with large, high-centred pure-white blooms and a strong sweet citrus fragrance. Exceptionally clean glossy foliage and excellent disease resistance.
Queen Elizabeth Rose · Rosa 'Queen Elizabeth' The original grandiflora, a tall, upright rose with high-centred clear pink blooms on long stems. A Rose Hall of Fame inductee, robust and excellent at the back of a border or as a flowering hedge.
Seduction Rose · Rosa 'Seduction' A free-flowering floribunda with creamy-white blooms edged in rose-pink, popular grafted as a standard or weeping standard. Healthy, prolific and excellent in formal plantings or containers.
Sexy Rexy Rose · Rosa 'Sexy Rexy' A New Zealand-bred floribunda carrying large trusses of camellia-like soft pink blooms in such profusion they almost hide the foliage. A multi-award winner valued for its sheer flower power.
Smooth Prince Rose · Rosa 'Smooth Prince' A thornless hybrid tea bearing well-formed bright cherry-red blooms on smooth, prickle-free stems. Healthy and free-flowering, a favourite for cutting without the scratches.
Smooth Velvet Rose · Rosa 'Smooth Velvet' A thornless hybrid tea from the Smooth series, bearing large velvety deep-red blooms with a light fragrance on stems free of prickles. Ideal where smooth, snag-free canes are valued.
Sunsprite · Rosa 'Friesia' A compact floribunda smothered in clusters of bright golden-yellow blooms that hold their colour without fading. One of the most fragrant of all yellow roses.
The Fairy Rose · Rosa 'The Fairy' A tough, spreading polyantha groundcover rose smothered in dense sprays of tiny soft-pink rosettes from summer into autumn. Disease-resistant, undemanding and lovely cascading from pots and low walls.
The Generous Gardener Rose · Rosa 'The Generous Gardener' An English climbing rose with delicate, soft pink cupped blooms and a delicious fragrance blending old rose, musk and myrrh. Healthy and vigorous, ideal trained on a wall or arch.
The Pilgrim Rose · Rosa 'The Pilgrim' An English rose with beautifully formed flat rosettes of soft yellow that pale to cream at the edges. Fragrant and free-flowering, it grows as a large shrub or short climber.
Wedding Day Rose · Rosa 'Wedding Day' A rampant rambler that smothers itself in huge sprays of small single white blooms opening from yellow buds, with a strong fruity fragrance. Ideal for scrambling through large trees or over sheds.
Thornless Blackberry · Rubus fruticosus 'Thornless' A spineless cultivated blackberry with large, sweet, glossy-black berries on safe-to-handle canes, ideal for a trained trellis. Self-fertile, vigorous and hardy, it crops heavily in summer; train and contain it to keep it tidy.
Boysenberry · Rubus 'Boysenberry' A trailing blackberry-raspberry hybrid with large, soft, dark-maroon berries of rich, tart-sweet flavour, superb for pies and jam. Self-fertile and vigorous, it crops in early summer and is best trained along a wire trellis.
Youngberry · Rubus 'Youngberry' A trailing blackberry-dewberry hybrid with sweet, juicy, dark-purple berries earlier than boysenberry, good fresh or cooked. Vigorous and self-fertile, it crops in early summer and rewards training on a sturdy trellis.
Chilcotin Raspberry · Rubus idaeus 'Chilcotin' A summer-fruiting (floricane) raspberry with large, firm, flavoursome red berries borne on second-year canes. Vigorous and hardy, it crops in early to mid-summer and benefits from a sunny site with cool, moist roots.
Heritage Raspberry · Rubus idaeus 'Heritage' A reliable autumn-fruiting (primocane) raspberry bearing firm, sweet red berries on the current season's canes, simplifying pruning. Self-fertile and hardy, it suits cool to warm-temperate gardens with cool roots and full sun.
Raspberry · Rubus idaeus Sweet summer berries on upright, prickly canes that crop best with support and yearly pruning. Spreads by suckers, so it rewards a contained, sunny bed.
Black-eyed Susan · Rudbeckia fulgida Golden-yellow daisies with a near-black central cone blaze through late summer and autumn on sturdy stems. Reliable, long-flowering and superb in massed plantings.
Goldsturm Black-eyed Susan · Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' An award-winning black-eyed Susan smothered in golden-yellow daisies with dark cones from summer to autumn. Reliable, long-flowering and a feast for bees, butterflies and finches.
Arrowhead · Sagittaria platyphylla A marginal aquatic with broad lance-shaped emergent leaves and whorled spikes of small white flowers. Note this species is a declared weed in parts of southern Australia.
Anise-scented Sage · Salvia guaranitica Deep cobalt-blue flowers on tall stems, irresistible to nectar-feeding birds, over anise-scented leaves. Vigorous and free-flowering from early summer to the first frosts.
Black and Blue Sage · Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' Cobalt-blue flowers emerge from near-black calyces on tall anise-scented stems, irresistible to honeyeaters. Vigorous and free-flowering through the warmer months.
Amistad Sage · Salvia 'Amistad' Tall stems carry deep amethyst-purple flowers in near-black calyces from spring to the first frosts. A vigorous, award-winning guaranitica hybrid loved by birds and bees.
Anthony Parker Sage · Salvia 'Anthony Parker' A robust hybrid of S. leucantha and S. elegans bearing dense deep-purple-blue spikes in autumn over anise-scented foliage. Vigorous, heat-tolerant and alive with birds.
Mystic Spires Sage · Salvia 'Mystic Spires Blue' A compact, free-branching selection of Salvia 'Indigo Spires' smothered in deep violet-blue spikes from spring to autumn. Tidy and floriferous, ideal for borders and large pots.
Caradonna Woodland Sage · Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' Striking violet-blue flower spikes held on near-black upright stems above neat clumps of aromatic foliage. An award-winning, cold-hardy sage that draws bees and rebloms if cut back.
May Night Sage · Salvia x sylvestris 'Mainacht' An award-winning sage with deep indigo-violet spikes from near-black buds, flowering early and reblooming if cut back. Compact, cold-hardy and a reliable magnet for bees.
Autumn Joy Stonecrop · Sedum 'Autumn Joy' Fleshy grey-green clumps topped with broad flower heads that open dusky pink and deepen to rusty-red in autumn. Bees and butterflies cover the blooms; seed heads stand through winter.
Matrona Stonecrop · Sedum 'Matrona' An award-winning stonecrop with purple-tinged stems and grey-mauve fleshy leaves topped by soft pink flower heads. Strongly upright, drought-hardy and alive with pollinators in autumn.
Ruby Glow Stonecrop · Sedum 'Ruby Glow' Low, spreading stems of blue-purple fleshy leaves carry flat heads of glowing ruby-red flowers in late summer. A compact, drought-hardy stonecrop alive with bees and butterflies.
May Bush · Spiraea cantoniensis An arching deciduous shrub whose bare-then-leafy stems become wands of pure white pompom flower clusters in spring. A nostalgic cottage 'May bush' and lovely cut flower.
Anthony Waterer Spiraea · Spiraea japonica 'Anthony Waterer' A reliable mounding spiraea bearing flat heads of deep carmine-pink flowers through summer, loved by bees. Hardy and easy, with leaves sometimes flecked cream and good autumn tones.
Goldflame Spiraea · Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame' A compact deciduous spiraea with new growth flushing coppery-orange over gold foliage, topped by flat pink flower heads in summer. Brilliant autumn colour and very hardy.
Wood's Pink Aster · Aster 'Wood's Pink' A compact, award-winning Michaelmas daisy covered in clear pink, yellow-centred flowers in autumn. Mildew-resistant and a vital late nectar source for bees and butterflies.
Powdery Thalia · Thalia dealbata A bold marginal aquatic with large blue-green canna-like leaves dusted with white bloom and tall stems of purple flowers. A statuesque feature for the edge of ponds.
Small-leaved Lime · Tilia cordata A neat, pyramidal shade tree with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of intensely fragrant cream flowers in summer that are loved by bees. A classic European avenue and parkland tree.
Tulip · Tulipa gesneriana The quintessential spring bulb, opening to chalices of every colour after a cold winter chill. In warm Australian climates bulbs need pre-chilling and are best treated as annuals; toxic if eaten.
Cumbungi · Typha orientalis A vigorous native marginal reed with strappy upright leaves and the familiar brown cigar-shaped seed heads. Spreads strongly, so best confined to large dams and natural wetlands.
Rabbiteye Blueberry · Vaccinium ashei A low-chill, heat-tolerant blueberry suited to warmer gardens, with white spring bells and fiery autumn foliage. Plant two varieties for the heaviest crop in acidic soil.
Blueberry · Vaccinium corymbosum A productive berry bush that also earns its keep ornamentally with white spring bells and fiery autumn foliage. Needs acidic soil — ideal for a dedicated pot of ericaceous mix.
Brigitta Blueberry · Vaccinium corymbosum 'Brigitta' A late-season highbush blueberry with large, firm, sweet-tart berries and excellent shelf life. Needs acidic, moist, free-draining soil and rewards cool-climate gardens with bright autumn foliage.
Snowball Tree · Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' The sterile snowball viburnum, smothered in rounded heads of pure white florets that age to soft pink in spring. Deciduous with good autumn leaf colour and a fine cut-flower shrub.
Mariesii Viburnum · Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii' A doublefile viburnum with distinctive horizontal tiered branches lined with flat white lacecap heads in spring. A striking architectural feature shrub with red autumn tones.
Black Muscat Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Black Muscat' A black seeded grape with a rich, perfumed muscat flavour, excellent for fresh eating and dessert wine. A hardy deciduous vine that crops well over a pergola and colours warmly in autumn.
Cabernet Sauvignon Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Cabernet Sauvignon' A small-berried black wine grape with deep colour and tannin, also handsome as an ornamental and edible covering for a pergola. Drought-hardy once established, it rewards a hot, dry, sunny aspect.
Crimson Seedless Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Crimson Seedless' A late-season seedless red table grape with firm, crisp, sweet fruit and excellent keeping quality. A vigorous deciduous vine that needs full sun, a long warm season and a sturdy trellis.
Ornamental Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Purpurea' A deciduous tendril climber grown for its dramatic foliage, opening grey-pink and deepening to wine-purple before turning rich crimson in autumn. A handsome, shade-giving cover for pergolas.
Sultana · Vitis vinifera 'Thompson Seedless' The classic seedless white grape grown for fresh eating, sultanas and drying, with sweet pale-green fruit on a vigorous vine. Self-fertile and deciduous, it needs a sunny wall, fence or pergola and winter pruning.
Bristol Ruby Weigela · Weigela florida 'Bristol Ruby' A vigorous, upright weigela hung with masses of ruby-red to deep rose trumpet flowers in late spring that draw bees and nectar-feeding birds. Hardy and easy in sun or light shade.
Variegated Weigela · Weigela florida 'Variegata' An arching weigela with green leaves neatly edged creamy white, hung with rose-pink tubular flowers in late spring. A bright, hardy shrub that attracts bees and nectar-feeding birds.
Weigela · Weigela florida 'Wine and Roses' A deciduous shrub combining deep wine-purple foliage with masses of rosy-pink trumpet flowers that attract birds. The dark leaves give strong contrast all season in a mixed border.
Japanese Wisteria · Wisteria floribunda A graceful deciduous climber renowned for its exceptionally long, fragrant violet-blue flower racemes that open progressively from the base in spring as the fresh foliage unfurls. A breathtaking pergola plant.
Chinese Wisteria · Wisteria sinensis A spectacular deciduous twining vine that drips with long, fragrant pendulous racemes of mauve-blue pea flowers before the leaves emerge in spring. Vigorous and long-lived, it demands a sturdy support.
Japanese Zelkova · Zelkova serrata An elegant vase-shaped shade tree related to elms, with serrated leaves turning shades of yellow, orange and bronze-red in autumn and attractive flaking grey bark. Tough and elm-disease resistant.
Zinnia · Zinnia elegans Vibrant, long-stemmed daisies in hot colours that bloom relentlessly through summer heat. The more you cut, the more they flower; a butterfly magnet and cutting-garden staple.