Moderate Growth
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Edward Goucher Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Edward Goucher' An arching, semi-evergreen abelia smothered in lilac-pink trumpet flowers from summer into autumn, much loved by bees. Hardy, adaptable and good for informal hedges. -
Francis Mason Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Francis Mason' A golden-leaved abelia with yellow-margined foliage flushing orange in cold, topped by pink-white bells through the warmer months. Brings warm colour to hedges and borders. -
Kaleidoscope Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' A low, spreading abelia grown for kaleidoscopic foliage that shifts from gold-and-green in spring to fiery orange-red in cold weather, set off by white tubular flowers. Tough, sun-loving and bee-friendly. -
Feijoa · Acca sellowiana Striking red-and-white edible flowers, then aromatic autumn fruit tasting of pineapple and mint. Tough, salt-tolerant and quick to clip into a productive evergreen hedge. -
Triumph Feijoa · Acca sellowiana 'Triumph' A firm-fruited feijoa with rich, aromatic, sweet-tart flesh, on a hardy grey-leafed evergreen shrub good for hedging. Crops best with a second variety such as Unique and bears showy edible red-and-white flowers in spring. -
Unique Feijoa · Acca sellowiana 'Unique' A self-fertile feijoa that crops young and heavily with sweet, soft, aromatic fruit, on a hardy grey-leafed evergreen shrub. Tolerant and easy to grow, it suits hedging and home orchards and bears edible spring flowers. -
Golden Sweet Flag · Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' A low grassy bog plant forming fans of bright gold-and-green striped leaves with a faintly sweet scent when crushed. Ideal for the edge of ponds, rain gardens and damp borders. -
Maidenhair Fern · Adiantum raddianum Delicate, fan-shaped fronds of tissue-thin foliage on fine black stems. Pet-safe and graceful, it demands constant moisture and humidity to stay lush. -
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. -
Foxtail Agave · Agave attenuata A spineless soft-leaved agave forming large pale grey-green rosettes, eventually producing a dramatic arching flower spike like a foxtail. A widely planted soft-textured feature, safe and easy. -
Leek · Allium ampeloprasum Sweet, mild stems that stand tough through winter and are blanched white by mounding soil around them. Slow but undemanding and beautifully hardy. -
Onion · Allium cepa A kitchen staple worth growing for the choice of varieties and the satisfaction of a homegrown harvest. Day-length sensitive, so match the variety to your sowing season. -
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. -
Garlic · Allium sativum Plant a single clove and harvest a full bulb months later — one of the most satisfying crops to grow. Traditionally planted on the shortest day and pulled on the longest. -
Chives · Allium schoenoprasum Grassy, hollow leaves with a mild onion flavour and pretty pink pompom flowers the bees adore. A clumping perennial that's snip-and-come-again all season. -
Alocasia Polly · Alocasia × amazonica Dramatic arrow-shaped leaves of deep green edged and veined in silvery white. A striking but demanding aroid that loves warmth and humidity. -
Zebra Alocasia · Alocasia zebrina Prized for its zebra-striped stems holding aloft glossy arrowhead leaves. An eye-catching collector's aroid that needs bright light and steady humidity. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
Smooth-barked Apple · Angophora costata A magnificent large tree with sculptural, twisting limbs and smooth pink-to-orange bark that sheds to reveal salmon tones. Clusters of creamy summer flowers feed bees and birds. -
Red and Green Kangaroo Paw · Anigozanthos manglesii The floral emblem of Western Australia, with vivid green flowers rising from a woolly red stem in spring. A spectacular but short-lived paw best in sharply drained, sunny sites. -
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. -
Flamingo Flower · Anthurium andraeanum Glossy heart-shaped leaves and waxy, long-lasting spathes in vivid red, pink or white. A cheerful flowering houseplant that blooms much of the year in bright light. -
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. -
Zebra Plant · Aphelandra squarrosa Striking dark leaves boldly veined in white, topped by bright yellow bracts. Beautiful but fussy, it demands warmth, humidity and steady moisture. -
Celery · Apium graveolens Crisp, aromatic stems that demand rich soil and constant moisture but reward the effort. A long-season crop best raised in trays and kept thirsty. -
Heartleaf Iceplant · Aptenia cordifolia A fast spreading trailing succulent with heart-shaped glistening green leaves and bright magenta daisy-like flowers through the warm months. A vigorous water-wise groundcover and basket plant. -
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. -
Hoop Pine · Araucaria cunninghamii A tall native rainforest conifer with a distinctive narrow crown of dark green tufted foliage and characteristic hoop-marked bark. A handsome feature and forestry tree for subtropical and warm gardens. -
Norfolk Island Pine · Araucaria heterophylla A tall, symmetrical conifer with regularly tiered branches of soft green, native to Norfolk Island. Highly salt-tolerant, it is an iconic coastal feature tree and is also grown indoors when young. -
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. -
Asparagus · Asparagus officinalis A patience-testing perennial — wait two or three years for the first real cut, then enjoy tender spring spears for decades. Plant crowns in a permanent, weed-free bed. -
Coast Spear Grass · Austrostipa stipoides A coastal Australian native tussock grass forming dense clumps of wiry green-grey foliage with feathery flowering plumes. Salt- and wind-tolerant, it suits exposed seaside and erosion-prone sites. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
Soft Twig Rush · Baumea rubiginosa A native marginal sedge forming neat clumps of fine green stems, useful for stabilising pond edges and natural water filtration. A reliable choice for constructed wetlands and rain gardens. -
Polka Dot Begonia · Begonia maculata An angel-wing begonia with olive leaves spotted silver above and deep red beneath. Cane-like and elegant, it dangles clusters of white flowers in season. -
Rex Begonia · Begonia rex Grown purely for its spectacular foliage swirled in silver, purple, pink and green. A jewel-toned feature plant that loves humidity and bright, indirect light. -
Wax Begonia · Begonia semperflorens Compact mounds of glossy green or bronze leaves dotted with flowers from spring to frost, in sun or shade. Tidy, weather-proof and self-cleaning bedding; mildly toxic to pets. -
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. -
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. -
Beetroot · Beta vulgaris · from $3.50 A cool-season root vegetable yielding sweet, earthy red roots and edible nutritious leaves. Reliable and easy from seed, with each knobbly cluster producing several seedlings. -
Beetroot 'Detroit' · Beta vulgaris 'Detroit' The benchmark beetroot, with smooth, round, deep-red roots of sweet, tender flesh. Dependable and adaptable, equally good roasted, pickled or grated raw. -
Beetroot 'Golden' · Beta vulgaris 'Golden' A sweet, mild beetroot with glowing golden-orange flesh that does not bleed when cut. Gentle in flavour and beautiful roasted, with edible golden-veined leaves. -
Bluebell Creeper · Billardiera heterophylla A dainty Western Australian native twiner hung with nodding clusters of bright blue bell flowers through the warmer months, followed by blue berries. Pretty and hardy, but a weed risk outside its native range. -
Queen's Tears · Billbergia nutans A tough clumping bromeliad with narrow arching leaves and pendent sprays of pink bracts cradling green-and-blue edged flowers. Among the hardiest bromeliads and easy in pots or as a tough groundcover. -
Fishbone Water Fern · Blechnum nudum An Australian native fern forming a neat shuttlecock of soft, fishbone-patterned fronds above a short, slowly developing trunk. Ideal massed beside ponds and in moist, shaded ferneries. -
Illawarra Flame Tree · Brachychiton acerifolius A spectacular Australian native that drops its leaves to reveal a blaze of bell-shaped scarlet flowers smothering the bare branches in early summer. A stunning feature shade tree. -
Swede · Brassica napus A hardy winter root with sweet, golden flesh — slower than a turnip but richer and better keeping. Loves cool weather and a long, steady growing season. -
Broccoli · Brassica oleracea var. italica · from $3.95 A cool-season brassica producing dense green flower heads followed by tender side shoots after the main head is cut. A rewarding winter crop in fertile, well-limed soil. -
Kale 'Red Russian' · Brassica oleracea 'Red Russian' A tender, flat-leaved kale with grey-green, purple-veined foliage and a mild, sweet flavour. Hardy and ornamental, excellent for cut-and-come-again picking. -
Kale 'Tuscan' · Brassica oleracea 'Tuscan' An Italian heirloom kale with long, blistered, near-black leaves of deep, savoury flavour. Hardy and productive, it sweetens after frost and crops for months. -
Broad Bean · Vicia faba · from $4.50 A hardy cool-season legume that fixes nitrogen as it grows — sow direct in autumn for a heavy crop of buttery beans through late winter and spring. -
Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow · Brunfelsia latifolia A fragrant shrub whose flowers open deep purple, fade to lavender then white, so all three shades appear together. Sweetly scented in spring; all parts are toxic, especially to dogs. -
Yesterday Today and Tomorrow · Brunfelsia pauciflora 'Floribunda' A fragrant evergreen whose flowers open deep purple, fade to lavender then white, so all three colours appear at once. Beautiful but all parts are poisonous to pets and people if eaten. -
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.