6 WEEKEND NEWS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

Weekend In the garden

Garden advice with consultant MICHAEL HATTON

mhatton@mcmedia.com.au

Be sure to tune into the Garden Grubs radio program with Michael Hatton every Sunday at noon on 98.5FM for your local language of horticulture. GOTAFE has developed a

fantastic range of horticultural short courses. For more information phone 1300 468 233 or email enquiry@gotafe.vic.edu.au

Take a step into times past

If you’re inspired to do some planting this weekend and

you’re unsure on what plants could fi ll those nasty gaps in your garden, then not to worry – this time of year is perfect to revitalise with a few select plants that will serve your garden well, establish quickly and are easily cared for once parked in your garden.

GARDEN TOUGH

PLANT NO. 1The wallfl ower is a sure thing

when trying to establish plants in diffi cult, hard-to-grow spots.

Botanically speaking, the Cheiranthus, or Erysimum to some, is a genus consisting of about 80 mostly evergreen annuals, perennials, and subshrubs, and is a member of the cabbage (Brassicaceae) family. Erysimum species are mainly in Europe, western Asia and western North America.

Ranging from rockery dwarfs to medium-sized shrubs, they are plants that like a climate with distinct seasons, like our own in the Goulburn Valley.

Plenty of hybrids have been raised, and though these are not long-lasting plants, they produce fl owers nine months of the year if planted in their preferred position.

The old genus name, Cheiranthus, meaning hand-fl ower, refers to the custom dating from the Middle Ages when the fl owers were often carried in the hand at events.Appearance

Wallfl owers have simple, narrow, green to blue-green leaves and are mainly evergreen.

Flower stems, tall in the larger species, appear mainly in spring and summer, and also in winter in mild climates.

The heads carry dense clusters of small four-petalled blooms that are often richly fragrant.

The petals are usually yellow but may also be orange, red, or mauve, and the hybrids tend to produce more fl ower power.Growing

Wallfl owers should be planted in a sunny open position in moist well-drained soil.

While I have found they can be quite drought tolerant, they will reward you with endless fl ower power if watered regularly, particularly if combined with regular feeding, trimming and deadheading.

If perennials become woody,

they should be cut back hard. Annuals are raised from

seed; while perennials are propagated from cuttings of non-fl owering stems.

GARDEN TOUGH

PLANT NO. 2Euphorbia is a genus I enjoy

working with and fi nd them to be super garden toughies.

My favourite is Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii (pictured below left, this week at Kialla) if adds that needed texture many gardens lack at this time of year.

Botanically speaking, Euphorbia is from the (Euphorbiaceae) family.

This large genus of about 2000 species of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees, both evergreen and deciduous, is distributed across the world.

It covers a diverse range of forms and natural habitats – from the spiny and succulent cactus-like species of hot dry areas to leafy perennials from cooler temperate climates.

Some species can be invasive. All species have a poisonous

milky sap that can cause severe skin irritation and, sometimes, temporary blindness on contact with the eyes.

The purgative qualities of the sap are acknowledged in the common name spurge, from the Latin word expurgare, meaning to purge.Appearance

Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii is a perfectly formed blue-grey perennial, growing to about 1 m high with wonderful large vertical heads of fl owers.

Its strong form, dazzling winter foliage and golden bracts make it a highly-valued landscape plant that combines well when planted in sweeping drifts with other interesting form and foliage plants. It looks really good when its lime-green foliage is complemented by a mauve or purple fl owering shrub such as Echium ‘Cobalt Towers’. Growing

Hardiness and cultivation requirements vary greatly in this diverse genus.

Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii is a good choice for our local growing conditions.

They do well in fairly light well-drained soil in a sunny position, although they do just as well facing south with limited light.

Water well during the growing

season. Remove the spent fl owerheads as they begin to set seed, but take care when handling these plants, due to the toxicity of the sap.

Some species are propagated from seed or by division, while others grow from stem-tip cuttings. Lambley nursery has a good showy selection you can purchase via mail order at www.lambley.com.au

GARDEN TOUGH

PLANT NO. 3Aloe is a stand-out plant in my

book. Sure it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but if you have a diffi cult growing spot in the garden, then give them a go.

There is a big selection of varieties to select from, with a diverse range of growing forms and fl ower colours.

This time of year they are something to see in the GV,

particularly when arranged with a planting design sense of mind.

Botanically speaking this genus, belonging to the asphodel (Asphodelaceae) family, contains more than 300 species of evergreen, fl eshy-leafed, rosette-forming, sometimes treelike succulents, and is found through southern and tropical Africa to Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula, with about 60 different species known in cultivation in Australia.

They vary in height from 60 cm to 18 m. Many aloes fl ower in winter, most will grow almost anywhere and all require very little maintenance. They range from low-growing grass-like perennials to trees, shrubs, and scrambling climbers.

With striking form and brilliant fl owers, aloes are popular landscaping plants in warm dry areas and many can be grown in containers.

The pithy jelly from the leaves of one species, Aloe vera, is so widely used medicinally, as well as cosmetically, that it is often known as the medicine plant.Appearance

Though they vary greatly in habit, all Aloe species form rosettes or spirals at the stem or branch tips, and the long succulent leaves taper to a fi ne point and are often edged with sharp teeth.

Flowers are tubular, usually in warm shades such as yellow, orange, or red, and are borne in racemes, often umbel-like, at the tips of long, sometimes branching infl orescences.Growing

These blooming beauties are perfect for our sunburnt country, however, only select the frost hardy species because many are tender and all prefer warm dry conditions.

They are perfect on a north-facing wall, although this one pictured above right (the Aloe arborescens, commonly known as the Krantz Aloe from Africa and growing in Archer St, Shepparton last week) was facing east growing in poor heavy type soils.

Ideally they should be planted in a position in full sun with light, very free-draining soil.

Water when actively growing and fl owering, but otherwise keep dry.

Generally I purchase new select varieties through mail order at www.aloe-aloe.com.au

Breeding them Breeding them tough in the GVtough in the GV

Michael snapped this wallfl ower in Shepparton this week and grew it from cuttings two years ago without any effort at all.

Aloe arborescensEuphorbia characias

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Michael Hatton

Michael Hatton