Suggested planting combinations

A guide to help you navigate the plant drive catalogue

By Carolyn Robinson

 

First some tips

Preparing the soil

All plants will be happier and easier to maintain if planted into a prepared garden bed where the soil has been dug over or cultivated and then mulched, rather than planted into lawn. Every plant on this list – with the exception of the grevilleas – will also be grateful if manure or compost can be incorporated. Surface mulching is imperative.

How to arrange a planting

  • Narrow beds of 1.5m or less are best planted with a single species. Multiple species in a row tend to look disjointed.
  • Taller plants generally go towards the back of a bed, or towards the centre of an island bed.
  • In wider beds, group plants asymmetrically – at least three of a kind, or drifts of five or more.
  • Build a combination around a feature plant, a group of plants or a tree, using flower or foliage colours you like.
  • Take note of plant widths to determine spacing.

A windbreak

Back row: Eucalyptus sideroxylon (Mugga ironbark), planted 8m apart, to break high winds.

Front row: Melaleuca linariifolia (snow-in-summer) planted 4m apart, or Melaleuca decussata (totem pole honey myrtle) planted 3m apart.

A specimen shade tree

Acacia pendula (myall)

Plants that clip well

Useful as an informal hedge, or balled to mark a focal point in a border.

Plants that work well as edging

And now to some excellent planting combinations

Combination 1 · Around a Mugga ironbark

Eucalyptus sideroxylon as the main feature.

Behind the tree, Eremophila Fairy Floss and Atriplex Silver Holly. Around the front of the tree, Helichrysum petiolare (licorice plant).

Surrounding groupings can include clipped Ulmus Seiju, Philotheca myoporoides subsp. acuta, Salvia leucantha Red Harry, Leptospermum Cardwell, Callistemon pityoides pink (alpine bottlebrush), Eremophila Magic Blush and Casuarina Cousin It.

A note: it is important that all these plants go in together while the tree is young, so the surrounding plants can establish before the tree grows too large. They are happy with some shade and tree-root competition, although in dry times some irrigation will be necessary.

Combination 2 · Around a butterfly bush

Buddleja crispa (Himalayan butterfly bush) as the central feature, surrounded by groupings of Baeckea virgata La Petite, Callistemon pityoides pink, Correa Cardinal Bells, Salvia leucantha Red Harry, Spiraea japonica Anthony Waterer and Brachyscome Mauve Delight.

Combination 3 · A sunny border

Ceanothus Marie Simon as the main feature, either as a row or a small group, associating with groupings of Lavandula x heterophylla (sweet lavender), Agastache Sweet Lili, Eremophila maculata cerise, Westringia Smokey, Deutzia gracilis Nikko and Myoporum parvifolium purpurea.

A note: Ceanothus Marie Simon is happiest in full sun, without the close competition of trees.

Combination 4 · Three layers

Ceanothus Gloire de Versailles behind Spiraea japonica Anthony Waterer, with a front border of Salvia Berggarten.

Combination 5 · Bottlebrush and clipped balls

Callistemon Purple Splendour behind Baeckea virgata La Petite, with Grevillea lavandulacea Black Range and Rosmarinus Majorca Pink (clipped into balls) interspersed in the foreground.

Combination 6 · A copse

A copse of Ulmus Seiju, left unclipped, underplanted with mounds of Helichrysum petiolare.

Combination 7 · Silver and pink

Eremophila Fairy Floss grouped with Lavandula x heterophylla and Berberis Silver Beauty, bordered by Westringia Smokey and/or Stenanthemum scortechinii.

Combination 8 · A clipped row

A clipped row of Rosmarinus creticus with Leptospermum Cardwell, Correa Cardinal Bells and Grevillea lanigera Mt Tamboritha in the foreground.

Combination 9 · A native border

Melaleuca decussata as a background planting.

Mixed middle-storey combinations of Grevillea Winpara Gold, Grevillea Iced VoVo, Melaleuca Warialda, Grevillea Carol Ann and Grevillea Apricot Charm.

At the front of the border, groupings of Grevillea lanigera Mt Tamboritha, Philotheca myoporoides subsp. acuta, Stenanthemum scortechinii and Callistemon White Anzac.

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Photography by Brigid Arnott at Carolyn's garden Eagles Bluff.