Sydney Garden Inspiration

Sydney Botanic Garden – View past the Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) to the harbour

The following photos are of stunning plants that I found in the Sydney Royal Botanic Garden. All were taken in autumn. If you are looking for ideas of what to plant in your Sydney garden, I hope this will get you started.

Canna indica – easy to grow, drought tolerant, frost tolerant and a huge range of flower and foliage colours to choose from

Brazilian Red Cloak (Megaskepasma erythrochlamys) – a beautiful sub-tropical long-flowering shrub to 3m for sun or part shade

Century Plant (Agave attenuata) – loves a sunny spot in sandy soil and grows well in a pot with free draining potting mix

Kaffir Lily (Clivia x cyrtanthiflora) – you see the orange Clivia miniata a lot in Sydney but this one is a bit different. A tough plant for shady spot

Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) – unfortunately this plant was over used in the 70s and went out of favour, but in a large garden it can look incredible, especially when it catches the light

Abyssinian Banana (Ensete ventricosum) - this tropical plant from the banana family copes well with the cooler climate in Sydney. Beware, it will grow large!

Abyssinian Banana (Ensete ventricosum) – this tropical plant from the banana family copes well with the cooler climate in Sydney, providing a lush look. Beware, it will grow large!

Aloe. Whoever said that succulents look dull? By picking a bright green leaf colour and free flowering cultivar, it is low maintenance, drought tolerant colour

Bromeliads – these are great for bringing tropical colour to a shady area, even under a large tree. They need watering from above to keep the reservoir in their crowns topped up

Rose of China (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) – wonderful lush shrubs in a huge range of colours. Be sure to tip prune them every year after flowering to keep them leafy and give them plenty of sun

Tree houseleek (Aeonium 'Zwartkop') can add colour and texture to a sunny, well drained bed. It is one of the easiest plants to propagate - simply cut a head and piece of stem off and stick it in the ground

Tree houseleek (Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’) can add colour and texture to a sunny, well drained bed. It is one of the easiest plants to propagate – simply cut a stem off and stick it in the ground

Banksia spinulosa – a very attractive native shrub requiring sun and free draining soil. Very drought tolerant once established and birds love it

Persian Shield (Strobilanthes gossypinus) – this is a wonderful plant to bring texture and colour contrast to a border. It is drought tolerant and even resists salt laden winds

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) is from Mexico and grows freely in Sydney in a sunny spot. It comes in a white, pink or red and flowers through summer and autumn