Genus: Grevillea
Species: crithmifolia
Common Name: Green Carpet
Flower Colour: White
Foliage Colour: Green
Growth Habit: Large Groundcover
Flowering: Winter to Spring

This is an intriguing variety of Grevillea. Technically it is a ground cover however it can grow to be as much as 1m high. It appears to me to be more like a spreading shrub. Has very beautiful little white flowers that spread right over the ‘gren carpet’ from Winter to Spring which carry quite a wonderful aromatic scent.

This variety will grow is most soils around Australia and in most climates. If you have large areas that you would live to cover with a plant that will require minimum upkeep and pruning then this variety is a good choice. It has also been known to be used as a screening plant or a dividing plant, separating different areas of your garden. I really like the white flowering varieties of Grevillea and though I have not grown this variety myself yet I definitely plan to in the future.

Thanks to Lullfitz Nursery for much of this information.

Genus: Grevillea
Species: preissii
Common Name: Sea Spray
Flower Colour: Red
Foliage Colour: Grey
Growth Habit: Shrub to 1m
Flowering: Autumn to Spring

The first thing that captured my attention with this variety of Grevillea is the raspberry looking flowers. Most variety of Grevillea have very open looking flowers but this kind is more tightly bunched and often clustered together. The flowers are deep red in colour and appear from Autumn through to Spring.

The Grevillea preissii prefers sandy or limestone based soils and will cope best in full sun to part shade locations. This variety is slightly smaller than some of the more common types, growing to be between 0.5m and 1m high. It is very much a bird attracting variety, honey eaters absolutely love the nectar from this Grevillea. The grey foliage helps it stand out when planted with the more common green leafed varieties. A fantastic plant to add to your garden.

Thanks to Lullfitz Nursery for much of this information.

What about you? What is your favourite Australian Native Plant? Why do you enjoy growing them? Do you like to mix and match Australian Native Plants with all kinds of others or do you like to focus on them?

I have to say though, I expect that when I have my own house to mess around in the garden with, though I’ll most certainly focus my gardening on Australian Native Plants, I’ll probably have a bed or two for other plants, like the traditional rose garden or English cottage garden. Still, these will be only a small part of the entire area!

So, what about you?

I thought I would start this series by reviewing my personal favourite nursery in Western Australia, Lullfitz Nursery. Here is the opening paragraph from the Lullfitz homepage.

“Established in 1975 by George Lullfitz, Lullfitz Nursery has specialized in the propagation, growing and promotion of West Australian Native Plants. A strong dedication to cultivating these unique plants ensures that this tradition will continue on into the future.”

My affinity with native Australian plants is what led me to Lullfitz and it was definitely a case of love at first site. When I arrived at the property near Wanneroo, WA, I was struck by the sheer size of the nursery, a full 4 acres. I was equally amazed at just how healthy their plants looked and they most certainly have a fantastic range to choose from.

The nursery has been an industry leader for much of its existence and is very well known for the care they take in propagating and growing their plants. They also focus and specialise on native plants best suited to Western Australia, so anyone from WA would be well advised to check out this nursery.

Not only is the nursery fantastic but their website, www.lullfitz.com.au, is equally useful. For example they have a fantastic catalogue page which helps prospective buyers determine which plant to buy. You can search based on plant name, flowering season, growth habit, flower colour, foliage colour or soil type. When you find a plant that you like, you can click for further details and be taken to a page dedicated to giving more information about that specific plant. Basically everything you need to know when choosing a plant can be found here.

They are also currently selling a book called ‘A New Image for West Australian Plants which retails for $19.95 (+p&h). A New Image for West Australian Plants “aims to give Australian plants a new image, abolish myths and prove that plants such as Banksia, Grevillea, Eucalypts and Verticordia are every bit as good in the home garden as their exotic counterparts, with the distinct advantage that they naturally grow in our dry soil and climate. Set out in four flowering seasons, you can choose varieties from Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter to have a water-wise garden with flowers all year round!”

I honestly cannot recommend Lullfitz Nursery highly enough. If you live in Western Australia and you are looking for a native Australian plant, particularly ones native to Western Australia, look no further than Lullfitz.

For more information on pruning Australian Native plants check out the article from Gardening Australia here