Gardening: Anya named best young gardener...

The 2019 Fitzroy River Water Garden Competition Best Young Gardener is Anya Broudbent. This 10 year old and not only loves gardening but has such a green thumb neighbours bring around their sick plants for her to tend. She has a hospital corner in one of her garden beds.

As her gardens have grown her mum suggested she probably needed to be getting some pocket money to help pay for the plants, potting mix etc, so she did.

She started Anya’s Botanicals and now sells her plants

When she is not at school, sport or music lessons, she spends her time in her garden, planting, tending and experimenting with different gardening methods

BIRDLIFE SPRING INTO OUR GARDENS

For me September as it always provides the month with the best floral displays and with the floral displays comes the birdlife. This week I judged the gardens of Tambo and one think that was very noticeable was number of bird attractive plants growing in the Tambo area.

All of Central Queensland seems to blooming this year for spring does it get any better. Well some purest will say Spring does not start until tomorrow September 22nd. One of the most popular additions to a home garden these days is not green or flowering, but of the feathered variety.

Many times in recent years I have had requests for advice from gardeners wanting to attract birdlife to their garden? My suggestions always include a selection of Native Plants with nectar flowers that are hardy and low-maintenance.

I have listed below a selection of harder-to-come-by varieties. These particular varieties may not be available at most nurseries, but some specialist growers should be able to source these plants, as they will give a spectacular display and create interest in their garden all year round.

Backhousia citriodora or Lemon Scented Myrtle is a bushy small tree that is very waterwise. The foliage has a wonderful lemon fragrance when crushed or even brushed against. Its dense foliage makes an excellent screening or specimen plant, and will grow on most soil types. Clusters of creamy white flowers are produced in summer making a spectacular display. The Backhousia is a native to the Berserker wilderness area and is one of the most popular bush foods in Queensland.

Brachychiton bidwillii is a miniature kurrajong that grows very well in local gardens and can reach a height of around 3m. During spring bunches of large bell-shaped pink flowers, clustered around the branches, will make this plant a feature in most gardens.

Callistemon viminalis sp Boulia or the unique Boulia Bottlebrush is the only Bottlebrushes naturally found in the semi-arid region of Australia. The Boulia Bottlebrush has a very attractive appearance and will grow to 6m high with 7cm long bright red brushes.

Graptophyllum excellsum or Native Fuschia is a native plant species found within the Mount Archer National Park, and is a small dense shrub growing on average to 1.5m high. It has small bright green shiny leaves and large red tubular waxy flowers that form along the branches in spring. This shrub will grow in a sunny or lightly shaded position and is able to be pruned and shaped for even the most modern garden styles.

Grevillea pteridifolia or Fern Leaf Grevillea is a spectacular shrub with masses of fanta orange toothbrush shaped blooms. This large shrub to small tree has attractive greyish-green foliage. The flowers contain a lot of nectar that is an important food source for a number of species of birds and animals.

Melaleuca linariifolia var. trichostachya is a small to medium very dense shrub 2 — 2.5m x 1.5m with fine light green leaves and soft pink new growth. Masses of white flowers cover the whole shrub, like snow, during spring. It requires a sunny, moist position, is frost hardy and suitable for coastal planting. It makes an excellent screen plant and is hardy and is fast growing.

All of these shrubs will make a worthy addition to your garden.