DFB's Greenthumb Project

[DFB FGXR6]

Convolvulus sabatius, pronounced "Con-vol-vew-lus", an oldie but a goodie that is in full flower at the moment.



The above is the original cultivar that is generally a well-priced low spreading groundcover. The flowers close up at night, reopening when the light reappears in the morning.

We only occasionally stock the original variety, preferring to offer the newer versions from PGA. These have the same shaped flower but a slightly larger leaf and more variation in colour selection. The newer cultivars also seem to be denser and less "gappy" in growth habit.

'Purple Moon' and 'New Blue Moon' for instance are much deeper in colour -

https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=3669
https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=3245



'Artic Moon' is pure white -

https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=3670



There is also the dual colour 'Two Moons' -

https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=2577

[DFB FGXR6]

Another oldie, 'Cécile Brünner' rose that is in full flight at the moment.



This particular example would be at least 40 to 50 years old. I've hacked it back to stubs a few times over the last 15 years, each time it laughs and comes back stronger than ever.

Being a much more vigorous variety that certainly needs a special position in the garden, we don't sell many of these anymore.............that is if we can find someone growing them for wholesale.

[Citroënbender]

Looks like the one I have in my front yard, woven into an azalea and ready to attach itself to passers-by. Beautiful, mild and slightly “soapy” fragrance?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Looks like the one I have in my front yard, woven into an azalea and ready to attach itself to passers-by. Beautiful, mild and slightly “soapy” fragrance?

Yeah, a mild aroma, nothing special though.

[roKWiz]

That rose bush does look like the one I've been fighting off since I bought the place.
Haircut right back every year, the Firetails love nesting in it.


Do you see Toothbrush Grevillea's around much these days ?

Planted 2 a few years ago, bought at the local markets, 1 suddenly died last year and haven't been able to find another since.
These ones seem to be the yellow bush variety, out walking, I've spotted some red tree like variations around our town, Wangaratta Council has a red ground cover variety growing along the footpaths.



My most favourite Grevillea, considering the poor thing has been broken several times.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

That rose bush does look like the one I've been fighting off since I bought the place.
Haircut right back every year, the Firetails love nesting in it.


Do you see Toothbrush Grevillea's around much these days ?

Planted 2 a few years ago, bought at the local markets, 1 suddenly died last year and haven't been able to find another since.
These ones seem to be the yellow bush variety, out walking, I've spotted some red tree like variations around our town, Wangaratta Council has a red ground cover variety growing along the footpaths.

image

My most favourite Grevillea, considering the poor thing has been broken several times.

image

We occasionally get them in, but not often.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

We occasionally get them in, but not often.

Thanks, been meaning to head over there one day.
Not sure how true this is but a local nursery told me, it's a plant, native nurseries haven't grown in 25 years or so.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Convolvulus sabatius, pronounced "Con-vol-vew-lus", an oldie but a goodie that is in full flower at the moment.

image

The above is the original cultivar that is generally a well-priced low spreading groundcover. The flowers close up at night, reopening when the light reappears in the morning.

We only occasionally stock the original variety, preferring to offer the newer versions from PGA. These have the same shaped flower but a slightly larger leaf and more variation in colour selection. The newer cultivars also seem to be denser and less "gappy" in growth habit.

'Purple Moon' and 'New Blue Moon' for instance are much deeper in colour -

https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=3669
https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=3245

image

'Artic Moon' is pure white -

https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=3670

image

There is also the dual colour 'Two Moons' -

https://www.pga.com.au/Plants/Plant....?plant_id=2577

image

What’s the go with convovulus cnorem, it’s more of a low shrub than ground cover like the ones you have pictured.
They tick all the boxes in the nursery with silver foliage but out of 10 you plant six will die off within the first couple of years. Not sure if that’s Adelaide soil specific.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

What’s the go with convovulus cnorem, it’s more of a low shrub than ground cover like the ones you have pictured.
They tick all the boxes in the nursery with silver foliage but out of 10 you plant six will die off within the first couple of years. Not sure if that’s Adelaide soil specific.

Yeah, C. cnorem can be a bit of a diva. Nine times out of ten, it's too much water that gets them. If you have them planted out and on the same dripper system as the rest of the garden, sometimes that can be too much for them. In which case, choose a lower flow rate dripper to suit.

I also treat them like Lavenders, as in if you get a few years out of them, then be happy. They seem to lose vigor and become straggly after a few years. And just like Lavender, prune them early and often to keep them productive.

[DFB FGXR6]

These young Hydrangea quercifolia, or Oak-Leaf Hydrangea, now flowering in a renovated garden at work. Fittingly, these are planted under an old multi-trunked Pin Oak.





Like all Hydrangea, quercifolia does require plenty of moisture during the warmer months.

[DFB FGXR6]

Jack of all trades....................





Christmas gift wrapping in full swing, those ribbon bows all made by me.