Blog

PLANT OF THE WEEK #45: Melianthus 'Purple Haze'
By Michael
Feb 23, 2021
I’m guessing that you know Melianthus major.  As a shrub, there’s nothing else even faintly like it.  The most prominent and valuable characteristic are its pinnate pewter-gr
PLANT OF THE WEEK #44: Itea ilicifolia
By Michael
Feb 9, 2021
First, let’s establish that we at The Gardenist don’t deliberately choose impossible-to-source plants for our Plant of the Week.  It may appear that way.  But name me an inte
PLANT OF THE WEEK #43: Clematis viticella 'Polish Spirit'
By Michael
Feb 1, 2021
It’s not surprising that plants that you yearn for but have no hope of growing are infused with a sense of magic and mystery.  What is surprising is that even some plants that y

PLANT OF THE WEEK #44: Itea ilicifolia
By Michael
Feb 9, 2021

First, let’s establish that we at The Gardenist don’t deliberately choose impossible-to-source plants for our Plant of the Week.  It may appear that way.  But name me an interesting plant that i ...

PLANT OF THE WEEK #43: Clematis viticella 'Polish Spirit'
By Michael
Feb 1, 2021

It’s not surprising that plants that you yearn for but have no hope of growing are infused with a sense of magic and mystery.  What is surprising is that even some plants that you can grow can reta ...

PLANT OF THE WEEK #42: Dierama pulcherrimum
By Michael
Dec 22, 2020

Once you’ve seen Dierama pulcherrimum, the so-called ‘fairy’s fishing rod’, you never forget it.  And it’s not like anything else at all.  It’s unique in the plant world. No other plant ...

PLANT OF THE WEEK #41: Verbena bonariensis
By Jacquie
Dec 14, 2020

I first became acquainted with and thoroughly fell for Verbena bonariensis (tall verbena) around 20 years ago, when my sister came from the UK to live outside Canberra. She planted it in her paddock-t ...

PLANT OF THE WEEK #40: Miscanthus X giganteus
By Melanie
Dec 8, 2020

It seems difficult to remember a time before the use of ornamental grasses in the garden. However, there are some gardeners out there who remember that at one stage the only good grass in a garden was ...