Christmas is a wonderful time of year – the world seems to slow, the stresses of work disappear and, thank goodness, we have more time to enjoy the plants in our gardens … and at this time of year, there are some crackers!
Pair seasonal plants with these Christmas decorations!
Festive Candy Cane and Bow Fabric Light
$129 at Bunnings
Inflatable Santa & Reindeer 2.2M
$89.95 at Bigw
Catzon Brown Christmas Wreath
$53.85 at Bigw
Frosty Snowman & Friends
$299.99 at Templeandwebster
NSW Christmas bush
As the name suggests, NSW Christmas bush really does signify the festive time of year as it gets covered in salmon-red starry flowers.
If left, this ‘bush’ will become a tree in the garden, but a good yearly prune to bring those festive blooms inside will keep it in check.
Fertilise this plant with a low phosphorus fertiliser and keep it well-watered while it establishes.
Gardenia
Gardenia is the smell of summer with its sweet scent wafting around the garden.
These stunning, waxy white flowers should be planted near entertaining areas to maximise their effect on the senses.
Tight on space? Try Gardenia Radicans as this variety is a lower-growing, almost ground cover.
Crepe Myrtle
My go-to tree for a small garden, as it has a natural vase shape that can be pruned to keep it small if needed.
It is deciduous with salmon-coloured bark in winter, then when the weather heats up, stunning ruffled flowers bloom in white, pink, purple or crimson, and they seem to get better the hotter it gets.
Hydrangea
If you are looking for something to plant with gardenia, the perfect accompaniment is the hydrangea as they flower at the same time.
Both need morning sun and shelter from the harsh western afternoon rays and have similar water and fertiliser requirements too.
Improving the soil with compost and a few good handfuls of blood and bone fertiliser while planting will ensure both varieties of flower profusely throughout the holidays.
The reliable ‘Mophead’ hydrangea varieties come in white and purple or blue depending on the pH of your soil.
Passionfruit
If edible plants are more your thing, passionfruit not only tastes incredible at Christmas, they also look fantastic with their unusual and intriguing blooms.
They require full sun to do their best and give them free-draining but compost-rich soil to ensure a bounty of pulp-rich fruits.
Fertilise with a citrus fertiliser for best results and after flowering, prune them back hard to ensure lots of fresh new growth that will provide next year’s crop.
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