Statement Shrubs
At this time of year, because the soil is naturally cooler, it’s the best time to plant new trees and shrubs that will get established over the wet winter months. A lovely way to start giving your green spaces some structure is to consider planting feature specimens for edging and hedging.
Gone are the days when you need a domineering fence to provide privacy or mark your boundary. There’s a great range of hedging options that offer privacy, while still looking beautiful! Check out our article on ‘growing your own privacy’.
If native specimens are your thing, you won’t be able to go past Griselinia, our top selling native hedge. With its glossy leaves, this evergreen shrub trims well and looks great year round. Corokia and Pittosporums are great native options, which tend to be tough and adaptable to different situations and soils.
If you cherish a whiff of sweetness at your boundary, consider a fragrant option. Fairy Magnolia Michelias are bushy and compact and will give you pretty flowers that are highly fragrant during winter and spring.
Or try the Michelia Figo, another evergreen compact shrub. Sometimes know as Port Wine Magnolia, in spring and summer it produces off-white flowers with a delicate red outline, which are both unusual and fragrant.
For dry summers, it’s good to know there are some drought hardy options in store. Despite its name, the Aussie Box Westringia thrives in extreme conditions so can handle frosts as well as dry periods. Grey Box Westringia is another hardy option or Naringa Westringia and Mundi Westringia are pretty, low maintenance options, promising to come alive with lots of flowers for minimal care. Planted together, these shrub varieties will give a fantastic, multi-level hedge.