FFF698 - JAPANESE ANEMONES

Anemone hupehensis, Anemone hupehensis var. japonica, and Anemone × hybrida (commonly known as the Chinese anemone or Japanese anemone, thimbleweed, or windflower) are species of flowering herbaceous perennials in the Ranunculaceae family. A. hupehensis is native to central China, though it has been naturalised in Japan for hundreds of years.

The species was first named and described in Flora Japonica (1784), by Carl Thunberg. Thunberg had collected dried specimens while working as a doctor for the Dutch East Indies Company. In 1844, Robert Fortune brought the plant to England from China, where he found it often planted about graves.

Height is 1–1.5 m and the leaves have three leaflets. Flowers are 40–60 mm across, with 5-6 (or up to 20 in double forms) sculpted pink or white petals and prominent yellow stamens, blooming from midsummer to autumn. These plants thrive best in shady areas and under protection of larger plants. They are especially sensitive to drought or overwatering.

They can be invasive or weedy in some areas, throwing out suckers from the fibrous rootstock, to rapidly colonise an area. Once established they can be extremely difficult to eradicate. On the other hand, they can take some time to become established.

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FFF697 - HYDRANGEA PANICULATA 'CANDLELIGHT'

Hydrangea paniculata 'Candlelight' is a new hybrid, which  produces conical, creamy white flowers on deep red stems for an impressive and unforgettable visual display. As the flowers age they gently change to shades of pale and deeper pinks. ‘Candlelight’ is an elegant, yet extremely hardy shrub with strong stems ensuring that flowers are held proudly upright from later summer through to the autumn season.

Summer watering is encouraged through dry periods to gain maximum flower size and impact. Moderate water requirements when in flower. Prune back old flowers in late winter to encourage new growth in spring. Note that this plant is harmful if eaten and is also a skin and eye irritant.

This shrub is perfect for creating a standout display in your garden, or it can be grown in large containers for added versatility. Its lush green foliage changes into beautiful autumn tones, making it a highlight of any garden. In addition to its stunning appearance, the Hydrangea Paniculata 'Candlelight' is also a great choice for attracting bees and other pollinators to your garden. As the flowers age and change colour, they continue to provide a valuable source of nectar for these important creatures.

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FFF696 - CAMELLIA SASANQUA 'YULETIDE'

Camellia Sasanqua 'Yuletide' (Camellia x vernalis 'Yuletide') has small, bright red, single flowers, with prominent golden yellow stamens, and is known to attract nectar feeding birds to your garden. It is a strong, upright growing shrub that is long living and can grow into a small tree. It makes a wonderful hedge or espalier. It will grow in most areas except for the hot tropics and inland. If you have slightly acidic soil, this is the plant for you.

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FFF695 - AUTUMN CHRYSANTHEMUMS

The Chrysanthemums in our garden have started blooming this year and that means Autumn is well and truly here. By Mothers' Day all the chrysanthemum varieties will be in their glory and that may explain why in Australia, these flowers are associated with gift-giving to our mothers on their special day. The widespread availability, together with the beauty of the flowers and the way the word chrysantheMUM includes our mum is why they are popular this time of the year!

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FFF694 - OLEANDER

Nerium oleander, most commonly known as oleander, is a shrub or small tree in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Nerium. It is so widely cultivated that no precise region of origin has been identified, though it is usually associated with the Mediterranean Basin.

Nerium grows to 2–6 m tall. It is most commonly grown in its natural shrub form, but can be trained into a small tree with a single trunk. It is tolerant to both drought and inundation, but not to prolonged frost. White, pink or red five-lobed flowers grow in clusters year-round, peaking during the summer. The fruit is a long narrow pair of follicles, which splits open at maturity to release numerous downy seeds.

Several compounds in nerium exhibit toxicity, and it has historically been considered a poisonous plant. However, its bitterness renders it unpalatable to humans and most animals, so poisoning cases are rare and the general risk for human mortality is low. Ingestion of larger amounts may cause nausea, vomiting, excess salivation, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea and irregular heart rhythm. Prolonged contact with sap may cause skin irritation, eye inflammation and dermatitis.

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FFF693 - ROSA, FÜR ELISE

Rosa "Für Elise" is a rose variety named after Ludwig van Beethoven's famous piano piece, "Für Elise" (meaning "For Elise"). It's a floribunda rose with deep pink/magenta cupped blooms and a strong fragrance, known for its healthy growth and award-winning status.

"Für Elise" roses feature deep pink/magenta cupped blooms with frilled edges. This variety won many awards at the 2023 National Australia Rose Trial Gardens, including the Gold Medal, Australian Rose of the Year, Best Rose of the Trial and Best Floribunda of the Trial.

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FFF692 - PLECTRANTHUS

Internationally recognised with an 'Award of Garden Merit' from the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society in the UK, MONA® Lavender Plectranthus 'Plepalila' is a particularly attractive form of Plectranthus that does not spread like other members of the family, but rather forms a neat low shrub with an upright, erect habit. Numerous spikes of lavender coloured flowers begin to appear from late summer through autumn complementing the ornamental foliage of deep green leaves with dark wine purple coloured undersides, typical of many of the Plectranthus species. It tolerates shady spots and is an attractive counterfoil to yellow flowers.

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FFF691 - PARAGUAY NIGHTSHADE

Lycianthes rantonnetii, the blue potato bush or Paraguay nightshade, is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, native to South America. Growing to about 1.8 m tall and broad, it is a rounded evergreen shrub with a somewhat lax habit.

A profusion of trumpet-shaped, bright blue-purple flowers with a prominent yellow eye appear in summer, followed by red berries. It is widely cultivated and may be hardy in mild or coastal areas. Alternatively it can be grown in a container and brought under cover in winter. It requires a sheltered location in full sun.

Though related to food plants like the potato and tomato, all parts of the plant are considered toxic to humans. It has been given the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

The species is named for Barthélémy Victor Rantonnet, a 19th-century French horticulturalist. Lycianthes rantonnetii has previously been placed in Solanum, a huge genus which has recently been the subject of major investigation, with species being transferred to and from several different genera. There are many rare and little-known species whose true placement has yet to be determined.

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FFF690 - HYBRID ROSE

Rosa "Baronne de Rothschild" is an excellent bi-coloured Hybrid Tea Rose displaying a crimson red opening to deep pink on the front of the petal with a silvery colour on the back of the petal. This is very eye-catching given its large flowers comprising around 40 petals. This rose has an amazingly strong, lifted rose perfume which surprises and delights anyone who smells the rose. A very hardy plant of medium height, that will enhance any garden.

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FFF689 - STEPHANOTIS

Stephanotis floribunda syn. S. jasminoides (Madagascar jasmine, waxflower, Hawaiian wedding flower, bridal wreath) is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to Madagascar. Growing to 6 m or more, it is an evergreen woody climber with glossy, leathery oval leaves and clusters of pure white, waxy, intensely fragrant tubular flowers. Grown commercially, the trumpet-shaped blooms are in season year-round, provided they are given enough light and water, and are a popular component of bridal bouquets.

It is a vigorous climber, tough-stemmed, bearing dark green leathery leaves, which grow in pairs at regular intervals along the vine. It grows best in sunny, tropical conditions, or indoors. They can grow from 2–6 meters, and are widely cultivated as garden plants. They can flourish for years, grown indoors on a sunny windowsill. They can be moved outside or into a greenhouse during the summer. Few resources are published relating to the culture of this woody vine. In areas where the outside winter temperature drops below 4 °C, Stephanotis floribunda can be wintered over in greenhouse or household settings.

During the summer growth season, this vine requires full sun, abundant water, high humidity and a balanced fertiliser. The vine will need to be trellised due to the vigorous growth habit. As temperatures begin to cool, pots should be brought indoors and placed in the sunniest location available. If the temperature in the home is on the cool side, the vines slow in their growth and thus should be watered very infrequently. Kept on the cool, sunny and dry side, the plants will "rest" until the outside temperatures begin to rise again, at which time they may be eased back into full sun. They may continue to grow during this period, but growth is often slower and less vigorous.

In ideal conditions, these vines may be kept in bloom all year, but this is difficult in the home setting, especially where Australian possums, to which the leaves are highly attractive, are present. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Stephanotis floribunda appears to do best if root bound, thus it is best to not plant the vines in an over-sized container. The soil mixture used should have a high content of loam and peat moss with generous drainage material such as perlite or coarse sand. A citrus-type soil mixture works well in most home situations. A soil mixture that retains too much water will lead to root rot.

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