Plant Profile: Commelina diffusa – Climbing Dayflower

Also known as: Commelina cyanea (in New South Wales, possibly a different species, scientific analysis ongoing) Scurvy Plant  Native Wandering Jew Creeping Christian Climbing Dayflower Spreading Dayflower Growing conditions: Part shade/Shade Tolerant of most soils Groundcover (can become invasive in good conditions) Suitable for rockeries and hanging pots Perennial in tropics and subtropics, annual in… Continue reading Plant Profile: Commelina diffusa – Climbing Dayflower

Plant Profile: Coleus graveolens

Bush Basil, Native Basil, Australia Also known as: Plectranthus graveolens Native Coleus Bush Basil Mountain Plectranthus Sticky Cockspur Five Spice Plant Growing conditions: Part sun/shade Most soils/prefers moist fertile soil/doesn’t do well in sandy soils without humidity Low growing shrub Propagation: Cuttings I have been trying to get a native Coleus for years so I… Continue reading Plant Profile: Coleus graveolens

Plant Profile: Mother of Herbs

Also known as: Plectranthus amboinicus Coleus amboinicus Mexican Mint Cuban Oregano Indian Borage Country Borage French Thyme Soup Mint Spanish Thyme Indian Mint Why so many names? This plant has been cultivated and used for so long that its origins are unclear. It’s believed to originate in Africa, but is now naturalized in many countries… Continue reading Plant Profile: Mother of Herbs

Plant Profile: Lemon Sherbet Coleus

Coleus bellus, Plectranthus bellus, Australia Also known as Coleus “Mt Carbine” Plectranthus “Mt Carbine” Coleus bellus Plectranthus bellus This plant profile is now also available as a on my YouTube channel. Growing conditions Full sun/Part shade/Shade Tolerant of most soils/prefers well-drained position Indoor/Outdoor Pots/Garden beds/Rockeries Brush past the leaves, a faint lemon spritz slips through… Continue reading Plant Profile: Lemon Sherbet Coleus

Top Ten Tips for Biodiversity in your Backyard – Tip One: Just add water

Hello and welcome to my garden. Today I start a series on biodiversity in your backyard. With ten tips you can improve the biodiversity in your backyard which will get nature to help you with the work of maintenance and pest control. Let’s see tip number one! The first thing you can do to bring… Continue reading Top Ten Tips for Biodiversity in your Backyard – Tip One: Just add water

Garden Friends and Foes: identifying Commelina species

(This blog post is a transcript of a YouTube clip on the janegrowsgardenrooms channel. To watch Click here) Hello, and welcome to my garden. Today I’m down in the gully. I am sitting beside a big patch of what’s commonly known as dayflowers, because their flowers rarely last more than a day, if that. Now… Continue reading Garden Friends and Foes: identifying Commelina species

Garden to Kitchen: Garden Salad including Australian Natives

Native Australian Ingredients – Bush Tucker There’s something magical about harvesting for a meal you’re about to eat. I love the process of wandering through the garden spying what I can harvest and imagining how fresh and tasty the resulting meal will be. Last night I did this for a delicious garden salad to accompany… Continue reading Garden to Kitchen: Garden Salad including Australian Natives