Growing Gardens

with Julia Hancock

Trees you can Trust

I have been living in Uki for about seven years now, during which time I've battled with the camphor laurel seedlings that constantly spring up on my property. A couple of days ago I was browsing through some old black and white photographs of Uki dated 1945 and was amazed and horrified at how quickly the landscape has changed over the last 59 years. All the hills around the village that are now so thickly infested with camphor were completely bare back then. It got me thinking about what other trees have the potential to become a pest and some research with local councils offered the following advice.

Jacarandas are magnificent trees when in flower but I know from the tree in my front yard how many seedlings they can produce every year. I find them sprouting many metres away from the mother plant, carried aloft by strong winds and birds. Jacarandas are often seen twinned with brachychitons, which are native plants with a less menacing reproductive pattern. The lovely flame red B. acerifolius and the pink B. discolor are charming large trees that can be grown safely.

Chinese elm (Celtis sinensis) has been a popular tree for small gardens because of its diminutive proportions and pleasant rounded canopy, but again, seeding can be a problem. A similar-sized alternative to consider is the white cedar (Melia azedarach), which is one of the few deciduous trees native to Australia.

I can't imagine anyone actually planting privet any more, but originally they became ubiquitous in the gardens of early settlers because of their hardiness, pleasant deep green foliage and lilac-style flowers. If that's the look you want in your backyard, plant a lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) with deliciously fragrant (and edible) foliage and trusses of fluffy white flowers.

If you're worried about planting a problem, consult your local Landcare group or talk to garden centre staff before making any purchases.

Lismore Garden Club News

The members of the Lismore Garden Club were saddened by the loss of one of the club's foundation members and one of nature's true gentlemen with the passing of Edgar Schafer.

We said our last farewells along with family and friends at a packed service at St Andrew's Church last Saturday morning. The Garden Club formed a Guard of Honour.

Autumn is a good time to plant trees. The air temperatures are mild and the soil and water temperatures are still high, which will give any plant a good start. Trees around the home, providing they are thoughtfully selected and placed, have many advantages for the home owner/gardener. They provide much needed shade when planted on an exposed westerly side of the house, provide nectar, protection and nesting sites for our native birds and they purify and cool the air.

Be careful not to plant them under power lines, over underground utilities or too close to neighbour's homes. It is best not to plant large trees like eucalyptus (except for the compact flowering ones) in town or near any building.

Happy gardening
Ron Burns