Growing Gardens

with Julia Hancock

Marvellous Myrtles

The Australian native bushland is full of treasures just waiting to be discovered by keen gardeners. One such trove includes the myrtle family, the members of which are so adaptable they deserve to be grown in a lot more domestic gardens. Many plants are commonly known as myrtle, but it is those which belong to the genus Backhousia in the Myrtacea family to which I refer here.

My very favourite is lemon-scented myrtle (B. citriodora) and I consider it to be the perfect small tree for the home garden. Its leaves are deliciously tangy and it is now grown commercially for the local and international food-flavouring industry, becoming more popular than lemon grass in the Asian market.

Backhousia anisata is another intensely aromatic myrtle, and as the name suggests it is used in the preparation of aniseed-flavoured drinks and sweets. Once rare and restricted to areas around Nambucca and the Bellinger valley, it is now becoming popular in gardens all over the far north coast, simply because it is one of the prettiest native trees in Australia. Its weeping habit and crinkly foliage makes it appealing even when it is not in flower. This is one of the best myrtles for growing in a large pot.

Grey myrtle (B. myrtifolia) was known by early settlers as ironwood or neverbreak as its timber was tough enough to use in tool manufacture. In the home garden it develops into an elegant small tree maturing to approximately 6m producing a profusion of small creamy flowers. Unlike many native plants, this one grows easy from cuttings, which means it's a cheap understorey gap-filler for larger native gardens.

Myrtles should be grown in free-draining soil that has been enriched with compost before planting. They should be planted in semi-shade, and given protection from frost and salt-laden winds. Young trees establish quickly, especially if they are watered regularly and mulched deeply during the first year.

Lismore Garden Club News

The Lismore Garden Club held it's June meeting on last Thursday. Guest speaker was paramedic Glen Eady from the Lismore Ambulance Service. He spoke on potential dangers in the garden. Foundation members Bob and Maureen Ramsay were congratulated by club members on celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary.

June is a good time to prune roses. Here is a step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Shorten canes by half to two thirds. Always cut just above an outward facing bud.

Step 2: Remove old or dead wood entirely from the base of the plant, using a sharp saw.

Step 3: Open up the centre of the bush by removing weak, spindly and inward growing stems. (Yates Garden Guide, page 225).

This time of the year is also a good time to relocate plants, shrubs and small trees, as the soil and air temperatures are cool and the plants sap flow has slowed down. When transplanting be sure to water in with tepid water, but do not fertilise.

Gardening Tip: Dolomite is one of the best and cheapest soil conditioner/fertilisers. Spread it in winter. Use it on all but gardenias, azaleas, camellias and Australian natives.

Happy gardening
Ron Burns