Bird Haven

Located on a sandstone ridge 40km south of Brisbane with average rainfall 950mm per year and no mains water, this picture shows how abundant a dryland native garden can be. The conditions certainly suit grevilleas and acacias and the bird life that thrives on their flowers. The owners say they are unashamed collectors of native plants but despite an extraordinary tally within one hectare, there was a soft feathery gentleness to this AOGS garden. With most of the planting beneath eucalypts, the ambient light was soft and animated, but the 'fabulous bones' of large sandstone boulders and outcrops really made the bushland scene seem quite magical. I recognised a couple of favorites; trailing purple flowered hardenbergia - which I have just planted from cuttings taken from a tough old survivor beside the shopping centre carpark and Hovea or purple pea bush which is native to our hillside. 

Again I love this use of the succulent, Pig Face which seems to survive anywhere and looks so comfortable as a ground cover. I loved walking through this garden, it was rowdy with birds, sheltered and discretely colourful. Worth the long drive to get there.