PHLOMIS, STACHYS AND ASTELIA

Phlomis russelliana (Jerusalem Sage?), Stachys byzantia (Lamb's Ears), Astelia Silver Spear. Three of the most valuable plants for any garden. The foliage texture and contrast of these three is my idea of a perfect combination. All evergreen, and tough, tough and tough!! They haven't blinked an eye in the horrendous winds this month. Clearly great for hot, dry windswept locations!! 

This is the driveway to our Hut. The Cerastium tomentosum is also terrific in the same conditions. Right now it is a sea of white flowers, which I will be weed-eating off in a few weeks. Simple! Add in a few accents like Stipa gigantea, Miscanthus Morning Light etc, and you have a super easy care and effective garden. 

CLIVEAS UNDER MATURE KANUKA TREES

Sunlight filtering through the huge Kanuka onto my own seed-raised Clivea. Just loving this view of an area that was paddock just 3 years ago. In fact, we used to come and sit under the trees on the hottest of days. Now it is even nicer to sit under, with the planting of lush foliage shrubs in behind to hide the ugly pine trees across the river. But at the moment it is all about the Cliveas. Oh, the Cliveas!  

It can take about 4 years for a Clivea to have it's first flowers, so I am extra excited to see some of mine doing this for the first time. At some stage we will hopefully put a couple of bath tubs under the trees, but for now, it is just a lovely view from both outside the planting, and within. And aren't the tree trunks are fabulous, too?