Here’s some of the plants flowering in my garden in the middle of winter here in Melbourne.

First up is four photos of one my favourite drought tolerant native plants. Eremophila Purpurascens is a striking small shrub, silvery grey leaves provide a beautiful backdrop to the light purple tubular flowers. I got mine posted from Mildura Native Nursery as tube.

Eremophila Purpurascens

Red Hot Pokers

Red Hot Pokers or kniphofia are a perennial which forms a long wide bladed  grass-like clump. It is a member of the lily family, Liliaceae. They provide a brilliant blast of colour in winter. Grown from seed or by division, they are very hardy and easy to grow with complete neglect.

Although mainly native to parts of Africa these plants are highly attractive to native nectar feeding birds such as wattlebirds or rosellas, which feast in the flower spikes.

“Despite the tag of red hot poker, kniphofias come in a range of colours including red, orange and yellow to almost lime green and white or a combination of these colours. There are many named varieties. Some are winter flowering, such as the red and orange variety ‘Winter Cheer’, while others flower in summer and autumn. Plants also range in size from dwarf forms such as white flowered ‘Little Maid’, which is only 60cm (24″) tall, up to bold clumps that are 1.5-2m tall in flower.

All enjoy a spot in full sun with good drainage, although they will grow in part shade. Once established the plants can be left undisturbed to develop into a large clump.” via Burke’s Backyard

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