“The only constant in life is change” - Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher. Perhaps one of the things that we, both as gardeners and plant lovers appreciate the most, is the fact that nothing stays the same in our gardens. Whether it be the excitement sparked by spotting a newly planted Salvia flowering for the first time or the gradual change in colour of Cotinus foliage as summer comes to a close, it is this ever present factor that keeps things interesting.
On a recent visit to this years Melbourne Flower Show, i felt i was witnessing a different approach to many of the superb gardens on display. Unlike many visits i have made to this event over the last decade or so, there seemed to a greater use of softer, more herbaceous themed planting palettes. One show garden in particular, designed by Joel Barnett really caught my attention. Clever combinations of perennials including Agastache and Rudbeckia were blended with Miscanthus and other ornamental grasses to create a relaxed, colour filled garden that would provide an owner interest throughout the year.
As our weather patterns appear to be altering all over Australia, it is important that gardeners and designers also adapt. For many years, the standard approach to dealing with hotter days and less frequent rainfall was to lean on Australian native plants and to a lesser degree succulents. This tactic definitely is a worthy and usually successful one, however increasingly more people are discovering that many flowering perennials and ornamental grasses can also thrive in those conditions. With an increasing awareness of the importance of looking after our natural environment, flowering perennials are becoming more and more sought after for many reasons. Their attractiveness to pollinating insects, whilst adding easy colour to the garden sees them being more widely used. We have selected our plants with an eye on water consumption too, in fact most of our range will flourish with minimal additional water after establishment.
We at New Wave Perennials look forward to offering a range of tried and tested perennial plants and ornamental grasses over the coming months and years. We are confident they will perform as beautifully in your gardens, as they do in ours. Discussing plants and gardens is something we love to do and we are always happy to answer any questions or queries you may have about any of our plants .