This is a special month for us, the first of March marks 40 years of Acorn Nursery. We started small but over the years we've grown and grown, adding the cafe and the gift shop along the way. And we're still going strong!

We were judged the Best Large Garden Centre in Australia for the first time in 2004, then again in 2005 and 2006. A feat never before achieved! As a result, we were officially retired from the competition. 

We never would have reached where we are today without our incredible, hardworking team and our loyal customers. Many have been here from the very start and we couldn't be more grateful for your support. Here's to many more years of Acorn Nursery! 

Tony's Tips 

March 2025

The start of autumn is the best time to do major planting projects as your new plants will have at least nine months to get established before summer’s heat returns. 

This new season also meant the return of many of our favourite cool climate plants, including Camellias, Azaleas, Daphne, Cyclamen, Pansies and Violas. This is a fantastic time to be in the garden, enjoying the last of the summer flowers and veggies, and welcoming the autumn and winter blooms. 

Things to Do:

• Feed everything! This will help plants recover from summer, stimulate new growth and fatten them up for winter! Autumn is a major growth period, as long as food and water are available. Most native plants are at their most colourful through winter but need a native fertiliser now to ensure their best flowering.
• Winter-flowering bulbs are the easiest to grow, most water-wise, and most spectacular bulbs! Plant them in autumn in improved soils or good potting mix for a colourful display in winter. Plant Daffodils, Jonquils, Hyacinths and Freesias straight out but put Tulip bulbs in the fridge for 6 weeks to emulate a northern hemisphere winter. Our bulbs come directly from the grower and will be here by mid-March.
• Azalea Lace Bug has been prevalent on Azaleas and Viburnum because of the dry weather. Treat it with Conguard or Bug Killa. Lawn Beetle Grub has also been active and should be treated at this time of the year. 
• Keep an eye out for Citrus Leaf Miner on new growth on Citrus plants. If the infestation is bad, trim the distorted new growth off, then spray regularly with Pest Oil.

Plant of the Month

Salvia So Cool

We have our largest variety of Salvias in autumn so this is the ideal time to choose and plant the right variety for you. Perennial Salvias can flower for up to nine months a year and last for many years in a full to part sun position. One of the best is the So Cool range with Violet, Purple, Lilac and Pink flowered varieties bearing masses of small flowers in profusion for most of the year. It is a neat, bushy variety that will grow to about 70cm high and a little wider. It thrives in late autumn!