Autumn is one of our favourite times for gardening in Melbourne. This is the ideal time to be out in the garden, enjoying the last of summer blooms and preparing for the cooler months. 

This is a great time of year to plant so everything can get settled in before winter. If you're not sure where to start, our team of experts are here to help!

Tony's Tips

April 2025

The weather has finally cooled down and we’ve had some decent rain. This is a great time to plant whilst there is still warmth in the soil so our new plants can establish roots before winter. We’ve been busily planting Pansies, Primulas, Foxgloves and Poppies in our baskets and display beds for our late autumn, winter and spring displays. 

Our first Helleborus have come in. These hardy perennials are ideal to brighten up your winter, especially in dry, shaded areas. They come in a wide variety of colours and shapes and are well suited to our climate, going dormant in the hotter months and then growing and flowering in the cooler months. 

Sasanqua Camellias are now flowering in many colours and will flower through to July. With dark green glossy foliage and large flowers, Sasanquas are one of the best flowering hedges I know! 

Things to Do:

• It’s too late for any major pruning, but you can clean up old, tatty foliage on your Hellebores to encourage new foliage and flowers.
• Watch out for Lace Bug on Azaleas, Viburnums and  Portuguese Laurels and treat with Bug Killa or Conguard.
• Feed Buffalo, Kikuyu and Couch lawns now to prepare them for winter weather. 
• Feed Camellias, Citrus, Azaleas and Daphne to maximise winter flowering and fruiting. Give Roses and Gardenias their last feed of the season too.
• Plant all bulbs except Tulips now. For Tulips, keep them in the crisper in your fridge for six weeks before planting them out. This will emulate a proper winter and have them blooming like crazy in spring. 

Plant of the Month

Hydrangea Runaway Bride

Our plant of the month has been awarded both Plant of the Year at The Chelsea Flower Show and Japan's Flower of the Year so you know it must be really good! Hydrangea Runaway Bride features unique garland-like stems with large crisp white blooms and is covered in lacecap flowers for up to four months of the year. It doesn't require pruning and gets better every year, developing into a shrub of about one metre high and wide.