As the proverb goes; 'wise men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.' Many of our favourite trees take decades or even longer to reach full size. A tree planted now will provide not only shade, but also cleaner air and a cooler climate for our children and grandchildren.

As part of Garden Centres Australia, we're joining the One Tree Per Child initiative, with the aim of encouraging every child to plant at least one tree. Purchase a tree for a child in your life and you will receive a planting guide and a commemorative certificate.

As One Tree Per Child ambassador Jimmy Barnes said; "Planting trees with our grandchildren is something that we really enjoy doing. As our grandchildren grow, so do their trees. And as those trees grow, the children see that they're really helping our wildlife and the environment."

Tony's Tips

July 2024

We’ve passed the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the lowest ebb in plant growth. From here, it’s all on the improve! The Daffodils are flowering, the Magnolias are beginning to flower, and a little new growth is appearing on our Roses. As each day gets a little longer, the Pansies and Violas flower a little more, as do many of our native plants. Mid-winter in Melbourne can be quite colourful if you know what to plant!

Japonica Camellias are at their best this month and their flowers and year-round lush foliage will brighten up any shaded or semi-shaded spot in your garden.

Winter is also a great time for perfumed plants. We have a beautiful scent bouquet with Boronia Heaven Scent, Sweet Box and Osmanthus Heaven Scent all flowering this month.

Things to Do

• Prune your box hedges and topiaries into shape. This is the time of year to give them a hard prune! If the foliage is not looking nice and green, feed with TopBuxus.
• Use liquid fertiliser to stimulate more flowers on Pansies, Violas, Primulas and Poppies
• Stake up new flowers on Cymbidium Orchids and protect their flowers from snails with Multiguard.
• Cut out all galls in Citrus trees ASAP. New local research indicates a late autumn or early winter prune reduces re-infestation. Don't dispose of gall prunings in your compost bin, it wont get rid of the infestation. 

Plant of the Month

New Season Roses

Our new season roses are mostly in now and I am excited about a few new releases. I’m a fan of the David Austin breeding program and their new releases this year include The Ancient Mariner. It has lovely flowers that are medium pink at the centre, paling towards the edges and a strong myrrh fragrance. I am also intrigued by one called Imogen, which has delicately frilled, creamy yellow flowers and a light scent. We also have a rose called Für Elise, a magenta rose with excellent disease resistance and a delicious fragrance that was awarded Rose of the Year 2023. It must be good!