Tony's Tips - August 2026
We’re into the final month of winter and while many plants are still enjoying their winter dormancy, others are already waking up and making their move towards spring. Roses are shooting strongly following their winter prune, Magnolias are putting on a spectacular display and throughout the garden, we’re seeing signs of new growth everywhere.
Deciduous Magnolias are among the first blossoms of the season, with an incredible variety of colours and flower forms. They’re a beautiful addition to any garden and thrive when planted on a mound of improved soil, ensuring excellent drainage.
Winter and spring-flowering Lavenders are also coming into their own, flowering now and continuing through spring. When is comes to fragrance, this month we have the beautifully scented Daphne odora, with our 200mm pots already carrying flower buds, as well as Boronia 'Heaven Scent'. I’m told it has a fabulous perfume, although I can’t smell it myself! Apparently, it’s a selective scent: most ladies can smell it, but only some blokes!
Both Daphne and Boronia love excellent drainage and absolutely hate wet feet, so plant them on a mound or into a pot filled with quality potting mix for the best results.
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Lavender Princess
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Magnolia Burgundy Glow
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Things to Do:
1. Treat citrus pests
If you haven’t already cut out the galls (lumps in the stem) of your citrus trees, now is the time to do so. Protect your new growth in spring with traps and Pest Oil.
2. Feed gardenias
Feed Gardenias in the second half of august with Harry’s Gardenia Food then repeat monthly through spring to maximise this season's flowering.
3. Feed your roses
Feed roses with a Grow Better Blooming Roses (high K complete fertiliser) and then again, every 2 months until April.
4. Prune
Prune long flowering perennials and cold sensitive shrubs in the second half of the month (for example: Fuchsias, Sasanqua Camellias, Plumbago, Salvias, Gauras, Heliotrope)
5. For blue hydrangeas
Blue Hydrangeas should be dosed with blueing fertiliser now to ensure blue flowers in late spring.
6. Treat your lawn
Treat lawns with Bindii-Clover spray to eradicate bindii (and others) before summer.
7. Revive your box plants
If your box plants are looking yellow, orange or generally a little lacklustre, try Harry’s Buxus Food! A new release specialty fertiliser formulated for the Buxus family.
Use every 6–8 weeks throughout the growing season to provide the balanced nutrients Buxus needs to support strong new growth, maintain a full, lush appearance and improve overall plant resilience.