Gardening with a native edge

Welcome to the beautiful garden of Paula Herbert. Paula is part of the Brookfield Gardens team and has worked here for many years. She has abundant gardening knowledge, especially on natives.

Her exciting Mount Crosby garden is in no way a purely native garden, but the exposed north east aspect is where they are favoured. Australian natives are chosen for their ability to thrive in tough soil and blazing sun.

Feature pots are used throughout this garden - this one called 'Ganache' sits amongst Lomandra 'Shara' and the broader lime green coloured leaf of the Gymea lily.

Various pieces of sculpture sit amongst the garden, including this cute barb wire nest and bird. Featured here Kangaroo paws, grass tree and Ozothamnus, (commonly known as 'Rice Flower').  Ozothamnus is a Brookfield Gardens staff favourite and makes a fantastic cut flower.

Ozothamnus, beautiful long lasting flowers. This one is called 'Red Gingham'.

Paula's garden has many Grevillea throughout, including this lovely variety 'Anzac' which has silvery foliage and red flowers. The birds are frequent visitors.

This Grevillea known as 'Ivory Whip' has the creamiest of blooms and flowers amazingly all year. Paula regularly clips her Grevilleas to keep them in shape.

Clipped Lilly Pilly 'Allyn Magic' balls give contrast to the strappy leaves of Lomandra. Melaleuca leucadendra or the beautiful Weeping Paperbark are used sparingly throughout the garden.

Many softer ground covers are planted closer to paths. Rhagodia spinescens, Scaevola, smaller silvery shrubs like Eremophila and Paper Daisy are grown. This lemon coloured one is divine.

Rhodanthe or 'Paper Daisy' are iconic and range in colour. They make an excellent ground cover in sunny spots.

Mass planting of Seaside Daisy (not native) under this water bowl on a stump of timber.

Paula is a big fan of the good old 'Salt bush'. This variety is called 'Grey Edge' it loves being clipped on a regular basis to keep shape. 

Salt bush again planted at the entry amongst these fabulous home made totems, hand drilled, (if you can believe it!), they are cemented into the ground, on metal poles. The rock is a tumbled sandstone from Helidon. Again Lomandra 'Lucky Stripe' and Gymea Lily used.

The front of the house is planted with a grove of Brachychiton 'Jasper Bell' trees, native to Australia they are deciduous in the dry season. At the beginning of Spring they are covered in the most delightful red flowers followed by a heart shape leaf. They are a seriously beautiful feature tree for Brisbane, though slow growing.

Tending to repeat plant with species that contrast with one another, she is always looking for plants that are hardy so they don't need a lot of care when established. Never afraid to rip something out and start again, Paula is always enjoying the creative process that comes with a new canvas to start upon.

Overall Paula's garden is a textured vistor of shape and colour.