Will Gibson on summer garden success

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In Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, we're blessed with a climate that offers a horticultural freedom akin to a painter's vast palette of colours. This is a point of pride in my design work at Will Gibson Gardens, where the plants I recommend are not only ideal for summer but form part of a year-round vision for your garden's life.

13 December 2023

In Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, we’re blessed with a climate that offers a horticultural freedom akin to a painter’s vast palette of colours. This is a point of pride in my design work at Will Gibson Gardens, where the plants I recommend are not only ideal for summer but form part of a year-round vision for your garden’s life.

Our temperate environment sets the stage for a variety of plant species to flourish, especially during the warm summer months. It’s this versatility and range that I love to bring to my clients’ gardens, whether they’re seasoned green thumbs or just starting to nurture their first plants. From delicate winter bulbs that require the cold to rejuvenate and burst forth with colour as the days lengthen, to the more exotic and heat-loving species like palms, succulents, and tropical fruits, our gardens can cater to an extensive range of tastes and preferences.

It’s about more than just the visual pleasure these plants provide; it’s about their adaptability and resilience. In our unique microclimate, we have the privilege of cultivating a wide and fascinating array of plants that would find it challenging to thrive elsewhere in Australia.

This adaptability is something I always consider in my designs, ensuring that every garden I work on can be a sanctuary for both plants and people alike.

With my years of experience, I’ve come to know and love a variety of plants that I regularly use in my designs, and I encourage you to consider these resilient and vibrant selections when planning your own summer garden:

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  • Liriope ‘Isabella’ OZ BREED: A hardy, evergreen grass-like plant with vibrant green foliage and purple flower spikes. Ideal as a ground cover or border plant.
  • Dichondra ‘Repens’: A lush, mat-forming ground cover with small, kidney-shaped leaves. It’s perfect for creating a dense carpet of green in shaded areas.
  • Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’: Noted for its striking purple leaves, this plant adds a pop of colour to any garden bed or container.
  • Rosmarinus Prostrata: A creeping rosemary variety with aromatic leaves and blue flowers, great for cascading over walls or as a fragrant ground cover.
  • Viola Hederacea: A delicate trailing plant with heart-shaped leaves and dainty flowers, ideal for hanging baskets or as an understated ground cover.
  • Buxus Sempervirens (Balls): Commonly shaped into formal spheres, this classic evergreen is perfect for structured garden designs.
  • Gardenia Florida: Known for its lush foliage and fragrant white flowers, this gardenia is a favourite for its beauty and scent.
  • Gardenia Aimee Yoshida: A larger gardenia variety with sizeable white blooms, known for its strong perfume and glossy leaves.
  • Gardenia Magnifica: This variety boasts large, creamy white flowers with a sweet fragrance and can be used as an ornamental shrub.
  • Rhaphiolepis ‘Little Bliss’: A compact shrub with pink blossoms, it’s drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, ideal for urban gardens.
  • Westringia ‘Fruticosa’: A hardy native shrub with grey-green leaves and white or pale blue flowers, suited to coastal landscapes.
  • Westringia ‘Blue Gem’: Offers vivid blue/purple flowers, making it a standout in the garden for colour contrast.
  • Azalea Alba Magnifica: Presents stunning white blooms, bringing a classic elegance to shaded garden areas.
  • Arthropodium c. Matapouri Bay: Also known as Renga Renga Lily, this plant has long stalks of white flowers and is drought-resistant.
  • Laurus n. Miles Choice: A selection of bay tree known for its culinary leaves and easy-to-train growth habit.
  • Trachelospermum Jasminoides: Star jasmine, with its fragrant white flowers and glossy green leaves, is excellent for trellises or as a scented ground cover.
  • Crepe Myrtle ‘Natchez’: This tree is celebrated for its exfoliating bark and large clusters of white flowers during summer.

 

Gardening is all about creating a living space that evolves with the seasons. It’s about planting for longevity and enjoyment, taking advantage of the diversity that our climate offers.

Feel free to follow my gardening journey on Instagram via the link below.

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