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VIC, TAS, ACT and Southern NSW Tour of Ozbreed plants

By Nathan Dutschke

Below are some areas where Ozbreed plants and turf have been used in VIC, TAS, ACT and Southern NSW. These examples should help you understand which plants work in a certain situation, what the best plant is for your job and some important tips on maintenance.

VICTORIA: HAWKSTOWE ESTATE

Hawkstowe Estate has used mass plantings of Cassa Blue, Tanika and Nafray and the plants are thriving in this new housing development. Cassa Blue looks great at this site the whole year round, even after a harsh summer. Pennisetum Nafray, an alopecuroides native to Australia is a non invasive form of Pennisetum, unlike the setaceum form from South Africa.

VICTORIA: CHELSEA HEIGHTS RETIREMENT VILLAGE

This retirement village has used predominately Ozbreed plants in their gardens due to their low water and maintenance requirements, as well as aesthetic appeal. The plants used have been Tanika and Little Jess, which makes a great low maintenance ground cover.

VICTORIA: OTHER PARTS

Tanika has been used at many places and is thriving. At Sandhurst Club it has been there for five years. At South Morang and Bundoora it has been a star performer with its high drought tolerance and its great use in mass plantings. At Bundoora campus the Tanika have been cut back into neat ball-shaped plants. Tanika does cope with pruning if required and will re-shoot without any problem. Tanika has also been used at Martha Cove near New Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. Being mass planted helps prevent weeds and reduces maintenance.

At Marriott Waters Tanika handles the recycled water with no problems and stays evergreen all year round. Marriott Waters also have Little Jess and Little Rev planted handling the recycled water.

At Healesville Little Jess is a low growing and compact ground cover. In colder areas such as Bendigo and Ballarat Little Jess may burn or discolour in the heavier frosts.

Whether it’s the country or the city, Ozbreeds Dianella’s and Lomandra’s are so well suited to the Victorian climate. They have performed year after year and continue to do so.

TASMANIA

At Burnie Tanika has been used in large amounts for many landscapes. It is a proven performer and when you find something that works, you stick with it. Dianella Baby Bliss has also been used and is a great contrast plant. Tanika has also been used at Somerset.

Little Jess grows well in Tasmania, as seen in Derwent Park,  provided it is planted in areas where it is reasonably well protected by frosts. If planted in the open in frost prone areas it will burn and brown off and then reshoot in spring.

Lomandra Tanika and Dianella Tasred are well suited to the Hobart climate and are planted at Derwent Park and Devonport. Other varieties that perform well are Little Rev, Cassa Blue and Emerald Arch. Tanika is great for mass plantings and will stay evergreen all year round with very minimal maintenance. Tasred performs well throughout Tasmania. It has very good frost and cold tolerance as well as tolerating dry conditions.

ACT

Dianella Little Rev is a very good performer in ACT that generally keeps very clean foliage and it has been used at Fyshwick. Pennisetums can be used successfully like Purple Lea at Gungahlin Drive, Nicholls. As with all native grasses they will brown off in winter and do benefit from being cut back annually in late August to early September and then let it reshoot.

Tanika is a great landscape plant for Canberra. It will stay evergreen all year round and it has excellent frost tolerance. Once established, Tanika will generally survive on natural rainfall in Canberra.

SOUTHERN NSW             

Pennstripe gives the best contrast and is a very tough plant. It works well all over Australia and has been used further north.  

After 3 years at Nowra Tasred and Little Rev have created a feature landscape. The plants are performing very well in the roadside environment. Little Rev has remained maintenance free so far but Tasred may need older leaves trimmed infrequently if required.

The car park plantings in Albury are showing that Tanika, Little Rev and Katrinus Deluxe have the ability to cope with no irrigation once they are established. Peards Nursery in Albury is continuing to promote the drought tolerance of Ozbreed strappy leaf plants Little Rev and Tanika.