Three top grevillea flowering now are:
Grevillea Tangerine Dream: Large clusters of deep orange flowers on the tips of the branches. Grows about 1m by 1m.
Grevillea Superb: Large reddish-orange flowers can pop out throughout the year. The plant is a fast grower, reaching 2m high by 2m wide.
Grevillea Lemon Daze: Bright yellow and pink hanging flowers are produced from autumn, all through winter and into spring. Grows about 1m high by 1.5m wide.
Banksia are another range of winter-flowering plants. They are very coastal-hardy, handling wind and dry conditions too. The flowers are quite unusual if you have not seen them before. They are like cylinders or candles standing upright and come in a range of colours. They are adored by tūī in particular for their nectar.
These five below are varieties that will fit in a range of gardens:
Banksia Menzies Dwarf: Red flowers during autumn and winter, it also has attractive serrated, deep green leaves. It grows about 1.5m high by 1.5m wide.
Banksia Coccinea, known as Scarlet Banksia: A small to medium tree growing 2-3 metres high by about 2m wide. Bright red flowers are good for floral art.
Banksia attenuate nana (Dwarf Coast Banksia): Showy yellow flowers standing up like candles. Grows 2m high by 2m wide.
Banksia Birthday Candles: This plant grows as a groundcover of about 50cm high by 50cm wide. It is attractive with its “candle-like” bloom standing upright out of the fine needle-like foliage.
Banksia Giant Candles: Has exceptionally long flower spikes up to 40cm long. Flowers are deep orange and appear from autumn to winter. A striking plant for any shrub border and coastal garden. Grows to about 3m high by 2m wide.
The callistemon, commonly known as bottlebrush because of its flower shape, is also an excellent source of nectar for birds. They are tough plants, being wind, drought and coastal hardy. There is a range of red varieties that grow to different sizes, as well as some truly spectacular iridescent pinks and white and violet colour options.
Some varieties to seek out for your garden:
Callistemon Little John: This variety is one of the smallest-growing, producing masses of short, deep red brushes tipped gold through spring and summer and occasional blooms year-round. Grows about 1m x 1m.
Callistemon Red Clusters: Has a rounded growth habit with pink new shoots. The flowers are a profusion of brilliant, crimson-red brushes. Grows about 3m high x 2m wide.
Callistemon John Mashlan: Produces a profusion of candy-floss pink, brush-like flowers, growing about 4m high x 3m wide (can be trimmed to a smaller size).
Callistemon White Anzac: Produces pure white flowers on a plant that has more of a spreading, groundcover-type growth habit. Reaches about 50cm to 1m high and 1m wide.
There are, of course, lots of our New Zealand plants that will attract the birds. Here are some that provide a good food source.
NZ natives producing fruits and seeds
Titoki (Alectryon excelsus), makomako/wineberry (Aristotelia serrata), taraire (Beilschmiedia taraire), tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa), putaputaweta/marbleleaf (Carpodetus serratus), coprosma, cabbage tree (Cordyline australis), karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus), kahikatea/white pine (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), rimu (Dacryium cupressinum), hinau (Eleocarpus dentata), tree fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata), pigeonwood (Hedycarya aborea), kawakawa (Macropiper), wharangi (Melicope ternata), mapou (Myrsine australis), lemonwood/kohuhu/tarata (Pittosporum), Podocarpus tōtara, miro (Prumnopitys ferruginea), pseudopanux, patatē, patē, seven-finger (Schefflera), pūriri (Vitex lucens).
NZ natives producing nectar
Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis), tree fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata), lacebark (Hoheria), rewarewa (Knightia excelsa), māhoe/whiteywood (Melicytus ramiflorus), pōhutukawa and rātā (Metrosideros), flax/harakeke (phormium), lemonwood/kohuhu/tarata (Pittosporum), kūmarahou (Pomaderris kumeraho), nīkau (Rhopalostylis), kōwhai (Sophora), pūriri (Vitex lucens).
Which birds like which food
Nectar seekers: Kākā, bellbird, kererū, silvereye, tūī.
Fruit lovers: Kākā, kererū, bellbird, silvereye, tūī.
Insect eaters: Kākā, bellbird, kingfisher, fantail, grey warbler, silvereye, tūī.
For more gardening information, visit www.springvalegardencentre.co.nz
