Welcome to Spring
Spring has finally arrived, and the garden is waking up.
After the cooler, quieter months, it’s lovely to see new leaves appearing, plants putting on fresh growth and the first pops of colour starting to brighten things up.
It’s also the perfect time to give your potted plants a little attention. A tidy-up, some fresh potting mix, a good feed and a bit of pruning can make a surprising difference.
So, grab your gardening gloves, get outside and enjoy the warmer days. There’s plenty to do!
A Walk Through Our Display Gardens
Our display gardens have grown and evolved over many years, with Craig carefully planting and nurturing a beautiful mix of Australian natives, ornamental trees and conifers, including cypress.
What started as individual plantings has developed into a wonderful garden showcasing how different plants can work together to create colour, texture, structure and year-round interest.
As you wander through the gardens, you’ll see many of the plants we grow at Everyday Potted Plants in a real garden setting — giving you inspiration for your own garden and ideas for how they can look once established.
It’s a garden that has been created with plenty of time, care and a love of plants — and there’s always something new to discover.
The Birds and the Bees
We often think of birds and bees as simply visitors to the garden, but they play a very important part in keeping it healthy.
Bees, butterflies and other little pollinators help our flowering plants produce seeds and fruit. Birds, on the other hand, help keep insect numbers under control and can also spread seeds from one part of the garden to another.
The good news is you don't need a huge garden to encourage them.
A few flowering plants, some plants with berries or seeds, a shallow dish of fresh water and somewhere safe to shelter can make your garden much more inviting.
Try to avoid using pesticides unless they’re necessary, too. The more insects and wildlife we can encourage into our gardens, the more interesting and naturally balanced they become.
A garden full of birds, bees and butterflies is not only good for the environment — it’s a much nicer garden to sit and enjoy.
Give Your Pots a Spring Clean
Spring is a great time to take a good look at your potted plants.
Remove any dead or damaged leaves, trim away tired-looking growth and check that water is draining freely from the bottom of the pot.
If a plant has been in the same pot for a while, have a look at the roots. If they're circling around the outside of the root ball or pushing out through the drainage holes, it might be time to move it into a larger pot.
For plants that don't need repotting, simply replacing some of the old potting mix from the top of the pot can give them a fresh start.
And don't forget to feed. As plants start growing again, they'll appreciate a good quality fertiliser to give them the nutrients they need for the months ahead.
A little bit of work now will have your pots looking much happier by summer.
What to Plant Now
Spring is one of our favourite times in the garden. The days are warming up; everything is starting to grow again and there’s plenty of colour to choose from.
It’s a great time to add some Australian natives to the garden. Grevilleas, Callistemons, Kangaroo Paws and Westringias are just some of the plants that can bring colour, texture and plenty of wildlife into your garden.
If you’re after flowers, look for plants that are starting to bloom now and will continue to put on a show as the weather warms. Or, if greenery is more your thing, there are plenty of native shrubs and foliage plants that can add structure and interest all year round.
Spring is also a good time to fill those bare spots, replace anything that didn’t make it through winter and perhaps try something a little different.
There’s no better excuse to get outside, have a wander around the garden and see what needs a little love — and what new plants might catch your eye.
A Little Sweetness – Chamelaucium ‘My Sweet 16’
There’s something very special about Waxflower when it bursts into bloom, and Chamelaucium ‘My Sweet 16’is no exception.
With its masses of pink and white flowers, it brings a lovely soft splash of colour to the garden in spring. The flowers are also wonderful for picking, so you can enjoy them indoors as well as out in the garden.
Chamelaucium is an Australian native and, once established, is a relatively easy-care plant. It enjoys a sunny position and well-drained soil and is a great choice if you’re looking for something that brings colour, attracts pollinators and has a lovely long flowering season.
And if you’ve never grown Waxflower before, spring is a great time to give one a try.
Pretty, practical and very Australian — what's not to love?
🌿 Plant of the Month: Kangaroo Paw ‘Yellow Gem’
If you’re looking for a splash of sunshine in your garden, it’s hard to go past Kangaroo Paw ‘Yellow Gem’.
With its bright yellow flowers held above strappy green foliage, it’s a real standout when it’s in bloom. And being an Australian native, it’s right at home in our gardens.
‘Yellow Gem’ is a great choice for native gardens, pots, courtyards and smaller gardens. Give it a sunny position and good drainage, and it will reward you with plenty of those eye-catching flowers.
It’s also a favourite with bees and other pollinators, making it a lovely addition to a wildlife-friendly garden.
Our tip: Once the flowers have finished, give the plant a tidy-up by removing the old flower stems. It will help keep your Kangaroo Paw looking neat and encourage fresh growth.
☀️Position: Full sun
💧Water: Water regularly while establishing, then allow the soil to dry slightly between watering
🪴Great for: Pots, courtyards and native gardens
🐝Bonus: A great source of colour for the garden and attractive to pollinators