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DROUGHT TOLERANT

Postage : Seeds only $4 / Plants $20

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  • Arctotis
  • Argania
    • spinosa   CAG02694

      (Argan)
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      The legendary Argan, the seeds of which are the source of the valuable Argan oil.

      Under threat from over grazing and poor management in it's native southern Morocco, it is in actuality very easy to grow, being obscenely heat, drought and cold tolerant, and generally well suited to life in inland and southern Australia, providing some extra attention is paid to drainage in the higher rainfall coastal regions and capital cities.

      Small, glossy, dark green, elliptical leaves crowd stiff woody stems and each obscures a small spine designed to deter predation. It would probably make excellent topiary or hedges, if you would dare disfigure such a noble beast, otherwise it will slowly grow into a small, sprawling, densely crowned tree, gnarly of character, much like an Olive, and quite lovely, especially if under planted with Cyclamen, Galanthus, Amaryllis, Nerine and other mediterranean climate bulbs. On mature trees the insignificant, yellowish flowers are followed by edible, but unpalatable, yellow-green Olive like fruit whose thin flesh conceals the Argan nut.

      Make your own Argan oil or just enjoy as a remarkable and attractive ornamental.

      Deciduous in summer if drought stressed and perfectly happy. Irrigation is unnecessary and probably highly prohibitive to long term survival.

  • Armeria
  • Artemisia
    • abrotanum   CAG02981

      (Southernwood, Lad's love)
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A stiff mounding shrub with lacy, grey-green leaves surrounding reddish stems. Upright when young becoming denser and shrubbier with annual pruning to remove the wand-like stems of pale sulphur, button-like flowers which offer little interest other than than seasonally pleasing vertical accent. Found wild through much of southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

      Quite dark in active growth during the cooler months, greyer in summer, it can make a stunning counterpoint to silver leaved plants and offers potential for clipping into fuzzy balls, low informal hedges or parterre.

      Perfectly hardy to heat, drought and frost in any well drained soil with maximum sun. Too much shade, moisture or rich soil turns it into a pointless green thing.

      Might actually be A. camphorata if such a thing exists.

    • absinthium ‘Lambrook Silver’   CAG01478
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A first class perennial from the garden of Marjorie Fish, forming a clump of lacy, gently arching, silver leaves. A valuable component of any designers palette of high impact plants, providing sufficient interest and contrast without visual competition. Panicles of pale yellow, button-like flowers are borne in summer, after which a quick cut to ground can restore order, if desired, or else wait until winter when it is semi-deciduous.

      Lower growing and more refined than the species which is found throughout Europe, western Asia and northern Africa.
      More graceful and less spreading than A. ‘Powis Castle’ but almost as indestructible and seems to be more clay tolerant. Easily grown in any well drained, sunny, lean soil. Likely to be short lived in areas with high summer humidity, a lifer everywhere else.

      Also the defining constituent of Absinthe.

    • alba ‘Canescens’   CAG00991
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A grouncovering shrub of the utmost hardiness, forming a fine, silver, coral-like cushion, purple tinted under drought stress or in autumn before shedding its leaves over winter. Relatively slow growth yields years of undemanding beauty besides paths or scattered through boulders and is a perfect cover for summer dormant bulbs or other low plants of fine form. Tapering spires of pale yellow, button-like flowers lend an elegant effect but are of little import and, here at least, are seldom seen.

      Easily grown in any soil, or rock crevice, though not so happy in clay. Summer water unnecessary but tolerated, though not likely to last long in regions with high summer humidity. At it's best where lesser plants scorch and fry.

    • arborescens   CAG00857
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

    • frigida   CAG02509

      (Fringed sage, Prairie sagewort)
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A mat of tiny, fimbriated, silky soft, silver rosettes elongating into slender wands, bearing irrelevant, pale yellow, button-like flowers. Shrub-like and feathery in bloom, cutesy and pettable when not. Gorgeous with other dry land plants, Agave, species Penstemon and the choicest small bulbs would all make stunning and appropriate companions.

      From coarser soils in low rainfall areas from Canada to Mexico and tolerant to extremes of temperature and drought, short lived in well watered gardens and areas with high summer humidity, excellent drainage essential.

      Winter dormant to some degree. depending on cold, resting as tight buds.

    • ludoviciana ‘Silver Queen’   CAG01724

      (Prairie sage, White sagebrush)
      CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

      A staple of gardens the world over though indigenous through most of North America. Suckering clumps of slender, upright, silver stems and narrow, incised leaves for pairing with other designer and mediterraneanesque plants. Cut down regularly to maintain verticality and boldest foliage or if left unchecked it will eventually form a dense mound of wiry, branching stems bearing irrelevant, small, pale yellow, button-like flowers, quite an effective silver shrub in wilder parts of the garden or fence line.

      Very vigorous and perfectly drought tolerant on well drained soils, struggling in heavy clay though more successful in lower rainfall regions. Impervious to any heat and cold experienced in this country but, as with most of the genus, unlikely to tolerate the summer humidity of more tropical zones. Dead easy and indestructible.

      Finer and more divided foliage than A. ‘Valerie Finnis’ and perhaps better for the vertical.

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