This Callistemon which was originally a beautiful choice as a street tree is now an unpruned ugly mess

Landscaping with Natives can be rewarding. However it is a misconsception to believe that they can be planted and just left without regular maintenance and attention. After a few years many natives become ugly and spindly, with the flowering varieties becoming very dissapointing. Shrubs like Bottlebrush (Callistemon) and Grevilleas respond really well to regular pruning with the best time being immediately after flowering. The result is usually twice as many flowers during the next flowering season.

 Tips : Autumn is a great time to plant natives.

         Callistemons do well in wet areas but Grevilleas need a well drained soil and will not tolerate wet conditions

      Take a look at what others have planted nearby and see which ones do the best.

  Banksias can also provide a great show (again if regularly pruned) and attract the nectar eating birds, while hkeas will attract the white faced black Kockatoos who feed on the seed nuts.

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