Paten’s Manuscripts

Cockspur thorn Most gardeners are happy to tolerate thorny plants for the sake of their...

‘Frog Hollows’ in the garden Frogs are an important part of the ecosystem and yet...

Queensland Kauri Pine A magnificent avenue of Queensland Kauri pine (Agathis robusta) planted along Grey...

Native blackthorn Plants are amazing organisms. They produce the oxygen needed by all of the...

Tallowwood Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys) is a fast growing, moderately tall evergreen tree that is found...

Peanut tree If you are looking for a, small rainforest tree with unique features, the...

The common silkpod One of the distinguishing features of a rainforest is the presence of...

Silky wattle When many other plants are not flowering, the silky wattle (Acacia holosericea) provides...

The knife-leaf wattle Wattles belong to the genus Acacia, of which there are 1350 species...

Kangaroo apple The kangaroo apple (Solanum aviculare) belongs to the same family as many economically...

Maiden’s wattle Maiden’s wattle (Acacia maidenii) is a fast growing, small tree (either slender or...

Angular pigface Angular pigface (Carpobrotus glaucescens) is often overlooked as a garden plant due to...

The walking stick palm Invariably gardens have some shaded areas, from buildings or established trees...

FLAME TREES, KURRAJONGS AND BOTTLE TREES Most people are familiar with the flame tree (Brachychiton...

CONTAINER AND INDOOR PLANTS Most people have a deep sense of connectedness with the natural...

Hoya australis There are about 200 different species of Hoya in tropical and subtropical regions...

Lacy tree fern For gardeners wanting a tropical appearance without large rainforest trees, the lacy...

Cycads Cycads are a very early form of seed-bearing plant (Gymnosperms) that evolved millions of...

Koda – a special ornamental tree Like many Australian plants, the Koda (Ehretia acuminata) has...

PALM LILIES Palm lilies, or cordylines, are complimentary to modern landscaping styles. They are often...

Native bleeding heart If you are searching for a tall bushy shrub with interesting foliage...

Turkey bush The smooth psychotria, or turkey bush (Psychotria daphnoides) is a lovely, open shrub...

The Brisbane laurel The Brisbane laurel is only one of several common names for Pittosporum...

The curry bush Like many plants, the curry bush (Cassinia laevis) has several common names...

Flame Trees, Kurrajongs and Bottle Trees Most people are familiar with the flame tree (Brachychiton...

Border Planting Borders to garden beds or rockeries benefit from an edging of low growing...

Lantana Replacement Plants Lantana is one of our most invasive weeds in Queensland and NSW...

Grass Trees A survivor from the age of dinosaurs, the unique Australian grasstree (Xanthorrhoea sp.)...

Queensland Laurels The genus Neolitsea, in the laurel family, is found throughout south-east Asia and...

‘Frog Hollows’ In The Garden Frogs are an important part of the ecosystem and yet...

Versatile Hop Bushes Hop bushes (Dodonaea sp.) are so named as their colourful fruit bear...

Red Apple The soft green foliage and deep canopy of rainforest trees conjure a feeling...

Sea Celery The common name of this plant, sea celery or parsley (Apium prostratum), is...

The Native Elderberry The native elderberry (Sambucus autralasica) is a useful bush food to have...

Muttonwood Muttonwood, Myrsine variabilis, is a great landscape species. It can be used as a...

Leichhardt Tree The Leichhardt tree (Nauclea orientalis), named after the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt who first...

Versatile Wattles When I think about Australian vegetation gum trees and wattles immediately spring to...

Native Food Plants For The Garden In recent years there has been a resurgence of...

Native Cottage Garden Different garden designs come into and out of vogue but the Cottage...

There are innumerable native trees that make beautiful garden specimen trees...

Planting For Spring And Butterflies With the coming of warmer weather sightings of butterflies are...

Interesting Plant Foliage We are blessed in South East Queensland by having many small native...

Native Plants For Cut Flowers Some of the most spectacular large floral arrangements are those...

Native Plants For Bushfire Zones The vegetation of much of Australia has been shaped over...

Iconic Eucalypts Thoughts of Australia are associated with our dominant group of trees – the...

Beautiful Australian Native Timber Trees The red cedar (Toona ciliata var australis) is possibly our...

Wildlife Attracting Plants Each plant species has a specific set of environmental conditions under which...

Australian Citrus Since restaurants have discovered how delectable many of our native plants are, it...

Climbing Plants For The Garden Climbing plants can be used to great effect in any...

Appealing Lilly Pillys Humans tend to view trees from either an aesthetic or functional perspective...