Sometimes our bushland offers up some of the best gardening ideas.
Our main photograph shows the flowers of the Dusky Coral Pea (Kennedia rubicunda) offset by a backdrop of flowering Forest Clematis (Clematis glycinoides).
The photograph was taken during the weekend in a local open forest setting and the good news is that both climbers would flourish in local gardens.
The Dusky Coral Pea is a vigorous scrambling vine which will happily grow over a trellis – it will also happily ‘scramble’ over neighbouring plants – so before planting it is a good idea to decide whether you wish to control it or let it ‘run wild’.
Its ‘vigour’ is dependent on the amount of extra watering it is given – if left to its own devices without too much care after its settling in period, it does make a very attractive and easily controllable trellis vine.
Let it form a mat of attractive soft grey green leaves over the trellis up to its main flowering period from August through September. When it is finished flowering give it a heavy prune back to the main stems and the new growth will keep your trellis feature looking attractive.
The Dusky Coral Pea will tolerate most soil types, even heavy clays and will grow in an open sunny position although some protection from the afternoon Summer sun will keep it softer looking.
It should also be planted in an area protected from frost.
Its counterpoint for the sake of our Nature’s Garden is the Forest Clematis.
The male and female flowers of this climber are carried on different plants – the white female flowers have four petal-like sepals, while the male flowers are palest green and resemble miniature pom-poms.
The seed heads which form on the female vines are almost as attractive as the flowers as each seed has a silky, feathery tail. A massing of these curled feathery appendages gives a soft, floral appearance.
In the garden it can be trellised or allowed to grow over fence lines or other plants.
The Forest Clematis should be planted where it gets the morning sun and is protected from the harsher afternoon sun. It will also grow in dappled shade.
It is less hardy than the Dusky Coral Pea and will need to be hand watered in drier times.