Maybe a year and half ago my friend Laura gave me some little plugs of Australian plants, some Dianellas and Lomandras. I carefully potted them up and eventually planted them out in the new garden. For some reason I hadn't very high hopes for Dianella 'Tas Red' , it looked weak to me and was certainly not red. But after a while in the ground it took off and made a very well mannered clump of glossy green strappy foliage to about a foot tall. Think tiny Phormium. Because it's so well mannered (and because I like a full look) it was swamped by some very exuberant Gomphrena 'Fireworks'. But it did very well on neglect and being partially smothered. And so I thought to myself ok this plant has merit. But then just a few weeks ago I was astonished. This little Dianella had actually produced a crop of magically purple berries on two stalks. Now I know Dianella tasmanica can grow these beautiful berries, but never had I seen them grow on a plant in So Cal (don't ask me why they look awesome in No Cal. So now I firmly love this plant, of course if it doesn't produce purple olives next spring I'll be pissed!
I love that deep purple gloss, especially above the strappy foliage. Australian plants are my zone envy plants of the week, especially after spotting some Black Kangaroo Paw (Macropidia fuliginosa) on a blog today. Do gardeners go to Zone 9 when they die?
ReplyDeleteI've seen berries on Dianella plants at the Getty. Mine have never gotten them, though they flower every year.
ReplyDeleteI like the tidy look of that little one!
Mr. Miller, Is zone 9 or milder close to heaven? Maybe. But we miss out on a lot of good plants that want chill. I'm sure you grow things I'd lust after.
ReplyDeleteHB, Maybe the dwarf is the answer to our fruity problem. And who knows about the Getty, they cheat a lot.
ReplyDeleteyou've got a point Dustin, and I get a shallow thrill whenever a blogger in zone 9 or 10 complains about not being able to grow epimediums or podophyllums. I do genuinely enjoy reading about the garden exploits of you and your fellow California gardeners.
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