Australian gardens.

Cycads & Palms at Wandin
By Bob

Wandin lies 50km east of Melbourne on the southern rim of the Yarra Valley at the base of the Dandenong Ranges, with our property lying at an elevation of approximately 260m. The annual rainfall is 950mm, consistantly spread over the 12 months of the year. Our 8acre property is north facing and experiences approx 9 frosts a year to perhaps -2c. Soil is fertile and drainage varies from excellent to fair.
A friend gave me several Macrozamia communis plants which I planted in better drained sunny positions in the garden, and I also have some Lepidozamia peroffskyana plants as well. Most have done well though a couple have not progressed much, possibly too much competition. 4 to 5 years ago I made my first planting in the area that has now been developed into a rainforest area, and at this point has 20 larger trees and shrubs and several palms and cycads establishing.
The palms are progressing well. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana handle moist positions there well, as does Livinstonia australis, with the advent of light frost not being a problem. I bought 2 Oraniopsis appendicata palms, not realizing they originated from northern Qld.They are in sheltered positions and though we had an unusually high number of 6 frosts this June, they have coped well. There are 2 Linospadix monostachya palms as well in this area, so with all that behind I am now much more confident that we can grow palms here well. The biggest of our cabbage palms is now approx 10 years old and has a trunk of about 1m, the balance of our palms are only with fronds up to a metre in height.
I treasure a Livistonia maria that was also given to me. It is in a dry, sunny position and is now entering its second winter. Initially rabbits gave it a hiding, but once a tree guard was positioned it has made good progress. Umwittingly I now have a selection of palms from the temperate south, to the tropics and across to the arid centre. It would seem that in a site such as ours almost anything is possible, such is the adaptability of out plant world.
We required some smaller plants to provide a floor level to our rainforest so I reasoned that cycads would look the part. Kerry Rathie seemed to be the best bet, so an order was filled for the following species; Macrozamia moorei, M montperriensis, M dyeri, M fearnsidei, M johnsonii, M lucidia, M miquellii and M riedlei. Most of these will go into the rainforest but those that require more sun and good drainage will be placed elsewhere. I had imagined that due to their more northerly origins that some cycads would be frost sensitive, not so it seems, so I have much more freedom to plant than I had thought.
I would anticipate that this will be the bulk of our collection for some time, though I am always on the lookout for the new species to add to the mix. It is now a case of caring and enjoying the plants that we have and wait to see how they all may be made to progress as part of a large native garden.

Palms and Cycads grow well at Katandra Gardens

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Hosts: Dot & Bob O'Neill. 49 Hunter Road, Wandin, Victoria, Australia.
Ph: +61 3 5964 4523

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