Suggestions for native plant 'screen'

20 years ago

Hi everyone -

I'm wondering if I could borrow some of your wisdom and gain some suggestions on plants to use for a native screen in our front yard.

We live in Melbourne, the soil involved is a little heavy, though it gets plenty of wind and sun to dry it out - and water as well when it actually does rain.

The space is about 6-8 m long and only about 1.5m wide. I'd like the plants ideally to get about 1.8m tall. As you can guess I'm looking for some upright natives that might fit the bill.

I've had some thoughts re westringas, or possibly (if there are some varieties that you can name) malaelucas or non-spiny grevilleas. Others could be bottlebrushes maybe, kunzeas, etc.

Wondering if there are any suggestions you could provide - esp. if they have flowers that can attract the birds and bugs.

Thanks so much - Chris

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Comments (7)

artiew
20 years ago
Hi Chris,

It may seem boriing to some, but I believe that you should be able to find a liilypilly to suit your requirements in all but the most extreme situations. The tag might say '2-3 metres high by 2 metres wide ' but you can trim them to suit your site and they can take a wide variety of sun/shade combinations.

Cheers,

Artie
justcorreas
20 years ago
Keeping with some of your suggested plants, why not try Callistemon 'Kings Park Special', Kunzea Baxteri, Melaleuca fulgens, Grevillea 'Superb' and maybe a Correa lawrenceana.

All of the above can be pruned to suit, are bird attracting and are very suited to Melbourne conditions - once established. Heavy soil should suit all of these.
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roysta
20 years ago
One other you might consider is Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus).
They're probably better suited to a warmer (more humid) climate, but are a great screen.
I would think they'd get to 1.8m in Melbourne.
I have 6 of them in as a fence screen and they'll probably get to 3-4m here, which is humid.

Roy
mallee
20 years ago
Callistemon 'Injune' is a good upright bottlebrush with mid pink brushes, not too tall.
Upright forms of Calothamnus quadrifidus (one sided bottlebrush, which has red half 'brushes').
Robert_NSW
20 years ago
Mix in some Prostantheras, Banksia spinulosa and B. marginata. Acacia iteaphylla would also fit in that spot as well. Do not be frightened to cut them back, here and there.
kearnage
20 years ago
Melaleuca decussata is an attractive, tough narrow upright shrub which can be pretty much guaranteed to survive in Melbourne's climate with little fuss, and responds well to pruning.
It is indigenous to eastern SA and Western Victoria.
gregaryb
20 years ago
There are also some indigenous (to Melbourne) plants that would be ideal and faster growing.

Dodonaea viscosa - Pittosporum like and closely related to them. Has masses of bright earthy red seed capsules in spring.

Myoporum viscosum - grows 2-3m wide as well as 2-3m tall. You would have to maintain this one as a hedge to fit it into the space available. But it is a very attractive plant if regularly pruned.

Spyridium parvifolium - box like shrub

Bursaria spinosa - also called native box or sweet bursaria and has masses of tiny white fragrant flowers in spring/summer.