Flowers Land: Agapanthus Praecox

Like many plants which do well in Sydney gardens, Agapanthus are native to South Africa. The big rounded umbels of mid-blue or white flowers appear on 1m stems above the strappy leaves in late November and bloom all through December, providing lots of material for floral arrangements at Christmas time. The most commonly seen species is Agapanthus praecox subspecies orientalis.

They enjoy a sunny, well-drained position (with boggy conditions being fatal for them) and can grow in very harsh, deprived situations, providing a refreshing sea of green leaves where few other plants will thrive. However, they shouldn't be just used as a desperation measure in gardens: they have much more to offer than that.

Their foliage forms an excellent groundcover and they can also be used as a low border along a driveway or fence. The bold flower-heads make them probably more suited to a semi-tropical style or shrubbery garden than dainty cottage gardens. They mix well with summer-blooming Salvia, providing a good contrast of flower form, or with lush Dahlia and Canna cultivars. The many colours of daylilies (Hemerocallis), which are in bloom at the same time, provide a range of possible combinations.