The Tasmanian Native Garden is a special place to visit throughout the year but what are the really showy plants within these months of spring?

Winged Spyridium
One of the most unusual and striking Tasmanian native plants that flowers profusely from August through to the end of September is the Tasmanian Dusty Miller or Winged Spyridium, Spyridium vexilliferum.  An intriguingly beautiful plant that is regarded as a rare and threatened species in the Tasmanian wild. Its small white, feathery bracts around the tiny true flowers make for a spectacular show when the plant is in full bloom.

This plant is fairy straight forward to cultivate and will grow in most well drained soils in semi shade to full sun. It would also do well in a larger container with a well drained premium potting mix.  It is often available through specialist Tasmanian plant nurseries.
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spyridium vexilliferum the bush from a distance, small bush to 1meter

Spyridium, shrub to about 1 metre

Cryptandra amara, Pretty Pearl Fower in full flower.

Cryptandra amara, Pretty Pearl Flower

Pretty Pearl Flower
Cryptandra amara is a stunning plant when in flower, but usually a fairly wiry, rather unnoticeable shrub when not. The very pretty tubular bell flowers are pearly white hence the name. It is native to Tasmanian although it is not endemic, its populations here are threatened.

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spyridium vexilliferum close up with white mealy bracted flowers

Spyridium, close up of flowers and foliage

Pterostylis pedunculata Maroonhood Orchid, view of upper flowers

Pterostylis pedunculata Maroonhood Orchid, view of upper flowers

Maroonhood Orchid
A fairly abundant terrestrial Orchid which is native to Tasmania, the East coast of Australia and south Australia. A vigorous grower that tolerates being kept in cultivation and once established it forms compact colonies of plants fairly quickly. However it is only really noticed when in flower, with the small rounded leaves disappearing quickly after flowering in the mid spring, leaving nothing visible until it pops up again in the winter. Plants are available through select Tasmanian native plant nurseries.
See if you can find this delicate plant as you wander the paths in this garden.

Cryptandra amara, Pretty Pearl Flower close up of flowers

Cryptandra amara, Pretty Pearl Flower close up of flowers