Contributed by Spencer Shaw – FOREST HEART Eco-Nursery
OFTEN it is said that we can’t see the wood for the trees, but I also think that when we look at our forests, we often can’t see the shrubs and ground-covers for the trees. Maybe you’ve noticed those straggly, sparse, and some unkind folk may say spindly plants (I prefer “foliage-impaired”), in the shade of that lovely cool forest you’re strolling through. However, more often than not, they go unnoticed, and this is a great tragedy because there are some fantastic groundcovers and shrubs hidden in the understorey of our local Eucalypt forests and rainforests.
If you’re wanting to do the right thing and plant some of our natives in your garden, but you’ve looked at our local rainforests and thought, “Everything local is at least as tall as a four-storey building, likely to crack foundations, hide that beautiful view, and block out the sun,” or on the other hand, “A sparse, bedraggled little plant in the understory,” then perhaps it’s time to think again.
Many of the exotic shrubs and groundcovers that make good garden plants were previously first collected on forest edges, elsewhere in the world, and a horticulturist or gardener has given them a go. So too, many of the native plants that make up our native forest understory positively thrive when treated to the same conditions. Not all plants “suffer” in the shade—many ferns often look their best when in the humid environment of the forest, and we can simulate these conditions in our gardens to grow them.
If you need any more convincing to grow native shrubs and groundcovers, you can add to the mix that they often flower and fruit/seed early in their lives, in just 1-2 years. So, not only do we get some very attractive plants in our gardens, but we also provide food for a myriad of birds, insects, and other fauna to feed on. When we plant local plants in our garden, we create a beautiful environment and help restore our local ecology, a win-win situation for everybody.