Heritage Plants

Planting

There is a much increased range of plants available in Townsville than earlier this century. There are more native plants, more species, and new varieties of the exotic plants once used. Some of the plants used up to the 1930's may be difficult to obtain as their popularity has waned.

This makes the selection of plants sometimes difficult. Should one use only the plants that could traditionally have been grown in the garden when it was set out?

A faithful reconstruction should use the historical plants, however the garden renovation could incorporate some of the beautiful new varieties and native plants if the traditional layout and character is respected. The traditional layout and plant selection is generally more important for the front and side gardens particularly if the rear of the house is altered with extensions.

Traditional Plants

The following plant lists are a guide for your garden renovation which respects traditional character or heritage.

Front and Rear Garden

Trees and Palms

Tropical foliage plants under the trees, small shrubs along the front of the house and a carpet grass lawn make an appropriate garden character.

Alexandra palm Archontophoenix sp
Black bean Castanospermum australe
Bottle tree Brachychiton rupestris
Cabbage tree palm Livistonia sp.
Canary Island date palm Phoenix sp.
Frangipani Plumeria acutifolia
Poinciana Delonix regia (uncommon now due to a soil fungus)
Queen palm Syagarus sp.
Rain tree Samanea saman
Tamarind Tamarindus indica
Terminalia tree
Fruit trees (commonly at rear of garden)
Jackfruit, mango, paw paw

Shrubs

Acalypha hispida and Acalypha sp.
Aralia, Azalea, Coleus
Brunsfelsia latifolia
Cordyline terminalis and australis
Crotons (often along front of house)
Gardenia, Hydrangea, Ixora, Malphigia, Pavetta, Plumbago, Poinsettia, roses, Stenolobium

Clumping plants, features and perennials

Agave, canna, gerberas, geranium, hippeastrum, day lillies, periwinkle, lavender, russellia, cestrum.
Agapanthus - Agapanthus africanus
Cycad - Cycas media
Shell ginger - Alpina speciosa
Shrimp plant - Belaperone guttata

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Side Garden or Boundary Planting

Side garden with traditional form and plants

This side garden has the traditional form and plants - a palm and frangipani in the front corner, ferns and hippeastrums along the house, bougainvillea, ixora and allamanda along the street fences.

Acalypha - used as a hedge, often two colours alternated
Hibiscus - rosa sinensis
Sacred bamboo - Nandina domestica

Shaded Areas - e.g. under mango trees, bush house

Ferns, anthuriums, marantas, begonias, allocasias, diffenbachias
Fruit salad plant - Monstera deliciosa
Native violet - Viola hederacea
Orchid - Dendrobium sp

Vines

Pyrostegia, Bougainvillea
Bridal blush - Antigonon leptopus
Climbing roses - Rosea sp.
Jasmine - Jasminum sp
Purple wreath - Petrea volubilis
Trumpet flower - Beaumontia sp.

Contemporary Additions

The following plants now generally available may suit a garden designed in the traditional style.

Trees and Palms

Beauty leaf - Calophyllum inophyllum
Dillenia alata
Euodia - Melicope elleryana
Graptophyllum excelsum - native holly
Grevillea (tree) - Grevillea baileyana
Ivory curl - Buckinghamia celsissima
Kurrajong - Brachychiton acerifolius
Lilly pilly - Syzygium leuhmanii
Native gardenia - Randia fitzalanii
Pittosporum undulatum
Tea tree - Melaleuca bracteata
Tea tree - Melaleuca viridiflora
Tuckeroo - Cupaniopsis anacardioides

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Shrubs

lilly pilly - Syzygium species
Metrosideros queenslandica
Mock orange - Murraya paniculata

Clumping plants and features

Cordyline stricta
Cape York lily - Curcuma australasica
Matt rush - Lomandra multiflora
Native blue bells - Dianella caerulea
Native ginger - Alpinia modesta
Bird of paradise - Strelitzia reginae
Tree fern - Cyathea cooperi