The complex flower garden is one of three species-rich garden types. These 16
gardens were scattered around seven of the 13 suburbs surveyed, within a range of
original vegetation types, including heathy-woodland/forest, dry sclerophyll
woodland/forest and grassy woodland. Rainfall ranged between 532 mm and 650
The gardens averaged 213 species (Table 3.4) with the range being 122 to 364
species. Two gardens had over 300 species, with the lowest number of species being
122, 126, and 129. The majority of gardens had between 170 species and 250
species.
Five species in this garden type showed total fidelity (Table 3.3, Appendix 2), and
did not occur in other garden types. These species were Eucomis comosa (50%), Ixia maculata (31%), Coreopsis lanceolata, Ficus benjamina, and Verbena officinalis (all 25%). Other species that showed marginal fidelity included Verbena hybrida,
Diascia barberae, Sparaxis tricolor, Helleborus foetidus and Heuchera micrantha
var. diversicolor ‘purpurea’. Three species were both highly constant and highly faithful to this type: Anenome hupehensis and Cymbidium spp. (69%), and
Penstemon spp.(63%). Nine species showed both moderate constancy and a medium degree of fidelity. Some of these included Scabiosa caucasica, Aquilegia caerulea, Ageratum houstonianum, and Penstemon barbatus (56%). Twenty-four species were highly constant (>69%), but not faithful to the type. These included: Rosa spp. and
Azalea indica (94%); Hydrangea macrophylla, Aquilegia vulgaris, Agapanthus praecox, Lobelia erinus, Tanacetum parthenium, Viola x wittrockiana, Camellia japonica, and Rhododendron spp. (all >80%). The constancy of Hydrangea, Camellia and Rhododendron correlates with the high constancy of the same species in the ‘gardenesque’ type described by Zagorski et al. (2004).
Herbaceous perennials (28%) and evergreen shrubs (25%) were the most speciose
life forms (Table 3.3), contributing to the species richness and abundance of this
type. Other frequent life forms were evergreen trees (7%), bulbous perennials (6%),
evergreen perennials (6%) and deciduous shrubs (5%). Some of the more common
elliptica (25%), among a few conifers. Twelve species of culinary herbs were present (1%), as well as a number of ferns (3%).
These gardens were rich in exotics (80%), with species originating from all parts of
the globe, but in particular the northern hemisphere. The most common origin of
species was Asia (19%). Despite 16 percent of total species in this garden type
originating in Australia, this percentage was the lowest for species of Australian
origin of all seven types. Other species originated from Eurasia (12%), South Africa
(8%) and South America (7%). Eight percent originated in the Mediterranean, seven
percent came from Europe and four percent were cosmopolitan. Tasmanian natives
represented three percent of the total species in this garden type, and apart from the
Vegetable garden type, the percentage of ‘rare or threatened’ species was the lowest
of the garden types.
Structurally, over half of the gardens took the form of a ‘traditional’ Australian
garden, stereotypical of gardens created on rectangular quarter acre suburban blocks
(see Interlude) and reflecting the ‘Great Australian Dream’ (Boyd, 1987; Davison,
1995; Horne, 1966; Daniels and Kirkpatrick, 2006; Duruz 1995; Holmes, 2000;
Kemeny 1981; Seddon, 1997; Taylor et al., 2005; Timms, 2006). Most of these gardens had border beds that abutted onto the fence and that also surrounded the
house. Some had garden beds in the middle of lawns, often of various shapes and
some extensive in area. The border beds tended to be wide, up to two metres if not
more, with ample space to support the proliferation of flowering plants, particularly
perennials. Vegetable beds were boxed, distinct, often raised above the normal
ground level. Some gardens had lawns that were maintained, others had lawns as
token gestures and were allowed to die back in summer; two gardeners were in the
evergreen shrubs – described as specimen plants in horticulture – occupied central
spaces in these lawns. Deciduous exotic species of shrubs and trees created a visual
display both in springtime with prolific flowering and in autumn with leaf
colouration. Garden layers consisted of annuals and perennials to one metre, medium
to tall shrubs, interspersed between small trees. Terracing was an important hard
landscape feature as some of these gardens were on steep slopes23. Structurally these
gardens were similar to the ones described by Zagorski et al. (2004) as ‘gardenesque’.
Structurally, the remaining gardens in this type took on the form of a ‘cottage
garden’. Rambling, a profusion of textures, scents and colour, random in their mix of
species, these gardens differed from the gardenesque style. With no apparent borders
or beds these gardens were a mosaic of annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetables
with shrubs poking out above the smaller plants and a canopy of small trees
providing shade and protection. Paths, marked and unmarked meandered through the
garden, enabling the visitor or the gardener to indulge and surround themselves in
both verdancy and a kaleidoscope of colour. These gardens were devoid of lawns;
instead there were pebbled and mulched areas, and in two cases extensive areas of
painted concrete (Figure C, photo essay). Some retaining walls were used as supports
for training and creeping plants.
Most of the gardens in this type, with their profusion of colour nearly the whole year
round, reflected the desire and love of the gardener for flowers. For Raie her garden
represented my idyllic dream garden of continual flowers and colour all year round.
23
Hobart is a city situated in a very hilly environment. As such many of the gardens visited were on medium to steep slopes, necessitating some form of retainment of soil and garden beds.