Colourful results from "Growing What Works"

The second in a series of 'getting to know our gardening neighbours'.. 


"A riot of bright pink colour surrounds the home of Susan Norris overlooking Shoalhaven Lake. It’s a reason her garden won the Small Garden category in the 2008 Mawson Lakes Garden Competition'*

Susan, who works from home, says she spends an hour or so every day in her garden, no matter what the weather, and people are always stopping to ask her the secrets of such a beautiful garden.

“I tell them that it starts with good rich soil. I plough lots of water saving mulch into my garden,” she said.

She uses Brunnings Water Saving Mulch, Seamungus fertiliser and Sudden Impact for Roses across the whole garden.

Other tips include frequent cutting back (rather than severe pruning) and experimenting with plants until she find the ones that work. “Go easy on the water and do not apply strong fertiliser that can burn plants,” she advises.

“My best tip is to grow what works. By selecting hardy and forgiving plants you can make a wonderful year-round display.”

Susan finds that the following plants grow well in her garden: begonias, lillypilly which she prunes into round shapes, primulas, geraniums, pelargoniums, and she likes alyssum to fill the small gaps. She has roses, hibiscus, daisies and a few delicate cyclamens under shady trees. Her her most recent planting is a jacaranda tree.


*Article & photograph kindly submitted by Linda Vining, organiser of the 2010 Mawson Lakes Garden Competition, for inclusion on the Mawson Lakes Community Website.  
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