NOW that wisterias have finished flowering, it's time to give them a prune.
Cut back any of the new long growths to within half a dozen buds from the main stem. This encourages bushy growth and more flowers the following year.
Many people tend to prune a wisteria when it is dormant in winter, but all this does is prune off the wood that is going to flower and hence you have another flowerless wisteria year.
Plant a Christmas bush to enjoy at this festive time of the year. There are several plants that go by the common name of Christmas bush and they are all worthy of a place in the garden.
The New Zealand Christmas bush, (Meterosideros species) or pohutukawa, is seen as a street tree in many of our coastal towns and it is extremely hardy in a sunny location and can tolerate salt spray and strong winds.
There are several cultivars of metrosideros available so get one with a height and flower colour that suits your location.
Go native
THE Victorian Christmas bush is Prostanthera lasianthos, one of the native mint bushes.
This is a large shrub that grows to 3-5 metres high and around 2-3m wide. Grow it in a sheltered location out of strong winds and enjoy the white flowers with purple markings and mint fragrance in the leaves.
It prefers a moist, well-drained soil in semi-shade, so is an ideal plant for the sheltered side of the house.
The NSW Christmas bush is Ceratopetalum gummiferum, which is a 3-5m shrub with showy red floral parts in summer.
It is hardy under most conditions, but keep it moist while young and it will tolerate drier conditions as it becomes established.
One plant to grow for Christmas as a living bush to decorate, either in a large tub or garden, is Adenanthos sericeus, (often called woolly bush), and in particular the compact form called silver streak.
This bushy, silver foliaged plant is native to Western Australia and has the ideal habit to make a delightful bush to keep in a pot and decorate for Christmas.
Leave it outside in a sunny location.
It tolerates coastal conditions, dry conditions once established and loves the sun.
