Marketplace Products, plants, books

This month’s pick of the bunch at garden centres, online and in bookshops

There are three new kniphofias on the market. The unusual Kniphofia rufa ‘Rasta’ (left) has foliage that grows to 1m tall and 50cm wide with lime green and pink shaggy, pendulous tubular flowers that are coral-red in bud and just over 1m tall so they peek through the foliage. Two new dwarf forms that are K. linearifolia crosses are K. ‘Scorched Corn’ (below left) and K. ‘Sweet Corn’ (below right). ‘Scorched Corn’ has tightly packed, greenish-white buds, which open to burnt-orange flowers that fade to beige then cream on 1.5m flower stems. The foliage grows to 50cm tall and 60cm wide. ‘Sweet Corn’ has butter-yellow flower spears, tight in bud, on a cylindrical flower stem rising to 60cm. Its foliage grows to 50cm tall and 40cm wide.

Once established, Kniphofia spp. are almost bulletproof as they are tolerant of drought, heat, coastal conditions and frost. They love full sun to semi-shade positions in garden beds and pots and, in warm weather, produce flower spikes above narrow, arching foliage. Remove spent flower heads to encourage new growth.

These varieties are now available in New South Wales nurseries, and other states by mail-order (except Tasmania and Western Australia). inspirationalgardening.com.au

Yellow inner petals and pinkish-red outer petals make the flowers of Nymphaea ‘Gregg’s Orange Beauty’ (far right) glow. This waterlily’s colourful blooms are set off by dark purplish leaves that age to green. For best growing conditions, submerge 30–50cm below the water surface in a medium or large pond.

Another pretty waterlily to grow is Nymphaea ‘Blushing Bride’ (inset). It has big, fragrant flowers with many petals, graduated in sunset colours from apricot pink to yellow, giving a sophisticated look. The bright green leaves are peppered with purplish-brown specks. Plants flower best when submerged 30–50cm deep. watergardenparadise.com.au

Perfect for a big pot or pond, waterlilies and lotuses add a sense of drama to the summer garden and suit spots where they can bask in at least four hours of sun per day.

Nymphaea ‘Lindsey Woods’ (above) is a tropical waterlily with deep purple petals, black sepals and almost black buds carried on stems above the water. Green lily pads are mottled with reddish purple. Place in a pot with a diameter of 20cm or more and plant with 20cm of water above the crown. Available now only in person from

Wallis Creek Watergarden, or by mail-order next year.

The hybrid Lotus ‘Golden Heart’ (below) has abundant, single pink flowers in summer with a warm yellow blush in the centre. Lush green leaves on ridged stems are held above the water and flowers appear in the hottest months on tall stems above the leaves. Hybridised and trialled at Wallis Creek Watergarden, it is available online. While most lotuses are vigorous, this one has been bred to flower in a bucket-sized container filled with 75mm of soil. walliscreekwater garden.com.au

Ceanothus ‘Concha’ (below), like all ceanothus, is very drought-tolerant and suits all areas except those with a wet summer. It is a beautiful evergreen shrub and, in spring, its magenta-purple buds open to a cloud of vivid, dark blue flowers, which hide the small, dark green leaves. With time, it will grow to 3m tall and wide. This ceanothus will take some summer irrigation and suits both coastal and inland gardens. lambley.com.au

Lomandra ‘Little Lime’ is a lush but very tough and compact plant that is ideal for low borders and garden beds, growing 30–60cm tall and wide. It has a clumping, tufting appearance, needs very little maintenance, and stays lush year-round but it does not flower. ‘Little Lime’ adapts to most soils but prefers free-draining conditions in full sun to a semi-shade position. bushmagik.com