Brace yourselves for another week of top temps with a threat of a storm on Monday!

Ahoy Perthlings!

With the heat continuing, the mood dial is definitely set to tropical! So this week's trio of top tips will not disappoint!

A darling of the water wise varieties is the cute n colourful Rhoeo Spathacia. From the Tradescantia family, also known as Spiderwort and Moses in the Cradle (how on earth it earned either of those names I'll never know....answers on a postcard please :)), this two-tone evergreen clump of self-propagating groundcover will grow to an approximate max of 0.5m in height and 1m width but divides easily. Rhoeo are fast growing in full sun, drought tolerant but sensitive to frost, looking fabulous in planters, rockeries and borders.

Our second two-tone tropical tempter is modelled here by our willing employee and ex Harlem Globetrotter, (despite the look on his face, I assure you no gentle coercion was applied to attain this photo)! Ok well, I may have been stretching the truth a little with the subtle hint to our human yard-stick being of the 8 foot basketball-playing physique...I'm guessing around 5' 7" possibly and without wishing to offend by my monumental lack of ability to judge size...or age for that matter but I digress! These beautiful, bang for buck, Ctenanthe Setosa Grey Star 250mm are outstanding value, perfect indoors or outside in part shade for understory planting, somewhere protected from the elements. Preferring moist, well-drained, humous-rich soil they can grow up to 1.5m in ideal conditions.

Our last tropical teaser for the week is the very handsome Dracaena Black Knight 250mm aka Madagascar Dragon Tree. Growing up to 2m tall and 1m wide this upright, evergreen tree with its dark green, spiky leaves makes a great statement piece inside or out. Does well in feature pots or planted out with well-draining soil in full sun or part shade. If indoors be sure to place in a well lit position to further enhance the dark foliage. Reasonably easy care, this gorgeous Dracaena likes to be watered only when dry, enjoys regular doses of fertiliser, will survive cold winters, but not frost and likes a bit of stem pruning in Spring! Beautiful!

Happy planting guys! :)

Best wishes Jo Joanne Hughes Wanneroo Plant Farm Ph: 08 9405 2615