Over the winter months, our focus very much shifts towards bare-rooted deciduous ornamental trees, deciduous fruit trees and roses.
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This is very understandable since the window of opportunity for purchasing these plants is very limited, and once the spring weather starts to creep in, the bare-rooted season will end abruptly.
In the meantime, however, there are so many plants that put on beautiful winter floral displays that tend to almost go unnoticed.
One of the best examples is the banksia, a native plant that is often overlooked when people think about Australian gardens.
Grevilleas, wattles, eucalypts, bottlebrushes, lilly pillies and even waratahs probably come to mind first when discussing native trees and shrubs, leaving the poor banksia to once again be forgotten.
Although often considered strictly coastal plants, banksias are found far beyond the coast.
There are well over 150 species, and they can be found in a wide range of climates and growing conditions.
Closely related to proteas, banksias produce some truly spectacular flowers.
Their blooms are predominantly cone-shaped or cylindrical flower spikes made up of multiple densely packed tiny individual flowers.
They are usually rich in nectar, making them a magnet for native birds and insects.
Flowering mainly during autumn and winter, they display colours ranging from copper and bronze to yellow, orange, peach, red and even almost purple.
Most banksias prefer a well-drained, slightly acidic soil to perform at their best. However, many varieties will adapt to heavier clay soils if given good drainage and a little extra care when planting.
They also like an open, airy, full-sun position where the air is less humid.
Once flowering has finished, a light prune is all that's generally needed, with very little other maintenance required.
Because of their specialised root systems, which are very efficient at extracting nutrients from poor sandy soils, banksias are very sensitive to phosphorus, so they require little to no fertiliser.
If you are feeding nearby plants, be sure to use a low-phosphorus, native-friendly fertiliser.
Some of the varieties worth keeping an eye out for in our area include Banksia 'Birdsong', a dwarf hybrid cross between Banksia spinulosa and Banksia ericifolia.
It grows to around 1–2m tall with bright yellow, candle-like flowers that turn a deep orange-red as they age.
A hybrid of similar parentage, Banksia 'Giant Candles' grows to around 3–4m high.
It has large, 40cm-long bronze-orange flower spikes throughout winter and into spring, which make stunning cut flowers.
Burdett's banksia is another variety with spectacular flowers that are ideal for cutting.
Its two-toned flowers are initially white before opening into bright orange, cone-shaped flower spikes above the long, serrated foliage.
It grows as a large, bushy shrub to about 4m high.
Banksia petiolaris is an unusual ground-cover banksia that can spread across an area of about 3m while reaching only about 30cm in height.
Its spreading habit hugs the ground while sending up large, bright yellow, candle-like flower spikes above the foliage from late winter through to summer.
Another excellent prostrate variety is Banksia blechnifolia, which, like B. petiolaris, is not only very showy but is also excellent for erosion control.
It has interesting serrated reddish new growth and attractive cylindrical flower heads ranging in colour from red and pink to orange and brown.
Banksia praemorsa (Red Dawn) is a beautiful form of the coastal banksia that grows to 3–4m high.
The leathery, serrated foliage is deep green with an attractive silvery underside, making it a year-round feature plant even when not in flower.
The crimson-red flower spikes are an added bonus from winter through to early summer.
For smaller gardens or narrow spaces, Banksia Sentinel is an excellent choice.
This compact form of the hardy coast banksia grows 4–6m high but only about 2m wide.
It features the same dense silvery-green foliage and golden cylindrical flower spikes that make the standard form of the coast banksia such a striking native plant.
Several compact varieties also perform beautifully in pots, including Banksia Birthday Candles, Cherry Candles, Stumpy Gold and Mini Marge.
Their compact, tidy growth makes them ideal for feature tubs around pools and sunny alfresco areas.
So, with a little thought and imagination, you could easily incorporate one of these beautiful, often-overlooked native plants into your garden.