When I think of spring I usually think of flowers. Annuals are classically in abundance but there’s nothing more spectacular than a tree or shrub bursting with colour. There’s some marvellous natives out there to choose from, like the wonderfully diverse arrays of Grevilleas, Acacias, Banksias, Callistemons (bottlebrushes), Melaleucas, and even the numerous types of Kangaroo Paws, the list goes on!

There’s literally hundreds of types available that will suit whatever conditions you have in your garden and all of them will look fantastic when they flower. The tough little ‘coastal rosemary’ Westringia fruticosa is one of my personal favourites and one that even flowers throughout the year.

Outside of natives, well, the world is your oyster. Just make sure you select something suitable for the space it is in. A flowering tree can make a great feature piece for your garden and a colourful shrub might be just what you need for that vacant spot in the yard or after having a tree removed.

Try wandering around your local neighbourhood and see what looks nice, growing conditions will be very similar to your own yard. Of course your local nursery is another place you can amble around at this time of year. Everything will be flowering, or about to flower, so you can really see what you’re getting before you buy it.

As I already mentioned above, flowering trees should only be pruned after they have finished flowering. Keeping them neat and compact will stop them from growing too leggy and most will quickly send out some new growth as they busily prepare to flower again. By encouraging this bushy habit your trees and shrubs will stay dense and compact, looking great all year round.