The Bugle’s gardening column, featuring local expert John Gabriele, will help you get the best out of your patch all year round.

There’s nothing better than spring - the sun is shining, the garden’s calling, and it’s the perfect time for a good nursery ramble. Picking out beautiful new plants is one of life’s simplest (and most satisfying) pleasures.

Spring isn’t just about flowers either - there are some incredible foliage plants that really shine this time of year.

One of my favourites is a small Australian native: Acmena smithii ‘Forest Flame’. This beauty produces lush new growth in a rich, burgundy tone - it’s absolutely stunning. 

It does flower with small white blooms, but this variety is mainly grown for its striking foliage. Give it a regular trim when it’s young, and you’ll encourage more of that vibrant new growth to keep coming through.

It’s a fantastic choice for our local conditions, thriving in a wide range of soils and perfect for native gardens.

Another foliage standout is Loropetalum ‘Plum Gorgeous’. As the name suggests, its deep plum-coloured leaves are the main attraction - complemented by bright pink fringe flowers that give it its other name: Chinese Fringe Flower.

‘Plum Gorgeous’ works beautifully as a feature shrub or trimmed into a hedge. The more you clip it, the more colour you’ll see - making it a rewarding addition to any garden.

If you’re looking for groundcovers that bring a burst of colour, you can’t go past Osteospermum. The variety I’ve been enjoying lately is called ‘3D Steel Blue’. 

It’s a hardy little plant, often called a seaside daisy or Boneseed, and it thrives in sunny, coastal conditions - perfect for areas exposed to salt winds.

It’s tough, low-maintenance, and flowers prolifically through spring with those eye-catching daisy-like blooms.

Prefer to go native? The Rhodanthe is another wonderful groundcover, producing paper-like white flowers with pink buds and soft glaucous foliage. 

Plant it en masse, and your garden will look incredible. These are great in native-themed landscapes or anywhere you want a delicate touch of colour.

For something a little different, check out Convolvulus. The variety I like has silver foliage, which makes it another excellent pick for coastal gardens. 

Silver leaves usually mean good salt tolerance, and it’s topped off with masses of white, funnel-shaped flowers. After flowering, give it a quick clip and it’ll reward you for years to come.

I also love using Bracteantha (commonly called strawflower) as a filler plant. This Aussie native has papery daisy blooms in a rainbow of colours - from orange to pink, white, red and yellow. They’re just starting to bud now, but as the weather warms, they’ll burst open with colour.

Another bonus? Once they’re done flowering, you can harvest the dried heads for seed. 

Store them away, sow them in April, and you’ll have a fresh flush of blooms next spring.

And who can resist a little thrift? Armeria maritima is a charming border plant with cheerful flowers and excellent salt tolerance. It’s compact, hardy, and looks fantastic tucked among shrubs or planted along pathways.

So this spring, get out in the garden, support your local nursery, and enjoy a good old-fashioned nursery ramble. There’s no better time to get planting!