We planted it amongst a group of native plants quite a few years ago and this one seems to flower continuously, which attracts the birds (particularly the New Holland honeyeaters) and bees. The shrub reaches a couple of metres in height and width and has soft green foliage.

Ours is a tree but in the wild they usually stay a bushy shrub and grow on the road verges across most of southern Australia, from east to west. They flower throughout the whole year, there's always flower spikes somewhere on the tree. The seed cones are quite characteristic and I've often featured them in my PAD galleries.

P. rodneyanum (an Australian species) which I have growing both as a ground-cover on the edges of the rose garden and in a hanging pot. Works well both ways. It seems to always be in bloom and is so easy to grow with no special requirements apart from good drainage.

This rose needs some space, it arches with long prickly canes and catches you as you pass by if you're not careful. I've planted this rose alongside a birdbath and it works rather well being a similar height. The birds love the protection while they dry themselves. The rose is always in bloom but they don't drop off cleanly when they've finished blooming, you have to have the pruners in your hands as you wander past this rose. I forgot to give it a sniff, not sure if its scented...will check and add comment later.

One of several roses brought to Europe from the Orient, which were then crossed with the once-flowering old European roses. This one has quite a few names, e.g., "Slater's Crimson China", "Belfield", "Chinese Monthly Rose" "Old Crimson China" & "Rosa chinensis semperflorens". I tend to use the last name of this group, but it may have been one of those referred to as "The Last Rose of Summer" as it blooms forever! Long believed extinct, it was rediscovered by rosarian Richard Thomson in Bermuda in 1956. A photo without the raindrops can be found on this link (page 1) http://www.pbase.com/yvonneii/spring_garden_walk_06 Remember, May is autumn down under!

AKA "First Class" and "White Magic" its a spreading floribunda rose which bears small clusters of these semi-double blooms opening the palest lemon and becoming snowy white with age. There's a slight whiff of a fruity fragrance. Mine hasn't got that tall, perhaps 4 ft, because I am taller than the bush! Ideal grown as a bordering plant in a rose garden, not really suited for plants at its feet because of its spread. Like all white roses, very beautiful to see in the moonlight.