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Our Terms & Conditions have changed.

Please review our updated Terms & Conditions below:

It is agreed as follows:

The Customer wishes to purchase Goods from Benara for re-supply to other persons as part of the Customer’s business or for business purposes.
Benara agrees to supply Goods to the Customer upon and subject to the terms of this agreement and the Customer agrees that all Goods purchased from Benara shall be purchased pursuant to the terms of this agreement

General Conditions
Benara’s 2008 General Conditions for Supply Agreement (General Conditions) shall be incorporated into and form part of this agreement so far as they are not varied by or inconsistent with the express terms of this agreement.
The Customer and the Guarantor promise to Benara that they have read understood and agree to the General Conditions and without limitation give the authorisations and consents in relation to privacy contained therein.

Guarantee
In consideration of Benara having agreed at the request of the Guarantor to enter into this agreement with the Customer and by this deed the Guarantor does (and if more than one jointly and severally) hereby guarantee to Benara the due and punctual performance by the Customer of its obligations under this agreement on the terms of the guarantee set out in the General Conditions and grants to Benara the indemnity and security set out in the General Conditions.

Representations
The Customer and the Guarantor agree that in relation to any order or a combination of orders for the same or similar goods and/or services the Purchase Price of which exceeds $1,000, only the board of directors of Benara is authorised to make representations or give advice or engage in conduct of concerning or in any way relating thereto and then only in writing, and the Customer and the Guarantor promise to Benara that for the said orders they will not rely on any representation or conduct of any servant or agent of Benara as a representation or conduct of Benara, in deciding to purchase the said goods and/or services, and indemnify Benara as set out in the General Conditions.

Credit Card details
The Credit Card Holder hereby irrevocably authorises Benara to pay for all money owing by the Customer to Benara by charging the credit card specified or such other credit card as Credit Card Holder supplies to Benara and to pre-authorise payment up to the value of any order and warrants to Benara that the Credit Card will have sufficient credit or clear funds to pay for money that is due and payable by the Customer to Benara.

In this agreement including the recitals unless contrary to or inconsistent with the context:
Credit Card means the credit card specified in the schedule and any credit card given in addition thereto or in substitution therefor;
Credit Period means the period described in the schedule as the Credit Period or if no period is specified, 30 days, from and including the Supply Date.
Credit Card Transaction Fee means a fee calculated by multiplying the amount of a payment made under this agreement by the Credit Card by the appropriate credit card rate published on the Web Site from time to time for each brand of credit card currently 4.5% for Dinners and American Express and 1% for all other types of credit card;
credit report and credit reporting agency has the meaning given to it by the Privacy Act 1988;
Customer, you, your means the person or persons specified in the schedule as the Customer;
Customer's Associates means:
(a)      the owner, sender or receiver of the Delivered Goods;
(b)      a person having an interest in the Delivered Goods;
(c)      the Customer's principal; and
(d)      any agent, representative, employee or sub-contractor of the Customer or those persons.
Default Rate means the rate per annum published on the Web Site currently, or if no such rate is published, 15% per annum.
Delivery means:
(a)      if the Goods are collected by the Customer from the premises of Benara or inspected by the Customer prior to leaving the premises of Benara, the Goods leaving the premises of Benara, or otherwise
(b)      the Goods being delivered to the address of the Customer herein or such other address specified by the Customer from time to time;
and “Delivered” has a corresponding meaning;
Goods means the plants chattels and any services supplied or agreed to be supplied to the Customer from time to time;
Guarantor means the person or persons specified in the schedule as a guarantor and any officer or agent of a Customer who signs this agreement for that Customer;
Land means the land described in the schedule or any part thereof or any interest therein.
Purchase Price means the price charged by Benara for goods and services supplied by it from time to time as published as its premises or on the Web Site or to the Customer whether orally or in writing.
Reversal means a reversal or partial reversal of a transaction effected by Benara using a Credit Card, and (where the context permits) all money taken out of the account of Benara with, or otherwise paid by Benara to, a financial institution pursuant thereto;
schedule means the schedule to this agreement;
Supply Date means the date of Delivery or the date Goods are available to leave the premises of Benara, whichever is the earlier date;
Supply Fee means the price charged for Goods ordered by the Customer;
taxable supply, tax invoice consideration, GST and supply have the meanings given to those expressions in the A New Tax System (Goods and Goods Tax) Act 1999;
this agreement means the agreement that incorporates these general conditions;
we, us, our means Benara.
Web Site means www.benaranurseries.com or www.benara.com.au
It is a condition precedent to the formation of this agreement that Benara receives a credit report on the Customer (and if there is a Guarantor, the Guarantor) from a credit reporting agency and otherwise satisfies itself as to the credit worthiness of the Customer and the Guarantor. Until this condition is fulfilled or until Benara waives the condition by accepting an order or supplying Goods to or at the direction of the Customer, this agreement is and is to be treated by the parties as an application for credit by the Customer. The Customer and the Guarantor agree and consent to Benara obtaining a credit report on the Customer and the Guarantor from a credit reporting agency for the purpose of assessing the Customer’s application for credit. If the said condition is not satisfied or waived as aforesaid within 10 days after the execution of this agreement Benara will notify the Customer accordingly in writing and if necessary comply with section 18M of the Privacy Act 1988. If the said condition is not satisfied the Guarantor authorises and directs Benara to disclose all or any part of the credit report it obtains on the Guarantor to the Customer for the purpose of explaining why the condition has not been satisfied.
We are not obliged to accept any order made by you. If your order is accepted, the Goods the subject of that order will be Delivered ( or available for delivery as the case may be) to you within a reasonable time after acceptance but in any event not less than 7 days after the order is made unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Acceptance of an order may without limitation be communicated by Delivery.
You promise to us that:
(a)      You will inspect the Goods and raise any issue as to the quality or state of the Goods prior to or at Delivery as the case requires. If the issue cannot be resolved we may cancel the order for those Goods. If you do not inspect the Goods before they leave our premises, and there is no one at the address stipulated to inspect the Goods, the Goods shall be deemed to have been inspected and accepted by you;
(b)      Once Goods are Delivered you are taken to have accepted those Goods and will not allege that they or any of them are defective in any way or to any extent.
(c)      you will pay to us the Purchase Price for all Goods purchased by you on or before the expiration of the Credit Period;
(d)      the person named in the schedule as the owner of the Land described is you or one or more of you and that person or those persons is the legal and beneficial owner of that Land.
(e)      all information supplied by you as set out in the schedule or otherwise is true and correct.
It is the responsibility of the Customer to arrange for the Goods to be collected from our premises either by us or a third party. If we transport or arrange for the transportation of Goods on your behalf:
(a)      you promise to pay us therefore at the prevailing rates as published on the Web Site:
(b)      you promise to pay us for time taken by our agents in unloading the Goods at the rate published on the Web Site from time to time or if no such rate is published, $30 per hour for each person involved in the unloading of Goods.
(c)      you promise to pay us any packaging costs for Benara to reasonably pack your order should you wish for it to be delivered to you by a 3rd party transport provider.
Property and risk in Goods passes to you upon Delivery and it is your responsibility to insure those Goods upon Delivery.
Benara may terminate this agreement without notice.
The Purchase Price and all other taxable supplies are exclusive of GST and the recipient of the taxable supply will pay GST thereon.
In addition to the Purchase Price of Goods ordered by you, you promise to pay to us:
(a)      If any money is paid to us by credit card the Credit Card Transaction Fee payable on the date of the payment to which it relates;

(b)      all costs and expenses incurred by us or for which we become liable (including without limitation all legal court and debt collection costs and disbursements) of, concerning, arising out of or in any way relating to:

(i)            the exercise by us of our rights under this agreement;
(ii)           any default by you; and
(iii)           any enforcement of this agreement or any security given by or pursuant to this agreement (including without limitation the costs of any court action),

payable within 2 days of being notified thereof, such costs and expenses to include all costs and expenses except so far as they are of an unreasonable amount or have been unreasonably incurred so that subject to the above exceptions we will be completely indemnified by you for our said costs and expenses.
If you default in the payment of any money payable by you under or by reason of this agreement for a period of more than 2 days then whether or not any formal demand therefor has been made all money then owing that is not already due and payable shall become due and owing by you to us. If you are in default of any other provision of this agreement and the default is not capable of being remedied, or you fail to remedy the default within 2 days of being notified of that default in writing, all money then owing shall become due and owing by you to us.
If you default in the payment of any money under this agreement interest will be charged on the amount owing and unpaid from time to time at the Default Rate as from and including the due date for payment until it has been repaid. At the end of every calendar month any unpaid interest shall be capitalised for the purpose of calculating interest, namely it will be added to and increase the amount due and owing and thereafter interest shall be charged on the sum of the amount then due and owing and the unpaid interest at the said rate. Unless otherwise advised by us payments shall be applied first in payment of interest. The provisions of this paragraph are without prejudice to any of our other rights and remedies.
You, and if more than one of you, each of you, hereby charge all of your right, title and interest in and to the Land and in and to all other land which you, and if more than one of you, any of you, now own or at any time hereafter may own to secure your obligations under this agreement. If we lodge a caveat over all or any of the said land we are under no obligation to withdraw that caveat but must execute a withdrawal of that caveat presented to us by you for that purpose once you have satisfied all of your obligations under this agreement.
Further you hereby charge all Delivered Goods to secure your obligations under this agreement.

14.1     If there is a default by you under this agreement it shall be lawful for us, without any further consent or concurrence on your part, to enter into and upon the land, messuage, or tenement whereon any of the Delivered Goods is or may reasonably be supposed to be in the possession or under the control of any of you, or any Guarantor, and for that purpose to open or remove any outer or inner gate, door, fastening, or other obstruction, without liability to any action of trespass or other proceeding for so doing; but with liberty to plead the leave and license hereby given in bar to any such action or proceeding, if any such be brought or instituted, and to seize and take possession of all Delivered Goods, and to remove the same to any other place or places for safety, convenience of sale, or otherwise, or suffer them to remain in the place or places where the same may be found, and to sell and dispose thereof or any of them either together or in parcels, at such time or times, and place or places, and either by public auction or private contract, or partly by public auction and partly by private contract, to any person or persons, for such price or prices, either for cash or on credit, or partly for cash and partly on credit, and if either partly or wholly on credit, giving such time or times for payment, and taking or foregoing any security or securities for the payment of the unpaid purchase money as we may deem proper or expedient, with power for us to make any such other terms and conditions in regard to such sale or sales as we may think proper, and also to buy in all or any of the Delivered Goods at any such sale or sales by auction, and rescind or vary any contract for sale thereof, and again to resell or offer for resale the same from time to time, without being answerable or accountable for any loss, diminution in price, costs, or expenses to be occasioned by any such bringing in, rescission, variance, or actual or attempted resale.

14.2     It shall be lawful for us, upon or after any such sale as aforesaid, to make, enter into, sign, and execute all such contracts, agreements, deeds, instruments, and writings as may be necessary or expedient for the purpose of making and effectuating any such sale, and which shall be as binding and conclusive upon and against you as if you had joined therein, or assented thereto. The receipt or receipts in writing of us for all purchase money or other property which shall be paid or delivered to it under or by virtue of this bill of sale, shall be a good and sufficient discharge to all purchasers or other persons paying or delivering the same, and such purchaser or other persons shall not be required to see to the application or be answerable for the misapplication or non-application thereof, or be bound or concerned to inquire into the propriety or expediency of any such sale or resale.

14.3     We shall, out of the moneys which shall come to its hands by reason of any such sale or sales in the first place, discharge the costs and expenses incurred or sustained in or about such sale or sales, and all other costs, charges, and expenses incurred or occasioned in or about the execution of the powers and authorities contained in the bill of sale, and shall retain the balance of such moneys, or so much thereof as may be necessary, in or towards payment and satisfaction of the Secured Moneys, and shall pay to you any surplus then remaining.
We may add to vary or remove any provision of this agreement by publishing the change on the Web Site.
We will not be held liable where circumstances beyond our reasonable control prohibit us from performing our obligations under this Agreement. These include but are not limited to:
(a) an act of God, peril of the sea, accident of navigation, war, sabotage, riot, insurrection, civil commotion, national emergency (whether in fact in law), martial law, intentional damage to property or damage to property caused by the negligent act or omission of any person (including a servant or agent of a party) other than a party, fire, lightening, flood, cyclone, earthquake, landslide, storm or other adverse weather conditions, explosion, power shortage, strike or other labour difficulty (whether or not involving employees of the party concerned), epidemic, quarantine, radiation or radioactive contamination;
(b) any action or inaction of any government or governmental or other competent jurisdiction, including expropriation, restraint, prohibition, intervention, requisition, requirement, direction or embargo by legislation, regulation, decree or other legally enforceable order; and
a breakdown of plant, machinery or equipment or shortages of labour, transportation, fuel, power or plant, machinery, equipment or material.
Except as herein provided, to the fullest extent permitted by law all express and implied warranties, guarantees and conditions under statute or general law as to merchantability, description, quality, suitability or fitness for any purpose of goods or services supplied by Benara to the Customer are expressly excluded.
In this clause 'Customer' includes the Customer's Associates.

18.1     To the maximum extent permitted by law, under no circumstances will Benara be liable to the Customer for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages of any kind, including without limitation damages for loss of business or other profits, arising out of or referable to this agreement or any act done or omitted to be done under or by reason of this agreement, whether caused by the negligence of or breach of statutory duty by Benara or otherwise.

18.2     Notwithstanding any other clause of this agreement under no circumstances shall Benara be responsible to the Customer for any injurious act or default of Benara, nor, in any event, shall Benara be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage suffered by the Customer either in respect of:

(a)      the theft, misdelivery, delay in delivery, loss, damage or destruction, by whatever cause, of any goods being carried or stored on behalf of the Customer by Benara at any time (and regardless of whether there has been any deviation from any agreed or customary route of carriage or place of storage);
(b)      any consequential loss of profit, revenue, business, contracts or anticipated savings; or
(c)      any other indirect consequential or special loss, injury or damage of any nature;
and whether in contract, tort (including without limitation, negligence or breach of statutory duty) or otherwise.

18.3     Notwithstanding the above provisions, nothing in this Agreement is intended to limit or exclude any liability on the part of Benara and its affiliates and related entities where and to the extent that applicable law prohibits such exclusion or limitation.

18.4 The liability of Benara to the Customer for a breach of a condition or warranty implied by law and which cannot be excluded, is limited, to the extent possible, at Benara's option, to:

(a)      the supply of the goods or services again; or
(b)      the repair of the goods; or
(c)      the payment of the cost of having the goods or services supplied again or repaired.

18.5 Every exemption from liability, defence and immunity of whatsoever nature applicable to Benara or to which Benara is entitled hereunder shall also be available and shall extend to protect Benara and every one of Benara’s servants or agents acting hereunder or making or giving statements information or advice and for the purposes of this clause Benara shall be or shall be deemed to be acting as agent or trustee on behalf of and for the benefit of Benara and all persons who are or might be its servants or agents from time to time as well as on its own behalf and all such persons shall to this extent be or be deemed to be parties to this agreement.

18.6 You warrant to us that you enter into this agreement on your own account and as agent for every Customer's Associates and to indemnify Benara against all actions, suits, claims and demand whatsoever which may be brought against it and also all costs damages and expenses which Benara may in any wise pay or incur in or as a consequence of defending or settling the same or in any way relating thereto, in consequence of or by reason of or arising out of or in respect of any demand or claim brought by or on behalf of the Customer’s Associates arising out of, related to, or connected with this agreement.
If the Customer or a Guarantor relies on conduct that it has promised by this agreement they will not rely on, or a Customer’s Associate relies on any such conduct, the Customer hereby indemnifies Benara against all actions, suits, claims and demand whatsoever which may be brought against it and also all costs damages and expenses which Benara may in any wise pay or incur in or as a consequence of defending or settling the same or in any way relating thereto, in consequence of or by reason of or arising out of or in respect of that reliance including without limitation any claim made against it by any of its servants or agents whose conduct was relied upon.
No waiver or indulgence by any party to this agreement shall be binding upon that party unless in writing and in any event no waiver of one breach of any term or condition of this agreement shall operate as a continuing waiver unless so expressed nor shall it operate as a waiver of another breach of the same or any other term or condition of this agreement.
Any notice or other document or writing required to be served on any party hereto may be served by prepaid ordinary post and any such notice or other document in writing shall be deemed to be served two days after it was so posted. You nominate your address in the schedule as the address for service of notices by us on you by post. Any notice or other document or writing required to be served on you by us may be served by email at your email address herein (if any and if more than one the first mentioned email address) or at such other email address as you may have notified to us in writing from time to time as an email address for the service of notices or by fax to your facsimile number herein (if any and if more than one the first mentioned facsimile number) or to such other facsimile number as you may have notified to us in writing from time to time as your facsimile number for the service of notices. In the event of any legal proceeding in respect of this agreement being begun by us the process by which it is begun may be served by post on you at the same address and in the same manner prescribed for the service of any notice in writing by post.
Any notice or other information that Benara is entitled to serve or publish under this agreement may be served or published by displaying the notice or information on the Web Site. Publication of any notice or information in this way is deemed to effect service thereof on the Customer 7 days from but not including the date of publication.
The Customer consents to Benara sending unsolicited commercial electronic messages as defined in the Spam Act 2003 (Cth) to the Customer’s email address or mobile telephone number. In so doing Benara warrants that any such message shall clearly and accurately identify the individual or organisation who authorised the sending of the message and include accurate information about how the recipient can readily contact the individual or organisation. The Customer agrees that whilst money is owing by the Customer under this agreement Benara is not obliged to provide an unsubscribe facility in any of the said electronic messages.
Words importing the singular number or plural number shall include the plural number and the singular number respectively; and words importing the masculine or neuter genders shall include every gender. When two or more parties enter into covenants, obligations and or agreements together, those covenants, obligations and or agreements on their part contained refer to and shall bind them and any two or greater number of them jointly and each of them severally. If you are a trustee of any trust, you enter into this agreement on your own behalf and in your capacity as trustee of that trust.
This agreement shall be deemed to have been made in the State of Western Australia and the construction, validity and performance of this agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of that State and the Customer irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts within Perth Western Australia, waives any objection to the venue of any legal process on the basis that the process has been brought in an inconvenient forum and waives any immunity in respect of its obligations under this agreement that it may acquire from the jurisdiction of any court or any legal process for any reason including the service of notice, attachment before judgment, attachment in aid of execution or execution.
The use of the Credit Card or the supply of Goods to or at your direction is a sufficient communication by us to you that we have signed this agreement.
If there is a Reversal the parties agree that for the purposes of this agreement and determining their respective rights and obligations the Reversal was never paid. By way of example only, if there is a Reversal and the Reversal was payable to Benara, the Customer will be in breach of this agreement as from the due date for payment of the Reversal.
In consideration of Benara having agreed at the request of the Guarantor to enter into this agreement with the Customer the Guarantor does (and if more than one jointly and severally) HEREBY GUARANTEE to Benara the due and punctual performance by the Customer of its obligations under this agreement and the Guarantor HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES and declares that this Guarantee shall be a continuing guarantee for the whole of the moneys hereby secured and shall not be avoided released or affected in any way by:

(a)      any agreement or arrangement made between Benara and the Customer whether with or without the consent of the Guarantor or by any alterations or variations to the rights or obligations of either of them;
(b)      the granting of any time or other indulgence or forbearance by Benara to the Customer whether or not the granting of such further time or other indulgence imposes further liabilities on the Guarantor;
(c)      the fact of or notice of the death mental incapacity bankruptcy or liquidation of the Customer or the Guarantor or any of them;
(d)      any composition or arrangement with or release of the Customer or any composition or arrangement with or release of any one or more of the Guarantor or any other surety or person by Benara whether the consent of the Guarantor or any of them to any of the foregoing shall have been obtained or notice thereof given to him or not or any omission or delay on the part of Benara;
(e)      the fact that any money payable by the Customer is not or may cease to be or any part thereof cease to be recoverable from him or from any of the Guarantor or other person or that the Customer be discharged from all or any of Customer's obligations to pay such money or any part thereof for any reason other than that the same have been paid;
(f)       any change in membership of the Customer or any partnership or firm of which the Customer is a member or the death liquidation or bankruptcy of the Customer or any member of the Customer or the assent of Benara to any composition arrangement or scheme in respect of the Customer or the acceptance by Benara of any dividend or sum of money thereunder,

and Benara shall be at liberty to regard the Guarantor in all respects as principal debtors and shall not be obliged to take action first against the Customer.

28.2 The Guarantor further acknowledges and declares that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall not merge or be deemed to have merged in any judgement obtained by Benara against the Customer and the Guarantor shall remain liable to Benara in the terms of this Guarantee notwithstanding that Benara may in the meantime obtain a judgement against the Customer.

28.3 Any payment made to Benara and later avoided by the application of any statutory provision shall be deemed not to discharge the Guarantor’s liability and in any such event the parties are to be restored to the rights which each respectively would have had if the payment had not been made.

28.4     Further in consideration of Benara having agreed to enter into this agreement with the Customer on the terms and conditions herein contained at the request of the Guarantor the Guarantor further covenants with Benara to save harmless and indemnify Benara from and against all losses damages costs and expenses which Benara may suffer as a result of Benara entering into this agreement including but without limitation all costs incurred by Benara as a result of or arising out of enforcing its rights under this agreement or any other security held by Benara in respect of the obligations of the Customer hereunder or in any way incidental to this agreement or any other such security or in defending any action, claim or demand made against it by the Customer and insofar as it may be necessary so to do in order to give full effect to this indemnity the Guarantor shall waive any rights of recourse they might otherwise have or have had against the Customer arising out of this indemnity.

28.5 In the event that the Customer is wound up and a liquidator of the Customer shall lawfully disclaim these presents at any time, no such disclaimer shall operate so as to relieve the obligations of the Guarantor to Benara pursuant to this indemnity AND IT IS EXPRESSLY AGREED THAT the provisions of this indemnity shall survive any termination of this agreement arising out of any such disclaimer.

28.6     It is expressly agreed that this indemnity shall continue notwithstanding any agreement or arrangement or variation of any agreement between Benara and the Customer and the provisions of the Guarantee hereinbefore given shall with the necessary changes apply to this indemnity.

28.7 In the event that there is more than one person or corporation constituting the Guarantor or there is any other co-surety then it is expressly agreed between each Guarantor who executes this agreement and Benara that the failure of any one or more Guarantor or any other co-surety to execute this agreement or any document as the case may be or the fact that this guarantee is not binding on any one or more Guarantor who executes the same for any reason whatsoever or that any one or more Guarantor is for any reason whatsoever discharged from their obligations hereunder shall not in any way relieve them or the others of them as the case may be from liability under this guarantee and indemnity.

28.8 In the event that the consideration specified herein is found to be past consideration the Guarantor agrees that Benara may adduce evidence of other consideration to support the Guarantee.
For the said consideration the Guarantor hereby charges their respective right, title and interest in and to the Land and all other land which they or any of them now have or at any time hereafter may have to secure their obligations under this agreement. If Benara lodges a caveat over all or any of the said real estate it is under no obligation to withdraw that caveat but must execute a withdrawal of that caveat presented to it by the Guarantor for that purpose once the Guarantor has satisfied all of its obligations under this agreement.

Privacy Content
The Customer has applied for credit from Benara and the Guarantor (if any) has applied to Benara to guarantee the obligations of the Customer to Benara. In this Privacy Consent Benara includes all companies related to Benara, you and your mean the Customer and if there is a Guarantor, both the Customer and the Guarantor, and we, our or us mean Benara. The Privacy Act (Cth) 1988 regulates the way in which personal information about customers can be used by credit providers. Certain personal information is required to enable Benara to assess your application for personal or commercial credit and/or credit worthiness and/or to become a guarantor; administer any credit facility which is subsequently provided by Benara including managing any account in connection with the credit facility, administering insurance claims, recovering any money owed to Benara, maintaining the value and protecting any assets provided as security for any obligations under the credit facility and for use in connection with the out sourcing of any of Benara's functions; notifying other credit providers of any default by you; and identifying and sending you any information about Benara’s other related products or services that may be of interest to you.
The following tells you what information might be required and how the information might be used. PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY. If you do not provide Benara with the personal information requested, Benara will be unable to assess your application for personal or commercial credit or to become a guarantor.
The types of organisations to which Benara usually discloses personal information include credit reporting agencies, government departments and authorities, insurers and underwriters, guarantors, agents, contractors, proposed assignees of Benara's assets and other third parties associated with Benara who enable or assist Benara to carry out its functions, for example, mailing houses, debt collection agencies, mercantile agents, archive companies, valuers, call centre operators, solicitors, accountants, other people who provide funding, introducers and brokers. Benara may also disclose your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. You consent to Benara collecting your personal information and using it for the purposes outlined in this document including disclosing your personal information to the types of organisations set out above.
You authorise Benara to give a credit reporting agency certain personal information about you for the purposes of enabling Benara to obtain a credit report about you and/or to allow the credit reporting agency to create or maintain a credit information file containing information about you. The information which Benara may disclose to the credit reporting agency is limited to: your identification (including your name, sex, address and the previous two addresses, date of birth, name of employer and driver’s licence number); the fact that credit has been applied for and the amount; the fact that Benara is or may be a current credit provider to you; details of payments which become overdue for more than 60 days and for which collection action has commenced; the fact that payments are no longer overdue; details of cheques drawn by you which have been dishonoured more than once; the fact that in Benara’s opinion you have committed a serious credit infringement; and the fact that credit provided to you by Benara has been paid or discharged. You authorise Benara to obtain from: a credit reporting agency a credit report containing information about you in relation to personal or commercial credit provided to you; and a business which provides information about the commercial credit worthiness of persons information about your commercial activities or commercial credit worthiness. You authorise Benara to give to and obtain from other credit providers information about your credit worthiness, credit standing, credit history or credit capacity.
You understand that if Benara declines your credit application or application to become a guarantor due to adverse information on your personal credit file, then each applicant for the credit may be notified that the application has been declined wholly or partly on information derived from the personal credit report relating to you.
You consent to Benara providing information about you to any person who proposes to guarantee your obligations to Benara for the purpose of allowing that person to assess whether to act as your guarantor and/or indemnifier. After the guarantee is given, you consent to Benara providing information about you to the guarantor and/or indemnifier. You consent to Benara exchanging information concerning your financial affairs with any person acting on your behalf including your agent, accountant, solicitor or broker.
You authorise Benara to obtain from a credit reporting agency a credit report containing personal credit information about you to assess whether to accept you as a guarantor for the personal or commercial credit applied for by the applicant. You authorise Benara to give to or receive from another credit provider an opinion for purposes connected with your business trade or profession.
You acknowledge that Benara may exchange information with government authorities as required or authorised by law including the Australian Taxation Office.
You agree that Benara may use your personal information either alone or in conjunction with third parties for marketing purposes to tell you about other related services and products which could suit your needs. If you do not want this to happen please tell us.
You acknowledge that the above authorities and consents will continue until the credit facility provided is repaid in full and the credit facility terminated.
If you would like to know more about the personal information which we hold about you; or our personal information handling practices; or gaining access to the personal information which we hold about you; or our handling of personal information about you, please contact Benara by writing to Benara’s Privacy Officer at Benara’s address in this agreement or such other address as Benara may have notified to you in writing from time to time 2.
Benara will provide you with a copy of this information for which a fee may be payable. You should let us know if you think any information we hold about you is inaccurate so that we may correct it.

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Projects, Plant Trends and Advice

Xeriscapes have X-Factor

Derived from the Greek word ‘xeros’, meaning ‘dry’, Xeriscape literally translates to ‘dry landscape’. This practice involves landscaping or gardening in a way that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation, and is best implemented in areas under tight water restrictions or that routinely experience drought conditions.

Making every drop of water count does much more than simply conserve our water table, including making the average household more sustainable. With the current climate crisis heating up our urban areas, the need for increased greenspaces has never been more important. The average xeriscaping homeowner will also save a significant amount of both their time and money rather than what would be spent on caring for a more resource-laden garden.

So, how to do it? Creating a beautiful landscape whilst still conserving water is possible! Just think beyond towering cactus and desert plants…

First and foremost, perhaps the most obvious step is to embrace the many weird and wonderful varieties of succulents, which come in a wide array of shapes and form. They often also feature either colourful or variegated foliage and bright flowers, which will add interest to any space. Perfect in either large mass planted landscapes or courtyards and small gardens.

Another wide-spread practice when Xeriscaping is the tactic of using only native plants, an additional benefit of which is that many are relatively low maintenance, however be sure to pick those varieties that are endemic to your region. The differences between Australia’s long list of native plants are just as astonishing as the different climes in which we live. From rugged outback to glistening rainforest and everything in between, Australian flora are not always applicable in all areas.

As with any new plantings, always water well until established to ensure that the plants are sustained throughout the development of their root system.

Dry-tolerant ground covers:

Carprobrotus virescens (pig face)
Conostylis aculeata (Cottonhead)
Ficinia nodosa (Knobby Club Rush)
Hemiandra pungens (Snake Bush)
Lepidosperma gladiatum (Coast Sword Sedge) or Lepidosperma longitudinale (Pithy Sword Sedge)
Myoporum insulare prostrate (Ground Cover Boobialla)
Myoporum parvifolium alba (Creeping Boobialla)

Dry-tolerant shrubs:

Agave attenuata (Century Plant)
Aloe Erik the Red PBR, Aloe Copper Shower PBR, or Aloe Bush Baby Yellow PBR
Calothamnus quadrifidus (One Sided Bottlebrush / Common Net Brush)
Lechenaultia biloba (Blue Lechenaultia)
Olearia Beach Ball PBR (Coastal Daisy Bush)
Westringia fruticosa (Coastal Rosemary)
Westringia Grey Box^TM PBR or Westringia Aussie Box^TM PBR (Compact Coastal Rosemary)
Westringia Low Horizon^TM PBR (Coastal Rosemary)
Westringia Bulli Coastal Creep (Native Rosemary)

Dry-tolerant trees:

Aloe barberae (Aloe Tree)
Banksia ashbyi (Ashby's Banksia), Banksia integrifolia (Coast Banksia), or Banksia prionotes (Acorn Banskia)
Cycas revoluta (Japanese Sago Palm)
Dracaena draco (Dragon Tree)

Click here to explore more suitable plants for your next Xeriscaping project.

And for a finishing touch, use landscaping stones of differing sizes to create pathways, decorative designs amongst garden beds, or underneath trees.

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Xeriscapes have X-Factor

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Plant Pantone's 2023 Colour of the Year: Viva Magenta!

Kicking the next 12 months off in vibrant style, Pantone’s new Colour of the Year is 18-750 ‘Viva Magenta’.

Each year, the international colour powerhouse concocts a new hue that will dominate the interior and exterior styling of homes and gardens around the world. This year, the exuberant colour drew inspiration from nature and is “inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.” In other words, Viva Magenta is a statement shade that reconnects us to the forces of the natural world, making it the perfect colour palette to embrace in your next garden or landscaping design.

Viva Magenta appears in a wide variety of plant foliage and flowers. Think about placing the audacious colour where it can be easily accessed, such as in entryways and along garden paths to galvanise our spirit, making us feel joyful and help us to build our inner strength.

Here are our top 10 magenta-coloured plants:

Ground Covers

Alternanthera Little Ruby™ – the perfect mounding ground cover with a compact, spreading habit and deep burgundy foliage that makes it a stand out plant. Also looks terrific as a border, or in pots and containers.
Celosia Dracula – The unusual shape and eye-catching colour of this plume-shaped flower is great for adding drama and interest to landscapes. Planting this variety in the sun will result in darker almost purple-toned foliage and darker purple flower than if grown in the shade.
Hypoestes Splash Red – this attractive, low maintenance plant features beautifully marked foliage in shades of red with deep green markings. Performs best in part shade, therefore suits protected areas of the garden or well-lit areas indoors such as sunrooms.

Shrubs

Anigozanthos Bush Pizzazz (PBR) – produces opulent, deep magenta flowers that provide brilliant colour and contrast in gardens or landscapes. Known for its excellent flowering performance, compact height and improved disease tolerance compared to other varieties.
Celosia Dragon’s Breath™ – create wow-factor with beautifully vibrant red-green foliage and blazing red, long-lasting, feathery, plume-like flowers. This versatile plant is perfect in patio containers or mass planted into garden beds and larger landscapes.
Boronia Magenta Stars (PBR) – masses of large magenta coloured star-shaped flowers will bloom during winter and spring, making this a bold feature shrub for mixed garden beds or borders, as well as an excellent cut flower specimen for indoor decoration.
Phormium Blazing Red (PBR) – the combination of cherry-red stripes and deep auburn tones of this foliage will provide year-round colour interest in garden beds, pots or landscape mass planting where it is tolerant of Perth’s hot dry summers.
Senetti Magenta Delight (PBR) – this easy-care prolific flowering perennial produces beautiful magenta daisy-like blooms from autumn through winter to spring. Idyllic when planted into pots or mass borders for a flush of colour.

Trees

Lagerstroemia Tuscarora – possibly the best of the red-flowering cultivars in the Indian Summer® range of crepe myrtles, its vibrant coral-red blooms appear in summer. A fan-favourite at Benara, where it has been long sold as a popular street tree or feature tree for small gardens.
Malus Profusion – masses of fragrant deep pink flowers will blanket the entire tree in clusters from mid-spring, creating a sensational focal point any size garden.

Click here to search and view other magenta-coloured options in our online plant library.

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Plant Pantone's 2023 Colour of the Year: Viva Magenta!

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Celebrate With New Anigozanthos

Introducing exciting new Kangaroo Paw varieties, from the plant breeding experts at Perth’s Kings Park and Botanic Garden.

The five Anigozanthos ‘Celebrations’, display unique, extraordinary flower colours that have never been seen before in Kangaroo Paws – including one blue variety, the first of its kind! The stunning new colours were discovered by Kings Park and Botanic Gardens’ Senior Plant Breeder Digby Growns after conducting more than 10 years of research and development into creating hardier and more disease resistant varieties of the native plant.

Benara Nurseries is proud to assist in bringing these new varietals to the wider domestic market.

‘Aussie Spirit’

Aussie Spirit – whose bright yellow and green tubular flowers amongst strappy green foliage embodies the Australian national colours we’ve all come to love as we cheer on our sporting heroes. This iconic hybrid would complement other native species.

‘Carnival’

Carnival – produces an abundance of beautiful tubular flowers in a striking blend of bold purple and pink, that contrast well against its soft blue-green strappy foliage. The distinct hue creates a gorgeous feature plant or potted gift.

‘Cocktail’

Cocktail – boasts vivid purple, pink and blue tubular flowers that look incredible against its cool blue strappy foliage. The stunning display looks fantastic against existing native species.

‘Fireworks’

Fireworks – delivers all the colour and wonder of a real live pyrotechnic show; with strappy, blue green foliage and bright, contrasting tubular flowers that begin as electric pink at the base and fade into a beautiful soft blue at the tips.

‘Masquerade’

Masquerade – a spectacular variety and believed to be the only blue kangaroo paw in the world! Its eye-catching teal and dark purple tubular flowers and cool blue-green strappy foliage, make for a truly attention-grabbing showpiece in any landscape.

Like other Kangaroo paws in the well-known and well loved 'Bush Gems' range, these are also relatively low maintenance and tough plants. Suitable for native, rockery and coastal gardens, where it works well as a border plant or feature plant in containers. They also make a unique and vibrant addition to cut flower arrangements. Plant in part shade in well-draining soil, and prune flower stems back to the ground after flowering. Anigozanthos are very drought hardy, however they will benefit from watering at the time of flowering.

Learn more about these and other Anigozanthos varieties in our online plant library.

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Celebrate With New Anigozanthos

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Chamelaucium: What's New

Benara Nurseries works closely with Australian and international plant breeders in the production of new plant hybrids for the wider landscape and retail market. Chamelaucium – or Geraldton Wax – originally an endemic flowering shrub of Western Australia and a member of the myrtaceae family, is one such example. Innovative compact varieties are breathing new life into this old favourite, as it experiences renewed popularity in the wholesale cut flower market.

Western Australia alone, contains some 12,500 native plant species, however Australian flora overall is largely underdeveloped. Considerable and exciting opportunities therefore await, for new hybrid developments through controlled breeding programs. Benara Nurseries works with breeders such as Helix Australia for cut flower waxflower varieties, and the team at Kings Park and Botanic Garden led by Senior Plant Breeder Digby Growns.

New Chamelaucium varieties are bred for their attractive waxy flowers, which are aromatic and entice a variety of pollinators, and can appear from as early as June through to late November depending on the variety. Their flowers range in brilliant hues from bright white through to pinks and deep reds, and even purple. Certain cultivars are double flowering with frilly inner petals, while others still have two-toned flowers or blooms that change colour with age.

A purpose-bred variety that is destined to become a garden favourite, is the new release Chamelaucium Meghan (PBR) from the Kings Park breeding program. A real show stopper, its pink blooms are borne upon tall stems of fine green foliage, as it flowers en masse from mid-Spring and into Summer.

Already a fan favourite amongst Benara’s regular clientele is the fast-growing Chamelaucium Local Hero (PBR). Developed by Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, it creates an outstanding display from early spring when it is covered in glossy red buds. These in time, open to an abundance of mauve/pink flowers. Working with the SAS Resources Fund, the shrub aims to do so much more than beautify a garden; with $1 from the sale of each plant donated to the SAS Resources Fund, who in turn assist current and former members of the Australian Defence Force, and their families, who suffer hardship because of their service with the Special Air Service Regiment.

Similar varieties in the pink and mauve spectrum, include: Chamelaucium Cha Cha (PBR), and the large petaled flowers of Chamelaucium Dee's Delight (PBR), Chamelaucium Nina's Delight (PBR), Chamelaucium Raspberry Ripple (PBR) and Chamelaucium Sarah's Delight (PBR). Simply unrivalled in its appearance however, is the unique bi-coloured Chamelaucium My Sweet Sixteen (PBR), who's waxy funnelform flowers change colour from white to pink-red as they mature.

For those chasing a purely monochromatic display, the impact of chalk-white blooms is unsurpassed in Chamelaucium Dawn Pearl (PBR), Chamelaucium Ice Queen (PBR), and Chamelaucium Morning Delight (PBR).

Being relatively hardy and easy to grow, requiring only light pruning after flowering in order to maintain a bushy shape, Chamelauciums are equally ideal for the home garden and in public landscapes.

They are a wonderful feature shrub or screening plant, suitable in native, rockery and waterwise settings; and pair well with many other native plants such as Eremophila, Grevillea and Westringia for year-round colour. For best results, plant in a full sun position in well drained soil, although they are also tolerant of coastal conditions including light drought and frost once established.

Discover these and other Chamelaucium varieties in our online plant library.

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Chamelaucium: What's New

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Sculptural Plants for Tall Containers

Adding tall, potted plants in large pottery to your indoor or outdoor spaces can turn even the most an ordinary corner into something truly special. By combining the two, it creates height and variety within a surrounding landscape. Opt for uniquely shaped plants, with interesting foliage to produce a focal piece that will wow even the most discerning of visitors.

Tip: choose pots that are heavier than their greenlife counterpart to avoid toppling over, and are large enough to accommodate the plant’s growing root base.

Albizia julibrissin 'Chocolate Fountain' (Silk Tree)

The rich burgundy fern-like foliage adds a bold splash of colour when silhouetted against plain walls or fences. Its pink, silky soft pom pom-shaped flowers attract small pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The overall weeping habit of its branches softens the look of this highly ornamental and sought-after deciduous tree.

Beaucarnea recurvata (Pony Tail Palm)

Although not a true palm, its swollen base and single trunk topped with a crown of long, thin grass-like leaves make for a very distinctive feature plant. Once it is over a metre in height, small white flowers appear from the centre.

Cycas revoluta (Japanese Sago Palm)

Add an exotic feel with this lush, long living plant and its rosette of lengthy, feather-like foliage. Belonging to one of the oldest known groups of plants, it is easy to care for and great for beginners. Can be grown either indoors or outdoors.

Dracaena draco (Dragon Tree)

A wonderful specimen, this sub-tropical native is instantly recognizable and a popular choice amongst landscapers for its architectural features. Drought and cold tolerant, it can be placed almost anywhere and is a superb alternative to palm trees.

Dypsis lutescens (Golden Cane Palm)

A wonderful choice of indoor palm tree to add a touch of the tropics. Clusters of golden stems produce attractive, arching fronds, giving it a delicate appearance that works well in large rooms, office and reception areas, hallways, foyers and more.

Ficus lyrata (Fiddle Leaf Fig)

An extremely popular and a fashionable plant choice for indoor spaces; its heavily-veined, very large violin-shaped leaves are instantly recognizable.

Strelitzia nicolai (Giant Bird of Paradise)

A large tightly-clumping evergreen native to South Africa, with broad banana-like leaves and monochromatic bird-like flowers. A lush and dramatic addition to any space, although often used as a screening plant due to its ability to reach 6m or more.

Thuja occidentalis Smaragd (Green Cedar)

A semi-dwarf evergreen conifer with a natural conical shape of dark green fan-like foliage. Low maintenance and quite striking when placed at either side of an entrance to homes and office spaces or to frame courtyards.

Xanthorrhoea preissii (Balga or Grass Tree)

Known as ‘balga’ by the Noongar people, who found multiple uses for its gum, leaves and spent flower spikes. Long, grass-like foliage stems from a thick sturdy trunk. Slow growing but extremely hardy, these are often planted as features in large gardens or public spaces.

Yucca elephantipes

Hardy and versatile, featuring tall wooden stems and crowns of long sword-shaped leaves. A lovely standout that works with almost any indoor or outdoor décor.

Zamia furfuracea (Cardboard Palm)

A distinctive and robust cycad native to eastern Mexico. Its stiff, leathery green foliage grows in broad, rounded leaflets. Low maintenance and a popular choice for indoor or shady areas.

Combine these striking plants with large landscape pots to create instant impact. Click here to explore our selection of tall containers, troughs and other planters.

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Sculptural Plants for Tall Containers

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Design a Magical Moon Garden

One of the dreamiest landscaping trends to take off in 2021 were Moon Gardens. Also known as ‘Night Gardens’, they comprise of a monochromatic assortment of white- and/or pale-coloured flowering plants and plants with white or variegated foliage, which reflect the light of the moon. The concept is to create a calm and ethereal space that not only stands out against the dark night sky but also offers a unique sensory experience. By creating one, Moon Gardens also offer their owners a whole new way to experience and enjoy the landscape long after the sun has set, including being able to entertain guests in the romantic setting that it creates.

Designing a Moon Garden begins with establishing the location. In order for it to work most effectively, keep away from artificial light polluted areas, such as near or under street lamps and backyard floodlights. In addition, choose a secluded space that is not overhung with broad trees or patios, so that the natural glow of the moon can permeate. Moon Gardens often grace the outer edges of a decked or paved area, drawing visitors out into the open air to enjoy a peaceful setting underneath the lunar rays.

Beyond just adopting a silver and white colour palette, some of the best Moon Gardens include plants that bloom at nighttime, attracting nocturnal pollinators such as bats and moths. Others still include fragrant plants which add to the garden’s fairy tale-like appeal. Be sure to also choose a variety of plants that flower at different times of the year so you can enjoy the lunar experience throughout all the seasons.

Opting for one colour – a sea of white flowers – creates a much bigger impact and has a better chance of being seen at night. Use Choisya ternata Moonshine, Gardenia Jupiter PBR and Rhaphiolepsis indica alba to create low, sweet-smelling hedges that wrap around garden paths, inviting your guests to wander in the moonlight.

Inject some sculptural form with statement plants such as Aloe Fairy Pink PBR and Agapanthus Queen Mum PBR, which make for striking features that stand out above other shrubbery.

Then fill in any leftover spaces with handy spreading groundcovers such as Convolvulus cneroum, Flower Carpet Rose White, Lantana montevidensis alba and Scaevola Bondi White.

For those tight on space, white flowering pot plants work just as well in creating a moonlit scene within a courtyard setting. Choose tightly packed, mounding plants such as Argyranthemum Super Duper PBR, Calibrachoa Bouquet White PBR, Petunia Dreams White and Vinca White. Similarly, white flowering climbers can help to maximise a tight space, such as Pandorea jasminoides Lady Di or Stephanotis floribunda.

And don’t forget to look up! Keep the white flowering theme reaching skywards, by incorporating small to medium sized trees into your garden with sizeable blooms such as Bauhinia variegata alba, Lagerstroemia indica Natchez and Magnolia Little Gem.

In addition to flowers, foliage can also reflect moonbeams. They make excellent additions to the garden as they are typically less maintenance than their flowering cousins. Select plants with white or piebald leaves such as Hypoestes Splash White and Dianella hybrid variegated. Alternatively, choose plants with softer silvery foliage that will still stand out under moonlight, such as Cotyledon Silver Waves, Maireana Silver Ghost PBR and Stachys Moonlight.

Depending on what you are trying to achieve, the ambience of your Moon Garden can also benefit from incorporating light-coloured hardscapes such as pavers or pebbles, decorative garden ornaments made of reflective materials or glass, and a gentle trickling water feature.

As a general rule of thumb, err on the side of caution when incorporating artificial light into your Moon Garden, taking a minimalist approach with tiny string lighting or a handful of low solar lights on stakes. Consider adding only what is necessary in order to navigate the space, rather than overpower the effect of soft moon beams.

Click here to search and view other white flowering or white foliage options in our online plant library.

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Design a Magical Moon Garden

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Go Very Peri in 2022

If you haven’t heard yet, Pantone’s Colour of the Year for the next 12 months is called ‘Very Peri’.

Each annum, the colour giant determines a new hue that will dominate the décor of homes and gardens around the world. This year, the shade is “a dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet red undertone [that] blends the faithfulness and consistency of blue with the energy and excitement of red.” The Pantone Colour Institute also says Very Peri’s “courageous presence encourages personal inventiveness and creativity.” In other words, embrace it in your garden design to give true personality and identity to the landscape.

There is an abundance of plants to choose from that cover the spectrum. Consider placing the on-trend colour around pools and water features or alongside seating and relaxation zones to instill a sense of calm, thoughtfulness and reflection.

Here are our top 10 peri plant picks:

Ground Covers

Damperia diversifolia – An Australian native that produces a mass of deep blue flowers from Spring to early Summer. Perfect for rockeries, hanging baskets, retaining walls and patio pots in sunny areas.

Evolvulus Blue My Mind PBR (Dwarf Morning Glory) – Loves warm weather and blooms stunning deep sky-blue flowers on silvery green foliage all Summer long.

Lobelia Midnight Moon – Witness a profusion of stunning dark violet/blue flowers above lush, bronze, low trailing foliage from Summer to Autumn. Ideal for garden beds, containers, pots, rockeries and hanging baskets in full sun to partial shade.

Patersonia occidentalis (Purple Flag, Native Iris) – A tough but attractive Australian native with beautiful blue to purple flowers in late Spring to early Summer. Works well in both garden beds and courtyard planters.

Scaevola aemula Blue Print (Fan Flower) – Its bushy, green foliage is topped with small lavender-blue fan-shaped flowers that appear during Spring and bloom throughout the warmer months. A great trailing plant that is ideal for hanging baskets or containers, as well as borders and edging retaining walls.

Shrubs

Agapanthus Blue Storm PBR (African Lily, Lily of the Nile) – An abundantly-flowering variety that consistently blooms long-lasting thick blue flower umbels or clusters, up to three weeks earlier and longer than most Agapanthus. Preferred for borders, containers, around trees or to edge pathways.

Lavender Miss Donnington – Grown for its aromatic grey-green foliage and profusion of scented mauve flower spikes in Summer. An eye-catching specimen that looks spectacular when mass planted, as a hedge or border, and patio containers.

Limonium perezii Blue (Statice) – Its clusters of mauve-purple flowers amongst the tough, leathery foliage are often utilised in floral displays and bouquets. It thrives in full to partial sun and makes a terrific border in rockeries or coastal gardens.

Nepeta Blue Moon (Catmint) – Fast-growing, eye-catching and heat tolerant, with a low spreading habit and a long blooming season. Large, dense, lavender flower spikes will delight both you and your feline friend!

Trees

Jacaranda mimosifolia – A popular choice across the globe for its long-lasting lilac-blue, tubular flowers that bloom during Spring and Summer. A fantastic feature tree with soft fern-like foliage, in sunny to partially shaded positions.

Click here to search and view other peri-coloured options in our online plant library.

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Go Very Peri in 2022

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Deck the Halls with Christmas Plants

A surprising number of different plants have long been involved with making the festive season merry and bright, while others have been embraced in more recent times. Read on to discover our team’s top suggestions for greening up your favourite holiday of the year.

Christmas Trees

In the Northern hemisphere, Fir and Spruce varieties typically reign supreme when it comes to choosing a living Christmas tree. However, in our sunny Southern climates there are other alternatives readily available which also make great feature plants in the garden come January.

Adenanthos sericea Select (Wooly Bush) – A silver, velvet-like shrub with fine, furry-like foliage and small orange flowers from early Summer to Autumn. Originating from the south coast of Western Australia it is also a food source for native birds.

Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) – A formal, pyramid shaped tree with dense foliage. Easily recognisable given it is often planted along Australia’s beaches and coastal parkland.

Cupressus Lemon Scent (Conifer) – A natural cone shaped evergreen with attractive soft lemon-scented foliage which is gold when grown in full sun and lime green when grown in the shade.

Pinus Christmas Star (Pine) – A hardy, fast growing variety with compact form and dark green aromatic leaves.

Thuja occidentalis Smaragd (Green Cedar) – An attractive cone-shaped evergreen with dense bright green glossy foliage which is often used in the making of Christmas wreaths and garlands for its long-lasting fragrance.

Décor and Gifts

The gift of greenlife is a unique holiday present, as it has a dual purpose of both brightening the home or garden of your loved one whilst also giving them something to care for throughout the year that will reward them with displays of colourful flowers or foliage.

Petunia Candy Cane – A unique bi-coloured flowering variety, with large bright red and prominent white striped blooms with a compact mounding habit.

Petunia Kris Kringle – A festive mix between Petunia dreams red and Petunia dreams white. A low growing annual with large bright red and white flowers through Spring and Summer.

Aloe Christmas Carol – A small, slow-growing succulent, with long deep green leaves that have vibrant raised dark red markings and reddish pink flowers from late Spring to early Summer.

Contemporary Alternatives

Metrosideros excelsa (or in Māori pōhutukawa) – A hardy spreading plant, known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree for its brilliant display of red pompom-like flowers against leathery green foliage.

Pear Tree – Speaks for itself as a gift! Give your friends and loved ones “a partridge in a pear tree” without the partridge but year upon year of delicious fruit. Deciduous varieties bear delicate spring blossoms and pears which can be eaten, cooked or preserved.

Rosemary – An edible plant with fresh piney fragrance that can be sheared into a topiary or pyramidal shape to mimic a Christmas Tree. It’s foliage then serves another purpose by flavouring your Christmas roast!

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Deck the Halls with Christmas Plants

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How to: Succulent Wreaths

The festive season has long been resembled by masses of twinkling lights, scrumptious food, and a towering tree decorated from tip to trunk. Add to the décor and green up the holiday this year, with a stunning living Christmas wreath.

More sustainable than its typical plastic counterpart, a wreath created from living plants will not only make an eye-catching statement piece to adorn either a front door or use as a table centrepiece; but can also be repurposed in the New Year, since the plants can be potted up for use in either a garden or as individual gifts. In this case, succulents are ideal for Christmas decorations since they grow slowly, live all year round, and require little water or maintenance. Mix and match from a wide array of colours, shapes and textures to create a festive display that is sure to impress. And as an added bonus, embracing the eco-friendly option is also surprisingly easy!

Creating living wreaths begins with the base, as this determines how it will be used. You can craft a stunning gift line that can either be hung over doors as hanging gardens, or laid flat to adorn a Christmas feast. For hanging wreaths, you’ll need to use sphagnum moss wrapped around a wire or mesh mould. Poke holes into the moss by using a chopstick or pen for where you want each succulent to sit. Use Florist’s pins or thin wire to hold the succulents in place. Tip: To really nail the look, first lay out your succulents on a table prior to this, in the exact arrangement that you want to achieve. Take a photo before you begin adding plants to the peat, to ensure you can remember the design!

For flat-lay wreaths, use a shallow, doughnut-shaped bowl or planter which also makes it easy to move the display from table to table as needed. Add a good quality potting mix that incorporates sand to facilitate better drainage. Create holes in the soil using a chopstick or pen, and add each succulent as per your design. If you cannot source a shallow bowl or planter with a hole in it, simply arrange the succulents around the outer edge, then when finished, add a squat column or pillar candle to the middle. Warning: lit flames close to foliage are a fire hazard, so place the candle inside a glass cannister or on a wide saucer to sit safely amongst the arrangement.

Water the wreaths whenever they feel dry— this could be approximately every four to nine weeks, depending on the ambient temperature and lighting.

Our range of 10cm succulents are perfect for crafting a living wreath. Christmas is a festoon of bright colours, and this can be easily incorporated into your wreath with the aptly named Aloe Christmas Carol, or Crassula Campfire and Peperomia graveolens, all of which have red and green coloured foliage that suits the season perfectly. For extra festivity, add Sedum Gold Mound, whose slim spiky leaves will glow sunshine yellow all year round. Similarly, other succulents with star-shaped foliage like Sedum Blue Feather and Crassula Surprise Party work well in a living wreath.

For a softer and more demure look, opt instead for classic flower-shaped succulents with a rosette growth habit. This is where Echeverias shine! Choose the pale blue and pink shades of Echeveria Blue Bird, Echeveria Morning Beauty and Echeveria Pearl von Nuremberg, or go bold with Echeveria Chocolate.

There really is no limit to this new tradition, other than your imagination…

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How to: Succulent Wreaths

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Our top winter foliage selects

Biophilia – a term coined by the American biologist and naturalist Edward Osborne Wilson – is the human desire to interact or be closely connected with forms of nature. Plants have long been found to boost our mood and concentration, ramping up our productivity and contributing to our overall wellbeing.

Style inspiration is also often taken from the landscape, with designers adopting ‘earthy tones’. Reverse this process by picking indoor foliage that matches your space, bringing a bit of nature inside and creating an atmosphere you’ll enjoy all year round. Taking the time to care for indoor plants also provides purpose, light activity and a sense of accomplishment during those dreary winter months stuck inside.

All plants – even the evergreen ones – naturally have a dormant period, so they become quite easy to care for during the colder time of year, typically requiring less water and only minor adjustments to their space (such as increasing humidity or positioning nearer to a light source). Gently wiping their foliage will also keep the leaves free of dust and looking shiny and fresh.

Our top plant picks for brightening homes in winter include:

Philodendron hastatum Silver Sword

Native to Colombia, this low maintenance variety is quite adaptable to most conditions, making it the perfect house plant. Silver Sword will make a fantastic contrasting addition to your green foliage collection due to its unusual colouring. New leaves begin as pale silvery grey and turn into a blue/green as the plant matures. It’s strong climbing habit means a trellis or pole is recommended. Although not requiring a lot of water, it’s native climate means Silver Sword appreciates humidity from a regular misting.

Ficus elastica Burgundy

Ficus elastica or ‘Rubber tree’ plants are super tough and require very little maintenance at all; they can survive with little water and in temperatures as low as 10°C. Burgundy’s new growth in vivid red stands out against the glossy dark green leaves, making it a spectacular indoor pot plant. Can be grown in relatively low light levels indoors, though best kept near a big window, and is also perfect for patios and verandas.

Ficus elastica Ruby

Native to tropical regions of India and Malaysia, the vivid colouration of Ficus elastica Ruby – also known as the ‘Variegated Rubber Tree’ – has long captured the hearts of many interior stylists. A hardy, evergreen plant, its red-pink and white leaves have green overtones, making it suitable with a wide range of home décor. They prefer a well-lit position however, as its unique tri-coloured variegation requires brighter light conditions than the Burgundy variety to keep the colours strong and defined.

Ficus Midnight Beauty (PBR)

Ficus benjamina Midnight Beauty is ideal as an indoor plant or potted shrub in courtyards. A rainforest giant in its natural habitat, it will grow to the contained space of a pot. The dainty dark evergreen foliage has a beautiful weeping habit. Its tight conical growth means it can also become a tall spreading shade tree if given the room. Thriving in sunny positions, it prefers well drained soil and pruning will encourage denser bushier appearance.

Monstera deliciosa

A popular low maintenance houseplant, Monstera deliciosa is easily identifiable by its huge glossy leaves, which develop holes or slits as the plant matures, giving it the nickname ‘Swiss cheese plant’. Its lush, heart-shaped green leaves add a tropical feel to the home. Ideal in spacious and brightly-lit spots indoors or under patios, it can also be successfully grown outdoors in filtered sunlight or full shade. It produces white lily-like flowers and fruit resembling a green ear of corn – that is only edible once ripened, which takes approximately a year.

Peperomia polybotrya

Native to South America’s tropical regions, Peperomia polybotrya has thick, heart-shaped foliage and is a very easy to maintain plant. A small, compact plant with bright, glossy green leaves, it is ideal in containers on balconies and windowsills in indirect or dappled light. Mature plants produce slender creamy-coloured flower spikes. It is also highly adaptable, tolerating a wide range of climates and seasons.

Explore all available indoor foliage plants in our online plant library.

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Our top winter foliage selects

Projects, Plant Trends and Products

How to: Succulent bowls

Creating a succulent bowl is easy, whilst curating a stunning gift line of them is a little more exciting.

Our wide range of planter bowls – available both online and at our Trademarts – means that your selection of gift ready succulent bowls can be as small or as large as you’d like! Choose bowls from within several style ranges including urban lightweight, modern concrete or traditional terracotta.

Planting a succulent bowl is fairly straightforward. Begin with a good quality potting mix, and because succulents grow best when not sitting in wet soil, look for a mix that incorporates sand to facilitate better drainage. Create holes in the soil and position your chosen succulents before watering them in thoroughly to help eliminate air pockets around their roots. Once planted, succulents prefer being watered whenever the soil feels dry to touch.

To really nail the perfect succulent bowl, experiment with a variety of different heights, colours, textures and shapes to craft a truly unique look. Go big and bold with Kalanchoe Flap Jacks or an Echeveria such as Morning Beauty, Chocolate and Pearl von Nuremberg.

Make colour the hero of your succulent bowls with standout plants that grab focus like Aloe Aloes, available in bright yellow, vibrant orange, rich red and light pink. Generate smaller pops of colour with Portulaca Sundials, or produce unusual colour without using flowers by planting Senecio Blue Chalk Sticks, Crassula Campfire and Calico Kitten, or the quirky lines of Peperomia Gravolens.

Fill the edges of the bowl with the rope-like shapes of Sedum Burrito and Jelly Beans, or opt for trailing plants. Delicate options such as Ceropegia Chain of Hearts and Senecio String of Pearls will soften the edges of the bowl, or use robust lines from Dichondra Silver Falls to cover more of the outside of the bowl.

As an optional extra, finish off your succulent bowls by filling in any gaps with a light layer of small stones.

Because of their adaptable size, succulent bowls are ideal for either bespoke indoor gifts or spectacular landscape features.

Projects, Plant Trends and Products

How to: Succulent bowls

Plant Trends, Education and Advice

Go green with living walls

Many people ask what are living walls?

Also known as ‘green walls’, ‘eco walls’ or ‘vertical gardens’, they are different to ‘green facades’, whereby the greenlife is trained to cover a wall for aesthetic purposes.

Green facades are primarily achieved either indirectly, by planting groundcovers in planter boxes and letting them trail down a wall, or directly, by affixing a structure such as a trellis to the wall and training plants to grow up it. Green facades can also be created by greenlife attaching itself to the wall (as in the case of a vine).

Instead, living walls see the greenlife planted directly into a structure that has been built either into or onto the wall, where they will receive their required nutrients from the soil and water that fills it. Learn more about green walls with Horticulture Innovation Australia Ltd.

No longer just of interest to architectural companies in the race for the latest design awards, living walls are also gaining considerable attention from other businesses seeking to improve their ecological credentials, building aesthetics or employee benefits. This last is in reference to biophilic design, the concept that employees are more productive and happier when they have access to nature.

Both living walls and green facades are considered components of overall green infrastructure and important in reducing our carbon footprint. They are credited with providing benefits to urban environments, including attracting wildlife, improving air quality and establishing a microclimate, reducing energy costs (by reflecting solar heat in summer and providing insulation in winter), and helping to dampen noise. Either living walls or green facades in urban environments can also help to reduce the city’s heat island effect.

Living walls have both indoor and outdoor applications, and with the right plants can be created in a wide variety of conditions, from full to part sun or shade.

Living walls are also scalable, from forming the central focus in a grand landscape design as living art to being relatively easy to establish in a small courtyard or alfresco space; with many retailers now selling affordable, modular kits which homeowners can easily assemble themselves.

Before embarking on the creation of a stunning living wall, it is important to consider more than just the site’s volume of sunlight and orientation. The existing wall or supports and their load capacity will determine the size of your living wall, as well as the options for irrigation and drainage.

Consider the level of maintenance required for your living wall, and how much upkeep the plants will need. Your plants will likely have dormant periods. It is also vital to waterproof the space for longevity of the project.

Living walls are typically only visual additions, however there is a rise in people taking advantage of living walls offering a larger number of plants in a smaller space by establishing them using edible vegetation. Thus, creating a dual purpose and expanding the biodiversity in the space.

Explore our online plant library to select the right plants for your living wall project. You are limited only by your imagination and a plant’s growing conditions!

Plant Trends, Education and Advice

Go green with living walls

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