October 25th, 2025Beetham’s Botanicals

Well here I am penning another article for you, the reader, to enjoy…
This time I’ll be showcasing broad-leaved plants for your garden. These bold beauties can add a striking “tropical” feel to the landscape, evoking thoughts of those early Victorian garden enthusiasts from England who wanted to create a luxurious environment to promenade through…think of a lot of our regional and urban botanic(al) gardens in Australia that reflect this movement.
So here we go…

1. Bocconia arborea is known as a tree poppy and is native to Mexico and Central America, growing as a tall multi-caned shrub to 4m high with plumes of creamy white flowers that fade into insignificance compared with the deeply cut large leaves that may grow to 45cm long x 30cm wide. There are fine specimens growing in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Perennial Border.
2. Catalpa bignonioides (Indian bean tree), a deciduous tree up to (at least) 16m x 16m, has its native home in eastern USA and is infamous for its broad heart-shaped leaves up to 15cm long x 15cm wide…but not to be outdone, the large slightly scented flower clusters have an almost orchid-like appearance. The long brown flaky beans that may follow open to allow a featherweight winged seed to float away with the prevailing winds. There is a fab registered specimen growing in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens – a visit here in mid to late December should guarantee a photo opportunity.
3. Fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia) is often seen as an indoor plant but seems quite happy growing outside here in the Central Highlands (you can find a spreading specimen in the full sun at the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, Daylesford). I have trialled it in dappled shady positions in some of my landscapes and they are flourishing. The glossy large palmate leaves up to 40cm wide are home to large sprays of creamy white rounded clusters of flowers that are followed by jet black berries (better to photograph than eat).
4. Quercus dentata is native to China, Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East and is commonly known as the daimyo oak. I have included this deciduous wide- spreading tree (15m x 18m) because it is has the largest leaves of any oak species on the planet, up to 30cm long x 15cm wide. It’s certainly not for the small courtyard garden but would show off its majesty in a large paddock (offering stock a welcome refuge from our hot summer days). As a quick aside, many global tree conservationists feel that oaks may play an important role in battling climate change models…just saying.
5. Greyia sutherlandii is the last choice for your amusement. This spreading (almost scrambling) shrub can be seen growing in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne (a welcome observatory of plant species from all over the world). The shock of bright red flowers complement the large leaves (like geraniums on steroids). Native to Southern Africa, it would do well planted within your arid plant border/rockery.
And so I must away. I hope you’ve liked my latest instalment. We know that spring has sprung but watch out for those dry spells.
Cheers JB (Trees in Australia)
Next time: Scented foliage and flowers for the garden