Lilliane Grevillea

Lilliane Grevillea (Grevillea 'Lilliane') is a compact spreading native that flowers for most of the year and asks almost nothing in return. It grows to about 80cm tall and spreads to 1.5m, so it covers ground without ever needing to be cut back off a path. Soft pink and cream spider flowers appear in waves from late winter through to autumn, and honeyeaters work them constantly.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers for most of the year. Pink and cream spider flowers from late winter into autumn, rather than one short burst in spring.
• Birds arrive within weeks. Nectar rich flowers close to ground level bring honeyeaters in, and the fine foliage gives small birds cover.
• Low and wide, not tall and leggy. At 80cm by 1.5m it fills a bed or a rockery without blocking a view or needing constant shaping.
• Built for hard positions. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, comfortable in poor soil and tolerant of coastal salt, so hot verges and dry banks suit it.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 1m apart in a staggered grid. At that spacing the plants knit into a continuous low cover by the second season, which suppresses weeds.

Borders and edging. A single row at 1m along a driveway or path gives a soft flowering edge at knee height that never needs clipping.

Rockeries and slopes. The spreading habit drapes over rock and holds soil on a bank, and the sharp drainage of a rockery is what a grevillea wants.

Growing Lilliane Grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and plenty of it. Shade produces sparse flowering and open straggly growth. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and established plants are frost hardy. In humid subtropical gardens give it the most open, airy position you have.

Soil. Drainage is the one thing it insists on. Sandy, gravelly and poor soils are ideal. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound at least 200mm above the surrounding level and do not add compost to the backfill, since rich wet soil rots the roots.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer only, then let it dry between drinks. Overwatering an established plant kills more grevilleas than drought does. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring if at all, because standard fertilisers carry enough phosphorus to damage the roots.

Pruning. Prune lightly after the main flush, taking off spent flowers and roughly a third of the new growth. Do not cut back into bare old wood, because grevilleas are reluctant to reshoot from it.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, 140mm pots in packs of ten, which is how a spreading groundcover is normally bought. Ten plants at 1m spacing cover roughly 10 square metres. Each arrives young and bushy, usually 15cm to 25cm across, with a well developed root system.

Grevilleas travel well because the foliage is fine and holds little water. Tip prune lightly at planting, water through the first summer, and expect the plants to meet by the end of the second season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Top bird attracting native plants
• Compare the full grevillea range
• Plants suited to rockeries and dry slopes
• Low maintenance groundcovers

Common questions

How many plants do I need to cover an area?

At 1m spacing you need one plant per square metre, so a pack of ten covers about 10 square metres. Stretch the spacing to 1.2m on a large bank if you can wait an extra season for cover.

Why did my last grevillea die?

Almost always drainage or fertiliser. Grevilleas rot in soil that stays wet, and standard fertilisers carry too much phosphorus for them. Mound plant on clay, water sparingly once established, and use a native specific feed.

When does it flower?

The heaviest flush runs from late winter into spring, with lighter flowering continuing through summer and into autumn. In warm gardens you will rarely see it completely without flowers.