Daisy Bush ‘Spring Bling’

Daisy Bush 'Spring Bling' (Olearia phlogopappa hybrid) is a compact Australian native that disappears under daisy flowers in spring, in shades running from white through soft mauve and purple. It holds a neat mound about 1m tall and 1m wide, which is the size most garden beds actually have room for. It is frost hardy, drought tolerant and happy on a windy coastal block.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers by the hundred. The spring display covers the whole bush rather than sitting on top of it, so a group reads as one sheet of colour.
• Tough where it counts. Frost, drought, wind and salt spray are all handled once the roots are down, which suits exposed southern and coastal gardens.
• Compact by nature. At 1m by 1m it stays in scale beside a path or in a small bed without constant cutting back.
• A native that feeds insects. Bees and butterflies work the daisies through spring, and the plant is quick to establish from a young size.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Set plants 60cm apart along a path or driveway for a low, informal edge that softens hard lines without needing clipping.

Mass planting. The same 60cm spacing across a bed or slope gives dense cover within two seasons and a solid block of spring flower.

Coastal and exposed gardens. Salt and wind tolerance make it useful on the front line of a coastal block, where softer perennials burn off.

Pots and feature planting. A 400mm pot suits a single plant on a sunny balcony, as long as the mix drains sharply.

Growing Daisy Bush 'Spring Bling' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering, with light shade tolerated at the cost of density. It is at home in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens and shrugs off frost. Humid subtropical and tropical summers are its weak point, where it tends to be short lived.

Soil. Free draining above everything else. Sandy and gravelly soils are ideal, and on clay it needs a raised bed or mound with grit worked through. Mulch lightly and keep it off the stem.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to get the roots away, then only in long dry spells. Feed with a low phosphorus native fertiliser once in early spring. Rich feeding produces soft growth and fewer flowers.

Pruning. Prune straight after flowering, taking about a third off the whole bush. This is the one job that matters, because an unpruned daisy bush goes woody and open at the base within a few years.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock: young, single stemmed plants with a well developed root system, which is the economical way to plant a border or a mass planting. Expect roughly 20cm of plant on arrival, filling to full size within two growing seasons.

Tubes travel well because they are light and compact. Plant them promptly, water in with a seaweed tonic and keep the moisture up for the first few months. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider Australian native shrub range
• Designing a native garden to attract wildlife
• Compare other coastal and salt tolerant plants
• See what else is available as tubestock

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 60cm apart for a dense mass planting or a continuous border. At that spacing the plants meet in the second season and suppress weeds between them.

What colour are the flowers?

This hybrid range runs from white through mauve to purple, and the shade can vary between batches. Every plant carries the same profuse spring display.

How long does it live?

Five to eight years in a well drained sunny position, longer if it is pruned hard after flowering each year. It is fast enough to replace that this is no great cost.