Rosy's Baby Grevillea

Rosy's Baby Grevillea (Grevillea rosmarinifolia 'Rosy's Baby') is a compact native shrub that stays around 1m tall and 80cm wide, small enough for a courtyard bed or a large pot. Fine, rosemary-like leaves carry rounded pink and cream flower clusters from winter into early summer, and small nectar-feeding birds work them daily. It is the grevillea to choose when you want a low, flowering hedge without a giant shrub.

Why you'll love it

• A tidy, compact size. Mature height is about 1m and width about 80cm, with a bushy, upright habit that suits front gardens, courtyards and narrow borders.
• A long flowering season. Pink and cream flowers open from winter into early summer, which is when most gardens need the colour.
• Food for small birds. The nectar-rich flowers suit small nectar-feeding birds, so a row of Rosy's Baby turns a boundary into a bird garden.
• Soft, fine foliage. Slender rosemary-like leaves give a light, fine-textured look that sits well in native, cottage and mixed plantings.
• Adaptable across the country. It grows in sun or part shade and is happy from cold southern gardens to the subtropics, including coastal positions. The exception is very hot, humid summers, which it does not enjoy.

Where it works best

Low informal hedging. Plant 70cm apart in a single row. At that spacing the 80cm-wide shrubs just touch and form a soft flowering hedge about 1m high. It is an informal hedge, so expect a relaxed shape rather than a clipped edge.

Pots and containers. Compact enough for a large pot on a patio or in a courtyard. Use a native potting mix, a pot with good drainage holes and a slow-release native fertiliser.

Wildlife gardens. Plant it in front of taller grevilleas, banksias and bottlebrushes for a layered bird garden with flowers through the cooler months.

Growing Rosy's Baby Grevillea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun or part shade suits it, and it is happy in most locations from cold southern gardens to the subtropics, including coastal positions. Very hot, humid summers are its weak point, so in the humid north choose an open, breezy site with excellent drainage.

Soil. Well-drained soil with a neutral pH is ideal. On heavy ground, plant the crown slightly raised and mulch around it so water drains away rather than pooling.

Water and feed. Mulch well and water regularly until the plant is established. Feed with a slow-release native fertiliser when buds form, and check that the phosphorus is under 3 per cent. Grevilleas are phosphorus-sensitive, and ordinary garden fertiliser can damage them.

Pruning. Lightly prune after flowering to promote fresh growth and keep the shrub dense. Shape the tips only, much as you would a rosemary hedge.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Rosy's Baby Grevillea as tube stock (a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly) and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tubes are the economical way to plant a long hedge, and the 140mm pots give you a larger plant and a head start on height. Plants travel upright, and once planted they settle in over the first few weeks.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full range of grevilleas
• Grevillea care: flowers, feeding and the phosphorus rule
• Compare more hedging plants
• More plants that attract birds

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Plant 70cm apart in a single row. The shrubs reach about 80cm wide, so they meet in a continuous line at that spacing without crowding each other.

Which fertiliser is safe for a grevillea?

Use only a slow-release native fertiliser with phosphorus under 3 per cent, applied when the buds form. Standard garden and lawn fertilisers carry too much phosphorus for grevilleas.

Will it cope with hot, humid summers?

Not well. It is happy from cold to subtropical climates, but very hot, humid conditions are hard on it. In those areas give it an open, breezy position and sharp drainage.