The ginkgo tree is in a botanical class of its own – it’s not a conifer and doesn’t flower or have pollen, says gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.
Ginkgo biloba is a slow-growing tree that does well in our climate and, at this time of year, the summer lime-coloured leaves turn a buttery golden yellow.
A native of China, it’s also called the maiden hair tree due to its leaf shape resembling a maiden hair fern leaf. It’s also one of the oldest living species in the world and, as sole survivor of the Jurassic period, considered a living fossil.
The ginkgo tree is a botanical class of its own and classified as a gymnosperm. It’s not a conifer and doesn’t flower or have pollen.
There are male and female trees. The male trees are more desirable because the females produce a naked fruit with flesh around the seed and emit a foul odour.
New to the market this season is 2025 Tree of the Year, a dwarf variety gingko called Lemon Spire that only grows to five metres tall and a metre wide. It’s terrific for small gardens or pots with its upright fast growth and compact root system.
NOW’S the last chance to get all the spring flowering bulbs into the ground, keeping the tulips to the end as they’re the last bulbs to flower in spring.
Frost is now beginning, which means it’s time to pick the last of the summer dahlias, zinnias and fruit. Keep up with the weeding and remove flick weed, winter grass, sticky weed before they set seed.
The autumn leaves are still coming down. Use a simple wire mesh cage to capture as many as you can. Keep piles of leaves damp with the hose and sprinkle a little blood and bone in occasionally. By spring, the leaf mould can be added to the garden or sifted to sow seed.
Once leaves fall from any deciduous shrubs or small trees such as deciduous hibiscus or crepe myrtles, they can have their annual prune. Both these plants flower on new growth, so the harder the prune, the more growth and flowers once the soils have warmed up in October. A fertiliser for spring and summer flowering trees and shrubs that’s high in potash will help with flowering as well.
THIS year the autumn gladdies (Gladiolus cruentus) have really put on a show. They have been rust and pest free, and have been a wonderful cut flower for the indoor vase.
The Autumn Red variety is drought tolerant when established and if planted under deciduous autumn trees it will show them off best.
They are easy to propagate, and their corms can be divided when the clump cannot hold itself. The cormlets can also be removed from mature clumps.
They can be grown in pots and replanted, needing full sun to flower. They like a “sweet” soil. A pH of 6-7 and a sprinkle of lime before planting will help their growth.
They can provide height in the garden and, with strategic planting, every four to six weeks through the season there will be a staggered display of gladiolus in the garden.
The flowers open slowly from the bottom to the top and are best picked for the vase when the floret first opens. Gladdies can be planted after the winter frosts have passed and are a way to have a lot of colour in the garden for very little money.
Jottings
- Final autumn prune on hedges before the cold weather sets in.
- Plant native Correa and Crowea’s for winter colour.
- Keep bird baths clean and topped.
- Liquid feed edible greens in the vegetable patch.
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