5 Winter-Flowering Native Shrubs and Hedges for Australian Pollinators and Ornamental Gardens

5 Winter-Flowering Native Shrubs and Hedges for Australian Pollinators and Ornamental Gardens

Are you looking for winter-flowering native shrubs and hedges? While winter may be quieter than the warmer months in the garden, it doesn’t mean a complete absence of life. Many insects do become less active, but there are still pollinators around, especially in the warmer climates of Australia where winter barely ruffles the landscape. Horticulturists and gardeners can take advantage of this opportunity to support wildlife and add beauty to their gardens when few other flowers are around.

Crimson Villea™ Grevillea

In fact, winter-flowering shrubs and hedges’ benefits extend beyond winter, because they help bolster pollinator populations as they just begin to wake in the year, ensuring an easy transition from winter and into early spring. If the pollinators don’t get what they need as soon as they wake up, it can set their numbers back for weeks to come.

With these five native winter-flowering shrubs and hedges, you can ensure your garden thrives with colour and buzzes with activity even during the cooler months.

1. Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘H16’ PBR

Trade Name Crimson Villea™

A true spectacle in any winter garden, Crimson Villea™ Grevillea is one of the most spectacular winter bloomers in cultivation. Its profusion of crimson-red flowers appears from autumn through to early spring, attracting pollinators and adding vibrant colour to your landscape.

Compact and dense, this Grevillea reaches approximately 80cm in height and width, making it a fantastic option for smaller gardens, mass plantings, or low hedges. Its tidy foliage and adaptability to a range of conditions, including frost and drought, make it a resilient choice. Whether planted in native gardens or rockeries, it stands out as a winter favourite.

Crimson Villea™ Grevillea https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/crimson-villea-grevillea/

2. Correa alba ‘COR10’ PBR

Trade Name Coastal Pink™

For coastal gardens or exposed spaces, Coastal Pink™ Correa is an excellent choice. This pink-flowered variety of the popular coastal Correa alba (which flowers mainly through Autumn and Spring) brings a subtle charm to winter gardens with its delicate pink blooms. Not just for show, this shrub boasts a strong growth habit and thrives in harsh conditions, including coastal winds and sandy soils.

Coastal Pink™ Correa can grow up to 2 metres tall and wide, though it responds well to pruning to maintain a smaller, tidy shape. It’s drought- and frost-tolerant, thriving in full sun to light shade, and adapts to most soil types. Whether used as a medium shrub, hedge, or filler plant, its toughness and beauty make it a must-have.

Coastal Pink™ Correa https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/coastal-pink-correa-copes-well-with-coastal-winds/

3. Hardenbergia violacea ‘HB1’ PBR

Trade Name Meema

Meema™ Hardenbergia provides clusters of stunning purple flowers from July through September. Unlike most members of the same species, Meema™ grows as an upright shrub unless given support to climb. With tidy, crisp foliage that remains evergreen, it provides year-round structure to your garden while delivering a vibrant floral display in winter.

Easily maintained at about 50cm in height and to 2 metres wide, Meema™ Hardenbergia suits full sun to semi-shade and thrives in sandy to heavy clay soils. It withstands cold, drought, and even neglect, making it an ideal low-maintenance plant. Perfect as a standalone shrub or as part of a mixed border, it’s a dependable way to bring winter colour to your garden.

Meema™ Hardenbergia https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/meema-hardenbergia-is-a-longer-lived-shrubby-groundcover-plant-native-shrubs-ground-covers/

4. Eremophila spp ‘EREM01’ PBR Intended 

Trade Name Thriver™

For winter gardens needing an injection of bold vibrancy, Thriver™ Eremophila fits the bill perfectly. This hardy shrub produces vibrant dark fuchsia flowers that bloom year-round, with a particularly bold display in spring and early autumn. During winter, its blooms continue to brighten the landscape while providing an excellent food source for pollinators.

Growing up to 1.5 metres tall and wide, Thriver™ can be pruned into a more compact shape if required. It adapts to a wide range of soils, including clay, loam, and sand, and tolerates diverse climates, from frosty southern winters to humid coastal conditions. Its drought tolerance and low-maintenance needs make it a valuable option for informal low hedges, Australian-themed landscapes, or as a feature.

Thriver™ Eremophila https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/hardy-exotic-range/thriver-eremophila-spp-colorful-eremophila-shrub-for-any-climate/

5. Westringia hybrid ‘WES03’ PBR

Trade Name Blue Gem

Blue GemWestringia is an exceptional addition to any garden, offering striking blooms of vivid bluish-purple flowers. While it flowers most prolifically in spring, this hardy shrub also blooms sporadically throughout the year, especially in warmer climates. Its bushy growth is easy to manage and responds very well to pruning, allowing you to shape it into a hedge or keep it as a feature plant.

Ideal for sandy or well-drained clay soils, Blue Gem™ Westringia thrives in full sun to light shade. Drought- and frost-tolerant, it’s as practical as it is beautiful. Reaching 1-1.5 metres in height and spreading up to 1.3 metres wide, it’s perfect for mass plantings or filling gaps with low-maintenance bursts of colour during winter.

Blue Gem™ Westringia https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/blue-gem-westringia-is-a-native-shrub-with-vivid-bluish-purple-flowers-native-shrubs-ground-covers/

A Pollinator Paradise in Winter

With these winter performers, your garden can stay alive with colour and buzzing life all year round. Don’t settle for dullness—install these plants and support Australia’s hardworking pollinators!

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