SUMMARY

Siblings Tina Bolton and Richard Gibson took over the family business when their parents retired. What their parents thought might be a bit of a hobby turned into a 7-day-a-week occupation.

The farm grows Leucadendrons, Leucospermum and Proteas which all grow well in the area as it has a similar climate to Cape Town and the nutrient-poor, acidic soil suits them perfectly.

Richard says he loves the colour of the plants.

Tina runs the cut-flower side of the business; with their wide range of species, there is something in flower all year around. Proteas alone flower for about 6 months a year.

Plants are irrigated for the first three years and then they are left to themselves. They like good drainage and full sun. They can be grown in pots, using native plant potting mix.

Pruning is important to create a bushy form; this is best done by cutting flowers for indoors.

VIEW ONLINE
https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/positives-of-proteas/12366626

FEATURED PLANTS

Oleander-leaf protea (Protea neriifolia cv.)

Protea ‘Red Ice’ (Protea cv.)

Protea ‘Limelight’ (Protea cv.)

Conebush (Leucadendron cv.)

Leucadendron ‘Yellow Devil’ (Leucadendron cv.)

SERIES 31 | Episode 20

Owner	Tina Bolton and Richard Gibson
Location	Fleurieu Peninsula, SA
Climate Zone	Mediterranean
Garden Established	1990s
Style	Farm specialising in Proteaceae

Published: Fri 19 Jun 2020