Hardenbergia violacea
Australian lilac
- Position: full sun to partial shade
- Soil: moist but freely draining soil, preferably with a neutral to acidic pH
- Rate of growth: fast
- Flowering period: March to August
- Hardiness: half hardy (will need winter protection)
Originating from Australia, the Hardenbergia is a stunning evergreen, twining climber, that produces beautiful sprays of lightly scented, pea-like blooms. Ideally suited to warm and sheltered, south-facing walls, it can also be grown in a cool conservatory in colder regions. Closely resembling wisteria, its pendent racemes can appear over a long period, but are most abundant from late spring to early summer. - Garden care: Keep well watered during the growing season, but avoid overly wet conditions in winter. As it's not fully hardy, it's best grown in a large pot, which can be moved to a conservatory or other well-lit, frost-free location during the winter. If you have a very sheltered garden and you decide to grow it outdoors, then make sure it is protected from frost by covering it with with a layer or two of fleece. If it gets too big or out-grows its allotted space, trim it back in early spring.