It's all happening

You wouldn't think it to look out the window, but it's all starting to happen out there.

This is our native lilac (Hardenbergia violacea). And here's something I didn't know. In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. That must mean you can grow it in the UK - you'd think, because if it grows in Tasmania it should be fine further north.

Here's a bit more cultivation info (from the Gardening Australia website)

For a hardy, evergreen, twining, woody stemmed climber, which has dark green leathery leaves and produces a mass of dark purple pea flowers in winter spring look no further than Hardenbergia violacea. It's a wonderful Australian native plant also known as False Sarsaparilla, or Purple Coral Pea.

The Hardenbergia genus is a member of the pea flower subfamily of the legume family and was named after Franziska Countess von Hardenberg. There are three species in Australia, growing in areas from Queensland to Tasmania.

Hardenbergia likes a sunny or semi shaded position. It flowers better in full sun and it needs well drained soil and preferably likes a frost free site, although it tolerates some frost. Like many evergreen climbers, it has a tendency to run up a wall or fence and ball at the top and be leggy below. But for compact growth and an even fence coverage prune regularly after flowering.

Probably the most widely grown variety in Australia is Hardenbergia violacea 'Happy Wanderer'. But there is also a pale pink form called Hardenbergia ‘Rosea’ which is just exquisite with its soft pink colour, and there is a pure white form as well called Hardenbergia ‘Alba’. Recent breeding has actually developed some upright shrubby forms including Hardenbergia 'Purple Clusters'. It grows to about a metre by a metre and has a mass of purple flowers in winter spring.

Hardenbergia violacea is well worth a spot in your garden, especially to hide a fence or structure, with its mass of flowers in winter spring.