Step into a moonlight garden, and you’ll understand why Cushion Bush is so beloved. Also known as Silver Bush, this dwarf evergreen shrub has striking, metallic silver-white stems that form a dense, rounded, almost coral-like mound. The intricately tangled, wiry branchlets are covered in soft, woolly hairs, creating a remarkable silvery glow. The tiny, scale-like leaves hug the stems so closely they’re barely visible, giving the plant an otherworldly, textural quality. In late spring and summer (December to February in its native Australia), small, button-like flower heads in pale creamy-yellow add a subtle, charming contrast.

When those golden-yellow daisy clusters burst into bloom from March to July, they light up the late-season garden like no other. The Variegated Canary Creeper is a hardy, semi-succulent evergreen climber with attractive, large, glossy leaves in a subtle combination of pale yellow and rich green, creating a luminous effect even when not in bloom. From late summer through mid-winter, it produces huge heads of vibrant, golden-yellow, daisy-like flowers that are sweetly scented—a spectacular, cheerful display when many other plants are winding down.

For a shrub that delivers cheerful white blooms for months on end, Marguerite Daisy is a true garden favourite. Also known as Paris Daisy or Cobbitty Daisy, this compact, bushy evergreen shrub features attractive, finely divided, fern-like leaves of soft, grey-green, creating an airy, textured backdrop. From early spring through autumn (and often year-round in mild coastal gardens), it produces an endless succession of classic, single or double daisy flowers, typically white with a bright golden-yellow centre.

When the sun hits those deep burgundy rosettes, they appear almost black—a dramatic, moody accent that stops you in your tracks. Black Tree Aeonium, also known as Black Rose or Zwartkop, is a striking, evergreen succulent shrub treasured for its lustrous, near-black foliage and its bold, architectural form. It features glossy, fleshy leaves arranged in large, perfect rosettes at the ends of thick, bare, upward-curving stems, creating an almost tree-like silhouette. Those extraordinary leaves are a deep, rich burgundy that appears black in full sun, providing the most dramatic accent in any planting. In late winter to early spring, mature plants send up tall, conical clusters of small, starry, bright yellow flowers that contrast vividly with the dark foliage.

For cheerful, reliable colour that lasts for months, the Common Geranium is a tried-and-true favourite. Also known as Zonal Geranium, this sturdy, succulent-stemmed evergreen perennial forms a neat, bushy mound of rounded to kidney-shaped, velvety-soft leaves in rich medium green, often adorned with a distinctive dark, horseshoe-shaped zonal band. From spring through autumn, it produces generous clusters of five-petalled flowers held proudly above the foliage on upright stems, in a dazzling array of colours—vibrant reds, soft pinks, pure whites, salmons, and oranges.

Imagine a shrub that offers glossy greenery, fragrant flowers, and tasty fruit all in one package. That’s the Natal Plum. Also known as Grootnoem-noem or Amatungulu, this dense, fast-growing evergreen shrub features a rounded crown of leathery, oval leaves in a rich, lustrous dark green. From spring through summer, it produces an abundance of stunning, star-shaped, pure white flowers up to 5 cm across, releasing a sweet, jasmine-like fragrance that intensifies at night. Then come the fruits: plump, oval, bright crimson to deep red berries that ripen mainly in summer and autumn, often appearing while the plant is still in bloom.

Legend has it that eating a primrose blossom might let you see a fairy. Whether that’s true or not, these cheerful blooms are pure garden magic. The Primrose, also known as English Primrose or Common Primrose, is a compact, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with a low, neat rosette of tongue-shaped, bright green leaves that have a distinctly wrinkled, textured appearance. From late winter through spring, it produces an abundance of solitary, five-petalled, funnel-shaped flowers on short stems held just above the foliage, in a dazzling rainbow of colours—yellow, white, pink, red, purple, blue, and orange—often with a contrasting yellow or darker centre.

For a plant that brings graceful movement and luminous colour to shady corners, Carex ‘Evergreen’ is a wonderful choice. This clump-forming evergreen perennial, a cultivar of Japanese sedge, features a profusion of narrow, strap-like leaves that emerge a vibrant, glossy lime-green and gradually deepen to a rich, lustrous dark green. Those elegant leaves arch gracefully outward, creating a soft, fountain-like effect that catches the light and sways with the slightest breeze. In late spring to early summer, slender stems bear inconspicuous brown flower spikes just above the foliage, adding delicate textural interest.