When you have been gardening for a long time, you become aware of the enormous amount of new and interesting plants we are able to grow in the home garden.

I now realise that when I first started gardening there were not a lot of native plants to select from, and the few that you could choose to grow was nothing like the range that is now on offer.

When I mention agonis flexuosa, commonly known as the willow peppermint, I imagine you would think like I did that it is a native tree.

Now I find there is a new agonis flexuosa miniature named Swan River Babe. It is native to the Swan River area of Western Australia.

This plant is suitable to the differing climates as well as soils and this is very helpful.

The height of this shrub is 1.5metres and 0.5-0.8metres in width.

The lance-shaped dark green leaves make the white flowers stand out when the spring flowering season arrives.

Full sun to part shade is suitable and all it needs is well-drained soil.

Swan River Babe would be suitable to screening off an area in a small garden space and it would be a good addition to a rockery.

It can be used as a plant for an attractive pot.

The most important thing to remember is if you choose to grow a plant in a pot, make sure you re-pot in the spring.

If the plant has put on immense growth in the warm months, pot on again long before autumn allowing the plant to establish a good root system before the cold winter.

Over the warmer months, you can save water by mulching around the plant, keeping the mulch back from the base of the plant by at least 2.5centimetres to avoid collar rot.

Happy gardening!

Charmaine Wakefield is proprietor of Monlisha Park Nursery in Lock Avenue, Werribee. Open Friday and Saturday, 9am-5pm, and Sunday, 10am-5pm.