Larry Smith and the Riverside Gardens team talk all things pots, plants and pruning in their weekly gardening column.

With the huge range of trees on offer in the Garden Centre it is very easy for some trees, even some of the more spectacular ones to be overlooked.

This becomes even more the case when customers are unaware that a particular variety of tree will grow in our region.

There are plenty that fall into this category, like the Fire Wheel Tree Stenocarpus sinuatus, or the Tree Gardenia, Gardenia thunbergia.

It also includes a family of beautiful deciduous trees, which is seldom considered for growing in our region, the dogwood trees.

Dogwood trees are from the group of plants known as Cornus.

These plants are from various regions, including North America, Japan, China and the Himalayas and are more commonly associated with cooler, more temperate regions or mountainous areas.

However, certain varieties will grow nicely in the Goulburn Valley if given the right aspect and conditions.

Cornus in our region generally prefer a cooler slightly shaded area in the garden.

This is sometimes contrary to what you will read on the back of plant labels, which are written for slightly cooler summer climates.

Most Cornus prefer a slightly acid soil with a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5.

The soil needs to be well-draining, open and friable with a good amount of organic matter incorporated through it.

Dogwoods will do best in our areas if they are built into garden beds with other foliage around them creating a microclimate, rather than being planted out in the open.

The exception to this is if they are being added to an established garden where larger trees and the surrounding gardens will create the right climate.

But be aware that not all Cornus are going to thrive through our hot dry summers, so here are some of the ones we have successfully grown in the Goulburn Valley.

Cornus florida Rubra, or the Pink Flowering Dogwood, is a small, broad-spreading, deciduous tree to around 6m high and 5m wide.

It is known for its spectacular pink flowers that appear in early spring through to early summer.

Like a lot of the dogwoods, the spectacular flowers are really modified leaves called bracts that surround the simple flower in the centre.

In autumn, the leaves will turn a dark maroon-red colour before they drop.

Cornus June Snow is a creamy white flowering dogwood that produces an abundant display of flowers in a tiered effect that almost completely blankets the foliage beneath.

June Snow has a strong horizontal branch structure that gives the tree a layered appearance as it matures to a 5m x 6m tree.

Often wider than it is tall.

Known for its dark fuchsia pink floral display, Cornus Scarlet Fire produces four large non overlapping braces around its flower that intensify in colour as spring progresses.

This small to medium shrub has lush green foliage that turns reddish-purple in autumn.

Growing four to six metres high when mature.

The red stemmed Cornus, Cornus sericea Red Twig produces a striking winter display of bright red branches when its leaves have fallen.

The creamy-white flowers form in flat-topped heads in late spring and intermittently through summer.

The flowers are quite insignificant, as they are not surrounded by colourful bracts, making them small by comparison to other varieties.

Red Twig grows to a well-rounded large multi-stemmed shrub of about 3m.

Cornus sericea Flaviramea Yellow Twig grows almost exactly the same but has bright yellow branches instead.

Cornus x Aurora grows to approximately 5m x 4m high as an upright uniform shrub or small tree.

The oval-shaped dark green glossy foliage turns to orange, red and yellow in autumn.

In spring, the plant is covered by masses of velvety white bracts around its flowers that slowly tinge with pinkish overtone as they age.

Some of the other varieties we have in the Garden Centre that we have had success with are looking like they are about ready to flush over in leaf and flowers.

These are Cornus Stella Pink and Cornus Red Beauty.

You will have to drop in to the Garden Centre and check them out.

While you are there, take the opportunity to speak to one of our qualified team about how to create the right environment in your garden to grow these spectacular trees in your little piece of paradise.

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Sunday, 31st August 2025

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