own goals

There’s a groundswell of Australian gardeners embracing the view of horticulturist Joe McAlister: that our native plants are not mere bit players, they can be the star attraction in a garden. “It’s always seemed logical to me to plant native species that are suited to the local climate and soil conditions,” he says. Joe’s company, Hungry Gecko Gardens, specialises in designing and installing gardens with native plants, so we asked him for his take