White Correa, Correa alba grows in the most expensive real estate along the north and east coast of Tasmania. They live with breathtaking ocean vistas, absolute beach frontage, granite boulders, turquoise waters and surrounded by coastal reserve. White Correa has a unique coastal lifestyle living with fierce coastal sea winds, salt spray and sandy soils. And despite being terrorised by whatever the the sea can dish out, it always remains beautiful, not a leaf out of place, enjoying their seaside home.

The Correa flowers have four white petals that look like beautiful stars on a grey background of leaves. Correa flowers during the winter months, and so is an important nectar source for birds when food is scarce, and more importantly, it creates incredible beauty in our gardens. White Correa has lovely grey leaves and when planted with greenery it makes other plants stand out in contrast to the grey.

Even though White Correa is a coastal  plant growing in deep sands, it is equally happy growing inland in all well drained soil types, and is frost hardy to at least -8C. Correa bushes are quite dense, so it makes a perfect thick low growing hedge to 1.5m. It does well when trimmed after flowering, keeping it neat and tidy.

Correa alba was used in gardens in England as early as the late 1800's and became popular as well in Europe soon after. White Correa tea was used by the early settlers, but unfortunately we haven't followed this tradition. To make the tea just pick a fresh young tip and place in your teacup. Pour over boiling water and let it steep for a few minutes. remove the correa sprig and your tea is ready to enjoy with its beautiful refreshing flavour.

If watering plants isn't your thing, then White Correa is for you. if caring for plants isn't your thing, then White Correa is for you. But if tea is ​your thing, then White Correa is for you.

What is the Edge Effect?

Every planting, whether in a garden, a plantation or even natural bushland has an edge effect where plants meet an open space. This open space means the plants along the edge are more exposed to the elements of wind, frost or sun. These elements are like bullies, constantly attacking the integrity of the plants till they succumb. This exposes the next layer of plants, and so the degradation continues, slowly and insidiously.

All plantings have an edge so what can we do?

A garden with a solid fence provides some protection from the elements, but not all plantings can be so lucky. Single trees in an open parkland type garden or paddock, are exposed to the elements all around. farm plantings that are long and skinny of two rows have an edge all the way around. But a planting with three rows will have one row that suffers less from the edge effect. Creating a planting with a greater middle, such as a square, is more effective.

Multiple layers of plants can help to mitigate the edge effect. These layers ideally consist of grasses, small shrubs, tall shrubs and trees. This allows the wind to be broken down as it moves through a planting.

Even in natural areas the edge effect can be seen, like the photo above, with plants struggling along the edges from the elements, but also from weed invasion. In suburban areas, this could be escaped exotic plants or introduced grasses, slowly making their way into the natural area. Or in rural areas with gorse, hawthorn, broom and blackberries. The weeds slowly invade the lower layers of ground covers, and the grassy and shrubby layer, till the integrity of the bushland is compromised, and we are left with only trees and weeds. The picture below shows gorse invasion along the edge.

When outdoors, we naturally seek out shelter from the elements, and what we like, plants also like . Understanding the edge effect helps when creating sheltered spots in a garden for barbeques and entertainment areas. Wind seems obsessed in finding us, so creating multiple layers of plants to create a hiding spot is ideal, and of course, this also creates the ideal habitat for birds also seeking shelter from the edge effect.

And so, just like us in our lives, it's about creating a strong centre so we are less vulnerable to the vagaries of those attacking our integrity.
​