The Lilly Pilly Backyard Bliss is a relatively new and fast-growing hedging plant, perfect for creating privacy screens that can be quickly achieved. An evergreen plant that typically reaches a height of 3m to 4m and is easily pruned to maintain its desired size.
Backyard Bliss retains its attractive foliage year-round and is dense and bushy, with new leaves emerging in shades of orange to bronze and maturing to a deep green.
Creamy white flowers during the summer months. As the flowers fade, they give way to decorative berries that are not only visually appealing but also a source of food for local birdlife.
One of the remarkable aspects of Backyard Bliss is its adaptability to a wide range of climates in Australia, including temperate zones like Melbourne and Sydney or subtropical regions from Brisbane to Cairns. It can tolerate various soil types and is relatively low-maintenance, making it a reliable choice for both experienced and novice gardeners.
How to Grow Lilly Pilly Backyard Bliss
This versatile plant is well-suited to a variety of light conditions, from full sun to part shade. However, it doesn’t perform at its best in deep shade.
Planting Distance
To achieve a dense and healthy hedge, consider the following spacing recommendations:
- For a dense hedge: Plant at a distance of 1.5 meters apart in two staggered rows.
- For a single row: Space the plants approximately 80cm to 1 meter apart.
When To Plant
While you can plant year-round, the optimal time is late summer to autumn. During this period, the soil is still warm, which encourages good root development and reduces the need for frequent watering.
- Best in a humus-rich, well-drained soil.
- New plants should be watered through the first summer until the root system is developed.
- After a year or two, Backyard Bliss will require little water except in very dry years.
- Fertilize with a native plant fertilizer in spring.
This popular Australian hedging has the notable advantage of being resistant to Psyllids. These small sap-sucking insects can plague some Lilly Pilly varieties, so this resistance makes Backyard Bliss a practical and low-maintenance choice that requires minimal intervention to keep it thriving.
Pruning Backyard Bliss
- Pruning is very easy and best carried out regularly to maintain a good bushy growth.
- You can hard prune if needed, and the plant will recover well in most circumstances.
- Pruning is best carried out in late winter, just before new growth begins.
Summary Information
- Position – Full sun to part shade.
- Soil – Humus-rich and well-drained.
- Height – Will reach around 3 – 4m in height.
- Spread – Around 1 – 2m.
- Spacing – Plant at around 1m apart for a fast growing screen. 1.5 m for a slower screen.
- Foliage – Glossy green with new foliage orange-bronze.
- Flowers – Cream in spring to summer.
- Frost tolerant – Yes
- Drought tolerant – Yes, once established.
Lilly Pilly ‘Backyard Bliss’ is available for sale from the following nurseries
1052 Whittlesea-Kinglake Road Kinglake West 3757
Offering a specialist variety of Australian native Ferns plus Dendrobium/Dockrillia & Sarcochilus species & hybrids in pots, loose, or mounted. Species Cymbidium sauve and maddidum.
www.ferns.com.au
Phone: 0411 435 314
Online Retailer of Landscaping Plants, large quantities of small pot sizes up to advanced sizes & plant Sourcing.
SYDNEY | NORTHERN NSW | GOLD COAST | BRISBANE | MELBOURNE | ADELAIDE
www.egardens.com.au
Online and Retail Melbourne and Geelong based garden centres. Check out their large range of indoor and outdoor plants, Australian Natives, Fruit Trees and Edibles, Succulents, Gardenias, Camellias, Hydrangeas plus a full range garden products for delivery in Melbourne.
www.diacos.com.au
Carey Gully, Adelaide Hills.
Family business selling a large range of deciduous trees in pots 1-4m high. Crepe myrtle specialist. Includes Ornamental pears & plums, Red maples, Japanese maples, Gingko, Cercis, Ash, Birch, Crab apples, Weeping cherries, Gleditsia, Liquidambar and more. Hedging plants, evergreen trees & fruit trees.
www.adelaidetreefarm.com.au
MEGAN’S HEDGING PLANTS….. BACKYARD BLISS Lilly Pilly – Phone Megan 0428297339 Mid North Coast, Laurieton NSW Sensational new hedge / screen. Psyllid resistant, exceptional dense, fast growth. Various sizes, wholesale prices NSW, Victoria and SE QLD.