The 'Oleander"...

Since starting my environmental horticulture studies this year I have become more and more intrigued by my surrounding environments, and discovering that while a lot of the plants in my garden are not only edible, yet delicious there are also a minority in the garden that can be detrimental to ones health if ingested. The largest and probably the most poisonous plant that is not only well established but also very astatically pleasing is the ‘Oleander’ in my front yard. The shrub, if allowed its head, can grow to two metres or more but can be trimmed to the size that you prefer. It is evergreen with dark leathery leaves which are about 15cm long. It has beautiful, sweetly scented flowers, mostly in red, peachy pinky, and apricot tones, though there are some soft yellows, as well as a clear white. The plant in my yard is white and very beautiful. The flowers on a happy Oleander can completely cover the bush for months on end. The blooms can be either single or double, depending on the variety. There are even dwarf varieties available, to be grown either in containers or to fit into today’s much smaller back yards. Although this shrub is deemed poisonous, the media generally conveys it as something you shouldn’t have in your gardens. In my opinion the ‘Oleander’ makes a perfect ‘hardy’ shrub and should not just be looked over because of its poisonous properties, unless offcourse you have young children who enjoy walking around and chewing on random leaves, if this is not the case in your family then I think it is a fantastic plant for you !