One of the best choices for a landscape bush in a mild winter, Mediterranean garden has to be Pittosporum tobira. It is often overlooked today by home owners and even by garden designers, because it grows slowly, taking some 4 to 5 years to reach a height of 3 meters or so, and perhaps some 3 years to form a closed screen.

Not so long ago, such a time span would have been regarded as completely normal and not seen as a drawback. However one of the consequences of living in the instant gratification epoch, is that some excellent plant species, having lost their popularity, are becoming harder to find in the garden centers. Tobira is one of them, and our gardens are much the poorer as a result.

For a loose or unclipped screen, the Tobira is unmatched in its elegance and dignity. Its beautiful leaf texture maybe less spectacular than bright flower or unusual foliage color, but is a deeply satisfying quality in itself. For this reason the plants should not be sheared as a trimmed hedge, but can nonetheless be easily maintained with minimal pruning now and again.

The dark-leaved varieties function perfectly as a backdrop to flowers or a sculpture, while the variegated types brighten up a shady corner. It is a mistake in my view to over plant the lighter, variegated types, as they tend to look rather sickly in direct sunlight. In any case, plants with unusual foliage, should generally be sparingly used in the garden. Their over use is a sure sign of design naiveté and even poor taste.

Pittosporum tobira blossoms with fragrant flowers in the spring, while the decorative fruit are a pleasant addition at the end of the summer. However, Tobira should be chosen primarily for its form, shape and texture, the flowers not being sufficiently significant in themselves to justify its inclusion in the planting scheme. Older plants can be pruned up to grow as small trees, while the plant associates beautifully with low bushes like Coprosma repens, Green Island Ficus, and the dwarf Melaleuca, "Green Dome". Best of all is the dwarf variety of Pittosporum tobira, known as "Wheeler's Dwarf", a truly excellent foreground plant.

In terms of care, the Tobira is easy to grow, and modest in its water demands. Indeed overly frequent watering can cause plants to rot, particularly in heavy soils. It can be planted fairly close to the coast, being quite hardy to sea spray. It can sometimes be preyed on by aphids and other insects, but the damage is usually controllable without resorting to poisons.