Red Flanders poppies are traditionally associated with Anzac Day as they grew in profusion on the Belgian and French battlegrounds. They are one of the most delicate-looking spring flowers, with their large, crepe-like blooms. Red Flanders poppies are available as seeds. While they won't be in flower for Anzac Day, flowers should be present for Remembrance Day, in November, as poppies are spring-flowering plants.

The more traditional varieties are produced in colours ranging from white, through pale creams to stronger yellows and oranges. "Artist Glory" is the most commonly available variety. The stems of poppy flowers are stiff and erect, carrying the blooms 20-30cm above the ferny-like foliage. In order to have ideal weather conditions for flowering, poppies are traditionally planted out on or about Anzac Day.

A sunny position should be selected, with poultry manure and a general purpose plant food added to the soil, prior to planting. At planting time the leaves of the seedlings should be trimmed to about half their length, in order to encourage stronger plant growth. The first flower buds that appear should also be removed as it is preferable to have a strong, leafy base for subsequent optimum flower production. Poppy plants prefer drier conditions, so excess watering should be avoided.

The hedges that have been traditionally planted around cenotaphs and war memorials locally, and across Australia, features rosemary.

Rosemary is widely recognised as the main plant associated with ANZAC Day. It is used as a hedge around many cenotaphs as it can be trimmed to a low height. Plants have fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is generally grown as a dense shrub with masses of fragrant, thin, dark green leaves. Its flowers are usually small and blue in colour, although pink and white-flowered varieties are also available. Plants can grow between 60cm and 1.5 metres in height, according to the particular variety selected, making them suitable for varied uses in garden plans. Prostrate-growing varieties are also available.

Rosemary is particularly suitable for growing as a hedge as plants respond well to pruning, provided that older wood is not cut into. The pieces removed from the plant can be used as cuttings to establish new plants. Late summer is the preferred time for this to happen.

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Because rosemary has smaller leaves it is generally more drought-tolerant. Growing conditions similar to its native habitat, the Mediterranean, will assist in ensuring good, long growth. Well- drained positions in full sun are ideal.

In addition to its value as a landscape plant, rosemary is also most useful in culinary applications. It can be used to flavour lamb, pork, chicken and fish dishes, and as barbecue skewers. Some of the different varieties of rosemary include:

- "Gallipoli", which forms a large, grey-green shrub to 1.2m in height and has mauve flowers borne in profusion between late July and October.

- "Tuscan blue" has stiff, upright stems, making it an ideal hedging plant.

- "Gorizia" forms a substantial bush to 1 metre. Its leaves are highly prized in Italy for cooking.

- "Corsican Blue" is an upright bush variety. Its fine leaves have an intense fragrance. Rich blue flowers are also a feature.

- 'Huntingdon Carpet' is a prostrate grower, reaching about 25 centimetres in height. Plants are covered in beautiful blue flowers. It looks most effective when looks planted so it tumbles over rocks or a wall. It is also suitable for growing in a hanging basket.

- 'Salem' is a rosemary that came to Australia from Auckland, New Zealand. It's an upright grower, attains a height of just under a couple of metres, with a width of about a metre, and makes a great hedging plant with spikes of deep blue flowers through summer.

- 'Pink Remembrance' and "Majorca Pink" produce pink flowers instead of blue, while "Sissinghurst White" is a good white-flowered variety.

A tree that is creating an attractive, and, perhaps, more unusual picture in local gardens and parks is the Koelreuteria.

Koelreuterias are generally available in two varieties; Koelreuteria paniculata and Koelreuteria bipinnata. In both forms somewhat insignificant yellow flowers are formed.

However, it is the resultant seed pods that provide the attractive autumn feature. Both varieties produce unusual seed pods that resemble Chinese lanterns and contain white seeds that turn black when they are ripe. The seed pods form an umbrella-like covering over the upper parts of tree.

K. paniculata has yellow-orange seed pods; while K. bipinnata produces pods that have a brighter colouring, in a carmine red-salmon colouring. A good example of this variety can be found in the southern grounds of Maitland Hospital, near the 'Long Bridge'. Both varieties of trees have the common name of 'Golden Rain Tree'.

Koelreuteria trees originate from China, Taiwan and the rocky outcrops of East Asia and are relatively drought tolerant in Australia. Adequate irrigation when the tree is establishing its root system generally results in reduced water requirements at maturity. A position of full sun is preferred. They will tolerate both acidic and alkaline soils. Fern-like foliage may turn to bronze-orange colours in autumn.

Because it has a slower growth rate, Koelreuterias are suitable for inclusion in medium-sized suburban gardens, as well as in streets and parks. Warm climates through to areas that have cool to cold winters are all suitable for cultivation.