Please suggest an evergreen tree about 6m tall with an umbrella-style canopy to sit under. I already have a flowering ash.

(T. Mengler, Berri, South Australia)

Many of the best umbrella canopies are on deciduous trees such as Albizia, Gleditsia and Chinese weeping elm. In evergreens try Irish strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), with pretty flowers, fruit and bark, or native willow myrtle (Agonis flexuosa). Also native, water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina) has yellow flowers. Carob trees (Ceratonia) grow taller but are widely used as shaped street trees in western NSW towns.

My 30-year-old pink camellia occasionally bears red or white blooms. How is that possible? (Elizabeth Pietrzak, Melbourne)

This phenomenon, called sporting, is quite common in camellias. Sports occur through genetic mutation and have led to many new varieties of camellias being developed. Certain camellia varieties are particularly unstable, such as 'Aspasia Macarthur', which produced 'Lady Loch' and 'Margaret Davis', among many others.

How can I protect my broccoli organically from pests when I don't know what's eating it?

(Leah Bryan, Elanora, Queensland)

Caterpillars are the main pest of broccoli. Use Dipel, a biological control that only affects caterpillars, or eco-friendly Yates Success. Scattering eggshells nearby is said to confuse the cabbage white butterfly when laying eggs.

Send your questions to: Helen Young, PO Box 3098, Willoughby North, NSW 2068, or email twigreview@telstra.com. The best letter this month will win an ergonomic PowerGear Bypass Lopper from Fiskars quality garden tools. The winner of the best letter for September is Jennifer Hill of Melbourne.

FLORA

AS many of our wild flowers hit their peak, a new book will be invaluable in identifying the blooms you're admiring in the bush. Cronin's Key Guide: Australian Wildflowers (Allen & Unwin, $35) covers nearly 600 of the most distinctive and common wildflowers from across the continent, with beautiful illustrations and clear, concise descriptions. It uses a simple system of flower shapes and distribution maps to make identification easy, while its handy size makes it an ideal reference in the field. Author Leonard Cronin is a renowned natural history writer with a fascination for Australia's unique flora and fauna.

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