24
help you understand your garden and how you can better plan and plant. “Group plants with similar water needs together; that way, if you do include a handful of thirsty plants, more water can be directed to that zone,” suggests Angie Thomas, horticulture consultant to Yates. You don’t need to fill every inch of the garden bed with plants. Try including hard elements, such as boulders of local stone and gravel between plants. “It helps reduce the need for complete ground cover and helps punctuate beds and borders with visual intrigue,” says Trystan Graham. “Plus, this planting style complements a naturalistic dry garden style very well.” Aussies love lawns, but they are thirsty. Consider reducing the size in favour of beds or borders with low-water ground covers. Create a Palm Springs vibe, with a patch of lawn flanked by a garden bed of cacti, mulched with white pebbles.
TOP
TOP TIP Plants local to your area are likely to establish well and require little TLC. Ask your council or search their website for a list of plants and trees that might work in your garden Succulents and cacti are ideal contenders, too, and they can often go through long periods with little to no water. However, they do require good drainage, so make sure you improve the soil prior to planting. “Cacti can withstand the hot afternoon sun – perfect for the baking spots in the yard – and can thrive on neglect,” says
10 DRY STARS
Agave (Agave sp.)
Coastal rosemary
Agave boasts large, (Westringia fruticosa) handsome succulent With small needle-like leaves leaves arranged in an that grow into a tight, compact elegant rosette. Colours bush, coastal rosemary can range from dusty-greyish withstand wind, sea spray, sun green to yellow and green and dry soil. Trim it into a hedge stripes. A tough statement or topiary ball, or let it grow piece for any garden. naturally into a loose mound.
bunnings.com.au |
bunnings |
Trystan. “Most cacti also have incredible flowers that many people aren’t aware of. It often comes as a nice surprise!”
bunningsau
Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha)
Drought tolerant once established, Mexican sage is a true hot-weather performer. It provides pretty purple flowers and can tolerate full sun or light shade, and little water.
The secret is in the soil The best time to plant is autumn or spring, as this gives plants enough time to get established before things really heat up. When planting, start by breaking up the soil well and mixing in compost and organic matter to encourage plants to root deeply. As a bonus, improving the soil can help boost its resilience in dry times. “Regularly incorporating rich sources of organic matter in the soil, such as Yates Dynamic Lifter, can help sandy and clay-based soils retain more moisture,” explains Angie. After planting, Angie recommends applying a generous layer of mulch over garden beds, vegetable patches and pots.
Indian hawthorn ‘Oriental Pearl’ (Rhaphiolepis indica)
A hardy shrub with white blooms, it can tolerate full sun, sea spray, wind and frost. It’s great in a pot or as a low-lying hedge.
Kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos sp.)
This iconic Australian native has gorgeous bold-coloured blooms in varying shades of red, green, yellow or pink. Kangaroo paw grows best in a sunny dry spot.
Photography (above left and right) Getty Images; (centre) Gap Photos/Brent Wilson; (agave, rosemary, sage, hawthorn, kangaroo paw, lamb’s ear) iStock; (banksia, emu bush, lomandra, arctosis) Alamy Stock Photo. Some photographs feature products from suppliers other than Bunnings
Right plant, right place For a successful dry garden, always begin by choosing plants that have evolved to deal with hot, dry conditions. “Look for plants with silver, leathery, needle-like, hairy or waxy leaves,” suggests Angie. Plants with these kinds of features tend to lose less moisture compared with large, lush-leaved plants. “Go for Australian natives such as wattles, banksias, bottlebrush, westringias, melaleucas and grasses,” says Angie. “Or, for a Mediterranean feel, lamb’s ears, rosemary, sage and perennial statice are ideal candidates.” Once established, these plants can survive periods of low watering.
Add brightness to your garden or balcony with succulents that can tolerate the sun