SPECIAL F E AT U R E
the lateset in native garden
trends
HOW YOU CAN INCORPORATE THEM INTO YOUR NEXT GARDEN UPGRADE By Isabelle Harris
W
hether you’re looking to update your garden to changing tastes or environments, looking into diversifying your plant mix, or even starting over from scratch, natives are great way to make your garden stand out from the crowd.
Even better, using indigenous or local plants and natives are great ways to preserve your area’s natural biodiversity and stick with your local landscape, as well as being a trendy way to update your landscape. We spoke to some of the Mornington Peninsula’s top landscapers and plant nurseries to find out how you can incorporate the latest native plant trends into your garden.
Low Maintenance Gardens While natives have long been touted as a kind of “set and forget” solution, this is only partially true. Clive Abben of Abben Art Garden Design says it is more important to select plants based on conditions to make sure the garden is as low maintenance as possible. In his own work, he always selects plants that are indigenous to the area to ensure they will thrive in the soil and weather conditions. “Walk around your local area and if you see a plant you like, take a photo”, he says, “then show it to a local nursery to see if it would work in your garden.” As a bonus, indigenous and natives often require less general maintenance than non-natives. Most don’t require pruning, aren’t deciduous, and often are drought resistant depending on the variety. Drew Cooper, a partner at Peninsula Plants and Edible Gardens, says that, most of the time, it comes down to using local plants where possible and designing the garden well.
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“If you plant the right plant in the right spot, you don’t really have to do anything to them“ he says. Make sure to get advice from your local nursery to make everything is as low maintenance as possible to ensure you get the most enjoyment out of your garden!
Foodscaping Rather than having a traditional veggie patch some gardeners are turning to “foodscaping”, or planting edible plants amongst ornamental aspects. “There are plenty of native herbs that can make great additions to both your cooking and your garden”, Glen Yearsley of Austplant Native Plant Nursery says. “Lemon myrtle is a must have, I use it as a substitute for lemongrass” he adds. Finger limes are also a popular choice that has become more popular in the culinary world, but are now making their way into home kitchens. Herbs like native river mint and native thyme are perfect to use as a replacement for the non-native variety as well. When it comes to planting the garden, it’s important to consider placement, shading, and sunlight. Instead of picking a plant and then forcing it into a position in your garden, look at where you might want to plant an edible, then select one based on conditions. Remember, this may not always be an indigenous or native plant but instead a non-native which can work, even in what is essentially a native plant garden. For a fun idea, why not place your native herbs near the back door or barbeque for easy access during cooking?