Home & Garden

The best plants for your garden

Home & Garden

Posted by: mermaid

13th Apr 2010 06:30pm

I'm in the process of developing a new garden, with annual water restrictions am thinking I should be choosing plants that require minimal water but lack the knowledge in this area. Any advice is appreciative?


Comments 45

antzy
  • 27th May 2014 01:13pm

Rosemary would be good - lots of sun, not much watering, sandy soil. Something for the mediterranean weather1

Anonymous
  • 17th Apr 2014 10:52am

U plan for rose bushes it will be good for u r soil

angry mum
  • 13th Apr 2014 03:08pm

stick to natives. They barely require any water. Also there is a variety called "Mighty Tuff" available at Bunnings which will grow anywhere and they have lots of different ones. Most of them grow up to 3 metres. However I keep mine to about a metre high and wide by simply trimming them. I have had huge success with these and they grow anywhere and most flower from time to time.

george
  • 26th Feb 2014 01:33pm

that's no good for a mermaid on water restrictions,just drive around your town and see what grows the best,take photo's (with care) or write things down,ask your neighbours.Don't rely on nurseries to much as they only want sales,good luck, george

Anonymous
  • 6th Feb 2014 05:23pm

Succulents are always good for water restricted areas and sandy soils

bettythrelfo
  • 24th Sep 2013 03:19pm

Okay hun, it now depends on what sort of plants yo u are thinking of, is it flowering plants, or do you want to combine some vegetables with them as well. To build up sandy soil, the cheapest way I found is I have a paper shredder, and I first off shred thin cardboard and papers, then bury this, if you have access to any sort of vegetables s craps they are good, worms love paper, and they do help aerate the soil. If you have any sort of mulch you can put in garden leaves, lawn clippings, or even weeds chopped up. is good, what you are trying to do is to build up the soil to retain water for when the summer? gets here. You can also buy mulch from a garden centre, go to whoever is in charge and tell them what type of soil, whether it is sandy, or has gravel in it as well, and they can help.. benzanite clay is good , and I find that you can buy this in cheap kitty litter from coles and woolworths, evidently this helps bind the particules of soil together and keep water from draining off to fast. When you put scraps in the garden, worls do not like garlic or onions so be careful there. I find that I throw it all in a heap, and as it breaks down I use it. If there is anything in particular you need to know please get back to me, husband and I were professional gardeners y onks ago.

s
  • 7th Feb 2013 05:39pm

I water my potplants with a jug. And my vegetables and herbs with a jug. And if it has not rained for 2 weeks or more I use the hose.
Have a look at plant nurserys and Bunnings for drought tolerant plants.

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:50pm
I water my potplants with a jug. And my vegetables and herbs with a jug. And if it has not rained for 2 weeks or more I use the hose.
Have a look at plant nurserys and Bunnings for drought...

s your sharing my water saving ideas :)

bettythrelfo
  • 22nd Jan 2013 07:58pm

I am not sure as to where you live, and with this great big world of internet it could be anywhere, but okay I am replying and live just out of Perth. If you can google or one of those to plants and try for gardening without a great lot of water, the water board has a pile of plant ideas that you can use. We go every couple of months to various talks by great gardeners and they are sponsered by our local Gosnells Council and the water dept. Have a fantastic range of little pamplets to help with the ideas as well. If you can get on to one of you r main nurseries in your area, they can usually send out pamplets for plants you can grow.... You could also get hold of Eden Seeds, I think in south australia who have a range of seeds and or plants that can be used with very low water needs. Hope this is a help, cause it sure was to us. A lot of natives, grevillas etc., can be gown and information about the growing of them from a firm called George Lullifitt, both at waneroo and Jandakot can also be a big help.

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:50pm
I am not sure as to where you live, and with this great big world of internet it could be anywhere, but okay I am replying and live just out of Perth. If you can google or one of those to plants...

Thanks for the advice bettythrelfo I also learned all councils give away plantings when renewing areas within each community and was very happy to receive some lavender and natives as a result :)

Anonymous
  • 11th Aug 2012 03:17am

with the water restrictions get a tip truck and a bobcat and clean out the gardens and put down colored gravel and put some ornamemts around. i have
saves an awful lot of mowing to

Anonymous
  • 11th Aug 2012 03:17am

with the water restrictions get a tip truck and a bobcat and clean out the gardens and put down colored gravel and put some ornamemts around. i have
saves an awful lot of mowing to

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:48pm
I am not sure as to where you live, and with this great big world of internet it could be anywhere, but okay I am replying and live just out of Perth. If you can google or one of those to plants...

As a girl from the country am definitely up to any challenge hot rod however, I have put down gravel to compliment planting and save watering :)

Anonymous
  • 24th Apr 2012 10:19am

i think you should look at succulants there great water savers and easy to care for also suitable for most areas

Anonymous
  • 24th Apr 2012 10:17am

i think you should look at succulants there great water savers and easy to care for

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:47pm
I am not sure as to where you live, and with this great big world of internet it could be anywhere, but okay I am replying and live just out of Perth. If you can google or one of those to plants...

Oh yes shell have succulents in pots that contrast with purple grasses lavender etc...am thinking of a single bee hive much research before the decision becomes reality!

wojo12
  • 19th Apr 2012 10:05am

See what grows well in neighbouring gardens. Choose natives - they are far cleaner that other types like palms which are forever dropping fronds, or they just hang looking ugly. There are lots of beautiful grevilleas in all colours which are low maintence and great bird attractors. Good luck.

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:46pm
See what grows well in neighbouring gardens. Choose natives - they are far cleaner that other types like palms which are forever dropping fronds, or they just hang looking ugly. There are lots of...

I love palms and natives, so opted for both over grevilleas beautiful as they may be a little prickly for my liking. Oh and the birds and bees flourish well in my garden!

mysteron347
  • 22nd Nov 2011 02:06am

Given that I have no income and no prospect of getting any, my back garden is given over to vegetable production. Silver beet, mainly - but also leeks and beetroot.

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:44pm
Given that I have no income and no prospect of getting any, my back garden is given over to vegetable production. Silver beet, mainly - but also leeks and beetroot.

Simply delish mysteron347 silver beet is delish with everrrrything!! leeks a tasty veg in stir fries soups and well basically anything we become creative in the kitchen with and beetroot don't get me started.....roasted and mixed into hummus devine!! eaten on their own just as yummy :)

I wonder if you have ever thought about selling your veges at a local farmers market or getting together within your community and trading all worthy options of making a small income and meeting new people while sharing new experiences not to mention to joy of others eating your veges!

bluegirl
  • 23rd Aug 2011 09:43am

Go for a walk aroud your are and see what plants are growing well and what you like the look of. Gardeners will always talk to other gardners so ask questions.

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:41pm
Go for a walk aroud your are and see what plants are growing well and what you like the look of. Gardeners will always talk to other gardners so ask questions.

Thanks bluegirl I did just that and now have a thriving garden of veges, fruit and cane in pots. Blue and white agis, succulents and lavendar. Am very surprised at how low maintenance this is and the abundance of goodies we enjoy!

pebbles
  • 12th Aug 2011 05:36pm

you should consider having a permaculture garden , i have one and it is doing fine , I also belong to a community garden in Perth that uses a drip feed garden to grow our vegetables and it works well , in summer on the days i cant water i will use my wheelie bin water tank to water my veg with stored bore water , good mulching also , making your own compost to keep the soil in a good condition , if you have good soil it will hold water better , also you might like to look at using wicking beds , they can be very effective in, there is lots of information on line on these , you might like to look at finding permaculture gardens where you live , gardenate alight as well as this will tell you the type of growing conditions you have. there is lots of information for the budding gardener , i think any move to a sustainable living lifestyle is good . best of lick with your endeavors .

mermaid
  • 24th Sep 2013 01:39pm
you should consider having a permaculture garden , i have one and it is doing fine , I also belong to a community garden in Perth that uses a drip feed garden to grow our vegetables and it works...

Sounds interesting pebbles!

Anonymous
  • 16th Apr 2011 05:28am

You can find quite a few succulents that will thrive in those condition they make a lovely ground cover also lavender and rosemary are very hardy and look lovely as a border or feature. carnations and dianthus are a nice feature in any garden and only need minimal watering evey few days. most of our natives are suitable to these condition such as Grevillea and even bottlebrush but bottle brush do need a litle extra water in the very hot months but do make for lovely native garden hope this helps

stretch
  • 14th Jan 2011 12:30pm

have you ever thought of buyng a tank
a garbage bin with a hole drilled and a tap fitted will do it grazety feed fairly well
a 44 gallon drum does the same thing

stretch
  • 14th Jan 2011 12:28pm

have you ever thought of buying a small tank
if you can not afford one grab a garbage bin drill a small hole and thread the tap in
it will gravety feed out with next to no troubles
a 44 gallon drum does the same thing

Anonymous
  • 11th Jan 2011 04:04pm

you cant kill most ferns

maria
  • 11th Jan 2011 03:23pm

just look at hte intenet about gardening

jadajen
  • 6th Dec 2010 10:07pm

Agaves do look great and I would have to agree about the native plants which is what I did and for exactly the same reason. They look great and as they are perfectly suited to our climate they grow quite quickly also. I bought mine from the markets as tubestock so they only cost $1-$2 each and I am suprised by how quick they are growing. They also attract all the lovely native birds.

888shelley
  • 29th Nov 2010 06:59pm

another good group of plants worth considering are bromeliads......so many different varieties and colours, some like shade, some full sun, climbing trees, different flowering, large growing, miniatures, prefer dry or humid conditions, some dont even need planting......contact a local bromeliad society and they will also help

dlrmatrix
  • 16th Nov 2010 09:22pm

Make sure you use plenty of mulch to reduced the amount of watering reqd

Al
  • 10th Sep 2010 05:33pm

With water shortages being a large problem in Australia we have planted an extensive Native Shrub garden and now it has developed it needs no watering other than what Mother Nature provides, maintenance is also very low. It is the way to go.

jadams
  • 16th Jul 2010 12:50pm

Agaves are the best drought tolerant plants and look great. they give your garden a tropical feel and require little or no watering. Whatsmore is that they produce offshoots of baby plants which you remove from the mother plant to create new plants. My garden is full of them and I'm still producing more. They are thriving and I don't even water them!

angry mum
  • 13th Apr 2014 03:12pm
Agaves are the best drought tolerant plants and look great. they give your garden a tropical feel and require little or no watering. Whatsmore is that they produce offshoots of baby plants which...

I also have agaves and find if I overwater them the leaves go a bit yellow. I agree, they grow anywhere.

LouLou
  • 6th Jul 2010 05:40am

It depends where you live. I live in Melbourne and there are loads of options to choose from. The main thing though is to firstly pile your garden full of compost. Get it delivered from the local soil and garden centre. The compost keeps the plant roots cool in summer and with a little care it will stay moist all year round. I have only had a couple of plant deaths with this method since the water restrictions. Careful selection of plants helps, of course. If you have shady areas, plant shade tolerant plants and the same for the sunny spots. The latest small weeping acacia is a good choice, murraya paniculata is pretty tough and has fragrant flowers.

paradisi
  • 7th May 2010 11:05am

surprise your self
we switched to a garden jam packed with fruit trees and use pots for vegies
and we use about a quarter of the water we did on a green desert - grass

the "structural" plants the trendy muscle boys on garden shows on TV use are very dangerous with their root systems - they very actively seearch out water - and that usually means your sewer or mains

with fruit trees a mature citrus needs bout 200 litres a week - if you have a good multigraft you are getting four or five varieties fro 200 litres a week

with apples and pears and cherries they survive in the driest of climates with little ot no extra water or care

tropical fruits - we have a few and they get nothing but the rain that falls on them - they all thrive and proved a good crop of tasty fruit each year

bananas are supposed to be massive water users - but we dont water outs and get a dozen bunches a year from the ten we are allowed to keep in queensland

mulberry - it has just taken off - with the minimum of care, feijoa - nothing in extra water, paw paw - they just get a bucket of wet chook poo once a month

give up on what the experts tell you, check what gardeners are doing

mermaid
  • 30th Apr 2010 12:47pm

Oh my, feel better placed to seek native plants so thanks a bunch of apple blossom to one and all!

bizzyliz
  • 29th Apr 2010 10:33pm

I would suggest using composted material eg making your own compost is easy, just look online to get your info on how to do it. Another way is to get a good garden book or magazines like Gardening Australia to find out how to construct one, plus mulching to stop evaporation. Plants well that depends on what you like. Natives are a good suggestion and cacti are good, any other succulents would be ideal, grasses are good as a feature also. We have basically all of those mentioned and although we live in an area with good rainfall once these type of plants and shrubs are established they would only probably need a good watering once every two to three weeks and that would depend on how hot it is also. Best of luck mermaid!

mermaid
  • 29th Apr 2010 02:29pm

The soil is sandy and the garden is still bare lol....

spog777
  • 10th Nov 2012 10:51pm
The soil is sandy and the garden is still bare lol....

Whatever you do don't fall prey to planting palm trees - especially Date and Cocos or they will grow to haunt you and your garden

jbean
  • 17th Nov 2010 01:58pm
My garden has very sandy soil also. I find hipiestrims ( maybe not right spelling ) Agapanthas', Camelias', Azaleas' , Day Lillies, Hibiscus, they all do well without a lot of water and in sandy...

I also have sandy soil and I have been able to grow gorgeous roses and a variety of herbs and vegetables
I used heaps of mulch as well and a special watering agent that is suitable for sandy soils

Rosie
  • 29th Apr 2010 04:14pm
The soil is sandy and the garden is still bare lol....

Tree Ferns do very well too

Rosie
  • 29th Apr 2010 04:13pm
The soil is sandy and the garden is still bare lol....

My garden has very sandy soil also. I find hipiestrims ( maybe not right spelling ) Agapanthas', Camelias', Azaleas' , Day Lillies, Hibiscus, they all do well without a lot of water and in sandy soil. Hope this helps :-)

janeen
  • 20th Apr 2010 05:35pm

hi really depends on where u live soil type and climate let me know and i will try to help

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