Waterwise Planting Tips for Year-Round Greenery
Lack of water doesn't mean your garden has to look like a desert. These suggestions will ensure you have an oasis all year long
Carol Bucknell
25 November 2015
Houzz New Zealand Contributor. Journalist who lives in Auckland and specialises in writing about gardens, houses and design. Author of two books on garden design: Contemporary gardens of New Zealand and Big Ideas for Small Gardens both published by Penguin. I also design gardens and am a passionate gardener. Currently I write the garden pages for New Zealand magazine Your Home & Garden and contribute to NZ Gardener and NZ House & Garden magazines.
Houzz New Zealand Contributor. Journalist who lives in Auckland and specialises... More
With clever planting and planning, you can create your own green retreat without having to spend hours on wasteful watering. First and foremost, you have to choose the right plants – ideally those that can tolerate lots of sun and dry soils. Consider trees for cooling shade and ground covers to protect bare soil and stop it from drying out. Then there’s mulching, probably the best thing you can do for any garden, but particularly important if you want to save water. A 50-75mm layer of mulch will help keep moisture in the soil as well as the weeds out. It will also cool down the roots of trees and shrubs.
Start with trees
Planting drought-tolerant trees, such as these crepe myrtles, will make your garden cooler so it will need less water. Trees add moisture to the air as their leaves photosynthesise, and they shade the soil, reducing evaporation. Not only will you cut down on water bills by planting more trees in the garden, but you’ll also increase carbon dioxide absorption – it’s a win-win situation. And if you like the idea of using crepe myrtles, check out the recently introduced, drought-tolerant, white flowering cultivar Lagerstroemia fauriei ‘Kiowa’.
Planting drought-tolerant trees, such as these crepe myrtles, will make your garden cooler so it will need less water. Trees add moisture to the air as their leaves photosynthesise, and they shade the soil, reducing evaporation. Not only will you cut down on water bills by planting more trees in the garden, but you’ll also increase carbon dioxide absorption – it’s a win-win situation. And if you like the idea of using crepe myrtles, check out the recently introduced, drought-tolerant, white flowering cultivar Lagerstroemia fauriei ‘Kiowa’.
Choose species with an open canopy
There are different types of shade. Too many trees with a thick green canopy can make a garden feel gloomy. Those with an open canopy, such as the eucalyptus above, provide dappled shade. Or use deciduous trees that allow sun into the garden during winter and create lovely seasonal contrast.
There are different types of shade. Too many trees with a thick green canopy can make a garden feel gloomy. Those with an open canopy, such as the eucalyptus above, provide dappled shade. Or use deciduous trees that allow sun into the garden during winter and create lovely seasonal contrast.
Scent can be a bonus
Plants, such as the frangipani above, are not only drought- and salt-tolerant, they add fragrance to the garden. Most love full sun and free-draining soil but will not tolerate frost. Grow them where you can appreciate their divine perfume, which intensifies at night.
Plants, such as the frangipani above, are not only drought- and salt-tolerant, they add fragrance to the garden. Most love full sun and free-draining soil but will not tolerate frost. Grow them where you can appreciate their divine perfume, which intensifies at night.
Give plants a good start
No matter how tough and drought-resistant a plant is when mature, it still needs to be pampered a little when it’s first planted. Trees in particular. Dig some organic manure or peat and slow-release fertiliser into the soil when planting and water thoroughly. Continue to water for the first growing season until the plant is properly established, then it can be left to fend for itself.
Try to do your planting between late autumn and early spring when the ground is likely to be moister.Trees for dry conditions, once established, include alder, banksia (pictured above), birch, Cabbage trees (Cordyline), eucalypts, Bead tree (Melia azedarach), many maples, Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria), ornamental pear, Portuguese laurel, mountain ash (Sorbus), she-oak (Casuarina), wattle, and willow myrtle (Agonis flexuosa).
No matter how tough and drought-resistant a plant is when mature, it still needs to be pampered a little when it’s first planted. Trees in particular. Dig some organic manure or peat and slow-release fertiliser into the soil when planting and water thoroughly. Continue to water for the first growing season until the plant is properly established, then it can be left to fend for itself.
Try to do your planting between late autumn and early spring when the ground is likely to be moister.Trees for dry conditions, once established, include alder, banksia (pictured above), birch, Cabbage trees (Cordyline), eucalypts, Bead tree (Melia azedarach), many maples, Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria), ornamental pear, Portuguese laurel, mountain ash (Sorbus), she-oak (Casuarina), wattle, and willow myrtle (Agonis flexuosa).
Do your research
A good way to work out which shrubs will cope best in hot and dry conditions is to check where they originate. Any plants from warm areas, such as the Mediterranean, South Africa or California, are a sure bet for success. The heat-loving shrubs in the garden above include Mediterranean Spurge (euphorbia) with its lime green flower heads, along with yellow-flowering Australian kangaroo-paw.
A good way to work out which shrubs will cope best in hot and dry conditions is to check where they originate. Any plants from warm areas, such as the Mediterranean, South Africa or California, are a sure bet for success. The heat-loving shrubs in the garden above include Mediterranean Spurge (euphorbia) with its lime green flower heads, along with yellow-flowering Australian kangaroo-paw.
Add drama with show-stopping African shrubs…
The Leucadendron ‘Jester’ above, and its close cousins protea and Leucospermum, all like similar hot and dry conditions with free-draining soil. There are hundreds of cultivars of these African shrubs to choose from, and all produce stunning flowers in winter and spring that are great for cutting.
The Leucadendron ‘Jester’ above, and its close cousins protea and Leucospermum, all like similar hot and dry conditions with free-draining soil. There are hundreds of cultivars of these African shrubs to choose from, and all produce stunning flowers in winter and spring that are great for cutting.
…and Australian grevilleas
Grevilleas are in the same family as Leucadendron with more than 200 native to Australia. Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’, the small-growing shrub above, is one of many Australian grevillea cultivars and is considered by gardening expert Don Burke to be one of the best all-round varieties.Virtually all grevilleas produce delicate spidery flowers and thrive in poor dry soils with good drainage – they also love windy conditions. These versatile plants can be used for a variety of purposes in the garden from ground covers and shrubs to tall trees.
Grevilleas are in the same family as Leucadendron with more than 200 native to Australia. Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’, the small-growing shrub above, is one of many Australian grevillea cultivars and is considered by gardening expert Don Burke to be one of the best all-round varieties.Virtually all grevilleas produce delicate spidery flowers and thrive in poor dry soils with good drainage – they also love windy conditions. These versatile plants can be used for a variety of purposes in the garden from ground covers and shrubs to tall trees.
Ditch the lawn
Grass requires plenty of water and feeding to do well. Instead, try mass planting shrubs such as the drought-tolerant euphorbia and lavender above. This garden looks as lovely as a lawn and will save on the water bills.
Grass requires plenty of water and feeding to do well. Instead, try mass planting shrubs such as the drought-tolerant euphorbia and lavender above. This garden looks as lovely as a lawn and will save on the water bills.
Cover the ground
Ground-covering plants, such as this lamb’s ear (Stachys), are the water-saving gardener’s best friend. Not only do they help retain moisture in the soil, they also protect it from erosion and stop weeds germinating.
Ground-covering plants, such as this lamb’s ear (Stachys), are the water-saving gardener’s best friend. Not only do they help retain moisture in the soil, they also protect it from erosion and stop weeds germinating.
Choose silver or grey
Plants with grey or silver tones in their leaves, such as the Lomandra confertilfolia ‘Seascape’ on the left and the lamb’s ear on the right, can cope with quite a long drought, particularly those with leaves that are tomentose (covered with down or tiny hairs). The hairs help reduce evaporation from pores in the leaf surface and reflect some of the sunlight from the leaf.
SHOW US
If you’ve created a lovely water-saving garden, attach some high-resolution photos of it in the comments section below to share with other Houzz users.
MORE
Top 10 Plants for Minimum Effort and Maximum Impact
How to Choose the Best Plants for a Small Garden
Exotic Plants for Frosty Gardens
Plants with grey or silver tones in their leaves, such as the Lomandra confertilfolia ‘Seascape’ on the left and the lamb’s ear on the right, can cope with quite a long drought, particularly those with leaves that are tomentose (covered with down or tiny hairs). The hairs help reduce evaporation from pores in the leaf surface and reflect some of the sunlight from the leaf.
SHOW US
If you’ve created a lovely water-saving garden, attach some high-resolution photos of it in the comments section below to share with other Houzz users.
MORE
Top 10 Plants for Minimum Effort and Maximum Impact
How to Choose the Best Plants for a Small Garden
Exotic Plants for Frosty Gardens
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Love the article though.
I agree hellodarlink about the Norfolk hibiscus. We had one near our neighbours lawn and they begged us on bended knees to have it removed as their kids couldn't go bare foot on their lawn. Horrible tree.