Never is the mantra ‘right plant, right place’ more important than in an Australian garden in summer. To save water, attract wildlife and most importantly, create a beautiful space you’ll love to spend time in, it’s worth planning your summer garden now. Choose hardy native plants, lock moisture into your soil and create some shade, and you can enjoy your backyard without too much effort. Read on to find out how.

Create some shade

It’s amazing how much cooler a garden (and your house) will feel with some shade. A simple pergola next to the house will make a difference, but it’s also worth ‘greening’ your garden with fast-growing plants and trees to cool it right down naturally.

We have some wonderful nurseries locally. We recommend the All Green Garden nursery for their wide range of locally grown plants and helpful, knowledgeable staff.

The Garden Feast in Werribee has been running since 1972 so knows the area and its growing conditions well, and has plenty of Australian natives. Stop in for expert advice and stay for lunch at the Italian cafe.

Choose native plants

Native plants will save you both time and money because they require less water to thrive and will last longer in our tough climate. They will also attract native visitors, such as native birds, to your garden, which is wonderful to see.

Australia’s climate varies so dramatically that gardeners need to choose their natives carefully. In the Wyndham City region some tried-and-tested local plants include:

  • The hardy Kangaroo Paw, which comes in a range of colours and sizes, from pale pink to lime green.
  • Eucalyptus (Silver Princess is a lovely smaller tree with pink flowers)
  • Grevilleas (or bottle brush) is a low-maintenance shrub that grows all over Australia, with lots of flowers.
  • Australia’s native lilac, or Hardenbergia violacea, is great for training up walls and has beautiful purple or white flowers in spring and into summer.
  • The iconic Golden Wattle is Australia’s national flower and grows quickly, producing yellow flower balls from a young age.

Do some research to get inspired, then chat to your local nursery or a professional gardener for more advice.

Keep the moisture in your soil

Once you’ve found homes for your plants, lock in the moisture with a layer of fresh mulch, which will also help to suppress weeds. A few bags over the soil at the start of summer will get everything off to a great start.

Sand, Soil and Mini-Mix in Werribee have a good range of mulches, soils and ground cover such as stones, and they deliver locally. Bark or wood chips are both great for trapping water in garden beds, while pea straw is good for veggies to keep roots cool.

Pots, too, should be topped up regularly with mulch to keep the plants healthy. And, of course, if you’re going on holidays, you’ll need to plan ahead. Ask someone to water your plants, and move all of your pots into a shady corner until you get back, as these will dry out faster than ones in garden beds.

Grow some food

Choose a spot in your garden that gets some sun and make a raised bed or buy one from a garden centre to grow some herbs or veggies from seed or plug plants. Last year saw more Australians than ever plant seeds, with mixed results, but there’s no doubt that growing your own food can be rewarding.

In summer, choose things that are best picked fresh – salad leaves (rocket grows particularly fast) and herbs such as parsley, coriander and basil are all worth cultivating. Other easy, fast-growing plants include cherry tomatoes, baby cucumbers and runner beans. And for the kitchen, it’s wonderful to have a curry leaf plant, a few chillies, some lemongrass and a Kaffir lime leaf for Thai curries. Finally, plant some mint for a refreshing summer drink in the garden.

If you have a property to sell or would like to find out more about our property management services or upcoming sales, please give us a call – no one knows the area like we do!

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