All the weather authorities tell us its going to be a very long dry summer, and i think if we were a betting person, then we would probably bet that 8 out of the next 10 years we will probably have similiar summers. We can therefore say its becoming the normal, and so if someone is wanting to put in new gardens, then we should be very mindful of this , as a landscaper i certainly am, when creating new gardens for my clients.Many towns and cities have severe water restrictions in place, by january and alot of people living on lifestyle blocks rely only on rainwater filling the tanks, so water is prescious for them as well.
So i definitely recommend that homeowners use plants that can at least get by with a high tolerance to drying out, or needing minimal water requirements.
Ten plants that I like to use in such situations are;
- CONVULVULUS CNEORUM
- ALSTROEMERIA PRINCESS SERIES
- BESCHORNARIA REALITY
- LOMANDRA NYALLA
- NANDINA FLIRT
- RAPHIOLEPIS SPRINGTIME
- ROSE FLOWERCARPET SERIES
- STAR JASMINE
- LAVENDER PINK PRINCESS
- CALLESTEMON LITTLEJOHN
The above are just a few of many good drought performing plants.Also you can help the plants to better cope by mulching all the gardens with a good thick layer of garden mulch , as this will certainly help keep the moisture in the soil, and keep the weed population down to a minimum, which is always handy.
Also the other big point is - get your new gardens planted in the autumn rather than waiting to the spring, because autumn is natures favourite planting time - its still warm and wet, and then over the winter months nature will look after your plants for you, so by the time you get to the following early summer your plants will have a better established root system for coping with the dry summers.
I fully recommend that my clients start thinking about their new gardens in late feb/early march and then by early april they have made all the garden preparations, and decided on design and plants being used, so that as soon as the first autumn rains appear, they are in a position to get cracking and start planting.Your plants will certainly thank - you for this and get off to the very best start
