Creating spectacular landscapes in small spaces

The 2 Main Features To Consider When Designing A Hardy And Drought Resistant Garden

by Janet Banks

Whether you're revamping your existing garden or starting from scratch with a newly built home, planning a garden is an exciting yet challenging project. As well as creating an outdoor living environment that looks amazing, you'll no doubt want to create one that functions well and is fairly low maintenance.

One important aspect of garden design in the often harsh Australian climate is making your new garden as drought resistant as possible. It's important to know that during times of little to no rain or when water restrictions are in place that your garden won't shrivel up and die.

Choosing the right plant features is the most important part of this process and will make a huge difference to how your garden fares during dry times. Here are two of the main garden features that are important to choose for their drought tolerance abilities.

1. The lawn

The humble lawn is generally the largest and most important feature of an Australian backyard. A lawn is a place to play, relax and spend time with family. However, the wrong turf variety can also mean that your beloved lawn is a water-hungry beast that won't be happy if it isn't watered regularly and generously.

The best turf choices are drought tolerant and hardy varieties that thrive on neglect and have been developed for the Australian climate. Varieties of Buffalo and Kikuyu turf are excellent examples of this type of turf. They both come in a wide range of colours, textures and blade lengths, meaning you'll be able to choose a variety that suits your aesthetic preferences, the way you use your lawn and how it feels underfoot.

2. The plants

The other main feature of your garden will be the plants that you use to fill up your garden beds, line fences and add colour and texture to your garden. While the idea of beds full of rose bushes might seem appealing, these plants and others of the same nature are simply not designed to thrive in a hot and dry environment.

The best plants to choose for a hardy and drought resistant garden are Australian natives. These have developed over millennia to survive and thrive in the climate extremes around the country and will fare far better than imported plants. Native Australian trees, shrubs, flowers and ground cover plants all have the added benefit of being evergreen, so your garden will look verdant and bright all year round.

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