Tips and hints for an Australian Native Garden

Planting Australian Natives

When to Plant: In a small garden where watering can be carried out with ease, planting can commence any time of year, avoiding hot days in Summer.

Large scale plantings are best carried out in Spring, Autumn and early Winter, when natural rainfall is more frequent.

Preparing to Plant: Know how big your plants will be once they have grown! If you are not sure how big they will grow, check your Austplant catalogue or call us - don't use guesswork, as some plants can grow up to10m wide, and others 60ft tall!

With this information on hand, place out all your plants before reaching for the spade, this will help you visualize and fine tune your layout.

Planting:

1. Equipment: Spade, 'Osmocote Native  Fertilizer' or Blood and Bone, Gypsum if planting in clay, watering can or hose, as well stakes and ties if planting advanced trees.

2. If you have mulch down, scrape it back out of the way exposing 1/2 meter circle of bare soil.

3.  Dig a hole with a 30cm diameter and deep enough for the plant - Use the spade to measure the depth. Drainage and friability of clay soils will benefit greatly with the working in of Gypsum.

4. Add one teaspoon of Osmocote Native Fertilizer or a heaped handful of Organic Blood and Bone in the base of the hole.

5. Fill the hole with water and allow to drain.

6. Soak plant thoroughly.

7. Slide container or bag from plant - a and b) support the soil of the plant by placing your hand on top of the soil, with fingers in between the stem. c) Take care not to disturb roots except with melaleucas and callistemons, which should be teased slightly.

Handy hint: Do not tease away or wash away the original soil of native plants. Keeping the rich original soil encourages faster root development.

8. Place plant in the hole and fill in soil, a) graduating the soil back into the hole, b) breaking up lumps as you go. Soil coverage should be the same level of the soil of the potted plant. c) Firm soil around the plant.

9.  Soak the plant again with water.

10. Stake only if necessary with a tie on stake and loose loop around the plant. Avoid driving the stake near root system.

Maintaining an Australian Native Garden

Watering: A weekly soaking during hot weather is far better than a daily light sprinkling which would encourage surface rooting and a reliance on regular watering. For dry soil, newly planted plants should be watered daily to encourage a deep root system.

Handy hint:  Consider using a soaker hose with a timer for soaking once a week for the first Summer of planting rather than fixed irrigation which is costly and can become redundant as the plants mature.

Fertilizer: Most plants benefit from a light application of a slow release fertilizer once a year. We have found that Osmocote Native Fertilizer or Organic Blood and Bone are ideal. It is important where a mulch of any kind is used to re-feed your plants with a surface application annually for the first two years.

Pruning:  Most shrubs benefit from a 'tip prune' by pinching out the growth tips at least once a year for the first two years. This can be done at any time and will encourage bushy growth and many more flowers.  All ‘daisy’ plants need a hair-cut after flowering to extend life and keep up vigorous growth.

Handy hint:  Tip prune most of your shrubs as they grow.   It enhances bushiness and encourages many more flowers.

Pest control: A native garden will attract native birds which will do much to control pests. If sprays must be used, be aware of their toxicity and residual effects on both humans and wildlife. White oil will safely control scale and sooty mould and a Eucalyptus Pyrethrum based spray will usually keep most other insects at bay.

Designing a Garden with Personality

Put your personality into your garden, as you would with your home. Look to create atmosphere and ambiance through consideration of elements such as colour, fragrance, shape and texture.

A carefully considered garden will bring much pleasure and will attract birds to help control insects. Your creation will encourage better use of outdoor areas, bringing closer the smell of the bush and the wonder of beautiful and unique native flora.

Handy hint:  Avoid straight lines with paths and garden beds. Instead, create meandering pathways and screen some areas so that parts of the garden cannot be seen at once. This creates more interest and a sense of adventure in the garden, which kids love.

If you would like a hand getting started with your design, please feel free to call in on us with your site plans. To learn more about our complete garden service, and browse some photos of some of our clients gardens click here.
 

Designing Windbreaks with Australian Natives

Illustrated below are a number of windbreak options using both two and three row planting. An effective, attractive windbreak is an asset to any property to minimise soil erosion and provides habitat for birds and animals. Please feel free to bring your site plans into Austplant to discuss what options are available to suit your site.

a: Two row shrub windbreak

b: Two row shrub and tree windbreak

c. Three row design using 3/4 shrubs, 1/4 trees

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Last modified: 06/11/05