Xeriscape Gardening - Goulburn Valley Water, Australia
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This document provides information about xeriscape gardening principles and practices for water-efficient landscaping. It discusses the seven principles of xeriscape gardening including proper planning, soil preparation, use of mulch, grouping plants by water needs, and efficient watering techniques. It also provides a list of locally indigenous plants suitable for low water use gardens in the Goulburn Valley region of Australia, including trees, shrubs, ground covers, and grasses. It notes that a water conservation garden has been established at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne to teach visitors about water-efficient landscaping.
Xeriscape Gardening - Goulburn Valley Water, Australia
- 1. Goulburn Valley Water Xeriscape April 2000 Gardening Planting the right plant for the right conditions Sources: Do you have a brown, patchy lawn no ● Discover Xeriscape. A Yard- matter how much water you use? Do by-Yard Guide to Water Wise you have plants struggling in your Landscaping in Colorado Denver Water, Denver Colorado. garden, when you have seen them The ripe fruits of ● Yarra Valley Water website flourish in others? If these statements the Quandong www.yvw.com.au Yarra Valley are true for your garden, chances are Tree make excel- Water lent jams and you should give Xeriscape gardening chutneys. ● Personal communication - a go! Photo: H.Weber Alex Sislov Tree Growing Advi- sory Officer, Department of Xeriscape is a term coined by the Natural Resources and Envi- ronment Tatura. water authority in Denver, Colorado natural wind-shelters, while large to describe water-efficient deciduous trees provide summer landscaping. It aims to creatively shade. combine the best elements of traditional landscaping with Awareness of alternatives to lawn and contemporary conservation the variety of grass types are one of techniques. This makes it the cost- the principles. Many people are saving, time-saving and water wise rethinking how much lawn they want choice for everyone. and need. For example, you might consider reducing the area of lawn you Waterwise Tips for There are seven principles of presently have by replacing some Australian Gardens: Xeriscape gardening. These include areas with water-efficient ● Mulch garden beds to at least 75 the importance of planning your groundcovers and shrubs. Drought- mm to conserve water and garden, awareness of vegetation types tolerant grasses may be substituted for suppress weeds and the efficient use of water. water-thirsty grasses with great results. ● Reduce lawn areas, Many of the principles rely on knowledge of natural conditions. For Perhaps the most important benefit of ● Plant lawns with native grasses, instance a tree's shade lowers air and Xeriscape gardening is that a well- eg Weeping Grass (Microlaena soil temperature. Evergreens are planned garden requires less stipoides), or Wallaby Grasses (Danthonia spp.), ● Deep watering occasionally General Waterwise Tips encourages a deep root system while frequent light waterings encourage shallow root systems, Water is one of the most water. Effective landscaping can important natural resources on save up to 50% of the water you ● Re-use ‘grey-water’ wherever earth. It is also the one that is use in your garden. possible most often taken for granted. Remember that a Waterwise ● Apply water around the base of Each year the average household garden provides 3 major benefits. plants, not over the foliage uses nearly two swimming pools It will save you money, is low ● Plant shade/wind breaks to pro- worth of water in the garden maintenance and is tect more sensitive plants alone! environmentally friendly. Careful planning and design of Check out these basic tips for your garden can save a lot of conserving water in your garden.
- 2. Principals of Xeriscape Xeriscape, pronounced 'zerry for effective watering. scape' is a term derived from the Where possible, build drive- Greek word 'xeros' meaning dry ways, paths and paved areas in and from the word landscape, to form a new term for water con- “Mulches can prevent up to serving gardens. 73% evaporation loss…” Over 300 communities world wide have adopted the Xeriscape such a way that rain run-off Blue Pincushion (Brunonia australis) program and many cities have can be directed onto a lawn established Xeriscape water con- and/or garden area, rather ply is well-aged manure and servation gardens. than going down the drain. compost. Step Three: Make Friends Step Six: Water Wisely There are seven main principals of Xeriscape gardening, and with Mulch Contrary to popular belief, wa- while none of these are particu- Mulches can prevent up to 73% tering the leaves of trees and larly ground-breaking, they are a evaporation loss and they are shrubs is not beneficial. It in- reminder of the important gar- one of the cheapest and easiest creases water loss through den planning elements of which ways to make the most of water evaporation and in some cir- every gardener should take no- in the garden. cumstances water on leaves on tice. hot, sunny days can damage Mulches cover the soil and cool them. Step One: Better by Design it, while minimising evapora- tion, reducing weed growth, and Frequent watering makes your A bit of planning and design ini- slowing erosion. Mulches can plants shallow rooted and more tially will yield beautiful Xeriscape also provide landscape interest dependent on you for survival. results you’ll enjoy for years to and offer protective cover until come. Landscape professionals Water your garden less often, plants mature. but more thoroughly. This en- are a good information resource, although many people enjoy excel- Step Four: Plant Like with courages your plants to extend lent results on their own. Like their roots deeper, making them hardier, and less thirsty. To begin planning, you need to By grouping the plants in the think about how you use your garden into high or low water Water your garden early in the backyard and what you want your users, you can design a water- morning when wind and evapo- landscaping efforts to accomplish. ing pattern that is better for ration are at their lowest Wa- For example: what are your priori- your plants and will prevent tering late in the evening means ties - do you want to create space waste on plants that don’t need that water will stay on the for entertaining or increase your it. leaves for most of the night, privacy? Do you have a natural increasing the chances of fun- Make use of gal and other slope? Lots of southern exposure? the range of diseases. Start a list of plants, trees and micro-climates shrubs you like with as many local available in Step Seven: species as you can. your garden Proper Main- created by tenance Step Two: Know shade trees, your Turf Maintain a walls and other regular sched- Generally an features, to ule of well- area of lawn re- provide each Gold-Dust Wattle (Acacia acinacea) timed mowing quires more wa- plant with the best of your reduced grass areas, as ter than the possible conditions. well as pruning, pest control, same area of gar- Step Five: Go Organic and weeding your planting beds den. So when will help ensure your landscape designing land- Before you plant, you may want develops beautifully. The pay- scape, reduce the area covered by to add some organic matter to off is worth the investment of lawns as much as possible. The your soil which will help it to time because a well-planned shape of lawns and gardens is also retain water better and make xeric landscape requires less important—while a design may nutrients available to plants. maintenance as it matures! look nice, it may not be suitable The best organic matter to ap- Page 2 Xeriscape Gardening
- 3. Locally Indigenous Plants Here is a list of indigenous plants that will be suitable for low water use gardens in the Goulburn Broken Catchment. Some of the plants will be difficult to purchase and you may need to go to specialist native or indigenous nurseries, of which there are a few in the area. The following plants will require frequent watering (ie, weekly or fortnightly) over their first summer till they establish. Once established they will require only monthly watering or even less, over summer. Small Medium Trees Common Name Botanical Name Comments Murray Pine Callitris glaucophylla Slow growing, light soils only Lightwood Acacia implexa Long live wattle Willow Wattle Acacia salicina Long lived wattle Black Wattle Acacia mearnsii 15-20 years Buloke Allocasuarina leuhmanii Slow growing Drooping She-oak Allocasuarina verticillata Drooping foliage Red Box Eucalyptus polyanthemos Excellent shade tree Yellow Gum Eucalyptus leucoxylon Can grow to 20 m Red Ironbrak Eucalyptus tricarpa Can grow to 20 m Blue Mallee Eucalyptus polybractea Multi-stemmed Moonah Melaleuca lanceolata Low growing Kurrajong Brachychiton populneus Excellent shade tree Shrubs Common Name Botanical Name Comments Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha Fast growing, short lived Mallee Wattle Acacia montana Rounded shrub to 1.5 m Umbrella Wattle Acacia osswaldii Summer flowering Bent leaf Wattle Acacia flexifolia Winter flowering Grey Mulga Acacia brachybotrya Grey foliage Varnish Wattle Acacia verniciflua Shiny foliage, winter flowers Spreading Wattle Acacia genistifolia Winter flowers, prickly Gold Dust Wattle Acacia acinacea Winter flowering Oondoroo Solanum similie Purple flowers, orange berries Weeping Pittosporum Pittosporum phyllyraeoides Drooping foliage Sweet Bursaria Bursaria spinosa Summer flowers, prickly Waterbush Myoporum montanum Deep green foliage Emu Bush Eremophila longifolia Tubular flowers Desert Cassia Senna artemisiodes Yellow flowers Wedge Leaf Hop Bush Dodonea viscosa ssp. cuneata Pink-Red capsules Common Fringe Myrtle Calytrix tetragona Pink flowers Hooked Needlewood Hakea tephrosperma Needle like foliage Cherry Ballart Exocarpus cuppressiformis Cypress like foliage Sweet Quandong Santalum acuminatum Red/yellow fruit Grey Parrot Pea Dillwynia cinerescens Orange pea flowers Common Eutaxia Eutaxia microphylla Yellow pea flowers Old Man Saltbush Atriplex nummularia Blue-grey foliage Ruby Saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa Red & yellow berries Xeriscape Gardening Page 3
- 4. Goulburn Valley Water Ground Covers 104-110 Fryers St, SHEPPARTON Common Name Botanical Name Comments Education Officer Cut Leaf Goodenia Goodenia pinnatifida Yellow flowers David Hodgkins Creamy Candles Stackhousia monogyna Small cream flowers 5832 0460 Showy Viola Viola betonicifolia Violet flowers Email: davidh@gvwater.vic.gov.au Tufted Bluebell Wahlenbergia communis Small metallic-blue spiky flower Austral Bugle Ajuga australis Blue flowers Blue Pincushion Brunonia australis Blue flowers Pink Bindweed Convululus erubescens Pink flowers the Web! We’re on .vic. Pussy Tails Ptilotus spathulatus Fluffy flowers Www .gvwater ov.au Wattle Mat Lily Lomandra filiformis Strap like foliage g Saltbushes Creeping Saltbush Atriplex semibaccata Red berries This information is brought Saloop Einada hastata Deep green foliage to you by Goulburn Valley Nodding Saltbush Einada nutans Red berries Water with the help of the Department of Natural Bush Peas Twining Glycine Glycine clandestina Blue pea flowers Resources and Running Postman Kennedia prostata Red pea flowers Environment, Tatura. Twiggy Bush Pea Pultanaea largiflorens Small leaves Broughton’s pea Swainsona procumbens Purple pea flower Lilies Bulbine Lily Bulbine bulbosa Yellow flowers Chocolate Lily Arthropodium strictum Smells like chocolate Nodding Chocolate Lily Arthropodium fimbriatum Blue flowers Blue Grass Lily Caesia calliantha Blue flowers Black Anther Flax Lily Dianella revoluta Blue berries Pale Flax Lily Dianella longifolia Blue berries Twining Fringe Lily Thysanotus pattersonii Blue flowers Yellow Rush Lily Tricoryne elatior Yellow flowers Daisies Swamp Daisy Brachyscome basaltica White daisy flowers Scaly Billy Buttons Leptorhynchos squamatus Small yellow flowers Check Out these websites for further Drumsticks Pycnosorus globosus Large yellow flowers information: Golden Billy Buttons Pycnosorus chrysanthes Small yellow flowers • Just Natives - Australian Native Plant Common Everlasting Chrysocephalum apiculatum Small yellow flowers Mayweed Sunray Hyalosperma praecox White bracts, yellow centres Nursery Common New Holland Daisy Vittadenia cuneata Mauve flowers http://www.ozemail.com.au/~artgib/ • Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants http://farrer.riv.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/inde Grasses x.html Common Name Botanical Name Comments • Yarra Valley Water http://www.yvw.com.au/conserve/default Wallaby Grass Danthonia spp. Fluffy seed heads Common Wheat Grass Elymus scabrus Curved awns .htm Weeping Grass Microlaena stipoides Weeping heads Common Tussock Grass Poa labillardieri Tussocky grass Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra Rusty coloured heads Feather Spear Grass Stipa elegantissima Feathery heads Xeriscape in Action Gardeners can learn practical tips on how to conserve water from a special garden planted in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Sources: In February 2000, the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Ms Sherryl Garbutt, ● Water Matters Vol. launched the garden that has been set up to teach visitors about water conservation. Eighty 1, Issue 3 March 2000 Victorian different species of colourful and exotic plants, suited to Melbourne’s climate and with low Water Industry water requirement, have been established in the Water Conservation Garden. Association News Visitors will find the Water Conservation Garden on the eastern lawn of the Royal Botanic Gardens.