Australians love to develop and design small gardens that are full of indigenous and native plants. These native gardens are low maintenance. The use of native grass with local flowers and decor of stone gives the small garden that represents the natural landscape.
Plants are used in the garden in such a way that they can easily be grown and maintained in native Australian Soil. The minimum use of water to ensure the plants in your native garden thrive is a main feature of your homegrown landscape. The use of greens such as green grass and leaves with flowers helps you to have a unique and attractive garden.
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A small native garden can have a variety of styles with different features and appearance. There are lots of variations in climatic conditions across Australia, so it is very important to pick plants that are easily grown according to your local weather conditions. These native plants need to be blended with your home’s outdoor design. Choose your palms, ferns and other tropical plants for your grass with the use of flowers in warm colours such as red, yellow or orange and combine them with a stone base, giving you a native natural look.
The Attraction of Native Gardens in Australian Backyards
Australian native gardens are planned in such a way that they can easily grow in accordance with your climate, Soil, how much sunlight the area receives, rainfall, slope and drainage. You can grow your own fruit and vegetables, compost, plant native plants, bring water to the garden and store water.
Sustainability
A sustainable native small Australian garden or landscape is one that suits the local conditions and saves water by simple techniques of efficient watering, watering only when needed, using drought tolerant plants, making sure no weeding plants are nourishing and using water recycling at your home backyard garden.
It provides habitat for native wildlife, gives a healthy soil, and creates a place that connects with nature and minimises energy consumption.
Water-Wise Landscaping– The water-wise gardens are designed and used in such a way that the harmful effects on the natural circulation of water are minimal. In general, you can save water with
- Reducing the area of the lawn – A small native garden is best suited for saving water.
- Group the plants according to their water needs
- Use drought-tolerant plants
- Take care of the garden by using water efficiently.
- Use of Mulch- Mulching has many benefits for plant health and water conservation. In addition to reducing evaporation, it prevents weed germination and growth. The more common mulches include compost, pea straw, hay, stone and pebbles.
Ecological Harmony
Ecology depends on the native plants that you grow in your garden. Native plants provide shelter and food to local wildlife and are more tolerant to local weather conditions. Harmony is maintained by using less water and fertilisers to maintain the native plants in your small garden. The native plants help control soil erosion and give you aesthetic appeal that, in spite of their small size, caters to many local wildlife.
Aesthetic Grandeur
A garden is a work in progress that is constantly improved and redesigned. Designing your garden is like having a beautiful painting at your home. A landscape painting has a great influence on your efforts in designing a small native garden that brings aesthetic appeal to your home surroundings.
The neatness and precision in plantations give you a separate, relaxed area that opens you to nature. The outdoor environment could also influence how rustic or elegant the garden is in terms of decorative details.
Designing Your Small Native Backyard Garden
Create and design your small native Backyard garden by following simple steps:
- Consider What to Plant
- Pick the most excellent place to plant your native greens.
- Clear the Ground
- Test and protect your Soil
- Prepare Your Planting Beds
- Pick Your Plants
- Start Planting
- Water at the Correct Time
- Protect your garden with Mulch
- Maintain your Plant routinely
Captivating Small Native Garden Ideas
Australian native-style gardens can range from a lush, shrub-like garden to tropical and densely located plants. Small native gardens can be full of design elements and objects of interest. Australian gardens have a certain atmosphere and a sense of place. Some elements help evoke that sense of place.
- Plants should be grouped as they would be in nature, using random groupings, numbers and arrangements.
- The use of wood helps to create a woody feel, and wooden sleepers, wooden stairs, and a wooden terrace help to achieve an original Australian feel.
- Crushed granite or sandstone is another beautiful garden element to add to a native garden; it gives a soft look to garden paths.
- Make sure your Australian native landscape design is open and unstructured. Avoid rigid straight lines and formal hedges—experiment with contrasting leaves to add interest and excitement to your planting.
- Native grasses planted in the beds have a nice effect. Water is often used in garden design in Australia. A simple water pond can transform a garden space.
- Pathways are often made up of natural stepping stones or reclaimed sleepers to add a rustic feel. A dry river bed or stream is another interesting element that can add beauty to the look of your garden.
- River rocks imitating a riverbed are a simple and impressive landscape element that goes with your native plants.
- Some of the common Australian native plants, including native trees, shrubs, and grasses, are – Eucalyptu, Greville, Wattle, Lilly Pilly, Bottlebrush, kangaroo paw, Gymea Lily, Sedge Grass, Lomandra, Original violets, Blue thrush, Westring, Austromyrtus and Angophora.
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Caring for Your Small Native Backyard
It is very easy to care for your small native Backyard garden by just ensuring you follow below pointers:
- Watering the new plants is important during their first growing season. If adapted to the right location, new plants will not require additional watering or constant watering after a year in the ground.
- The amount of irrigation depends on the amount of rain and the type of Soil. Well-draining soils need more watering than clay soils. Water enough so that the Soil does not dry out, but do not water when the Soil is already wet.
- Overwatering can be just as deadly to plants as underwatering. If the plant sag, check the soil moisture before watering. Press your finger several inches into the ground. If it feels cool and moist, it is okay. When dry, water slowly and deeply. Water should penetrate two inches into the root zone and surrounding Soil. This promotes an established root system. Always keep water close to the root zone, not over the leaves.
- Water in the morning if possible. Use rainwater, if possible, instead of city surface water.
- The grass is a plant that is out of place. Have a garden style where plants occupy as many corners as possible. Cover bare areas with Mulch until established plants fill out. The hard part about maintaining a native garden is that you want the plants to spread by seed. But sometimes, it’s hard to tell which tiny seedling is a weed and which grows into a beautiful native plant. If you’re not sure, let it bloom. You will know when it blooms, and if it is not the Plant you want, be sure to pull it before it spreads more seeds.
- Native plants do not require fertilisation if they grow in the right place. A soil sample can help with plant selection. Existing healthy vegetation can help indicate soil type and condition. Pick plants that thrive in your Soil.
- Mulching helps retain soil moisture and temporarily suppresses weeds. Allowing plants to occupy all corners and spread throughout. It also offers more plants and requires less maintenance. Fallen leaves also make excellent Mulch. They are ideal for places where strong winds do not blow them away. Mulch should not exceed two inches as thicker Mulch can result in pests to grow.
Conclusion
Your Small Native Backyard garden can show various colours, both spectacular and precise, with various smells. You can have a dedicated entrance garden, sunny mounds for dry vegetation or shelters for ferns. In hot climates, you may crave the coolness of a shaded summer garden with trees, dense planting, and rainforest vegetation. In colder climates, you want maximum sunlight.
You can choose to keep open sunny areas between trees and bushes, which can protect your smaller plants from wind and cold.
A garden designed with suitable Australian native plants has many special and attractive features that are home to various native insects, animals and birds.
FAQ
Is chicken manure good for Australian natives?
Yes, chicken manure is good compost for your Australian native gardens as it provides Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to your plants
What is the best Mulch for Australian natives?
Wood Chip mulch is the best Mulch for Australian natives. Put four centimetres of layered wood chips in your native garden to protect it from any kind of weeds.
What is a no-dig garden for native plants?
Plant beds and flower borders are simply prepared by covering the ground with organic matter, such as garden compost, without digging into the ground.
What type of Soil do Australian natives like?
Sandy loam soil is best suited for Australian native plants to grow.
