Archive for May, 2008

Drought Tolerant Australian Native Plants For Alkaline Soil

2 Comments »6th May, 2008; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, Hardy Australian Native PLants

Alkaline soils can be difficult to manage. Most gardening programmes emphasise the use of lime forgetting that many places beyond the east coast of Australia have alkaline soils. This is particularly so in South Australia.

A hint that I was given was to plant in raised beds. As little as 10cm above the surrounding soil will reduce the alkalinity effect. This of course also provides better drainage in heavier soils.

Moderately lime tolerant plants

Prostrate to 1m tall

Acacia lasiocarpa

Acacia pulchella

Acacia rhetinocarpa

Anigozanthos flavidus

Anigozanthos humilis

Baeckia crassifolia

Billardiera heterophylla (also a climber)

Billardiera  cymosa (also a climber)

Billardiera versicolor (also a climber)

Boronia caerolescens

Bossiae cinerea

Senna odorata

Chorizema cordatum

Correa decumbens

Correa ‘mannii’

Correa ‘Dusky Bells’

Correa reflexa prostrate forms

Dampiera rosmarinifolia

Dianella laevis

Dianella tasmannica

Dianella revoluta

Dodonaea microzyga

Eremaea violacea

Eremophila densifolia

Eremophila glabra prostrate forms

Eremophila ‘Kalbarri Carpet’

Eremophila metallica

Eremophila veneta

Eremophila weldii

Australian Native Plants -Second Line Coast Part 6

No Comments »4th May, 2008; Category: Coastal Planting

A further list of Australian Native Plants suitable for second line coastal planting.

Ceratopetalum gummiferum

Chamaelaucium axillare

Chorizema cordatum

Correa ‘mannii’

Correa pulchella

Correa reflexa

Crowea exalata

Crowea exalata x saligna

Crowea ‘Poorinda Ecstacy’

Crowea saligna

Eucalypytus botryoides

Eucalyptus brachycalyx

Eucalyptus burdettiana

Eucalyptus calophylla

Eucalyptus Calophylla rosea

Eucalyptus citriodora

Eucalyptus cneorifolia

Eucalypyus cooperana

Planting To Enhance Drought Tolerance

No Comments »3rd May, 2008; Category: Drought Tolerant Plants, How to plant, Using Australian Natives

A new book was launched today at the South Australian, Australian Plants Society Autumn Plant Sale. This book is a tool, rather than a list of plants. It provides a process whereby the gardener can establish whether a plant could be grown in their garden given the natural rainfall, soil pH, soil structure and whether any modifications could be made to the growing conditions.

In the words of the author

‘Realistically it provides a simple method of matching plants to your conditions mimicking the intuition good gardeners develop over many years and recognizes a site’s limitations.  Modifications are discussed to extend the range of suitable plants.  It is not limited to native plants nor to Australia.  It benchmarks each garden’s attributes so the process works anywhere in any climate!’

This tool would work well with the lists of plants that have been published, so that the best choices can be made and if that plant must be one of them, it provides ideas for modifying the conditions so that there is a good chance of success. See details for purchasing here.