Floral And Hardy

Waterwise plants.

There are hundreds of waterwise trees, shrubs, groundcovers and climbers to choose from and plenty of resources to help you find what’s best for your climate and soils. Each state water authority, and many councils, have lists of locally suitable varieties. Here are five great plants to get you started.

LAVENDER

As tough as it is pretty, lavender hails from the Mediterranean, so it loves hot, dry summers. French lavender ( Lavandula dentata) is my pick because it flowers for most of the year, including winter when blooms are especially valuable for us and for bees. Most other lavender varieties have a single flowering period in spring or summer. French lavender also copes with subtropical humidity. Lavenders love full sun with perfect drainage and an alkaline soil.

MONEY PLANT ( CRASSULA OVATA)

This versatile succulent grows in a rounded bun shape, with tightly packed, oval, fleshy leaves. It can reach 1m tall, but there are dwarf varieties too. Clusters of white, starry flowers through winter add to its appeal. Use it as a low hedge, clipped ball or as a feature potted plant. There are varieties with red edges and gold or ruby tones, while ‘Gollum’ has interesting tubular leaves. They take coastal conditions but not frosts, and respond well to clipping.

KARKALLA ( CARPOBROTUS ROSSII)

Also called pig face and beach banana, this edible succulent is a native groundcover that withstands the ravages of salt, wind and sand. Both the curving fleshy leaves and the grape-sized red fruits are traditional bushtucker foods. Plants spread about 1m and grow 30cm high. The flowers, borne in spring and summer, are scarlet purple (a white form is also available). Use on embankments, nature strips, poolside, or as a fire-retarding plant, in full sun or part shade.

WHITE CORREA ( CORREA ALBA)

This medium-sized native shrub earns a place in any garden with its white, bird-attracting flowers and grey-green leaves, which are silver on the reverse. It grows about 1.5m tall and 1m wide; dense growth makes it ideal as a low hedge or for clipping into balls. The starry flowers bloom mostly in winter and spring, but can appear throughout the year. A coastal plant, it also takes frost and grows in most soils.

ROCK ROSE ( CISTUS SP)

For masses of pretty blooms in tough conditions, try a rock rose. The open, saucer-shaped flowers can be white, pink or crimson but all have dark splotches in the centre and a mass of yellow stamens. Most profuse flowering is spring and summer but blooms appear sporadically the rest of the year. Forms a shrub about 1.5m tall and wide, with long, narrow leaves. Needs full sun but tolerates coastal conditions and frost.