Australian Gardeners - Future-proof Your Garden Against the Drought

With water restrictions in place in just about every state, Australian gardeners have to take a new approach to how they manage their gardens.

Australia is the driest continent in the world, but for decades we've had a plentiful supply of water. With the onset of global warming, however, it's become clear that we can no longer sustain our current water consumption levels. Most capital cities now have water restrictions, meaning you can no longer waste water on washing your car, and you're restricted to watering your garden on certain days and certain times.

With such restrictions in effect, Australian gardeners should not just look at how to minimise their water usages, but how to ensure that they minimise their garden's water requirements. Here are a few simple tips to help you start reducing the amount of water your garden consumes.

Go native:

Native Australian plants have evolved to deal with the Australian environment, and are ideally suited to dry conditions. Once established, chances are you won't even have to worry about watering them on a regular basis. Another benefit is that they are also a haven for native Australian birds. Contrary to popular belief, there are also many beautiful flowering Australian natives that you can select. These days, most decent nurseries will have their own section dedicated to Australian native plants. Ask one of their helpers to give you a brief introduction to the different species.

Grass be gone:

For decades grasses have usually been the main feature of any Australian garden, but let's face it, grasses are a legacy of our colonial times, imported from rainy England. They're not really suited to our hot, dry, conditions and even though there are new breeds which require less water, they're still water hungry. Consider getting rid of your grass and moving towards something that requires less water and maintenance. If you've got a small backyard, going for the Mediterranean courtyard look with paving can be both classy and water efficient.

Mulch is your friend:

Having a thick layer of protection will mean that any moisture that is in your soil will be trapped for longer and reducing evaporation. Mulch is ideal, not only does it slowly release valuable nutrients, but it also acts as a great insulator. It's also great at keeping pesky weeds at bay, reducing your garden's maintenance requirements.

In further articles I will look at a few more tips and tricks to make sure your garden manages to thrive, with less water, in the harsh Australian environment.