Sensational garden staples: Set-and-forget plants that every gardener can grow
Sensational garden staples: Set-and-forget plants that every gardener can grow
Every Sydney garden needs a few staple plants. These are plants that you can plant once and never really worry about again, as they can grow with very little extra water, pruning or fertilising required. They may sound too good to be true, but these plants really are set-and-forget, and include plants for every purpose from flowers to groundcovers.
Use these plants to fill in garden spaces, always matching the plant to its ideal growing situation. Once you feel confident the new plantings are growing well, add more of the same, mix it up or even venture into more challenging plants. They are also great choices for containers.
All new plantings need care including watering especially when it is hot and dry. Keep them growing with an annual dose of slow-release fertiliser and, when times are very hot and dry, all plants, even these, need extra water.
Flower Power's Favourite Garden Staples For Every Purpose
Flowering Plants
Aloe (Aloe spp.)
All succulents are low maintenance, but aloes have showy flowers especially in autumn and winter. Look for Aloe Aloe varieties for a range of flower colours (including red, yellow, orange and white) and plant sizes. Mass-plant aloes for a striking effect in the landscape. These plants are bird-attracting while in bloom.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish; remove spent flower stems.
Grevilleas (Grevillea spp.)
Grevilleas are native shrubs with spectacular flowers for much of the year, but with a peak display from autumn to spring. There are many named varieties to choose. Some of the most popular are ‘Robyn Gordon’ (compact growth, red flowers), ‘Moonlight’ (tall, white flowers) and ‘Lemon Supreme’ (medium growth, lemon yellow flowers). Lightly prune if necessary after flowering.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish; native plant food.
Hebe (Hebe spp.)
Hebes are neat, naturally compact, evergreen shrubs that are ideal for mass planting or hedging. ‘Inspiration’ is one of the most reliable of all hebes but there are many named varieties providing colours from white to pink and purple. There are also varieties with variegated leaves.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil; good air circulation (hebes don’t like high humidity).
(Clockwise from top left) Popular easy-care flowering plants include
Aloe 'Venus', Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' and Hebe 'Sunset Boulevard'.
Hedging plants
Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica)
These are bulletproof plants that take heat, cold and everything in between. They are considered weedy in some areas. Select a named variety such as ‘Apple Blossom’, which has pink flowers, or ‘Snow Maiden’, which is massed with white flowers. These shrubs can also be grown as low maintenance but pretty container plants and are tolerant of seaside and balcony conditions.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish then extra water when times are hot and dry; lightly prune after flowering to shape (and remove berries to avoid self-seeding).
Lilly pilly (Acmena smithii)
Lilly pillies are lush, green, leafy native plants that are ideal for hedging. Some varieties feature pink or red new growth. Named cultivars of Acmena smithii are the most resilient choices and are usually not affected by pysllid, which can distort new growth. Selecting a named variety also reduces maintenance as there are varieties that are small, medium and large in their growth. Lilly pillies have masses of white flowers in spring or summer and red to purple edible berries. They can be clipped and shaped.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish then extra water when times are hot and dry; lightly prune occasionally to shape.
Rhaphiolepis 'Oriental Pearl' and lilly pilly Acmena 'Cherry Surprise' are reliable hedging options.
Shrubs
Agave (Agave attenuata)
These agaves are attractive, sculptural plants with light fleshy green leaves. They stand out from other agaves as their leaves are not sharply pointed or spiky, which makes them garden-friendly. From time to time established plants will produce a tall stem of white flowers, but these plants are grown mainly for their plant shape and style. They can also be grown in containers.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil.
Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinensis)
Not only is this one tough customer, Chinese fringe flower is a very pretty evergreen shrub with dense growth and white flower. There are many named varieties including selections with plum coloured foliage and pink flowers (‘Plum Gorgeous’). This is also a very useful plant choice for a hedge.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil.
Coast rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)
This neat, compact native shrub has narrow grey green leaves and small panicles of white flowers. It resembles traditional rosemary. It can be grown as a formal (clipped) or informal (unclipped) hedge.
Basic needs: Full sun; regular water to establish; well-drained soil.
Jade (Crassula spp.)
All succulents are low-maintenance, but jade is one of the toughest of all. Plants can grow for decades without much care or attention, whether in a container or in the garden.
Basic needs: Full sun; well-drained soil.
Japanese sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica)
Choose this plant to fill a narrow space such as beside a boundary fence. Although called ‘bamboo’ it isn’t a bamboo at all, but has leafy cane-like growth with white flowers and clusters of bright red berries. There are also named dwarf varieties (including ‘Nana’) that are not only compact but also develop richly toned foliage (oranges and reds) in autumn and winter. Dwarf forms are ideal for low border plantings.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil.
(Clockwise from top left) Agave attenuata, Loropetalum 'Plum Gorgeous', Westringia, Crassula and Nandina Domestica 'Nana' are easy-going shrubs.
Trees
Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
This is one of the easiest of all small deciduous garden trees. Select named varieties for the size that is required for the space. Flowers are produced from very late spring to summer followed by autumn leaf colour. The trees have attractive trunks that are a winter feature. Flowers are crepe-like in texture and come in pastel to bright colours that include white, pink, red and mauve. Lightly prune after flowering when small or to shape.
Basic needs: Full sun; regular water to establish; well-drained soil; good air circulation.
Evergreen magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
These evergreen trees are huge spreading trees but there is now a selection of compact varieties, which make them very garden-friendly trees. Evergreen magnolias are grown for their large green leaves, which have brown, felty undersides and huge, white, scented flowers for much of the year. Compact varieties, which do still grow quite tall, include ‘Little Gem’ (growing 6-8m high) and ‘Teddy Bear’ (reaching 3-4m high). These varieties can be grown as trees, tall hedges or screens or in a large container.
Basic needs: Full sun to part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil.
Frangipani (Plumeria rubra)
This tree-like plant is also a succulent. It has large thick leaves – which are discarded in winter – but its clusters of fragrant flowers are the reason frangipani is much loved by gardeners. It is also very low care. As well as the usual white flowers, there are also varieties with pink, yellow, apricot or red flowers.
Basic needs: Full sun; well-drained soil; warmth – grow against a north-facing masonry wall to protect from cold conditions.
Grass tree (Xanthorrhoea australis)
Grass trees are tall, striking native plants with black stems and graceful tufts of grass-like leaves. They are not true trees but add height to a garden or courtyard. These are slow-growing plants, which create a striking sculptural effect anywhere they are grown. Plants eventually have tall spires of flowers that are full of nectar and highly attractive to beneficial insects. They will regenerate after bush fire.
Basic needs: Part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil is essential.
Olive (Olea europaea)
The European olive is a fruiting tree with slender growth while young and grey green leaves. Mature varieties eventually develop as large gnarled specimens. It grows best in a Mediterranean climate but thrives in any warm, sunny garden and can be grown in a large container or courtyard. It is tolerant of seaside conditions.
Basic needs: Full sun; water to establish or when very dry; well-drained soil; good air circulation.
(Clockwise from top left) Popular set-and-forget trees include crepe myrtle, evergreen magnolias such as 'Little Gem', frangipani, grass trees and olives.
Grassy plants
Dianella, flax lily (Dianella spp.)
This grass-like native plant has narrow strappy green leaves and stems of small blue flowers in spring or early summer followed by stems of bright blue fleshy berries. It is used as a mass planting or edging with many named varieties including tall and compact growers.
Basic needs: Sun to part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil is essential for most dianellas however D. tasmanica is tolerant of cold and wet conditions.
Dietes (Dietes spp.)
These plants are closely related to iris and are grown for their no-fuss clumping habit and yellow or white flowers. The flowers only last a day or two but there are many more buds to open. They can be mass planted where nothing else will grow and thrive.
Basic needs: Sun to part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil.
Lomandra (Lomandra spp.)
This grass-like native plant has narrow strappy green leaves and stems small yellow flowers. It is used as a mass planting or edging with many named varieties including tall and compact growers. There are also varieties with variegated leaves.
Basic needs: Sun to part shade; regular water to establish; well-drained soil.
Some great textural grass-like plants include Dianella 'Cassa Blue', Dietes 'Bicolour' and Lomandra 'Seascape'.
Groundcovers
Ajuga (Ajuga reptans)
Ajuga grows as a carpet of green, bronze or purple leaves with spires of blue flowers. It grows without care or attention in moist positions with dappled light. In sunny or drier areas it may need extra water. This plant spreads by runners.
Basic needs: Part shade; regular water to establish; moist soil.
Boobialla (Myoporum spp.)
There are several species of this native shrubby groundcover, which can be planted to trail down slopes or cover flat areas. It has shiny green leaves and small white flowers in the warmer months, which are followed by small blue berries. Attractive to wildlife. For the lowest growth, select prostrate varieties. Control weeds while this groundcover is establishing.
Basic needs: Sun to part shade; regular water to establish; moist soil; weed from time to time.
Native violet (Viola hederaceae)
This ground-hugging plant is completely no maintenance for moist shaded areas. It will happily wander among stepping stones or between other plants. As well as small, light-green, heart-shaped leaves it has tiny, violet-like blooms.
Basic needs: Part shade to shade; regular water to establish; moist soil.
Cover swathes of ground easily with Ajuga reptans, Myoporum or Australian native violet.