Xeriscape Guide

Enhance your outdoor space, garden, courtyard or verge garden with Xeriscape design using succulents and Australian natives. With ease, you can transform your outdoor space into a vibrant, water wise, minimal maintenance landscape that is well-suited to our climate with low environmental impact.

Xeriscaping is a landscaping method that reduces water use and ongoing garden maintenance. It involves designing and selecting plant species that reduce or eliminate the need for garden irrigation. It can reduce garden maintenance and water consumption by up to 80% compared to lawn or traditional water-dependent gardens. 

Suitable Plants for Xeriscaping

Succulents and Cacti: Embrace the many varieties of succulents which come in a wide array of shapes, forms, textures and colours. 

Australian Natives: Incorporate local Australian native and coastal plants, trees and grasses to add contrasting style, height, texture and foliage. 

Mediterranean: Consider other plant and tree species that are commonly grown in the Mediterranean regions including olive, citrus and bay trees, thyme, rosemary, santolina and lavender.

Xeriscape Design Principles

When designing your Xeriscapes garden, we suggest focusing on the following five design principles:

 1. Contrast

Choose plants and succulents with different coloured foliage, textures and shapes to create visual interest. 

2. Seasonal Interest

Depending on the time of year, plants and succulents may offer varying foliage colours, flowers, fruit and attract birds and wildlife. 

3. Vertical Elements

Use a mix of low ground covers, succulents, grasses, shrubs, taller plants or trees to create depth and interest. Taller plants can be placed at the back with lower-growing plants at the front. Alternatively, trees can be used to create canopies with lower-growing plants below. 

4. Feature Elements

Create feature elements throughout your garden such as trees, taller plants, agave, flowering plants or feature succulents to add visual and sculptural interest to a space. It's often helpful to design your plants around any feature elements. 

5. Hardscaping

Incorporate features like pots and raised garden beds or seating, gravel paths or rocks to complement the xeriscape design and reduce the need for irrigation. 

 

Tips for Planting Your Xeriscape Garden 

Once you have selected your Xeriscapes plants and succulents, it is time to plant and establish your garden. Here are some tips to consider: 

  • Layout: Plant around your feature elements, hardscapes, taller plants and trees and group plants with similar water needs together. 
  • Access Ways: Avoid planting too close to access ways such as roads, paths, driveways and kerbs by leaving a minimum of 1 meter.  This strip allows plants to grow onto the area without growing over the access way. 
  • Scale and Proportion: Use the right number of plants for the area and avoid overfilling, especially with larger plants and trees. Small plants should be spaced 0.5 to 1 meter apart, larger plants 1 to 1.5 meters and trees with adequate space depending on their species. 
  • Irrigation: If the garden has an irrigation system, ensure that water is directed to the plant's roots (and not just covering topsoil) to minimise evaporation and water waste. 
  • Soil and Mulch: Use well-draining soil and consider using a soil improver or wetting agent. Apply a layer of mulch to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature.

Watering and Maintenance

Xeriscape gardens are designed to be low-maintenance and water-efficient, making them perfect for our local climate. Here are some guidelines to help you keep your Xeriscape garden thriving:

  • Water deeply and infrequently: Succulent plants have shallow root systems, so it's important to water them deeply to encourage root growth. Watering deeply once a week is usually sufficient, but adjust based on weather conditions.
  • Water in the morning: Watering in the morning allows the plants to absorb the moisture before the heat of the day evaporates it. 
  • Use a drip irrigation system: Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the roots, minimizing evaporation and water waste. It's an efficient way to water your Xeriscapes garden.
  • Remove dead or damaged leaves: Dead or damaged leaves not only detract from the appearance of your garden but can also attract pests and diseases. Remove them promptly to keep your plants healthy.
  • Prune for shape and size: Prune your plants to maintain their desired shape and size. Be careful not to remove too much foliage, as it can affect the plant's ability to photosynthesize.
  • Monitor for pests and diseases: Keep an eye out for common pests like aphids and mealybugs, as well as signs of diseases such as rot or fungal infections. Take appropriate action if you notice any issues.

By following these watering and maintenance tips, you can enjoy a thriving Xeriscapes garden that requires minimal water and maintenance. Remember, xeriscapes gardens are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly, making them a great choice for sustainable gardening in Australia.

How We Can Help

We have a wide range of individual and pre-selected combinations of succulent plants, cacti, aloe, Australian natives, grasses, desert roses and frangipani to create your Xeriscape garden. Visit our website for more and all orders on our website over $100 to Perth metro addresses will receive free shipping. 

Our Nursery stocks over 300 varieties of Xeriscape species to select from plus our experienced staff offer FREE plant selection advice and garden design for purchases from our Xeriscape range valued at $100 or more.