As the days finally get warmer, it’s a great time to start thinking about the sort of garden we can create that will handle the searing temperatures of our hottest days and long periods without rain.
A combination of these two factors – so common in many areas of Australia – can devastate a garden.
If you’re planning to sell your home this summer, then drought-hardy plants are ideal because you’ll have enough to do without worrying if the garden needs a drink.
As an experienced local agency, we love owners to focus on their front gardens before their homes go on sale. That’s because making a favourable first impression with prospective buyers invites them into the home.
If you’re planning a summer campaign to sell your home, here are some ideas for drought-tolerant plants that will add colour and shape to both your front and back gardens.
An abundance of colour
A colourful front garden always lifts spirits. Even in a hot summer, you can rely on the Cape Iris, salvia and agapanthus to get the job done with minimal fuss. The salvia, for example, has wonderfully scented leaves and produces tubular flowers of purples and blues on long spikes that butterflies and bees absolutely love.
Ornamental trees
Combining flowers and fragrance, these are an excellent addition, especially as a feature in the centre of a lawn or in a strategic position that hides a dark corner. Consider frangipani, a medium-size olive tree or a flowering eucalyptus.
Lavender
Beautiful lilac flowers and lush foliage, this plant’s French and English varieties will handle anything an Aussie summer can throw at it. The French variety will flower in late spring and early summer, while the English is in full cry in the mid-to-late summer. Lavender can also have white or pink flowers.
Groundcover
Planting a groundcover is a step beyond the more straightforward strategy of mulching to keep down weeds. One favourite is deadnettle, which doesn’t sound attractive but has white, pink or yellow blooms. Spanish shawl and catnip are also excellent as are succulents like the not-so-elegantly named pigface. You’ll need to plant them well ahead of your sales campaign for them to fill out the spaces.
Rugosa rose
A lovely shrub with striking blooms in pink, white or crimson. The rugosa rose has a delicious scent and is not prone to disease. It’s best to prune after they flower.