Plants play a big role in the environment of your home, and choosing the right plants to include in your landscape design is an essential factor in creating a relaxing and thriving outdoor space.
While it can be enjoyable to spend a weekend exploring nurseries for plant ideas, making decisions about what to include in your landscape requires careful consideration to ensure the thriving of your plants. Sometimes, it’s best to entrust this task to a professional landscaping team, as they possess the expertise to determine the most suitable choices for your specific environment.
What Landscapers Consider When Choosing Plants for Your Garden
Begin by assessing the available space and inquire with our clients about their preference for incorporating small flowering plants or opting for the aesthetic appeal of trees and hedges.
Then it’s time to consider the environmental factors – how much sun does the garden get? How much time will the client spend on watering your garden? How much time do they have for maintenance?
Sun exposure: Different plants have different sun needs. Some plants thrive in full sun, while others prefer shade or partial shade. Consider the amount of sunlight each area of your landscape receives throughout the day and choose plants accordingly.
Water Needs: Some plants are drought-tolerant and require little watering, while others need to be watered regularly. We consider how much time you’re willing to spend watering your plants (and how much time you have to spend watering them) when choosing your plants.
Maintenance: Some plants require more maintenance than others. For example, roses need to be pruned regularly, while ornamental grasses may only need to be cut back once a year. We choose plants that fit your lifestyle and maintenance budget. Remember though, if you do love the look of a plant, but you are unable to maintain it as required, an experienced gardening team is a great way to keep your garden landscaping looking in top shape.
Design considerations: Once you’ve considered the practical factors, we start to think about the design of your landscape. We choose plants that will create the look and feel you want. Consider things like colour, texture, height, and form
When it comes to landscaping, the Perth climate allows us a lot of choices when it comes to plants and design. When researching your plants, we recommend really thinking about the type of garden you want to create. Set an appointment with Indian Ocean Landscapes, our expert landscape design team is ready to discuss designs and plants to guarantee the optimal outcome for your new garden.
What Plants to Consider?
The Perth climate can present some challenges, but also opportunities when it comes to landscaping for your home or business premises. There’s no doubt that choosing the right plants is crucial, but the benefit of our climate is, that you’ll have lots to choose from, whether it be flowering, non-flowering or fruit producing.
Native Plants
Australia is home to a huge range of native plants that have adapted to our climate. You could consider incorporating native species like Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos), Grevillea, and Bottlebrush (Callistemon). These plants are not only resilient in dry conditions but also provide a unique charm to your landscape that you will struggle to find anywhere else.
Drought-Tolerant Flowering Plants
While our winters might see some rain, there is no doubt that the summer season can be hot and bring with it drought. If you want a garden that you can enjoy all year round, that is great for the environment, select plants that can withstand long periods without rainfall or watering. Some great options include Kangaroo paws, Spider flowers, Flax lilies and Mat rushes.
Non-Flowering Plants
While our flowering plants provide a burst of colour to our homes, as well as food for some of our native animals, utilising a range of non-flowering plants allows you to balance out your garden. Non-flowering plants provide texture, colour variation and often require less water.
If looking for non-flowering plants that still provide a lot to your garden, try:
- Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra): This native grass adds a touch of elegance to your landscape while being well-adapted to dry conditions.
- Eucalyptus: Besides being iconic in the Australian landscape, eucalyptus trees are well-suited to dry climates. Their diverse species offer different sizes and foliage colours.
- Succulents: Embrace the beauty of succulents, such as Aloe Vera and Agave, which store water in their leaves, making them ideal for arid landscapes.
Fruit Trees for a Mediterranean Climate
One of the biggest benefits of the Perth climate is that you can add some unique fruiting trees that you wouldn’t be able to grow in many other places. Incorporating fruit trees is also a great way to attract native animals and insects to your home and is a great way to add to your diet.
The following trees tend to fruit well in the Mediterranean climate we get here in the west:
- Citrus, avocado and olive trees
- Pears, apples, plums, nectarines
- Fig, custard apples, pomegranates and berries.
Selecting the perfect plants for your landscape design can pose challenges. Our local climate necessitates thoughtful consideration in plant choices, but opting for a blend of native plants and drought-tolerant flowering and non-flowering varieties proves to be an excellent solution. In Perth, where the options for growing food are abundant, creating a water-wise outdoor space that thrives in our environment is easily achievable.
If you’re seeking professional assistance in choosing flowers and designing your landscape, Indian Ocean Landscape is here to help transform your home. Our expert team can guide you in creating a beautiful and thriving outdoor space tailored to our local conditions.