Gardening on the Peninsula is challenging. We have long-hot-dry summers, drought, water restrictions, and a changing climate.
Gardens
Gardening on the Peninsula is challenging. We have long-hot-dry summers, drought, water restrictions, and a changing climate.
On the coast gardens also have to tackle salt spray, sand blasting, sandy or saline soils, and alkalinity. Luckily resilient, local native coastal plants cope with our tough climate without compromising on style.
Local plants are species that would naturally occur in your area so they have evolved to suit local conditions. They are also called ‘indigenous plants’ and have a huge range of benefits, including:
- being low maintenance and drought tolerant;
- requiring minimal watering = conserving our water supplies;
- not needing fertilisers or pesticides;
- providing habitat, food and shelter for local fauna such as birds, butterflies and small lizards
- saving you money and time;
- being adaptable for various landscaping styles, producing striking results;
- providing a flowering garden all year round, as native plants flower at different times of the year; and
- are not threatening to bush or agricultural land.
Native gardens tend to have a poor ‘image’, conjuring pictures of straggly bottlebrushes or out-of-control wattle trees. However, considering the diversity of species endemic to our local area, and the range of heights, shapes and textures they display, there really is no limit to the effects that can be created.
Local plants can be incorporated into your garden the same way as exotic plants. They are suited to all landscaping styles, from formal to Japanese, contemporary to natural cottage, to courtyards and pots.
The Northern and Yorke Landscape Board have put together a planting guide for Coastal Gardens. Local plants featured in this guide are attractive, suit home and holiday house gardens, are easy to grow and maintain, and are commercially available. This guide shows you how to utilise the fantastic variety of native plants available to make a stunning garden. Taking you through step by step, you will learn what plant works best for a given area or need, how to incorporate them in different landscaping styles, how to maintain them, and where to buy. It also contains photographs of exotic species that should be avoided due to their tendency to escape from gardens and establish as weeds. For each of these garden escapees, the booklet offers a suitable, native alternative.
Download your free copy of the Coastal Gardens Guide here.
Display Gardens and Trial Gardens
Photographic guides are helpful but nothing beats seeing a plant growing in context. That is the rationale behind the establishment of display gardens and trail gardens in the region. It is hoped people will visit the sites seeking inspiration, and come away knowing what will work well in their gardens at home, and which plants to avoid.
The following gardens were funded by Australian and State Government programs and project managed by community groups with Council support:
- Port Clinton Native Garden was planted by members of the Port Clinton Progress Association and the Ardrossan Garden Club;
- Port Moorowie Coastal Display garden was planted by members of the Friends of Port Moorowie Inc;
- Stansbury Coastal Display Garden is a joint project of Stansbury Primary School and the Stansbury Tidy Town committee;
- Hardwicke Bay Bushgarden planted by the Hardwicke Bay Progress Association, with maintenance support previously provided by Prince Alfred College; and
- Port Victoria display garden planted by the Port Victoria Progress Association.
The Formby Bay Environmental Action Group has established a fully functioning community Indigenous Nursery at Corny Point, with various plantings around the township and revegetation projects in the greater area.
So if you would like to ‘try before you buy’, visit a garden near you to see the wonderful range of native and indigenous plants that will not only grow better in your garden as they are adapted to our local environment, but will also provide habitat for our indigenous fauna.
Species list for gardens and revegetation projects
A species list of native plants recommended for local gardens has been compiled with the kind assistance of Natural Resources Northern and Yorke staff. It provides notes on distribution, height, spread, flowering time and colour and other relevant information, and all plants recommended are available from retail and/or State Flora nurseries. You can download the list below.
The Backyards 4 Wildlife website has a range of fact sheets with advice on how to attract birds and other native fauna to your garden.