Growing a resilient garden that flourishes in all seasons

Extreme weather can take a toll on our gardens. Droughts leave plants dying of thirst while floods drown them.

But nature is resilient, and some plants have adapted to endure these harsh conditions, surviving where others fail.

If you live in an area prone to such challenges, selecting the right plants will help your garden recover, no matter what the weather throws your way.

High and dry

When looking for drought-tolerant plants, certain characteristics can help you identify those best suited to dry conditions.

Many have small, waxy or needle-like leaves to minimise water loss, as seen in Australian natives like casuarina, leptospermum and hakea.

Others have thick, leathery foliage to retain moisture, while others have silvery, hairy leaves that reflect sunlight and reduce transpiration, which is the evaporation of a plant’s stored water through leaves, stems and flowers.

Some plants, like succulents, store water in their fleshy leaves. Cacti take this further by replacing leaves with spines and storing water in their swollen stems.

Others, such as those with underground rhizomes, tubers or bulbs, survive dry periods by storing moisture and nutrients below the soil.

Many species native to Australia, arid parts of Africa and the Mediterranean have evolved these adaptations to survive prolonged dry spells.

It’s important to note that even drought-tolerant plants can show signs of stress in extreme conditions, but they will fare far better than non-drought-tolerant species. While they may not thrive in extended dry periods, they will survive.

Plants to consider:

Low plants and ground covers: creeping boobialla, Echeveria, Carpobrotus, Sedum, mondo grass, Liriope, Casuarina “Cousin It”, Hardenbergia, blue chalk sticks, Kalanchoe “Copper Spoons”, Carissa “Desert Star”.

Shrubs and perennials: Banksia, Lomandra, Callistemon, rosemary, Nandina, Agave, Westringia, Dietes, Grevillea, oleander, Agapanthus, Euphorbia, bay tree, bird of paradise, Bougainvillea, saltbush, Salvia, Miscanthus, pride of Madeira (Echium candicans), Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis).

Wet and wild

Most plants can tolerate a brief downpour, but extended heavy rain coupled with poor drainage can leave your garden waterlogged.

Prolonged waterlogging, in turn, depletes oxygen in the soil, leading to root rot and other plant diseases.

It may seem that aquatic or bog plants, like lotus or pitcher plants, are the perfect solution, but many of these species thrive in constantly wet conditions and struggle when the soil dries out.

Instead, choose plants that tolerate periodic flooding: those that can withstand extended saturation yet adapt when the water eventually recedes.

Plants to consider:

Low plants and ground covers: Carex, club rush, Dianella, Liriope, billy buttons, Westringia “Mundi”, Casuarina “Cousin It”.

Perennials, shrubs and trees: Agapanthus, Baeckea virgata, Callistemon, Dietes, Lomandra, New Zealand flax (Phormium), swamp Banksia, swamp fountain grass, tussock grass, Westringia “Grey Box”, lemon scented myrtle, lilly pilly, Nandina, Pennisetum “Nafray”, Rhaphiolepis “Cosmic Pink” and “Cosmic White”, water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina), cottonwood Hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus rubra).

Worth remembering

Even the toughest plants need a little time to settle in. Once they’ve established strong root systems, they’ll be much better equipped to handle whatever nature throws their way.

Until then, young plants just need a bit of extra care. Give them some extra watering during dry spells or a little protection from heavy rainfall, and they’ll soon be able to thrive on their own.

Tammy Huynh is a horticulturist, presenter on Gardening Australia and the owner of Leaf an Impression.