This document provides information about xeriscape gardening principles and practices for water-efficient landscaping. It discusses the seven principles of xeriscape gardening including proper planning, soil preparation, use of mulch, grouping plants by water needs, and efficient watering techniques. It also provides a list of locally indigenous plants suitable for low water use gardens in the Goulburn Valley region of Australia, including trees, shrubs, ground covers, and grasses. It notes that a water conservation garden has been established at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne to teach visitors about water-efficient landscaping.

1. Goulburn Valley Water
Xeriscape April 2000
Gardening
Planting the right plant for the
right conditions Sources:
Do you have a brown, patchy lawn no ● Discover Xeriscape. A Yard-
matter how much water you use? Do by-Yard Guide to Water Wise
you have plants struggling in your Landscaping in Colorado
Denver Water, Denver Colorado.
garden, when you have seen them The ripe fruits of
● Yarra Valley Water website
flourish in others? If these statements the Quandong
www.yvw.com.au Yarra Valley
are true for your garden, chances are Tree make excel- Water
lent jams and
you should give Xeriscape gardening chutneys. ● Personal communication -
a go! Photo: H.Weber Alex Sislov Tree Growing Advi-
sory Officer, Department of
Xeriscape is a term coined by the Natural Resources and Envi-
ronment Tatura.
water authority in Denver, Colorado natural wind-shelters, while large
to describe water-efficient deciduous trees provide summer
landscaping. It aims to creatively shade.
combine the best elements of
traditional landscaping with Awareness of alternatives to lawn and
contemporary conservation the variety of grass types are one of
techniques. This makes it the cost- the principles. Many people are
saving, time-saving and water wise rethinking how much lawn they want
choice for everyone. and need. For example, you might
consider reducing the area of lawn you Waterwise Tips for
There are seven principles of presently have by replacing some Australian Gardens:
Xeriscape gardening. These include areas with water-efficient ● Mulch garden beds to at least 75
the importance of planning your groundcovers and shrubs. Drought- mm to conserve water and
garden, awareness of vegetation types tolerant grasses may be substituted for suppress weeds
and the efficient use of water. water-thirsty grasses with great
results. ● Reduce lawn areas,
Many of the principles rely on
knowledge of natural conditions. For Perhaps the most important benefit of ● Plant lawns with native grasses,
instance a tree's shade lowers air and Xeriscape gardening is that a well- eg Weeping Grass (Microlaena
soil temperature. Evergreens are planned garden requires less
stipoides), or Wallaby Grasses
(Danthonia spp.),
● Deep watering occasionally
General Waterwise Tips encourages a deep root system
while frequent light waterings
encourage shallow root systems,
Water is one of the most water. Effective landscaping can
important natural resources on save up to 50% of the water you ● Re-use ‘grey-water’ wherever
earth. It is also the one that is use in your garden. possible
most often taken for granted. Remember that a Waterwise ● Apply water around the base of
Each year the average household garden provides 3 major benefits. plants, not over the foliage
uses nearly two swimming pools It will save you money, is low ● Plant shade/wind breaks to pro-
worth of water in the garden maintenance and is tect more sensitive plants
alone! environmentally friendly.
Careful planning and design of Check out these basic tips for
your garden can save a lot of conserving water in your garden.

2. Principals of Xeriscape
Xeriscape, pronounced 'zerry for effective watering.
scape' is a term derived from the Where possible, build drive-
Greek word 'xeros' meaning dry ways, paths and paved areas in
and from the word landscape, to
form a new term for water con- “Mulches can prevent up to
serving gardens. 73% evaporation loss…”
Over 300 communities world
wide have adopted the Xeriscape such a way that rain run-off Blue Pincushion (Brunonia australis)
program and many cities have can be directed onto a lawn
established Xeriscape water con- and/or garden area, rather ply is well-aged manure and
servation gardens. than going down the drain. compost.
Step Three: Make Friends Step Six: Water Wisely
There are seven main principals
of Xeriscape gardening, and with Mulch Contrary to popular belief, wa-
while none of these are particu- Mulches can prevent up to 73% tering the leaves of trees and
larly ground-breaking, they are a evaporation loss and they are shrubs is not beneficial. It in-
reminder of the important gar- one of the cheapest and easiest creases water loss through
den planning elements of which ways to make the most of water evaporation and in some cir-
every gardener should take no- in the garden. cumstances water on leaves on
tice. hot, sunny days can damage
Mulches cover the soil and cool them.
Step One: Better by Design it, while minimising evapora-
tion, reducing weed growth, and Frequent watering makes your
A bit of planning and design ini- slowing erosion. Mulches can plants shallow rooted and more
tially will yield beautiful Xeriscape also provide landscape interest dependent on you for survival.
results you’ll enjoy for years to and offer protective cover until
come. Landscape professionals Water your garden less often,
plants mature. but more thoroughly. This en-
are a good information resource,
although many people enjoy excel- Step Four: Plant Like with courages your plants to extend
lent results on their own. Like their roots deeper, making them
hardier, and less thirsty.
To begin planning, you need to By grouping the plants in the
think about how you use your garden into high or low water Water your garden early in the
backyard and what you want your users, you can design a water- morning when wind and evapo-
landscaping efforts to accomplish. ing pattern that is better for ration are at their lowest Wa-
For example: what are your priori- your plants and will prevent tering late in the evening means
ties - do you want to create space waste on plants that don’t need that water will stay on the
for entertaining or increase your it. leaves for most of the night,
privacy? Do you have a natural increasing the chances of fun-
Make use of gal and other
slope? Lots of southern exposure? the range of diseases.
Start a list of plants, trees and micro-climates
shrubs you like with as many local available in Step Seven:
species as you can. your garden Proper Main-
created by tenance
Step Two: Know shade trees,
your Turf Maintain a
walls and other regular sched-
Generally an features, to ule of well-
area of lawn re- provide each Gold-Dust Wattle (Acacia acinacea) timed mowing
quires more wa- plant with the best of your reduced grass areas, as
ter than the possible conditions. well as pruning, pest control,
same area of gar- Step Five: Go Organic and weeding your planting beds
den. So when will help ensure your landscape
designing land- Before you plant, you may want develops beautifully. The pay-
scape, reduce the area covered by to add some organic matter to off is worth the investment of
lawns as much as possible. The your soil which will help it to time because a well-planned
shape of lawns and gardens is also retain water better and make xeric landscape requires less
important—while a design may nutrients available to plants. maintenance as it matures!
look nice, it may not be suitable The best organic matter to ap-
Page 2 Xeriscape Gardening

3. Locally Indigenous Plants
Here is a list of indigenous plants that will be suitable for low water use gardens in the Goulburn Broken
Catchment.
Some of the plants will be difficult to purchase and you may need to go to specialist native or indigenous
nurseries, of which there are a few in the area.
The following plants will require frequent watering (ie, weekly or fortnightly) over their first summer till they
establish. Once established they will require only monthly watering or even less, over summer.
Small Medium Trees
Common Name Botanical Name Comments
Murray Pine Callitris glaucophylla Slow growing, light soils only
Lightwood Acacia implexa Long live wattle
Willow Wattle Acacia salicina Long lived wattle
Black Wattle Acacia mearnsii 15-20 years
Buloke Allocasuarina leuhmanii Slow growing
Drooping She-oak Allocasuarina verticillata Drooping foliage
Red Box Eucalyptus polyanthemos Excellent shade tree
Yellow Gum Eucalyptus leucoxylon Can grow to 20 m
Red Ironbrak Eucalyptus tricarpa Can grow to 20 m
Blue Mallee Eucalyptus polybractea Multi-stemmed
Moonah Melaleuca lanceolata Low growing
Kurrajong Brachychiton populneus Excellent shade tree
Shrubs
Common Name Botanical Name Comments
Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha Fast growing, short lived
Mallee Wattle Acacia montana Rounded shrub to 1.5 m
Umbrella Wattle Acacia osswaldii Summer flowering
Bent leaf Wattle Acacia flexifolia Winter flowering
Grey Mulga Acacia brachybotrya Grey foliage
Varnish Wattle Acacia verniciflua Shiny foliage, winter flowers
Spreading Wattle Acacia genistifolia Winter flowers, prickly
Gold Dust Wattle Acacia acinacea Winter flowering
Oondoroo Solanum similie Purple flowers, orange berries
Weeping Pittosporum Pittosporum phyllyraeoides Drooping foliage
Sweet Bursaria Bursaria spinosa Summer flowers, prickly
Waterbush Myoporum montanum Deep green foliage
Emu Bush Eremophila longifolia Tubular flowers
Desert Cassia Senna artemisiodes Yellow flowers
Wedge Leaf Hop Bush Dodonea viscosa ssp. cuneata Pink-Red capsules
Common Fringe Myrtle Calytrix tetragona Pink flowers
Hooked Needlewood Hakea tephrosperma Needle like foliage
Cherry Ballart Exocarpus cuppressiformis Cypress like foliage
Sweet Quandong Santalum acuminatum Red/yellow fruit
Grey Parrot Pea Dillwynia cinerescens Orange pea flowers
Common Eutaxia Eutaxia microphylla Yellow pea flowers
Old Man Saltbush Atriplex nummularia Blue-grey foliage
Ruby Saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa Red & yellow berries
Xeriscape Gardening Page 3

4. Goulburn Valley Water Ground Covers
104-110 Fryers St, SHEPPARTON
Common Name Botanical Name Comments
Education Officer Cut Leaf Goodenia Goodenia pinnatifida Yellow flowers
David Hodgkins Creamy Candles Stackhousia monogyna Small cream flowers
5832 0460
Showy Viola Viola betonicifolia Violet flowers
Email: davidh@gvwater.vic.gov.au
Tufted Bluebell Wahlenbergia communis Small metallic-blue spiky
flower
Austral Bugle Ajuga australis Blue flowers
Blue Pincushion Brunonia australis Blue flowers
Pink Bindweed Convululus erubescens Pink flowers
the Web!
We’re on .vic. Pussy Tails Ptilotus spathulatus Fluffy flowers
Www .gvwater
ov.au
Wattle Mat Lily Lomandra filiformis Strap like foliage
g
Saltbushes
Creeping Saltbush Atriplex semibaccata Red berries
This information is brought Saloop Einada hastata Deep green foliage
to you by Goulburn Valley Nodding Saltbush Einada nutans Red berries
Water with the help of the
Department of Natural Bush Peas
Twining Glycine Glycine clandestina Blue pea flowers
Resources and Running Postman Kennedia prostata Red pea flowers
Environment, Tatura. Twiggy Bush Pea Pultanaea largiflorens Small leaves
Broughton’s pea Swainsona procumbens Purple pea flower
Lilies
Bulbine Lily Bulbine bulbosa Yellow flowers
Chocolate Lily Arthropodium strictum Smells like chocolate
Nodding Chocolate Lily Arthropodium fimbriatum Blue flowers
Blue Grass Lily Caesia calliantha Blue flowers
Black Anther Flax Lily Dianella revoluta Blue berries
Pale Flax Lily Dianella longifolia Blue berries
Twining Fringe Lily Thysanotus pattersonii Blue flowers
Yellow Rush Lily Tricoryne elatior Yellow flowers
Daisies
Swamp Daisy Brachyscome basaltica White daisy flowers
Scaly Billy Buttons Leptorhynchos squamatus Small yellow flowers
Check Out these websites for further Drumsticks Pycnosorus globosus Large yellow flowers
information: Golden Billy Buttons Pycnosorus chrysanthes Small yellow flowers
• Just Natives - Australian Native Plant Common Everlasting Chrysocephalum apiculatum Small yellow flowers
Mayweed Sunray Hyalosperma praecox White bracts, yellow centres
Nursery
Common New Holland Daisy Vittadenia cuneata Mauve flowers
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~artgib/
• Association of Societies for Growing
Australian Plants
http://farrer.riv.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/inde
Grasses
x.html Common Name Botanical Name Comments
• Yarra Valley Water
http://www.yvw.com.au/conserve/default
Wallaby Grass Danthonia spp. Fluffy seed heads
Common Wheat Grass Elymus scabrus Curved awns
.htm
Weeping Grass Microlaena stipoides Weeping heads
Common Tussock Grass Poa labillardieri Tussocky grass
Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra Rusty coloured heads
Feather Spear Grass Stipa elegantissima Feathery heads
Xeriscape in Action
Gardeners can learn practical tips on how to conserve water from a special garden planted in
the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Sources:
In February 2000, the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Ms Sherryl Garbutt,
● Water Matters Vol. launched the garden that has been set up to teach visitors about water conservation. Eighty
1, Issue 3 March
2000 Victorian
different species of colourful and exotic plants, suited to Melbourne’s climate and with low
Water Industry water requirement, have been established in the Water Conservation Garden.
Association News
Visitors will find the Water Conservation Garden on the eastern lawn of the Royal Botanic
Gardens.