Popular garden designs for the Mid West
In this article
- Ideas for creating a waterwise garden
- Selecting plants for your garden design
- Watering your new garden
This guide for the Mid West region will help you take a fresh look at your garden and make it lower maintenance as well as more waterwise and beautiful.
Featured design: a cottage garden
Often informal in layout, a cottage garden usually contains a combination of annuals, perennials, brightly flowering shrubs and herbaceous plants. English in origin (yet waterwise through modern plant choices) cottage gardens burst with colour and fragrance.
Often rugged and relaxed, a coastal garden is full of hardy plants that can withstand strong winds.
Plant Species
| Abrv. | Common name | Botanical name |
|---|---|---|
| Groundcovers | ||
| Egk | Eremophila 'Kalbarri Carpet' | Eremophila glabra* |
| Pg | Portulaca | Portulaca grandiflora* |
| Et | Barrier Saltbush | Enchylaena tomentosa |
| Shrubs | ||
| Brai | Swan River Daisy | Brachyscome iberidofolia* |
| Cq | Kwowdjard or One Sided Bottlebrush | Calothamnus quadrifidus* |
| C | Summer Starflower | Calytrix* |
| Eo | Weeooka or Twinleak Emu Bush | Eremophila oppositifolia* |
| Sa | Silver Cassia | Senna artemisioides* |
| Fp | Sea Heath | Frankenia pauciflora* |
| Grasses/Strappy Leaf Plants | ||
| Anfb | Kangaroo Paw (Dwarf) Bush Gem Series | Anigozanthos flavidus* |
| Coa | Golden Conostylis | Conostylis aurea* |
| Trees | ||
| Co | Swamp Sheoak | Casuarina obesa* Δ |
| Ht | Cottonwood | Hibiscus tiliaceus* |
* These species are endemic to WA
Δ Optional species (not included in illustration)
Creating pleasures for all the senses, a Mediterranean garden has a combination of colours, productive plants, interesting foliage and flowering plants. Complete this look by incorporating design elements such as paths and rustic benches.
Plant Species
| Abrv. | Common name | Botanical name |
|---|---|---|
| Groundcovers | ||
| Alp | Aloe | Aloe polyphylla |
| Bn | Honeypot Dyandra | Banksia nivea* |
| Eb | Eremophila biserrata | Eremophila biserrata |
| Grpg | Grevillea 'Gilt Dragon' | Grevillea preissii* |
| Grt | Grevillea tenuiloba | Grevillea tenuiloba* |
| Shrubs | ||
| As | Lilly Pilly | Acmena smithii |
| Bo | Bougainvillea 'Temple Fire' | Bougainvillea spectabilis |
| Grp | Grevillea pinaster (Prostrate form) | Grevillea pinaster* |
| K | Kalanchoe | Kalanchoe |
| Pel | Geranium | Pelaronium |
| Grasses/Strappy Leaf Plants | ||
| Aga | Agave | Agave attenuata |
| Anm | Kangaroo Paw | Anigozanthos manglesii* |
| Trees | ||
| Oe | Olive | Olea europaea |
| Pg | Pomegranate | Punica granatum |
* These species are endemic to WA
The location of your garden and what you create it in are important decisions when establishing your garden. Vegetables need a good source of sunlight; somewhere not too sunny in summer with sufficient sunlight in winter is ideal. A spot protected from wind by a building or hedge will keep your vegetables happy.
When choosing where to establish your garden, if space is limited, a raised container is ideal as they keep the garden contained and can be moved to suit the weather conditions.
If you have plenty of space a garden bed can be established in the ground, as it involves less set up but can’t be moved.
Deciding what to grow and planting seasonal vegetables will ensure the best results and minimise water use. By planting from seeds you can stagger when the vegetables are ready and planting from seedlings will see them mature at once. Whichever you choose, make sure you plant vegetables that will be eaten and put to good use. Hand watering twice a week or installing sub-irrigation or drippers will see the best results in your garden. For more details on waterwise gardening techniques for your vegetable garden visit our waterwise garden section.
By transforming your verge into a waterwise garden you will create an attractive hassle-free garden that requires less upkeep.
Before planning your verge, check with your local council for any guidelines or restrictions in place.
To transform your lawned verge firstly apply a herbicide with glyphosate as the active ingredient. After a few months, the lawn will breakdown and act as a source of nutrients for new plants. There is no need to remove the lawn, just plot out the design and dig holes for the new plants and watch your new waterwise verge come to life.
Plant Species
| Abrv. | Common name | Botanical name |
|---|---|---|
| Groundcovers | ||
| Hp | Snake Bush | Hemiandra pungens |
| Gro | Grevillia 'Gin Gin Gem' | Grevillea obtusifolia |
| Grcu | Grevillea 'Flat Jack' | Grevillea curviloba |
| Adc | Adenanthos 'Coral Carpet' | Adenanthos cuneatus |
| Egc |
Eremophila 'Compactum' |
Eremphila glabra |
| Shrubs | ||
| Bn | Honeypot Dryandra | Banksia nivea |
| Al | Acacia lasiocarpa | Acacia lasiocarpa |
| Oa | Olearia 'Little Smokie' | Olearia axillaris |
| Wd | Westringia 'Jervis Gem' | Westringia dampieri |
| Grasses/Strappy Leaf Plants | ||
| Conc | Grey Cottonheads | Conostylis candicans |
| Myp | Creeping Boobialla | Myoporum parvifolium |
| Anm | Kangaroo Paw | Angiozanthus manglesii |
| Po | Native Iris or Purple Flag | Pattersonia occidentalis |
| D | Dianella 'Silver Streak' | Dianella |
| Dr |
Dianella 'Little Rev' |
Dianella revoluta |
| Fn | Knotted Club Rush | Ficinia nodosa |
| Lc | Little Con | Lomandra confertifolia |
| Bj | Bare Twig-rush | Baumea juncea |
Watering your new garden
A typical suburban block will thrive on irrigation on 2 watering days per week in summer (half that in spring and autumn).
If planting a new garden, you can ensure it gets the best chance to establish itself by applying for a watering exemption. Once your garden is established you will need to abide by the state-wide watering rosters and daytime sprinkler ban between 9am and 6pm.
Look for the Waterwise symbol
For professional assistance with saving water in and around your home and garden, contact a Waterwise Garden Centre, Garden Designer, Garden Irrigator, Irrigation Design Shop, Landscaper, Plumber or Water Auditor.
When creating your new garden look for Waterwise and Smart Approved WaterMark symbols when choosing gardening products such as mulch, plants, greywater systems and sprinklers.