A question I get asked all the time is: what can I grow that will do okay if water restrictions come in?
With many of us already on restrictions, thinking about what we use this precious resource on is rightly front of mind. But pollinators still need to be fed, a little beauty goes a long way for us humans, and there are plenty of flowers that do just fine in hot, dry conditions.
If you'd like to focus on these, or even just slip a few in to give yourself some built-in resilience if the summer turns out as dry as they're predicting, here are some great options.
First, the fine print: "once established"
Nearly every plant label that says "drought tolerant" has two invisible words on the end: once established. A seedling planted out this month still needs regular water for at least its first few weeks while it gets its roots down.
The good news is that's exactly why now is the time to plant. Get them in this spring, water them well while they settle, and by the time the real heat arrives they'll be able to look after themselves.
The everlastings (grow from seed)
There's a reason these flowers feel papery: they're built to hang on to moisture. They're also the gift that keeps giving, because you can dry them and enjoy them long after summer's done.
Paper daisies and strawflowers. They're Aussie natives, so they already know how to handle our summers. They're happy in poor soil and full sun, and - unlike needy children on school holidays - they prefer you leave them alone.
Statice. It's tough as old boots and copes with heat, wind and dry soil. Pick it, hang it upside down somewhere dark to dry, and it'll keep its colour for literally years.
Billy buttons. These cheery little yellow drumsticks are another Aussie native that copes well once settled in. They're brilliant for drying too. More about Billy Buttons including free printable guide here.
Gomphrena (globe amaranth). This one loves the heat and keeps flowering right through summer. The little pompom flowers dry beautifully and sit perfectly alongside statice and strawflowers. More about gomphrena here.
Heat-loving annuals (grow from seed)
Sunflowers. They send a deep taproot down to find water other plants can't reach, and they do just fine in the dry. More about sunflowers here.
Zinnias. They're not completely drought-proof, but they handle heat far better than most summer annuals.
Cosmos. It flowers better when it's treated a bit mean - it’s like they were made for dry summers!
Nasturtiums. Poor soil and not much water give you more flowers and fewer leaves. More about nasturtiums here.
Coreopsis. It's a sunny little workhorse that flowers for months, shrugs off the heat and keeps the bees busy. This is the bright yellow flower you’ll see appearing up and down the M1 between Newy and Sydney from now until Christmas - keep an eye out.
Tough perennials (grow from seed)
These take a little longer to get going, but once they're in they come back year after year and need less from you each summer.
Echinacea. It's deep-rooted and a magnet for bees and butterflies. Give it some help in its first year, and after that it's very hard to kill.
Echinops (globe thistle). The steely blue spheres look like they belong on another planet. It thrives in heat and dry soil, and the bees go absolutely mad for it. Read about it here.
Yarrow. It spreads happily, copes with heat and neglect, and the flat flower heads are a landing pad for all sorts of beneficial insects.
Salvia. There's a salvia for every garden, and most of the perennial types are tough as anything once established. The bees love them too.
Gaillardia (blanket flower). It genuinely thrives on neglect and poor, sandy soil. If you're the kind of gardener who forgets to water, this is your plant.
Rudbeckia. It's cheerful, long-flowering and holds up well in the heat once it's settled in. It's not all acid yellow, either: there are rusts, bronzes, burgundies and soft lemons, so find one you like.
Not from seed, but worth a spot
These aren't ones you'll start from a seed packet. You can grab them as plants from your local nursery or as cuttings from a friend, and they're the backbone of a drought-resilient garden.
Grevilleas. They're true Aussie survivors, and the birds and bees adore them. There's a grevillea for every size of garden, from groundcovers to big shrubs.
Kangaroo paw. It's striking, native and loves full sun with good drainage. It also makes a fabulous cut flower.
Pelargoniums. These are the ultimate cutting-swap plant: snap off a piece, pop it in the ground and off it goes. They flower happily through the heat and ask for very little in return.
Making every drop count
Plant closer together. The further apart your plants are, the more the wind and sun can get at them, and the more bare soil you leave exposed to dry out. Snug plantings shade the ground and shelter each other.
And speaking of soil: mulch, mulch, mulch. Use anything you've got. Cardboard, prunings, fallen leaves, it all counts. It keeps moisture in the soil and keeps the roots cool.
Try a living mulch. Nasturtiums do double duty, flowering and covering the soil at the same time. Actually, make that triple duty, because the pollinators love them too.
Water deeply, less often. A good soak encourages roots to go down, while a daily sprinkle keeps them lazy and near the surface.
Water early or late. After the sun’s gone down, or in the morning, less is lost to evaporation before the heat of the day.
Group the thirsty ones. Put plants with similar needs together so you're not watering the tough guys just to keep the divas alive.
Catch your shower warm-up water. You know those first few litres that go straight down the drain while you wait for the water to heat up? Pop a bucket under the shower and collect them. It's clean water, and your garden will happily put it to use. (Grey water is a whole other topic, and I'll cover it another time.)
Start small
You don't need to rip everything out and start again. Just tuck a few of these in this spring and you'll have some colour, some happy pollinators and a little less to worry about if we’re asked to put the hoses away this summer.