A few of our favourite things

The idea that only indigenous plants are water-wise is a myth.

There are many plants that do exceptionally well when water is scarce and temperatures go up.

The water restrictions and lack of rain has had a surprising side effect for gardeners. We have to look at the garden almost more carefully to make sure everything is surviving and with that you learn more about your garden and the plants that do well, become your new favourites. Vinca is one of our new favourites for this hot summer.

Vinca will grow with very little water and does best in full sun. The pretty disc flowers are mostly in shades of pinks through to purples, through to the original pure white.

In flower constantly right through to the following mid winter, makes them something every gardener should try. Some of the most popular flowers in the older gardens are rising to the challenge of this drought. Fragrant Star Jasmine makes a perfect ground cover in sun to half sun and will respond to being clipped and boxed.

It will grow just as well as a climber over a wall or arch needing very little attention.

The Orange Jasmine – Murraya grows as a background shrub with the added bonus of fragrance.

Flowering in spring and again in summer it fills the garden with the sweet citrusy jasmine fragrance in the early mornings and at sunset.

Bougainvillea’s are the true stars of drought years where they flower longer and grow stronger.

Try them up a pillar or over a boundary wall where they will also become a thick screening shrub climber.

Boug’s, as they are called, flower best when they get little or no water and will do particularly well in a container against a north facing wall.

Everybody has their own favourite

That’s what makes gardening such a personal experience.

What does your garden say about you? One of the nostalgic plants that we love and flowers no matter how hot it gets is Blue Statice – Limonium.

Also known as Sea Lavender, they thrive for a few years, creating a clump almost a meter in diameter if allowed.

Contrast them with some Colourful Flax. Flax is extremely water-wise and needs little attention, creating a focal point in beds with their strappy leaves in different colours.

Look out for plum leafed varieties to shades of pink and even yellows or apricot.

Waterwise and tough Potato bushes make it onto our list of favourites.

Extremely popular in our local area they will grow in some shade but flower best if given maximum sun.

They are also available in white but it is the blue that is simply the best performer when the temperatures soar.

r Information provided by Eckards.