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Create a water smart garden

Native plants available at a nursery.

Having a garden that is adapted to the Australian climate can make a big difference to your water use.

Creating a water smart garden will also help your plants cope with hot and dry periods and water restrictions. You can also look at how plants can help reduce your heating and cooling bills.

By designing a water smart garden you can create a healthy space for you and your guests to enjoy. With the right planning, you can also create a place for the local birds and insects to visit.

Creating a water smart garden step-by-step guide

Creating a water efficient garden step-by-step guide 
Step Number Step Name Actions
1 Understand your garden
  • Get to know your garden and any plants that are already there. See if you can identify which types of plants grow well in which positions.
  • Watch the garden space over the day and the seasons. Work out which areas are shaded as the soil here could be better at staying moist. Other areas may be in the full sun for most of the day.
  • If you live in a cold area, work out where cold air pools as these spots are likely to be get frost.
  • Take a walk around your neighbourhood and see what plants are flourishing.
  • Get information and advice from more than one source. Talk to local gardeners and plant nurseries to learn about which plants thrive in your local area. Your local radio station might have a gardening segment or you might want to enrol in a gardening class.
2 Design your garden
  • A water smart garden means a garden that flourishes on small amounts of water. Consider having no lawn - most need a lot of water.
  • Think about minimising paved areas (or keep paving separate from plants that need moist soils) - paved areas can heat up and can dry out nearby soils.
  • Plan to group plants together that have similar watering needs. This will help you to give your plants the right amount of water at the right time.
  • Plant trees to help reduce your heating and cooling bills. Deciduous plants could help cool your home in summer with shade and let winter sun through. Plants can also create wind breaks to keep hot or cold winds away from your home.
3 Improve your soil
  • Different soils have different abilities to hold water and can affect plant health. Your local garden centres might provide advice or free soil testing to work out what kind of soil you have and how you can improve it.
  • Most soils benefit from added organic materials. You can dig manure, compost, worm castings and leaf mould into your soil. Gypsum and sand can help improve air space and drainage in heavy soils. You can also add soil wetting agents and water saving crystals to help water to get into and remain in the soil.
  • You could start a worm farm or make compost to give you access to free organic material for your soil and to help reduce the amount of organic waste you're sending to landfill.
4 Choose your plants
  • Select plants that suit your particular soil and garden conditions. Find out what native plants occur naturally (the indigenous plants) because they will already be suited to your local area.
  • Native plants will provide habitat and food to encourage birds and insects into your garden. Many Australian native plants are happy with very little water.
  • If you are using plants from another country, choose plants that are already adapted to limited water supplies. Plants from South Africa, California and the Mediterranean often cope well in Australian conditions.
  • Fruit trees look lovely and can provide you with fresh organic fruit. Most fruit trees will need a bucket of water a week for at least the first year to become established. If you don't have a rainwater tank, you could put a bucket in the shower to catch the water while you're waiting for the right temperature and use this to get the fruit trees through the first year or so.
5 Create a water-wise lawn
  • If you want a grassy area, ask your nursery about low water grasses that do well in your local area. See if you can get a type that also doesn't need much fertilising.
  • If you are keeping a lawn, you can reduce the amount of water it needs by setting your mower to cut at 4 centimetres or higher. This encourages a deeper root system. You should water lawn deeply and infrequently instead of lightly and often.
  • Get a greywater system or a rainwater tank if you want to water your lawn during water restrictions.
6 Mulch your garden
  • Mulching saves water by stopping evaporation and helping water to sink into the soil instead of running-off. Mulching will also reduce weed growth.
  • There are many different kinds of mulch including leaves, grass clippings, straw and tan bark.
  • Before mulching, pull out weeds, break up the soil crust if needed and give the garden a good watering.
  • If you are using a commercial mulch, read the instructions to check if you should wear a mask and gloves.
  • Top up mulch when it gets low.
7 Watering your garden
  • Before watering, check if there are water restrictions in place in your area and what watering activities are allowed.
  • Only water when you have to and only water the plants that need it.
  • Water early in the morning or late in the day to reduce water lost to evaporation. Focus the water onto the roots of the plants, not the leaves. It's generally better to give plants a deep water less often, than to give them a little water often.
8 Enjoy your garden
  • With a more water efficient garden, you'll have more time to enjoy it.

More information

See the following resources for more information about improving watering practices:

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Rebates & assistance

As a home owner, renter or landlord, you could be eligible for financial assistance to help you start living greener.

Find out about government rebates and assistance.

Why do it?

  • Have a beautiful garden that thrives in your local conditions
  • Save water
  • Provide habitat to encourage birds and insects into your garden

Did you know?

Keeping a traditional lawn green can use up to 90 per cent of your gardening water.

Page last modified: 20 Aug 2009