
Loving the dry
Canterbury and other regions regularly suffer lengthy dry spells which can play havoc with gardens. By Lynda Papesch.
The trick is to plant species that lap up the dry, thrive in the heat, and provide colour, and form all year round. As a rule, look for plants with grey-green leaves.
The best time to plant is in autumn to capture as much of the winter rain as possible so plants are established before the drier summer months. When planting, dig a hole twice the width and depth of the root ball, and add plenty of compost and organic material. Add a slow release fertiliser to the hole and mix in. Plant to the depth of the plant’s original container, and water well.
SUCCULENTS: Succulents are ideal plants for water-short areas, surviving in dry climates because they store water in their leaves, stems, and roots. They are low maintenance, and can thrive indoors or outside. Incredibly versatile plants, succulents come in many unique shapes, colours, textures and distinctive features. There are more than 60 separate succulent families, and around 10,000 varieties of plants, including cactus and aloe plants.
EDIBLES: Many herbs and edibles, such as sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme enjoy the heat, and bring with them the added value of colour, and practical use in cooking. Artichokes, grapes, lemons, and blueberries are also drought tolerant.
SHRUBS: Popular and hardy shrubs to plant include the poisonous oleander (Nerium oldeander), which comes in shades of red, pink, salmon and white, euphorbia ‘Kilimanjaro’ with variegated white and pale green foliage, and japonica (Chaenomeles japonica), also known as flowering quince.
Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa) is known for its long flowering and good salt tolerance.
NATIVES: Coprosmas, hebes, flaxes, and tussocks are among the most drought-tolerant native plant species in New Zealand. Others to look out for include astelia, carex, chionochloa, corokia, flax, griselinea, knightia, pohutukawa, olearea, pseudopanax,
and xeronema.