Going Native

If you've been following my blog you will know we are now completing the build on our garage/studio.  I'm yet to post pics of the whole thing as there are still some finishing off jobs to do.  But in the meantime, the garden.

When I say garden, I'm talking about the two strips of dirt on the laneway at the rear and side.  Er, when I say dirt, I mean the muddle of builder's rubble, concrete and sand.  But rest assured, weeds will grow anywhere at this time of year, even in that unforgiving earth so something had to be done.   Having lived with reticulation to water the verges in our last house, and having spent every other weekend repairing it, for this place we vowed NO MORE RETIC and are totally wed to the idea of natives and succulents that can survive our harsh Perth climate without regular water.

There is a wonderful organisation called APACE not far from me who provide native tubestock at a fantastic price for ratepayers, to encourage the planting of indigenous native plants that don't require precious water and will survive the most gormless of gardeners.   I selected a bunch of stuff that I've seen growing in sand dunes, so it should survive our lane way.    Saltbush, grasses, that sort of thing.

Do you like the pole?  Supposed to stop lorries knocking the corners off fences.  It belongs to the Council I believe, but we decided it would look better painted like a packet of lifesavers.   I did concede and get a trailer load of decent soil to get it all going.  But I must say I do wince at paying for dirt, call me tight.

This is the other laneway side.  My plants look pretty puny at the moment, but I'm confident that they will grow fast and fill the lane with beautiful native shrubs, requiring no watering and stopping the weeds.

I'll put some succulent ground cover I've got out the front in soon too that I am propagating myself.  Ooh I do love a  cutting.















And as some inspiration, look at this beautiful succulent garden tucked away on a University campus nearby.  So sculptural, so drought tolerant.  It's growing in sand dear Watson.

But best of all was the sense of excitement planting all these and thinking about how it will all look in 12 months, which must surely be one of the best of many great things about gardening, that sense of looking forward to the future and wonder of nature doing its thing.   I just need to work on my patience now.