Heatwave-Resistant Haven
When the mercury soars, these full-sun, drought-tolerant plants keep their cool — a garden built to survive the Australian summer.
Plant list (142 plants)
| # | Plant | Spacing | Mature size | Light | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' | — | 1.8 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 2 | Weeping Bottlebrush Callistemon viminalis (Sol. ex Gaertn.) G.Don | — | 5 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 3 | African Milk Tree Euphorbia trigona | — | 2 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 4 | Agapanthus Agapanthus praecox | — | 0.8 m H | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 5 | Aloe Vera Aloe vera | — | 0.6 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 6 | Arizona Sun Blanket Flower Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' | — | 0.3 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 7 | Autumn Joy Sedum Hylotelephium spectabile | — | 0.5 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 8 | Autumn Joy Stonecrop Sedum 'Autumn Joy' | — | 0.5 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 9 | Avonview French Lavender Lavandula dentata 'Avonview' | — | 0.9 m H × 0.9 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 10 | Baxter's Banksia Banksia baxteri | — | 3 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 11 | Bell-fruited Mallee Eucalyptus preissiana | — | 3 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 12 | Birthday Candles Banksia Banksia spinulosa 'Birthday Candles' | — | 0.5 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 13 | Bishop's Cap Cactus Astrophytum myriostigma | — | 0.2 m H × 0.1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 14 | Black Rose Aeonium Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' | — | 1 m H × 0.8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 15 | Blue Barrel Cactus Ferocactus glaucescens | — | 0.5 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 16 | Blue Chalksticks Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae | — | 0.3 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 17 | Blue Flax-Lily Dianella caerulea | — | 0.8 m H | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 18 | Blue Spruce Stonecrop Sedum rupestre | — | 0.15 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 19 | Bronze Rambler Grevillea Grevillea 'Bronze Rambler' | — | 0.4 m H × 4 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 20 | Buddha's Temple Crassula 'Buddha's Temple' | — | 0.15 m H × 0.1 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 21 | Burro's Tail Sedum morganianum | — | 0.1 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 22 | Cassa Blue Flax Lily Dianella caerulea 'Cassa Blue' | — | 0.5 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 23 | Century Plant Agave americana | — | 2 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 24 | Cherry Candles Banksia Banksia spinulosa 'Cherry Candles' | — | 1 m H × 1.2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 25 | Chin Cactus Gymnocalycium mihanovichii | — | 0.08 m H × 0.1 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 26 | Chinese Pistachio Pistacia chinensis | — | 12 m H × 10 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 27 | Christmas Carol Aloe Aloe 'Christmas Carol' | — | 0.2 m H × 0.2 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 28 | Coast Spear Grass Austrostipa stipoides | — | 1 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 29 | Coastal Cushion Banksia Banksia integrifolia 'Coastal Cushion' | — | 0.4 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 30 | Coastal Gem Grevillea Grevillea 'Coastal Gem' | — | 0.3 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 31 | Coastal Rosemary Westringia fruticosa | — | 1.5 m H | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 32 | Common Everlasting Chrysocephalum apiculatum | — | 0.3 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 33 | Coral Gum Eucalyptus torquata | — | 8 m H × 5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 34 | Cotoneaster Cotoneaster glaucophyllus | — | 3 m H × 2.5 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 35 | Cut-leaf Banksia Banksia praemorsa | — | 4 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 36 | Elephant Bush Portulacaria afra | — | 2.5 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 37 | English Lavender Lavandula angustifolia | — | 0.6 m H | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 38 | Euky Dwarf Eucalyptus 'Euky Dwarf' | — | 6 m H × 4 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 39 | Firesticks Euphorbia tirucalli | — | 4 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 40 | Firewood Banksia Banksia menziesii | — | 8 m H × 4 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 41 | Fireworks Grevillea Grevillea 'Fireworks' | — | 2 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 42 | Flaming Katy Kalanchoe blossfeldiana | — | 0.4 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 43 | Foxtail Agave Agave attenuata | — | 1.2 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 44 | Fred Ives Graptoveria Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' | — | 0.2 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 45 | French Lavender Lavandula dentata | — | 1 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 46 | Geraldton Wax 'Purple Pride' Chamelaucium uncinatum 'Purple Pride' | — | 2 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 47 | Ghost Plant Graptopetalum paraguayense | — | 0.15 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 48 | Giant Feather Grass Stipa gigantea | — | 2 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 49 | Gold Cluster Grevillea Grevillea 'Gold Cluster' | — | 0.4 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 50 | Gold Mound Sedum Sedum 'Gold Mound' | — | 0.15 m H × 0.4 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 51 | Golden Barrel Cactus Echinocactus grusonii | — | 0.9 m H × 0.8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 52 | Golden Rain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata | — | 9 m H × 8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 53 | Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea glauca | — | 3 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 54 | Grass-leaf Hakea Hakea francisiana | — | 5 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 55 | Grey Box Coastal Rosemary Westringia fruticosa 'Grey Box' | — | 1 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 56 | Grosso Lavender Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso' | — | 0.8 m H × 0.9 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 57 | Heartleaf Iceplant Aptenia cordifolia | — | 0.15 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 58 | Heatwave Salvia Salvia greggii 'Heatwave Glimmer' | — | 0.6 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 59 | Hens and Chicks Sempervivum tectorum | — | 0.1 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 60 | Hidcote English Lavender Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' | — | 0.5 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 61 | Honeypots Banksia Banksia spinulosa 'Honeypots' | — | 0.7 m H × 1.2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 62 | Jade Plant Crassula ovata | — | 1.5 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 63 | Jervis Gem Coastal Rosemary Westringia 'Jervis Gem' | — | 0.6 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 64 | Judas Tree Cercis siliquastrum | — | 8 m H × 7 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 65 | Kalgoorlie Emu Bush Eremophila glabra 'Kalgoorlie' | — | 0.5 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 66 | Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra | — | 0.8 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 67 | Katie Belles Lomandra Lomandra longifolia 'Katie Belles' | — | 1.2 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 68 | Krantz Aloe Aloe arborescens | — | 3 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 69 | Kurrajong Brachychiton populneus | — | 12 m H × 8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 70 | Lime Tuff Lomandra Lomandra confertifolia 'Lime Tuff' | — | 0.4 m H × 0.4 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 71 | Lime Tuff Mat-rush Lomandra 'Lime Tuff' | — | 0.4 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 72 | Living Stones Lithops spp. | — | 0.03 m H × 0.05 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 73 | Lollypops Grevillea Grevillea 'Lollypops' | — | 0.6 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 74 | Madrid Blue Spanish Lavender Lavandula stoechas 'Madrid Blue' | — | 0.5 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 75 | Major Spanish Lavender Lavandula stoechas 'Major' | — | 0.7 m H × 0.7 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 76 | Matrona Stonecrop Sedum 'Matrona' | — | 0.6 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 77 | Mediterranean Spurge Euphorbia characias | — | 1.2 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 78 | Mexican Feather Grass Nassella tenuissima | — | 0.6 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 79 | Mexican Snowball Echeveria elegans | — | 0.1 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 80 | Moonshine Yarrow Achillea 'Moonshine' | — | 0.6 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 81 | Moonstones Pachyphytum oviferum | — | 0.1 m H × 0.2 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 82 | Mottlecah Eucalyptus macrocarpa | — | 3 m H × 4 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 83 | Mundi Coastal Rosemary Westringia fruticosa 'Mundi' | — | 0.3 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 84 | Munstead English Lavender Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead' | — | 0.45 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 85 | Native Pelargonium Pelargonium australe | — | 0.4 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 86 | Nyalla Lomandra Lomandra longifolia 'Nyalla' | — | 0.9 m H × 0.9 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 87 | Oleander Nerium oleander | — | 4 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 88 | Paddle Plant Kalanchoe thyrsiflora | — | 0.6 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 89 | Panda Plant Kalanchoe tomentosa | — | 0.4 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 90 | Paprika Yarrow Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' | — | 0.6 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 91 | Perle von Nurnberg Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg' | — | 0.15 m H × 0.15 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 92 | Peruvian Apple Cactus Cereus repandus | — | 5 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 93 | Pig's Ear Cotyledon orbiculata | — | 1 m H × 0.8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 94 | Pigface Carpobrotus glaucescens | — | 0.15 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 95 | Pincushion Cactus Mammillaria spp. | — | 0.15 m H × 0.2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 96 | Pincushion Hakea Hakea laurina | — | 5 m H × 4 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 97 | Pink Mulla Mulla Ptilotus exaltatus 'Joey' | — | 0.4 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 98 | Plumed Featherflower Verticordia plumosa | — | 1 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 99 | Prickly Pear Opuntia ficus-indica | — | 3 m H × 2.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 100 | Princess Spanish Lavender Lavandula stoechas 'Princess' | — | 0.8 m H × 0.8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 101 | Provence Lavender Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence' | — | 0.75 m H × 0.9 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 102 | Purple-leaf Cootamundra Wattle Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea' | — | 6 m H × 5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 103 | Queensland Silver Wattle Acacia podalyriifolia | — | 5 m H × 4 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 104 | Red Ironbark Eucalyptus sideroxylon 'Rosea' | — | 18 m H × 10 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 105 | Red Pokers Hakea bucculenta | — | 4 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 106 | Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus | — | 1.2 m H | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 107 | Ruby Glow Stonecrop Sedum 'Ruby Glow' | — | 0.25 m H × 0.35 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 108 | Scarlet Banksia Banksia coccinea | — | 4 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 109 | Scarlet Kunzea Kunzea baxteri | — | 3 m H × 3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 110 | Scarlet Sprite Grevillea Grevillea 'Scarlet Sprite' | — | 1.5 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 111 | Shara Lomandra Lomandra fluviatilis 'Shara' | — | 0.5 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 112 | Sidonie Lavender Lavandula x allardii 'Sidonie' | — | 1 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 113 | Silk Tree Albizia julibrissin | — | 8 m H × 8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 114 | Silky Eremophila Eremophila nivea | — | 1.5 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 115 | Silver Princess Eucalyptus caesia 'Silver Princess' | — | 8 m H × 5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 116 | Silver Sunburst Chrysocephalum apiculatum 'Silver Sunburst' | — | 0.3 m H × 1 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 117 | Silver Torch Cactus Cleistocactus strausii | — | 2 m H × 0.3 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 118 | Smokey Coastal Rosemary Westringia fruticosa 'Smokey' | — | 1 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 119 | Snake Plant Dracaena trifasciata | — | 0.9 m H | Full Shade, Part Shade, Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 120 | Spanish Lavender Lavandula stoechas | — | 0.7 m H × 0.7 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 121 | Spiny-head Mat-rush Lomandra longifolia | — | 1 m H | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 122 | Spotted Emu Bush Eremophila maculata | — | 2 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 123 | String of Pearls Curio rowleyanus | — | 0.1 m H × 0.6 m W | Part Shade, Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 124 | Stumpy Gold Banksia Banksia spinulosa 'Stumpy Gold' | — | 0.5 m H × 0.8 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 125 | Sturt's Desert Pea Swainsona formosa | — | 0.3 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 126 | Sweet Pea Bush Polygala myrtifolia | — | 2 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 127 | Tall Kangaroo Paw Anigozanthos flavidus | — | 1.8 m H | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 128 | Tanika Mat Rush Lomandra longifolia 'Tanika' | — | 0.6 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 129 | Tar Bush Eremophila glabra | — | 1.2 m H | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 130 | Tar Bush 'Kalbarri Carpet' Eremophila glabra 'Kalbarri Carpet' | — | 0.4 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 131 | Terracotta Yarrow Achillea 'Terracotta' | — | 0.7 m H × 0.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 132 | The Princess Lavender Lavandula stoechas 'The Princess' | — | 0.75 m H × 0.75 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 133 | Tiger Jaws Faucaria tigrina | — | 0.1 m H × 0.15 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 134 | Tree Aeonium Aeonium arboreum | — | 1 m H × 0.8 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 135 | White Cypress Pine Callitris columellaris | — | 12 m H × 4 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 136 | Woolly Bush Adenanthos sericeus | — | 4 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 137 | Woolly Grevillea Grevillea lanigera | — | 0.5 m H | Full Sun, Part Shade | Drought-Tolerant |
| 138 | Wynyabbie Gem Coastal Rosemary Westringia 'Wynyabbie Gem' | — | 1.8 m H × 1.5 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 139 | Yarrow Achillea millefolium | — | 0.7 m H × 0.6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 140 | Yellow Gum Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Rosea' | — | 10 m H × 6 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 141 | Yellow Spotted Emu Bush Eremophila maculata 'Aurea' | — | 2 m H × 2 m W | Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
| 142 | Zebra Plant Haworthiopsis fasciata | — | 0.12 m H × 0.12 m W | Part Shade, Full Sun | Drought-Tolerant |
How to use this plan
- Mark out your bed and set plants out (still in pots) using the spacing column.
- Place taller and wider plants to the back or centre, lower plants to the front or edges.
- Group by light and water needs so each plant gets the right conditions.
- Plant, mulch, water in well — then tick each plant off as you go.
Bed location
Date planted