Moderate Water

There is a wide middle ground between drought hardy succulents and thirsty tropical divas, and most Australian gardens live in it. Moderate water plants are the varieties that reward a regular but undemanding routine, typically a deep soak once or twice a week in the warm months, with lush growth that belies how little effort they actually ask for.

The key to succeeding with this group is watering depth, not frequency. A long, slow soak that pushes moisture 20cm to 30cm into the soil trains roots downward, so plants ride out hot spells between waterings; a daily light sprinkle does the opposite, keeping roots shallow and vulnerable. In practical terms, that means around 8 to 10 litres per shrub per week in summer for in ground plantings, tapering right off in autumn and often pausing entirely over a wet winter. A 75mm layer of mulch can cut evaporation dramatically and is the cheapest upgrade you can give this collection. Sydney, Brisbane and coastal Victorian gardens will find most of these varieties settle in with rainfall doing much of the work outside summer, while inland gardeners should lean on drippers rather than sprays to get water where it counts.

Container growers should note that moderate water in a pot means checking twice weekly in summer, because containers dry out far faster than garden beds. Push a finger 5cm into the mix; if it is dry at that depth, water until it runs from the drainage holes, then leave it alone until the test says otherwise.

Plants in this range pair naturally with moderate growing plants, since steady growers and steady drinkers tend to be the same easy going characters, and many also appear in the evergreen plants collection for year round foliage. Two favourites that typify the lush but sensible brief are covered in our golden cane palm care guide and bird of paradise care guide.