Native Garden Design Eltham

🌿 Native Garden Inspiration: Tips for Colour, Habitat & Drought Tolerance

 

Design a vibrant, drought-tolerant native garden with tips from ID Garden & Landscape Centre. Create habitat, colour, and texture using local plants and natural materials.

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🌿 Native Garden Inspiration: Tips for Colour, Habitat & Drought Tolerance

A well-designed native garden doesn’t just look stunning — it supports local biodiversity and stands up to Australia’s challenging climate. Whether you’re working with a large Eltham block or a compact courtyard, creating a habitat-rich, water-wise native space starts with thoughtful choices in plants, mulch, rock and soil.

Here are our top tips for bringing your native garden to life.

 

🎨 1. Layer Colour with Foliage & Flowers

Australian natives offer more colour variety than many gardeners realise — especially when you mix flowering species with foliage in silvers, greys, greens and burgundies.

Plant combo ideas:

·      A fast and reliable combo that provides long-lasting colour and interest throughout the seasons:  Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra) with Common Everlasting (Chrysocephalum apiculatum) and Cut-leaf Daisy (Brachyscome multifida).

·      Groundcover Banksia (Banksia blechnifolia), Mat-Rush (Lomandra spp.) + White Correa (Correa alba) for a mix of texture and seasonal colour

🌱 Pair with our Garden Blend Soil to give native species a free-draining, organic-rich foundation that still suits their lower nutrient needs.

 

🐝 2. Create Habitat with Structure and Texture

One of the greatest benefits of native gardens is the wildlife they invite — birds, bees, lizards and frogs all love a diverse, layered environment.

Use Field Granite, Basalt or Mudstone Landscape Rock to:

·      Build sunbaking spots and lizard shelters

·      Create natural retaining and planting pockets

·      Add visual contrast to grasses and shrubs

Add Reground Bush Mulch or Eucy Mulch (Fine or Chunky) to mimic the leaf litter of native bushland — perfect for keeping soil cool and supporting insect life.

 

💧 3. Embrace Drought Tolerance with Smart Design

Drought-tolerant gardens aren’t just possible — they can thrive beautifully in our dry summers.

Design tips:

  • Group plants by water needs
  • Incorporate swales on-contour or shallow depressions to hold rainwater long enough for it to penetrate the soil
  • Use Honey Granite Screenings or gravel paths to reduce runoff and create access

Avoid overwatering — most natives dislike soggy roots. Using mulches and natural stone helps with moisture retention and reduces heat stress around the root zone.

 

🧱 4. Tie It All Together with Natural Features

Natural materials work harmoniously in native settings. Think granite sawn steps, recycled timber edging, and screenings for pathways. These materials complement the plant palette and help define zones without overwhelming the space.

 

🛒 Shop the Essentials at ID Garden & Landscape Centre

We stock everything you need to build your native garden right, including:

·      Compost & native-friendly soils

·      Natural mulches (Reground, Eucy, Softfall)

·      Field granite and rockery stones

·      Decorative screenings & path materials

Come by our Eltham yard or shop online for local delivery across Eltham, Research, Warrandyte, and surrounding areas.

 

🌱 Gardens That Belong

Native gardens aren’t just practical — they’re poetic. They reflect the land we’re part of, support our ecosystems, and evolve beautifully over time.

Start your project with us — for honest advice, quality materials, and the kind of local knowledge that makes all the difference.

 

ID Garden & Landscape Centre – Locally rooted. Naturally inspired.