GOING NATIVE

We are still seeing traditional native gardens, filled only with indigenous plants, but new-look native gardens are widening the appeal of native trees, plants and shrubs.

Landscape designer Natalie Watts from Branat Designs says these days you can find natives in both contemporary and formal gardens, as well as a must-have range for the Aussie garden. “I think in the past many people had the image of straggly looking natives from the 1970s that were planted in backyards and forgotten about,” she says.

Not anymore. Natalie says keen gardeners are mixing it up and using natives in other styles. “We are currently working on a formal garden project with native grasses, and we’re turning grafted grevilleas into topiary, incorporating these natives instead of the exotics as we’d have done in the past,”