Cottage gardens are often informal in layout, and usually contain a combination of annuals, perennials, brightly flowering shrubs and herbaceous plants. There are plenty of waterwise plants that will fit into a cottage garden style. For your cottage garden to be successful and rewarding you will need to carry out soil improvement prior to planting, mulch after planting, and install an efficient irrigation system.

soil improvementSoil improvement should be carried out prior to planting. The best soil improver is organic matter. It dramatically increases the moisture and nutrient holding capacity of sandy soil and encourages the all important soil micro fauna that are vital for healthy plant growth.

Improving the soil is a simple process:

• Digahole25to30cmdeepand,ataminimum, 3timesthewidthofthepot.Thewiderthebetter.

• Replacehalfthesoilwithorganicmatter.

• Mixthoroughlyandreplaceintheholeinashallow saucer shape.

• Taketheplantoutofthepotandplaceinthebottom of the saucer.

• Waterinwell,applyingawettingagentifnecessary.

• Organicmattercanbepurchasedascompost, soil improver or soil conditioner.

In addition to organic matter, the following can also be incorporated into the soil at planting time:

• Bentoniteclay(sandysoilsonly).

• Gypsum(reactiveclaysoilsonly).

• Spongeliteandzeolite(allsoiltypes).

• Waterstoragepolymerssoldasgranulesorinsealedbags.

mulching Baresoilencouragesweeds,wasteswaterandincreasesstress upon plants. A waterwise mulch spread to a depth of5to10cmwillreduceevaporationfromthesoilsurface.It will also prevent erosion, reduce weeds, reduce temperaturefluctuationinthesoil,slowlybreakdownovertime to feed the soil and improve the overall appearance of the garden. A good waterwise mulch is one that has large,chunkypiecesthatholdlittle,ifany,water. Alwayskeepmulchjustclearofstemsandtrunksandbeprepared to spread more mulch over the surface as the materialbreaksdowntofeedthesoil.

irrigation The most efficient irrigation systems are those that deliver the right amount of water to the right place, at the right time, with minimal wastage. The simplest and most efficientsystemavailabletothehomegardenerisknownvariously as sub-irrigation, integrated dripper or in-line dripper. It is simple to install and delivers water directly to the root system with little or no evaporative loss. For further informationandexpertassistancewithirrigation,contacteitheryourlocalWaterwiseGardenIrrigatororWaterwiseIrrigationDesignShop.

hydrozoning Hydrozoningisgroupingplantswithsimilarwaterneedstogether in an effort to be more water efficient. This is one of the most important tools to conserve water in the garden, and help save you money. You can choose plants tosuityourgardenandregionwithourWaterwisePlantsforWAonlinedirectory.

YourlocalWaterwiseGardenCentrecanassistwithplant selection and watering needs.

To find out your watering days visit our website.

creating a waterwise so

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cottage gardenThe information in this brochure is tailored to the South West. This covers the Perth Metropolitan, Peel, South West and Great Southern Regions - including Perth, Albany and Esperance.

watercorporation.com.au

Street Tree. Refer to your local council verge policy

Front VergeInformal planting arrangement

Sant

Bb

Af

Lm

Ah

Dg

Cop Ap

Sals Sca

Pb

Steps

Path

Herbs

Fruit Tree

Ornamental Flowering Fruit Tree

Low

wal

l

ResidenceScreening shrubs & small trees for privacy

Lawn

Council footpath

plant species

Abrv Common Name Botanical Name

Ground CoversBb Southern Blechnum Banksia Banksia blechnifolia*

Dg Darwinia (Prostrate Form) Darwinia grandiflora*

Sca Purple Fanfare Scaevola aemula*

ShrubsAh Blue Hibiscus Alyogyne huegelii*

Cop Diosma Coleonema pulchellum

Crow Crowea Crowea exalata ∆

Sant Cotton Lavender Santolina chamaecyparissus

Sals Salvia ‘Electric Blue’ Salvia sinaloensis

Abrv Common Name Botanical Name

Grasses/Strappy Leaf PlantsAp Dwarf Agapantha Agapanthus praecox

Arc NZ Rock Lily Arthropodium cirratum ∆

Lm Lilyturf Liriope muscari

TreesAf Jervis Bay Afterdark Agonis flexuosa*

L Bay Tree Laurus nobilis ∆

Pb Ornamental Plum Prunus blireiana

* These species are endemic to WA ∆

Optional Species (not included in illustration)

13 10 39 Waterwise Helplinewatercorporation.com.au ISBN1740434838December2011Thisinformationisavailableinalternativeformatsonrequest.

more information Forprofessionaladvice,visitourwebsitetofindaWaterwiseSpecialistnearyou. TheyincludeGardenDesigners,GardenCentres,GardenIrrigators,IrrigationDesign Shops,Landscapers,LawnmowingContractors,PlumbersandWaterAuditors. WaterwiseSpecialistshavebeentrainedespeciallytohelpyousavewaterbyprovidingspecialist advice on waterwise products and services for your home and garden.

LookfortheWaterwiseApprovedandSmartApprovedWaterMarksymbolswhen choosinggardeningproductssuchasmulch,plants,greywatersystemsandsprinklers.

Designs provided by Josh Byrne & Associates www.joshbyrne.com.au

legendHydrozone 1

Hydrozone 2

Hydrozone 3 (including vegetables, herbs & fruit trees)Lawn

how to design a waterwise cottage garden

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