Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Dec 04, 2009 12:20 pm Hi there My husband and I are building our new home and we are trying to keep it all as environmentally friendly as we can... with 'waterwise' ideas, we have decided that rather than a good ol' fashioned lawn in the front yard, we will try our hands at landscaping a lawn free garden I have driven past a few houses in our new estate with a mishmash of natives in and around rocks.. but i rekon it looks a bit messy.. I would rather have more of a neat look... so Im thinking of planting some cordylines or native grasses (not sure which ones) in one area on mass... with some river pebbles around them.. in a curved shaped strip (symbolic of a creek bed) and then Im thinking of planting a low /medium ****** green ground cover type thing (technical term!)...planted on mass (where the lawn would have been)...to form the majority of the garden... and then some cycads or yuccas along front wall of the house under the window.... My question is, what kind of plant would be a good one for my 'lawn' alternative?? I will work on a little design now, and post it later Any wisdom would be wonderful!! I am not really a green thumb... just a wanna be!! Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 2Dec 04, 2009 1:52 pm Where are you located? What city? Ideas would be, wallaby grass-for winter, kangaroo grass for summer and just mow with a Victa. Grevillea Gin Gin Gem and keep to a very low height with a lawn mower. It will look perfect. Nice dark green. Grevillea Sea Spray or Gilt Dragon and also keep mowed every few months. More of a silver colour though. Then depending on location one of the finest is the lipias. Please check first though because they are a weed in some parts of Australia. Fantastic here in WA. For shady areas, look at Native Violets, Dichondra, I should think of a few others too later Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 3Dec 04, 2009 2:08 pm Thanks Fu Im in Victoria (Ballarat) its REALLY cold here in winter and can get pretty hot (for a few days!) in Summer!! Winter frosts are a killer in Ballarat.. Im thinking natives are a good idea... Im going to take a photo of a garden I love nearby, and will post it later on... Im not sure what they have used in place of lawn.. but it looks amazing Do you have any idea what I should do in preparation for planting... we have brown silty clay... im guessing we will need to do some prep work to get it ready?? Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 4Dec 04, 2009 2:14 pm oh btw, I am LOVIN the Grevillea Gin Gin Gem Thats the look Im going for...sort of undulating and weeping... maybe I could let it creep over some rocks for some extra movement? Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 5Dec 04, 2009 2:19 pm viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11343 You can keep Grevillea gin Gin Gem clipped flat and perfect like a lawn. They will require little or no water in summer once established so irrigation is not required. this further cuts landscaping costs. They do spread out to be quite large so although a new landscape may scream to have lots planted, the reality is only use one or two in a rockery. If the rockery covers several hundred metres then a few can be used. other wise you won't fit much else in and it looks messy in years to come. Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 6Dec 04, 2009 2:26 pm Maybe acacia limelight?? Its an ol' favorite of mine Thanks for the link btw... some very nice gardens there Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 7Dec 04, 2009 2:38 pm Acacia limelight, maybe but it is a pretty soft plant when it comes to rockeries. It will need preferably some protection and extra water. is it lawn alternatives you need or rockery plants? Acacia limelight isn't suitable for lawn alternative. As for soil prep, well certified organic soils are the only thing I use and recomend. Even for natives because they rarely are grown in poor soil and dry conditions in nurseries prior to you buying them. Also raely is the soil you are planting into, a native soil to your area. The good top soils will have been removed durring building and are also pretty sterile microbe wise. Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 8Dec 04, 2009 2:50 pm I really need suggestions for both rockery plants and lawn alternatives... and when I say lawn alternative all I really mean is something with nice rich green colour.. it doesnt have to be really low to the ground but rather like an undulating mass of green... sorry, I've never been good at discribing things! Especially garden stuff!! For the rockery, I was thinking some tufty grasses?? Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 9Dec 04, 2009 3:23 pm For your lawn, go no further than a nice cover as I mentioned of Grevillea Gin Gin Gem. For rockeries, wow! So much choice Depends a bit on your location though. Ficinia nodosa. a ripper Callistemon Little John The paper daisies in Autumn. seed them then Banksia birthday candles and Banksia Cherry candles. Macropidia fuliginosa (blk kangapaw) Conostylis Brachycombes fringed lily's Dryandra nivea (Banksia now days) Swan river Peas Hibbertia Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 10Dec 04, 2009 7:07 pm Thanks Fu.. Im going to look at plants on the weekend... not gunna buy any yet, as the house is still a few months away but I want to plan, so I need to check it all out!! I may even try to strike some cuttings, as I have a few months wait ahead of me at least that would make me feel productive I really want to strike some pittosporum for the back fence line... I have heard they are really hard to strike.. but Im gunna give it a go anyway!!! Might be a good way of saving some $$$ Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 11Dec 05, 2009 12:17 am Although you haven't said what city you are located in,, this wioll affect the advice given, I am yet to se a good healthy pitto hedge. I still say that there are way better options than pittos. pittos tend to have tonnes of money sunk into them for advertising and therefore nurseries and landscapers get sucked in. Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 12Dec 05, 2009 7:46 am wemyss_castle Thanks Fu Im in Victoria (Ballarat) its REALLY cold here in winter and can get pretty hot (for a few days!) in Summer!! Winter frosts are a killer in Ballarat.. Im thinking natives are a good idea... Im going to take a photo of a garden I love nearby, and will post it later on... Im not sure what they have used in place of lawn.. but it looks amazing Do you have any idea what I should do in preparation for planting... we have brown silty clay... im guessing we will need to do some prep work to get it ready?? My town 'Ballarat... = cold cold winters with snow and frost (-2 degrees in the morning.. our coldest winter day would get up to about 6 degrees), a few hot weeks in summer up to about 41 degrees ... although this is all changing every year with the effects climate change...our summers are longer and hotter and winters are colder and shorter. I love the look of Pittosporum, I have a few at my current house and they grow like wildfire.. nice glossy foliage with plenty of movement... very pretty they seem to tolerate the frost here very well too.. although I am open minded, so suggestions are welcome!! Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 13Dec 05, 2009 9:03 am Probably nothing you don't know having seen them your self but it has some names of plants used local to you http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/parks--r ... rdens.aspx http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/parks--r ... rsery.aspx Part of your landscaping really has to include trees. These are an essential feature deleted from most landscapes resulting in an actual change in summer microclimate of cities. They will also help to reduce energy and water use of your home and garden http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/parks--r ... trees.aspx Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 14Dec 05, 2009 12:40 pm Thanks for the link Fu There are some valid points... I think trees are important and seem to be omitted in most landscaping for some reason! I did a drive by the house that has the front garden that I like... sneeky I took a couple of pics... now I need to identify the plants!! I think they have used cycads, yukkas, cordylines, maybe some aggapathas over to the right hand side... around a magnolia?? native grasses in the rockery.. not sure which type...and the greenery (what I call the lawn substitute) is ????? NFI! Any ideas? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I hope posting that image worked... its my first time! Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 15Dec 05, 2009 12:54 pm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ This is a close up of the greenery...but what is it??? Genus Species: Myoporum parvifolium broad leaf form Common / Product Name: Creeping Boobialla broad leaf ??? Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 17Dec 05, 2009 5:59 pm I agree... looks great I plan to copy it!!! I KNOW thats a cop out... but I lack any creative ability of my own!! Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 18Dec 05, 2009 8:41 pm The red things up the back are some flaked out Phormiums which are pretty unreliable in most cases through the first 2 or 3 summers. If it isn't that, it would be Cordyline red Fountain which I have never had much success with. Once some serious heat hits, they hit the dirt Neither are native but very easy to buy. I wouldn't say they are waterwise for us sangropers but might be for you guys. The others look to be a carax of somesort, the whispy tufty things The ground cover, yeah could be a Myoporum of some sort. good choice but look best when clipped lower and even clipped back with a mower every now and then. Could be a good choice for wemyss_castle Re: Plants for lawn aternative...and soil preparation :) 19Dec 06, 2009 6:57 am Yep, so Im settled on the creeping Boobialla... any idea how I would strike those... I understand they form roots on the stem, so is there a trick to striking that sort of thing?? I have several months to work with, so I would like to strike some cuttings to save money going to do some research about striking stuff now... Im having fun with this!!! who would have thought!! Thanks for your input Fu, its wonderful to have someone to ask all my silly questions!! Built the 'Urbis' by J G King We are in, now the work begins!!! Murraya could be a great option for you. It creates a great tall screening hedge but doesn't drop fruit like lily pilly. The flowers smell divine. 2 10246 Hi Building Expert, Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated, there is also a code of conduct for building surveyors which they need to follow as well. I am looking… 4 3672 the leaves that are now underground go yellow, the tips that poke through photosynthesise and have chlorophyll, same reason they grow rhubarb in the dark. 5 4866 |