What are the best hedging solutions for non-irrigated spaces? For landscape architects and designers, finding plants that thrive without supplementary watering can be a challenging—but not impossible—task. The right hedge can provide privacy, structure, and beauty, even in areas where water is scarce. By choosing hardy, drought-tolerant options, you can create sustainable, low-maintenance landscapes that endure Australia’s demanding conditions.
Here, we offer practical solutions, share tips for designing and maintaining non-irrigated hedges, and provide recommendations tailored to varied Australian climates.
Aussie Hedge Bush™ Rhagodia
Creating Hedges for Non-Irrigated Areas
For spaces that can’t rely on regular irrigation, the use of drought-tolerant plants becomes essential. These hedges are not just a practical choice but a design opportunity to create striking, durable features that draw out the best of Australia’s unique environment. Here’s how to approach the challenge:
- Prioritise Resilient Varieties: Select plants known for their ability to withstand dry spells. These often feature adaptations like deep root systems, tough foliage, or efficient water storage, making them perfectly suited for challenging conditions. Often, species level is not specific enough as cultivated varieties of the same species can perform drastically differently to common forms.
- Work With Microclimates: Carefully analyse the site to understand its natural features. Are there shaded areas where soil retains moisture better? Are certain spots more exposed to the elements? Plant selection and placement tailored to microclimates can optimise a hedge’s success. Balance shade and sun to ensure plants are able to photosynthesise while receiving protection from the afternoon sun where applicable.
- Consider Aesthetic and Functionality: A good hedge does more than survive—it brings beauty and practicality to the space. Consider height, shape, foliage density, and growth habits to align with the project’s design goals while remaining low-maintenance.
By selecting the right plants and planning with site conditions in mind, hedges can thrive even in the toughest environments.
Space Saver™ Melaleuca
Understanding Native Australian Plants
Some native Australian shrubs offer some distinct advantages for hedges, but it’s important to avoid treating natives all the same. While not all native plants are drought-tolerant, some have evolved to handle variable climates and poor soils, making them valuable additions to a water-free landscape.
With that being said, if you ever spend time in the bush you’ll notice that there are a lot of dead plants. We try to avoid this in urban landscapes as we create an idealised version of nature, and that’s where superior plant breeding comes in. Ozbreed have taken hardy plants like callistemons, westringias and rhagodias and naturally bred them using careful selections to introduce plants that are almost bulletproof to the Australian market.
Remember, not all native plants will meet every requirement for a high performing drought-tolerant hedge. Careful selection, based on the plant’s specific attributes, is key.
Slim™ Callistemon
Tips for Maintaining Non-Irrigated Hedges
Once selected and planted, non-irrigated hedges benefit from thoughtful care to establish and sustain growth. These practical tips can help hedges flourish:
- Plant During Optimal Conditions: The cooler seasons, such as autumn or early spring, allow plants to establish roots in milder weather before facing extreme heat. Hand watering for the first 12 weeks or so will yield higher success rates.
- Use Soil Amendments Wisely: Opt for free-draining soils and enhance with compost or other materials that improve moisture retention without waterlogging. Beware of encouraging hydrophobicity – some designers prefer non-organic inputs like water crystals that hold water without coating the soil particles.
- Apply Mulch Generously: A thick layer of organic mulch insulates the soil, conserves moisture, and limits evaporation during hot weather. At Ozbreed, we generally recommend chunky mulches which allow greater water and gas exchange with the soil.
- Ensure Correct Spacing: Proper plant placement reduces competition for sunlight, nutrients, and water, encouraging healthy growth. Alternatively, over-plant while plants are small to fill the space and thin them once branches touch.
- Capture Rainwater Effectively: Position hedges to take advantage of natural runoff or consider simple measures to guide rainwater towards plants. Micro bunds and small swales help make the most of what nature provides.
- Prune With Care: Regular hedging can promote new growth and encourage a manicured shape. However, avoid hedging during heatwaves so that the plant does not lose excess moisture when it needs it most. It’s best to prune hedges when they’re happy and healthy.
- Control Weeds: Removing weeds limits unnecessary competition for the area’s limited resources, giving your hedges the upper hand. While many gardeners prefer to avoid chemical controls, spraying ground-covering weeds with glyphosate allows them to rot in place instead of disturbing the soil and losing moisture. Thick applications of mulch or drought-tolerant groundcover plants can help crowd out weeds.
Recommended Australian Hedges Without Irrigation
Here’s what you came for, a list of hedges to suit native drought-tolerant landscapes, whether you’re looking for low hedging or taller screening.
Rhagodia spinescens ‘SAB02’ PBR Intended Trade Name Aussie Hedge Bush™:
- Description: A versatile, low-maintenance native shrub with fine, silvery blue-grey leaves. It forms a dense, mounding shape ideal for low hedges and naturally-shaped mounds.
- Size: 1 to 1.6 metres high and wide.
- Position: Full sun to part shade; tolerant of drought, frost, and coastal winds.
- Care: Ultra-low maintenance; prune 10% around autumn and spring for best appearance.
- Uses: Ideal for screening, borders, erosion control, and windbreaks.
Correa alba ‘COR10’ PBR Trade Name Coastal Pink™:
- Description: A medium shrub or hedge with pink flowers, known for its strong growth habit and suitability for coastal conditions.
- Size: 2 metres high and wide (smaller with pruning).
- Position: Full sun to light shade; prefers reasonably drained soil; drought and frost tolerant.
- Care: Low water requirements once established; prune once or twice a year for a tidy appearance.
- Uses: Coastal bird-attracting landscape filler, mass planting, or as a small to fence-sized hedge.
Melaleuca armillaris ‘MELA01’ PBR Trade Name Space Saver™:
- Description: A narrow, columnar native plant with fine-textured leaves, ideal for vertical impact and screening. Also tolerates flooding, perfect for non-draining spaces.
- Size: 2 to over 4 metres high, 1 to 1.5 metres wide.
- Position: Full sun to part shade; tolerant of frost, drought, and salt-laden winds.
- Care: Minimal pruning required; prune sides every two years for thicker growth.
- Uses: Screening, boundary planting, low-maintenance native hedge.
Eremophila spp ‘EREM01’ PBR Intended Trade Name Thriver™:
- Description: A vibrant, drought-tolerant shrub with dark fuchsia flowers, ideal for informal hedges and feature shrubs. It thrives in diverse climates and supports local wildlife.
- Size: Up to 1.5 metres high and wide; can be pruned to 700mm x 700mm for a compact form.
- Position: Full sun to part shade; tolerates a range of soils including clay, loam, and sand.
- Care: Prune lightly after flowering in spring and early autumn; use slow-release fertiliser to boost growth.
- Uses: Informal hedges, feature shrubs, border plantings, windbreaks, and slopes.
Better John™ Callistemon viminalis ‘LJ1’ PBR:
- Description: A compact Callistemon cultivar with blue-green foliage and small red flowers. It’s easier to grow and quicker to establish than other varieties. Also tolerates flooding, perfect for non-draining spaces.
- Size: 60cm to 1.2 metres high, 60 to 90cm wide.
- Position: Full sun to part shade; suits sandy to well-drained soils; drought and cold tolerant.
- Care: Water as required until established; prune every 2-4 years for shape.
- Uses: Specimen and contrast planting.
Slim™Callistemon viminalis ‘CV01’ PBR:
- Description: A narrow-growing bottlebrush ideal for tight planting areas, with a high resistance to Myrtle Rust. It features classic bottlebrush flowers in spring, summer, and autumn. Also tolerates flooding, perfect for non-draining spaces.
- Size: 3+ metres high, 1.3+ metres wide.
- Position: Full sun to part shade; suits most soil types; drought and frost tolerant.
- Care: Water as required until established; prune 1-3 times a year after flowering for shape.
- Uses: Screen, hedge, or feature for tight planting areas.
Icy Burst™ Callistemon spp ‘CNU01’ PBR:
- Description: A naturally narrow-growing Callistemon with vibrant white bottlebrush flowers in spring. It’s ideal for tight planting areas due to its compact height and upright growth habit.
- Size: 1.3 to 1.5 metres high, 70 to 80cm wide.
- Position: Full sun to part shade; works in most soil types; good drought and frost tolerance once established.
- Care: Low maintenance; prune every 2-4 years to encourage dense growth.
- Uses: Hedges, mass planting, feature plant, and contrast planting.
Grey Box™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES04’ PBR:
- Description: A drought-tolerant native box hedge plant with compact form and grey foliage, providing excellent colour contrast. It features white flowers from September to May. Also tolerates flooding, perfect for non-draining spaces.
- Size: 30 to 45cm high and wide unpruned; 30cm high and wide when pruned.
- Position: Full sun to light shade; suits most soil types; tolerates frost and drought.
- Care: Can be left unpruned or pruned 1-3 times a year for a tidier shape.
- Uses: Hedges, borders, containers, and mass plantings.
Naringa™ Westringia hybrid ‘WES01’ PBR:
- Description: Known as the best hedging Westringia for medium to tall hedges, it has a tidy form with masses of mauve flowers. Requires less pruning than other Westringias.
- Size: 1 metre high and 60cm wide when pruned; 2.2 metres high and 1.5 metres wide unpruned.
- Position: Full sun to part shade; suits sandy to well-drained clay soils; tolerates cold and drought.
- Care: Minimal pruning needed; prune 1-3 times a year for a tidier hedge.
- Uses: Tidy hedging or specimen plant.
Conclusion
The permaculturists have a saying that I love: “the problem is the solution.” So you have a landscape that doesn’t have irrigation? That’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity to use plants that can tolerate and even improve these conditions!
By opting for hedges like those described in this article, you’ll be well on your way to providing a resource for the microscopic organisms that keep the soil healthy even when it’s dry.
Remember that drought is only one of the site parameters you’re likely to experience. You’ll also need to factor in other site conditions such as soil type, reflective heat, sunlight levels, humidity, frost, and so forth. A bit of shade in the afternoon can go a long way to protecting plants from going crispy, but it’s a balance between making sure that plants hold onto the right amount of water while receiving the right amount of sunlight so they can photosynthesise.
