Creating A Garden That Will Survive The Heat of Summer

03 Jan, 2023

Summer is here and while the prospect of long, hot days at the beach is cause for celebration, we know that many Aucklanders’ battle to keep their gardens looking good through the dry months. The good news is that it is possible to create a garden that requires little effort during the heat of summer, and we’ve put together some of our top tips to help you get started.

Start with the soil

Planting is a bit like building, you need a good foundation to build your garden, and the foundation of any garden is the soil. Most of Auckland’s soil is clay and needs a little work before planting, especially to give your plants the best conditions to absorb water effectively in the drier months. When planting your summer garden, introduce organic matter such as Kings Organic Compost, Kings Sheep Pellets, leaf mould and mix in some ClayBreaker Gypsum. Introduce the organic matter by mixing it all in, don’t just apply it on top. This will encourage worms into the area and provide well-conditioned soil that can retain moisture for longer. Healthy soil means healthy plants!

Choose hardy plants

When it comes to surviving the summer heat, your plant selections will be a major factor in your success. Here are some of our top tips for choosing the best plants that not only look good, but can also tolerate dry, hot conditions well.

Create height and structure with natives

Built for Aoteara’s unique climate, native plants will often thrive throughout the extremities of our seasons. If you’re planting in the Auckland region, try using phormium (flax), or cordyline (cabbage trees) in areas where you want height. If you’re looking for a statement shrub, hebe, pseudopanax, coprosmas and manuka are our top hardy picks. Native grasses like carex and astelia also look great and will withstand dry conditions once established.

Choose plants from countries where long, hot days are the norm

Built for Aoteara’s unique climate, native plants will often thrive throughout the extremities of our seasons. If you’re planting in the Auckland region, try using phormium (flax), or cordyline (cabbage trees) in areas where you want height. If you’re looking for a statement shrub, hebe, pseudopanax, coprosmas and manuka are our top hardy picks. Native grasses like carex and astelia also look great and will withstand dry conditions once established.

Be clever with colour

It is possible to have a flowering garden in the hotter months without a giant watering bill. Plant lavender, statice, salvias and daisies for a pretty cottage garden look, or fill hanging baskets with chrysanthemum, calendula, gazanias, nasturtium, and dichondra silver falls. Fill gaps in your garden with groundcover options like portulaca, sedum, and ice plants. Hardy gardens don’t have to be boring… there are plenty of bright and bold plants available that won’t require hours of care

Add some edibles

There are also plenty of herbs and fruiting plants that enjoy full sun and can withstand our hot summer days. Dry herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano are some of our favourites. Tough fruiting plants include natal plums, dragon fruit, Chilean guava and although citrus trees fruit from winter to spring, they require minimal care through summer once they're established.

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