Tough plants for dry gardens
These cope with long dry spells once their roots are established, which usually takes a year. Water them regularly through their first summer, then only in long dry spells.
132 plants. Narrow these down by size, sun, soil or your postcode
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Gold dust wattle
Acacia acinacea
1–2 m, shrub
Shrub, 1–2 m tall, 1–2 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Golden everlasting
Xerochrysum bracteatum
0.3–1 m, perennial or herb
Perennial or herb, 0.3–1 m tall, 0.3–0.5 m wide
Full sun- January, flowering
- February, flowering
- March, flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Golden wattle
Acacia pycnantha
4–8 m, tree. Weed risk in some areas
Tree, 4–8 m tall, 3–6 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
Weed risk in some areas
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Grampians thryptomene
Thryptomene calycina
1–2 m, shrub
Shrub, 1–2 m tall, 1–2 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Grass-leaf hakea
Hakea francisiana
3–5 m, shrub
Shrub, 3–5 m tall, 2–3 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Grey Box westringia
Westringia fruticosa 'Grey Box'
0.5–0.8 m, shrub
Shrub, 0.5–0.8 m tall, 0.5–0.8 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, not flowering
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Grey cottonheads
Conostylis candicans
0.2–0.4 m, grass or strappy
Grass or strappy, 0.2–0.4 m tall, 0.3–0.5 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Grey eremophila
Eremophila hygrophana
0.5–1 m, shrub
Shrub, 0.5–1 m tall, 0.5–1 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Grey tussock-grass
Poa sieberiana
0.3–0.6 m, grass or strappy
Grass or strappy, 0.3–0.6 m tall, 0.3–0.5 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Gymea lily
Doryanthes excelsa
1–2 m, perennial or herb
Perennial or herb, 1–2 m tall, 1.5–2.5 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, not flowering
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Hairpin banksia
Banksia spinulosa
1–3 m, shrub
Shrub, 1–3 m tall, 1–3 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, flowering
- May, flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Heath banksia
Banksia ericifolia
2–4 m, shrub
Shrub, 2–4 m tall, 2–3 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, flowering
- May, flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Hedge wattle
Acacia paradoxa
1.5–3 m, shrub. Weed risk in some areas
Shrub, 1.5–3 m tall, 2–3 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, not flowering
Weed risk in some areas
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Hoary sunray
Leucochrysum albicans
0.2–0.4 m, perennial or herb
Perennial or herb, 0.2–0.4 m tall, 0.2–0.4 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Illyarrie
Eucalyptus erythrocorys
4–8 m, tree
Tree, 4–8 m tall, 3–6 m wide
Full sun- January, flowering
- February, flowering
- March, flowering
- April, flowering
- May, flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Johnson's grass tree
Xanthorrhoea johnsonii
1–2 m, grass or strappy
Grass or strappy, 1–2 m tall, 1–2 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, not flowering
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Juniper-leaf grevillea
Grevillea juniperina
0.5–2 m, shrub
Shrub, 0.5–2 m tall, 1–2 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Kalbarri Carpet emu bush
Eremophila glabra 'Kalbarri Carpet'
0.1–0.2 m, groundcover
Groundcover, 0.1–0.2 m tall, 1–2 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Kangaroo grass
Themeda triandra
0.5–1 m, grass or strappy
Grass or strappy, 0.5–1 m tall, 0.4–0.6 m wide
Full sun- January, flowering
- February, flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Knife-leaf wattle
Acacia cultriformis
2–4 m, shrub. Weed risk in some areas
Shrub, 2–4 m tall, 2–3 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
Weed risk in some areas
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Knobby club-rush
Ficinia nodosa
0.5–1 m, grass or strappy
Grass or strappy, 0.5–1 m tall, 0.5–1 m wide
Full sun to part shade- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Kruse's mallee
Eucalyptus kruseana
2–4 m, shrub
Shrub, 2–4 m tall, 2–3 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Kurrajong
Brachychiton populneus
8–15 m, tree
Tree, 8–15 m tall, 5–8 m wide
Full sun- January, flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, flowering
- December, flowering
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Lemon-scented gum
Corymbia citriodora
15–25 m, tree. Weed risk in some areas
Tree, 15–25 m tall, 8–12 m wide
Full sun- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, flowering
- June, flowering
- July, flowering
- August, flowering
- September, flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
Weed risk in some areas