You can help our city adapt to the effects of climate change and protect against extreme heat, rainfall events and bushfires.
How?
Consider planting a climate-wise garden and choosing plants that consider sun, shade and water needs, as well as frost tolerance.
The Canberra Plant Selector is a free online tool developed by our colleagues at the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) to help you create a climate-wise garden.
The tool has information on 340 plant species that – with some tender, love and care – will thrive in our local climate.
Edwina Robinson is a landscape architect and founder of Canberra social enterprise The Climate Factory. Edwina says your climate-wise garden can help keep your home cool in hot weather – and can also provide a haven for native birds and pollinators.
“You might choose to have higher water use plants closer to the house,” Ms Robinson said.
“These will look lush and green and help keep your outdoor space cool. And consider incorporating a pond. It could even be a pond in a waterproof pot – full of wetland plants with leaves for dragonflies to land on.
“Canberra’s climate is likely, on average, to get hotter and drier in the future. So prepare your garden soil with organic matter. Choose plants carefully. And think about how you will water your plants during dry weather.”
Image: Edwina Robinson (centre), founder of The Climate Factory, with plant giveaway attendees.
The Canberra Plant Selector is helping to deliver on the ACT Government’s Canberra’s Living Infrastructure Plan and is helping our city adapt to the effects of climate change.
Climate-wise landscaping is also a key feature of City Renewal Authority efforts to make the City Centre a cooler and more attractive destination for visitors.
This is exemplified by the biodiverse and resilient Salthouse Community Centre gardens (pictured below) now providing beauty and shade to locals and visitors to Haig Park, while also requiring less water.
Here’s a list of some of other useful resources to help you have a climate-wise garden.
Plan your climate-wise garden
To help your garden thrive, there are lots of things you can do – improving your soil, choosing the right plants for Canberra’s climate and soil, water harvesting and installing drip irrigation, mulching plants and undertaking regular maintenance. In planning ahead and keeping the natural context in mind, you can make a beautiful garden that thrives in local conditions and supports local plants and wildlife.
Want to become a climate-wise gardener but don’t know where to start? Start with the Climate Wise Garden Designs booklet.
Choose the right tree for your garden
Trees will likely be the largest – and hopefully longest-lived – plants in your garden, so it’s important that you plan for trees that co-exist with your house foundations, driveway, pipes and solar panels. When selected carefully and placed in the right spot, trees can create shade and privacy in your garden, provide habitat for birds and bees, block winds and grow fruit that you can harvest for years to come.
We suggest you read this Guide to Plant a Tree in your Canberra Garden before planting your next tree.
Make your home more resilient
The climate is changing, and so is the way we need to design homes and gardens. Resilient homes are robust, flexible and ready to withstand extreme weather, keeping your family safe and minimising the likelihood of repair or rebuilding costs. They’re also designed to protect you from rising energy and water costs.
Get started on creating a more resilient home with this guide.
This article was developed with EPSDD and the City Renewal Authority for the 28 February 2024 flower and plant giveaway in Glebe Park, which sought to empower more Canberrans to become climate-wise gardeners and help create a cooler and more sustainable city.
For more information and helpful resources, visit theEveryday Climate Choices website.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
