Wondering about the possible effects of climate change upon your garden?
You wouldn’t be the only one.
Do we need to plan for plants that are able to cope with hotter, drier conditions? Perhaps an occasional violent storm?
The Eremophila - its name means “desert loving”, is a plant that has sometimes been considered difficult in the Sydney region but it is thriving in a number of members’ gardens. It is one that seems to have coped with the “big dry” of recent years when watering from the tap has also been restricted.
Research by Charles Farrugia at Seven Hills and others suggests that the main problem in Sydney gardens is the summer rain falling on the foliage leading to fungal attack. By planting in a sunny and breezy position the foliage dries quickly and is not seriously damaged.
Inevitably some species are unable to cope here but grafting has increased the options markedly. It has been believed generally that grafting onto Myoporum species was the way to go. Charles has shown that grafting onto Eremophila denticulata ssp trisulcata results in the hardiest plant in most cases.
Should you prefer to plant Eremophilas that are on their own roots, perhaps the hardiest plants for this area are E. maculata, most E. glabra forms, E. laanii, E. longifolia, E. alternifolia, E. racemosa and the hybrids E. divaricata x E. polyclada (‘Summertime Blue’), E. bignoniiflora x E. polyclada and E ‘Yanna Road’. In most cases grafting provides you with a stronger shrub with improved foliage and flowers.
If you are prepared to plant grafted plants, some to consider are E. glandulifera, E. splendens, E. pantonii, and E. youngii. There are many more worth a try but hardiness will depend upon the micro-environment your garden offers. Give it a go!
Let us know how you get on.