Australian Plants Society Blue Mountains Group members Ann Dent, Teresa Bernacki and Daphne Mitchell who help manage Glenbrook Native Plant Nursery and maintain the Reserve.
Story and photos by Julie Nance
There are many steps you can take to protect your garden from the impacts of hot, dry conditions. Although an El Nino summer is not the ideal time to plant, even newbies in your garden can survive if you are prepared to invest some TLC. Glenbrook Native Plant Nursery and Reserve volunteers share their advice on how to help native plants thrive and, in turn, cool down your home environment.
Key Points:
Native plants are best able to withstand the harsh El Nino conditions.
Planting in summer requires more time and effort but keeping plants alive and healthy is possible with careful planning, water-wise practices and vigilance.
Avoid your plants experiencing heat stress by using items around your home to provide shade.
After more than 20 years volunteering at the Glenbrook Native Plant Reserve and Nursery, manager Teresa has lost none of her enthusiasm for gardening and sharing hints with the public. I met up with her one morning at the nursery, along with Ann Dent and Daphne Mitchell, two of her many fellow volunteers. The trio help to maintain the reserve and manage the small nursery which has been operating since 1967. It specialises in Australian plants and those indigenous to the Blue Mountains.
While the advice they have provided is geared to native plants, there are many tips that are helpful for your garden generally, as we look ahead to predictions of scorching temperatures and possible water restrictions.
What to plant in summer: what is the most forgiving?
Autumn, winter and early spring are the best times to plant because it gives plants the highest chance to establish. However, if you must plant in summer, choose native plants that are going to be the hardiest and most drought resistant.
A good hint is to walk around your area, including the local bush, and see what plants appear happy and not under stress. Suggested plants include:
Grevilleas. These withstand really hot weather, including westerly sun, but they need to be shaded when you first plant them.
Banksias are good, as are Acacias.
Baeckeas do well anywhere.
Paper daisy seems to go OK.
Kunzea ambigua is a local shrub that gets beautiful gum-blossom type flowers that the bees and butterflies love.
The Callistemon (bottlebrush) seems to cope well too.
Examples of plants able to withstand drought conditions well: Endemic species, Callistemon, Banksia and a Grevillea cultivar such as Lemon Daze.
A Banksia thriving near the entrance to the nursery and reserve.
New plants
If you are planting in summer, it’s a good idea to soak the plant first in a bucket of tonic e.g. well-diluted seaweed solution. Do this for at least 10 minutes until all the bubbles have come out of the plant pot. After digging the hole for the plant, pour the bucket of water into the hole and let it soak down.
When planting, create a little saucer shape/indentation around the stem, rather than having the soil level. This will help keep the water from flowing away. After planting, water it again and sprinkle a bit of slow-release native fertilizer. Put mulch on top, but keep it away from the stem of the plant.
Positioning, shade and a watchful eye
A northerly aspect is ideal. Try to avoid planting in spots that receive the full force of the westerly sun which is incredibly harsh. If you have no option and that’s the way your garden is oriented, shade the new plant. You can use an old umbrella or, if you’re trimming a shrub, poke the trimmings into the ground next to the plant so it’s getting some shade. You can also net with a bit of shade cloth, over and around the plant. You don’t have to buy expensive things; just use anything you’ve got at home, including fallen tree branches.
No matter what the position, you need to keep an eye on the new plant. You could have a plant in a northern position that has a driveway and a concrete patio next to it, with the reflection and heat off hard surfaces a killer for plants. It just radiates heat for hours and hours after the sun has gone. Plants near hard surfaces need extra care.
Teresa, Daphne and Ann and other nursery volunteers are happy to share advice on how to keep your plants healthy, even in the harshest of conditions.
A nutritional boost
Before and during summer give your plants a seaweed mix which will help them resist disease. If you see a new or established plant looking a bit sad, you may want to put seaweed solution in a watering can and spray it over the whole plant. It will absorb the solution through the leaves and give it a boost.
Wise watering
Even natives may need regular watering in summer. Once a week is a good idea until the plants are established, because watering more often would result in the plant developing shallow roots. Deep root systems are better able to withstand drought conditions and watering less often makes the plant send down roots looking for water. If the plant looks like it’s under stress, it will need watering more often. Choose cooler parts of the day to water e.g. early morning or late afternoon, to avoid evaporation.
For new plants and those under stress, a slow soak is best. Put the hose on a tiny trickle and leave it under the plant. You can set an alarm and move the hose onto the next plant after a few minutes. If you see the water running off, you’ve got the hose on too hard. Another option is to set up a drip irrigation system that minimises water waste and evaporation.
Soil wetters and mulch
If your garden is very dry, using a ‘soil wetter’ can help the soil absorb and retain water. A natural non-chemical option is agar agar, a thickening agent, as recommended by conservationist and horticulturist Jerry Coleby-Williams on ABC’s Gardening Australia.
Mulch also helps support the soil, reduces evaporation and allows the water to slowly seep down. It breaks down in the long term, providing nutrients. Don’t pile the mulch up around the stem or trunk because it can cause it to rot; leave a bit of space. Finer mulch is best. You can also add leaves from around your garden, running over them first with your mower if you don’t want big pieces sticking up.
Mulch and leaves help to keep the moisture in and weeds down.
Maintaining an even temperature
There seems to be a move towards people having lower growing plants in their gardens. However, when you have tall trees and denser shrubbery that provide shade, your garden can be 10 degrees cooler than the street. You’ll notice if you have a plant that grows near a brick wall, it will cool it down in summer.
A combination of trees and ground cover is ideal. Ground cover smothers weeds and keeps the ground cooler and the moisture in. It provides habitat for ground-dwelling animals such as insects and lizards. There will always be a ground cover that works well in your area; it’s like a living mulch. Good examples are Dichondra repens, Viola hederacea or Chrysocephalum, which has a soft leaf but it’s hardy and seems to cope quite well.
Daphne showing off the excellent ground cover: Oplismenus hirtellus (basket grass).
Combatting bugs
If you have a range of different plants growing in your garden and you’ve got your habitat for insects, lizards and birds, they generally keep bugs down. No sprays are used in the nursery and reserve.
If you are establishing a garden and don’t have that big combination, you can use water to spray bugs away or even squash them with your hands. A plant under stress will be open to more issues including insects attacking it. Give the plant a boost using a seawood treatment and don’t forget to water!
The entrance to the reserve, a beautiful picnic spot featuring paths throughout the bushland.
Take Action:
Visit Glenbrook Native Plant Nursery and Reserve at 41 Great Western Highway, Glenbrook, opposite the Tourist Information Centre. Open 12pm-4pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Entry is free. Funds raised through native plant sales are put back into maintenance and management of the reserve.
Get involved in the Bushcare Group at the Reserve which meets on the first and third Saturday of each month (except January): 9am-12pm. The Wednesday group meets each Wednesday 12pm-4pm.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
We had a thoroughly enjoyable final Skill Share Saturday for the year yesterday with Qigong, Fashion Upcycling, Seed Saving and Bushcare! We shared seeds from local gardens and harvested carrots, as well as Mizuna, Broad Bean, Daikon and Land Cress seeds from the Planetary Health garden. We then packaged up (and shared) our first Upper Mountains Seed Savers packs for our fledgling Seed Bank. In Bushcare it`s very exciting to see whole new areas of the Planetary Health Precinct open up as we remove invasive weeds. It`s been a year of great progress as we`ve restored habitat for wildlife and given local native plants the opportunity to flourish and re-establish on the site.
Join the Planetary Health Centre this Sat 6 Dec for the last Skill Share Saturday of the year: Qigong at 9am, Seed Saving & Gardening Group at 10am, and Bushcare at 1.30pm. One perfect day with great company, great coffee and food, and great steps for living a healthy balanced life, while also contributing to the health of our planet for present and future generations. All ages welcome!
Registration links in profile and below.
Register for Qigong here: https://bit.ly/48wlHjD Register for Seed Saving & Gardening here: https://bit.ly/4prcRe7 Register for Bushcare here: https://bit.ly/4oAFDrz
We have a rare opportunity to learn about the newest and best possible ways to support family and community members struggling with mental health issues, at a free talk and afternoon tea provided by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 Nov. Hear from Peter Joseph AM, Chair of the Black Dog Institute, and Professor Helen Christensen AO, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and former Executive Director and Chief Scientist at the Black Dog Institute. They`ll be in conversation with journalist Emma Rossi. Dr Christensen is a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
This Saturday Sherlie McMillan from Rotarians 4 Planetary Health will be running a workshop on How to use a sewing machine from 9am at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Learn how to set up a machine, service it, troubleshoot when it`s not sewing correctly, and learn some basic sewing skills.
Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/how-to-use-your-sewing-machine
NB. This class is a prerequisite for our very popular Fashion Upcycling classes held once a month.
We`re thrilled to announce that Professor Helen Christensen, a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression, will be joining the conversation with Peter Joseph AM from the Black Dog Institute and journalist Emma Rossi at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 November. Helen was the Executive Director and Chief Scientist for the Black Dog Institute for 10 years and has now been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. This free event is being co-hosted by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. Afternoon tea will be provided. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
Human composting is increasingly being legalised around the world. Read about it in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/legalising-human-composting/
If you’d like to see this option available in NSW you can now sign a live petition to the NSW Parliament here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/43QIHbz
Thanks to everyone who contributed to deliver a fantastic Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and Family Day yesterday. @mark_greenhill_mayor opened the event at which we celebrated the 13th birthday of Betty the Asbestos Education House; @firecoat_au demonstrated and launched its range of fire retardant products that can help protect homes, gardens and even electricity poles; the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit was launched; Santa arrived and delighted young and old; and @plantinspired99 and Action for Animals fed us all with a delicious plant-based sausage sizzle. The day was filled with talks, workshops, stalls and the sharing of a huge amount of expertise to keep us, and the other species we share our planet with, safe and healthy! @southkatoomba.rfb @nswses @fireandrescuensw @nswrfs @redcrossleura @redcrossau @shelter.building.design @firehalo.au @asbestosawareness @amelie_ecology @bbagsbluemtns @wireswildliferescue @handsheartfeet
Our marquee is up and we`re excited about our Expo and Family Day tomorrow (Sat 22 Nov). There`s something for everyone from a free sausage sizzle, plants from Santa and drumming and pollinator workshops, to sessions on keeping you and our community safe from extreme weather events and hazardous substances like mould and asbestos. Learn how intumescent paints can slow the spread of fire and pick up a sample pot; check out all our emergency service organisations; learn how to dispose of hazardous materials; paint a native orchid, make some seed balls or sew a boomerang bag to give as plastic-free Christmas presents this year; enjoy coffee and locally made sweets; and get tips on how to retrofit your home safely and beautifully to be prepared for future extreme weather events. View the full program and register here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
There are so many new and innovative ways of doing things, like the new cooking techniques being explored by Michael from Good Fat Pastry, and the new fire protection methods being launched at the Planetary Health Centre`s Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 Nov. Check out Michael’s recent presentation at the Food Security Fair in our video here: https://bit.ly/4pnXbIg (link in profile) and come along to taste his delicious carrot cake and pastries at the Expo on Saturday. Check out the program and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
In 2006 Peter Joseph’s son Michael suicided after a 14-year episodic battle with mental illness. Peter is now the Chair of the Black Dog Institute which is working to achieve better outcomes for all those struggling with mental health issues. Journalist Emma Rossi will engage Peter in an intimate and moving conversation about a life of purpose and mental health advocacy. As a Rotary scholar Peter will also reflect on how Rotary helped shape his values and sense of purpose as a young man - and how those early lessons continue to guide his work today. This free event is being hosted by the Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary Club and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative on Saturday 29 November from 2-4pm at the Planetary Health Centre at 33-39 Acacia St Katoomba. Afternoon tea will be provided. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
Learn about intumescent fire retardant paint and a range of other strategies to prepare for extreme weather events, and to manage hazardous materials, at the upcoming Expo and Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre on Sat 22 Nov. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J We checked out how intumescent paint works in this video.
When temperatures reach a certain point the intumescent paint begins to swell and expand, often up to 50 times its original thickness. It forms a thick, carbonaceous "char" that acts as an insulating barrier. This layer slows the rate at which heat reaches the structural elements and buys valuable time for people to safely exit a building during a fire. It makes the structure safer for firefighters and rescue teams. #intumescentpaint #fireretardant #bushfire @firecoat_au...
Mould, lead paint, asbestos, silica dust from engineered stone bench tops and a wide range of chemicals, are amongst some of the many hazardous substances entering our environment and negatively impacting our health. Asbestos is found in over 3000 products including textured paints, moulded garden pots, brake pads and clutch linings in older cars, floor and ceiling tiles, lino, fibro, roofing, pipes and gutters, hot water systems, backing for switchboards and insulation boards in air-conditioning ducts, insulation, sealants, fillers, caulking and adhesives, gaskets for industrial and lab equipment and more. We’ll have information to take away and Blue Mountains City Council and the Asbestos and Hazardous Materials Consultants Association (AHCA) will be running free workshops on how to identify and manage these hazardous substances at the Planetary Health Centre`s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. Find out more and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Julie Nance is a community storyteller with the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. In her coverage of the Lower Mountains area, she brings 30 years’ experience in communications, publishing and journalism.
After specialising in health and social issues as a journalist, Julie led creative teams in the government and not-for-profit sectors including the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, YMCA NSW, Cancer Council NSW and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Julie is passionate about empowering people with quality information to help them make informed choices.
The concept of planetary health is rapidly gaining attention globally, as the world increasingly confronts the interconnected challenges of environmental degradation, climate change, and public health crises. But what does the term 'planetary health' really mean, and why does it matter?
