An Australian garden doesn't have to be a native one

Throwing off the definitions of a native or exotic garden helps us to see the emerging identity of Australian gardens that take inspiration from local and global influences.

I live adjacent to an area of extensive state park which has vegetation that ecologists would describe as ‘lowland forest’. I walk in this forest almost every day observing the ever-changing rhythm of the ‘bush’, from the peaty scent of the undergrowth following a downpour, to the melliferous song of the grey shrike thrush; there is always something happening when you tune in.

The forest also gives me a sense of connection to place and to a longer timeline than my existence; it is ever-changing but enduring at the same time. It is this deeper ecological value that is the essence of why we must save all our remaining native forests.

So, with this inspirational forest right on my doorstep, why isn’t my garden full of native plants? The answer to this question is complex and doesn’t cleave neatly along the divide of ‘native vs. exotic’ – a trope that is all too easy to fall for. I have long railed against the simplistic notion that an environmentally conscious garden in Australia is a ‘native’ garden. My garden is something that I want to be part of, an artistic expression of creativity, a statement of self-reliance by growing some of my own food and, above all, a place to interact with nature.

Not all exotic plants are weeds and not all native plants are dangerously flammable. The modern Australian garden should be a comfortable balance of plantings that suit the climate and the personality of the gardener.

The Autumn Flower Garden 2023 issue explores some of the deeper and more nuanced issues that are unique to Australian gardeners, including the inspiration of our unique vegetation and landscapes, an emerging local form of the international ‘perennial movement’, the power of plants to colour our world and training your eye to see your garden through a new lens.

Resist the inclination to grow a ‘native garden’, an ‘ornamental garden’ or a ‘flower garden’ and let yourself be inspired by the whole experience of gardening.

Written by Tim Sansom, Diggers CEO