Many, many native plants are easy care - some more adaptable and trouble-free than others.

What you must bear in mind is that, like any other plant, they will always perform best and remain healthy with some care and attention!

In very general terms native plants require good drainage. Many have shallow roots and a good mulch will provide a cool root run, help conserve moisture and alleviate the need to disturb the soil by weeding. This is why you see gardens devoted to native plants well endowed in layers of mulch.

You can create an entire native garden, set aside just a part of your garden or mix well with exotics.

Care and maintenance

• Feeding
  Natives benefit from regular but light applications of fertilisers. Choose a slow-release type and only apply during the growing season. A liberal organic mulch will add nutrients to the soil also.
  
• Pruning
  Tip pruning or pinching out the young growing shoots when the plant is young will encourage branching and a more compact plant. Prune lightly after flowering and if possible before new growth begins.
  
• Spraying
  Once native plants are established and the birds are flocking to your garden to feed off the nectar-laden blossoms and insect life, the use of sprays to combat pests should be unnecessary. Borers seem to be the main problem, particularly wattles. Borers can be removed or killed by using a piece of wire poked down the hole. A few drops of methylated spirits can also be squirted into the hole to make the borer emerge. Caterpillars can be routinely removed by hand. If they reach large proportions apply light sprinklings of derris dust.

Selecting the right plants
It is often easier to grow species native to your district so look for a local nursery specialising in Australian plants. Otherwise check that the plant will tolerate your climatic conditions which might include humidity, frost, salt spray or drought.

Acacia
From prostrate groundcovers for the rockery to tall specimen trees.

• A. saligna, is an outstanding, hardy and adaptable West Australian tree 5-8 m tall. It bears large golden blossoms in spring.
• A. baileyana, Cootamundra wattle, very popular.
• A. howittii, the weeping sticky wattle.
• A. pravissima, beautiful Ovens wattle.
• A. myrtifolia, the long-flowering gold dust wattle, a smaller attractive shrub.
• A. acinacea, fast-growing.
• A. amblygona, compact with a prostrate form suitable as a groundcover or spillover plant.

Angophora
Angophoras are tall trees and shrubs similar to eucalypts in form, flower and foliage. Most are too large for small gardens, except for the dwarf apple, A. hispida, which grows 4-6 m high. It will withstand a wide range of climatic conditions and bears masses of large creamy white blossoms during summer.

Banksia
For best results grow a banksia native to your area. B. ericifolia, heath banksia, is one of the easiest for adaptability, withstanding frost, wind and some salt spray. 'Giant Candles' has wonderful large orange flower spikes up to 40 cm long.

Bauera
Bauera rubioides, or the wiry bauera, is an outstanding small native shrub which bears masses of pretty, dangling, bright pink or white flowers throughout the year with the main flush in spring and summer. Adaptable to a wide range of conditions and at its best when given some shade and adequate moisture.

Boronia
Not easy to cultivate and are generally short-lived. B. clavata, with yellowish-green bell-like flowers and B. pinnata with bright pink star flowers are the easiest to maintain. All do best in filtered sun and benefit from a cool root run. A good pruning after flowering will help prolong the life of the plant.

Bottlebrush
Easy care, adaptable and spectacular flowers. Range from small trees such as the outstanding weeping bottlebrush, Callistemon viminalis, to the splendid dwarf 'Little John'. Red flowers the most common, with some cultivars white, cream, green, pink or violet. Mostly bloom in late spring and summer with some flowering again in autumn. Remove spent flowers to promote compact growth and encourage a second flowering.

Brachyscome
Pretty daisy-like plants bear masses of blue or mauve flowers over a long period. The easy care, compact Brachyscome multifida to 40cm high, is an excellent rockery, border or container subject. Cut back after flowering to encourage fresh growth and flowers.

Casuarina
Some species of Casuarina are now called Allocasuarina! Lovely tall trees or large shrubs with graceful fine branchlets and attractive small cones. The tall river oak, C. cunninghamiana, makes a large, beautiful specimen tree; often seen as a street tree, which demonstrates its adaptability. Forest oak, A. torulosa, is a slender tree to 15m with drooping branches that sometimes colours to a lovely rusty bronze.

NSW Christmas bush
Ornamental small tree with the well-known blossoms that colour to red at Christmas time is an ideal garden plant where it will remain neat and tidy and put on a good display year after year. Grow in a sunny position for good colour and prune after flowering to retain good shape.

Correa
Small shrubs mostly with tubular bell flowers. The tough white correa, C. alba, differs by having open starry flowers. This species is extremely easy to grow and will withstand poor soils, dry periods, salt-laden winds and frost.

Dampiera
Dwarf or prostrate plants are known for their delightful blue flowers. The low spreading D. diversifolia is a beauty for rockeries, hanging baskets and containers. Grow in a little shade and provide a moist, but well drained soil. D. rosmarinifolia is the best for areas with low rainfall. D. stricta is more upright and does well in a wide range of conditions.

Darwinia
The lemon-scented myrtle, D. is lovely citriodora, is the most widely cultivated darwinia, noted for its neat aromatic foliage, compact growth and ability to remain attractive and healthy in a wide range of conditions. It has small red and yellow flowers from winter through to summer. Mulch to ensure a cool root run.

Eucalypt
With the many hundreds of eucalypts to choose from, the most important thing to consider is the space it will need in your garden when mature. Consult your nurseryman or local forestry nursery as to what will do well in your area.

Flame pea
These bright little shrubs from Western Australia bear masses of orange-pink pea-flowers for a long period from winter through to summer. They do best in partial shade in a moist but well drained soil. A good mulch will provide the right conditions. The heart-leaved flame pea, Chorizema cordatum, is the most popular in cultivation. A scrambler, but can be trained into a compact shrub by cutting back occasionally.

Geraldton wax
An old-time favourite providing lots of cut flowers for the house. It needs especially well drained soil in areas of high rainfall or keep well watered and mulched. Prune during or after flowering to encourage good shape and lots of flowers in the future.

Grevillea
Ideal bird attracters ranging from prostrate ground covers to tall trees such as the silky oak, G. robusta. Many are easy to grow and often flower for long periods. Do best in a sunny position with good drainage. Many outstanding hybrids available.

Hibbertia
Of the many attractive species available for cultivation the snake vine, H. scandens, is the most successful. A vigorous scrambling plant with showy buttercup flowers and may be trained as a climber or dense groundcover.

Kangaroo Paw
Wonderful decorative clumping plants with striking velvety flowers in a wide range of colours. Look for 'Bush Gem' hybrids for adaptability and disease resistance. The tall, vigorous-growing, Anigozanthos flavidus in shades of rusty red or yellow-green is hardy

Melaleuca
Paperbarks are fastgrowing shrubs or small trees with bottlebrush-type flowers. Withstand adverse conditions such as poorly drained soil and, in the case of M. armillaris and others, coastal exposure. Good adaptable plants. M. fulgens, which bears spectacular scarlet, salmon or purple flowers, likes good drainage and will withstand dry periods, while the long-flowering M. thymifolia prefers moist situations.

Mint Bush
Generally short-lived. Prostanthera ovalifolia is one of the most reliable and does best in partial shade. Provide good drainage and prune after flowering to ensure compact growth.

Tea-tree
Tea-trees are popular garden subjects and make good hedges, screens and windbreaks. For a beautiful display of flowers try Leptospermum polygalifolium `Cardwell', a small weeping shrub to 1.5 m with masses of white waxy flowers, or the lower growing `Pink Cascade' with pale pink flowers in spring and again in autumn.

Thryptomene
T. saxicola is a good reliable small shrub with tiny aromatic foliage. Masses of pink flowers over a long period are good for picking.

Violet
The little native violet, Viola hederacea, will form a large mat in moist areas with some shade. Ideal for growing under trees.

Wax flowers
The well-known, long-leaf wax flower, Eriostemon myoporoides, to 2m, is a garden favourite. Grows in most well drained situations, including shade. Prune after flowering to maintain bushy habit.

Westringia
The coast rosemary, W. fruticosa, is an extremely hardy species which looks good even under adverse conditions such as drought, poor soil, frost or in exposed seaside positions. An ideal hedge.

Source:Gardening Made Easy (Murdoch Books)