Region 16 · Oceania · Cfb / Cfa / BWh
Horticulture in Australasia
A southern-hemisphere mix of temperate coast, dry interior and subtropical north; fire, drought and phosphorus-poor soils shape the native palette. The garden year is inverted against Europe and North America.
ClimateTemperate and arid (Cfb / Cfa / BWh)
USDA zones7–11
Growing seasonSeptember to April
RainfallWinter rain in the south, summer rain in the north; drought
SoilsSandy, acidic and phosphorus-poor
Frost riskGrowthRainfall
The climate, read as a season
Peak growth falls in Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov, Dec; dormancy in no true dormancy. Hard frost is confined to no hard-frost months, and the driest months are none. Those three patterns decide the planting calendar more than the annual average temperature.
| Season | Conditions | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Sep · Oct · Nov | Peak growth steady rain · frost-free | The main planting and sowing window. |
| Summer Jan · Feb · Dec | Peak growth steady rain · frost-free | The main planting and sowing window. |
| Autumn Mar · Apr · May | Active growth drier spell · light frost | Maintain, harvest and prepare the next season. |
| Winter Jun · Jul · Aug | Slow growth drier spell · light frost | Maintain, harvest and prepare the next season. |
What the climate demands
- Phosphorus-sensitive proteoids (banksia, grevillea, waratah) are killed by ordinary fertiliser; use low-P products.
- Bushfire is a design parameter: defendable space, low-fuel planting and water access come before aesthetics.
- Summer drought and water restrictions are normal; native and Mediterranean species outperform thirsty exotics.
Signature flora
| Plant | Role | Why it is used here |
|---|---|---|
| Gum Eucalyptus | TreeNativeWater-wise | Fire-adapted; allelopathic. |
| Bloodwood Corymbia | TreeNativeWater-wise | Dry; nectar. |
| Wattle Acacia | TreeNativeWater-wise | Fast; nitrogen; short-lived. |
| Banksia Banksia | ShrubNativeWater-wise | Proteoid roots; phosphorus-sensitive. |
| Grevillea Grevillea | ShrubNativeWater-wise | Bird nectar; drainage. |
| Bottlebrush Callistemon | ShrubNativeWater-wise | Wet tolerant; bird nectar. |
| Paperbark Melaleuca | TreeNativeWetland | Wet; salt. |
| Tea tree Leptospermum | ShrubNative | Wet; tea tree oil. |
| Kangaroo paw Anigozanthos | PerennialCut flowerNative | Dry; crown rot. |
| Everlasting Xerochrysum | PerennialCut flowerNative | Papery flowers; dry. |
| Westringia Westringia | ShrubHedgeNative | Wind; clipped hedge. |
| Correa Correa | ShrubNativeCut flower | Winter flowers; shade. |
| Hardenbergia Hardenbergia | VineNativeEasy to propagate | Fast; purple. |
| Flax lily Dianella | GrassNativeEasy to propagate | Shade; strap leaves. |
| Mat rush Lomandra | GrassNativeEasy to propagate | Dry shade; erosion. |
| Kangaroo grass Themeda | GrassNative | Summer; meadow. |
| Macadamia Macadamia | TreeNutNative | Subtropical; wind. |
| Citrus Citrus | FruitTree | Irrigation; frost pockets. |
| Grape Vitis vinifera | VineFruit | Dry summer. |
| Olive Olea europaea | TreeFruitWater-wise | Mediterranean. |
| Stone fruit Prunus | FruitTree | Chill; frost. |
| Apple Malus domestica | FruitTree | Cool; scab. |
| Flax Phormium | PerennialNativeEasy to propagate | NZ; wind; colour. |
| Hebe Veronica | ShrubNative | NZ; coastal. |
| Tree fern Dicksonia | PerennialNative | NZ; shade; moisture. |
| Beech Nothofagus | TreeNative | NZ; cool. |
| Pittosporum Pittosporum | ShrubHedgeNative | NZ; dense. |
| Coprosma Coprosma | ShrubNative | NZ; wind. |
| Tomato Solanum lycopersicum | VegetableAnnual | Warm season; frost-tender. |
| Cabbage Brassica oleracea | Vegetable | Cool-season crop. |
The eight disciplines here
| Discipline | What it looks like here | Taxa | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Design 01 | Bush garden, fire and the borrowed landscape | 26 | Field guide |
| Floriculture 02 | Palette and practice for floriculture in this climate. | 5 | Discipline guide |
| Vegetables & Herbs 03 | Palette and practice for vegetables & herbs in this climate. | 4 | Discipline guide |
| Fruit & Viticulture 04 | Palette and practice for fruit & viticulture in this climate. | 7 | Discipline guide |
| Arboriculture 05 | Palette and practice for arboriculture in this climate. | 10 | Discipline guide |
| Turfgrass 06 | Palette and practice for turfgrass in this climate. | 2 | Discipline guide |
| Nursery & Propagation 07 | Palette and practice for nursery & propagation in this climate. | 25 | Discipline guide |
| Water-wise & Restoration 08 | Proteoid roots, phosphorus and the long establishment | 24 | Field guide |
Professional bodies and standards
Greenlife Industry Australia · Australian Institute of Horticulture (AIH) · Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture (RNZIH)
Design idiom
Bush garden, contemporary Australian, NZ native.
Sources
Other regions
Atlantic Europe · Continental Europe · Nordic & Boreal · Mediterranean · all 16 regions