You’ve bought a new home and you’re eager to get started on your new garden! However, when you’ve moved somewhere new, there’s plenty that you need to keep in mind. The Macedon Ranges is a beautiful place to live, and we’re lucky to get to be here, but we have unique challenges compared to other regions of Australia.
A Cold Climate
This may come as a surprise since most of Australia is quite warm, but the climate in the Macedon Ranges can get frigid. In fact, it gets cold enough here that you’ll need to take that into consideration when picking the plants for your garden. Our colder climate means that you should be expecting warm and mildly wet summers and chilly, wet winters. In the winter, you can also expect frost and even snow.
Frost
The biggest issue for your new garden will be frost. Because it can get cold enough here, it’s possible for frost to build up on your plants overnight. For plants that are used to warmer weather, this can be quite damaging. It can even get bad enough to kill your plants. So, you’ll want to get frost-tolerant plants.
Here are our top Gardening Tips for new homeowners in the Macedon Ranges region:
Tips for Choosing Frost-Tolerant Plants
Find plants that are used to the low temperatures of this area. Deciduous trees and bushes are a good option here. They’re dormant in the winter, which means that they won’t have any foliage that could be damaged by the frost.
Tough and leathery foliage is a natural protector against frost for some plants, so would do well in this climate. An example of this is the laurustinus (Viburnum tinus), whose leaves aren’t just tough, but are both drought and frost-tolerant.
Tips for Protecting Plants From Frost
Plant once the risk of frost is over so that your plants have many months to establish themselves.
Use your space effectively! Place more frost-sensitive plants along your north wall. The radiant heat here will help protect your plants from damage. You can also plant more frost-sensitive plants underneath a canopy of frost-resistant plants, creating a micro-climate that will protect the sensitive plants.
If you want to protect specific plants from the frost, and you know it’s coming, you can cover those plants in old plastic pots. Just remember to remove them in the morning.
Earlier Seasons
The colder climate also brings on earlier growing and flowering seasons than you would expect for other regions in the country. This is, of course, dependent on each plant. You’ll want to check what you’re planning on planting to make sure you know what to expect, especially if you’re planting produce.
Get Your Plants from Riddells Creek Nursery
Our experts know what to expect in the Macedon Ranges, and they’ll be happy to help however they can. This can range from helping you choose your plants, the layout of your garden, and how to care for your garden in this new-to-you environment. If you have any plant questions, we’re here to answer them. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you and your garden.