Native garden inspiration
Native garden inspiration
Whether you live on the coast or in the hills, discover native plants suitable for your local area, inspired by the thriving gardens at several of our sites around South Australia.
Different plant species require certain soil nutrients, climates and watering levels, amongst other factors, to thrive.
The native gardens surrounding some of our depots and wastewater treatment plants provide perfect examples of trees, shrubs, groundcovers and wildflowers that have been carefully selected to complement these varied conditions.
Where to buy: Visit the Green Adelaide website for a list of nurseries that stock native plants.
Gumnut Garden (Residential)
The Gumnut Garden by Oxigen is a bold reimagining of a residential city garden that delivers layered beauty with less water.
Gumnut Garden represents an adventurous trial in the use of a broad selection of native arid-land species, including several fascinating dwarf eucalypts combined with native wildflowers in a contemporary garden setting.
Water conservation and climate resilience drove many of the design elements including soil preparation, infiltration trenches, plant selection and succession planting.
Soft grey and green foliage, ornate gumnuts and delicate wildflowers are artfully combined with a network of paths and untreated materials to create a unique garden aesthetic that is distinctly South Australian in character.
Bird baths and garden pools scattered amongst the foliage create a leafy micro-climate that provides a welcoming habitat for both people and wildlife.
Click on the headings below to see the species lists.
Awards: 2025 AILA - SA Water For Life Award, 2025 AILA SA Award of Excellence for Gardens
Brachychiton populneus
Brachychiton represtis
Eucalyptus cerasiformis
Eucalyptus cosmophylla
Eucalyptus goniocalyx ssp. exposa
Eucalyptus kingsmillii
Eucalyptus krusiana
Eucalyptus minniritchi
Eucalyptus pimpiniana
Eucalyptus preissiana ssp. lobata
Eucalyptus pulverulenta ‘Baby Blue’
Eucalyptus pyriformis
Eucalyptus wyolensis
Eucalyptus youngiana
Acacia acinacea
Acacia cupularis (prostrate)
Acacia gillii
Acacia maxwellii Dwarf Form
Arthropodium strictum
Asplenium australasicum
Banksia petiolaris
Brachyscome angustifolia
Brachyscome Jumbo Tricolour
Brachyscome Multifida alba
Chrysocephalum semipapposum
Correa decumbens
Correa pulchella Dusky Bells
Cyperus gymnocaulis
Dianella brevicaulis
Dampiera Trigona Pink
Correa reflexa var. scabridula
Eremophila glabra Prostrate Burgundy
Thryptomene saxicola FC Payne
Austrostipa mollis
Bulbine bulbosa
Clematis aristata
Linum marginale
Dodonaea humilis
Dodonaea viscosum ssp. spatulata
Eremophila Belalla Gold
Eremophila Bev Rice (form glabra)
Eremophila biserrata
Eremophila drummondii compact form
Eremophila glabra
Eremophila glabra (Lake King Form)
Eremophila glabra (Streaky Bay Form)
Eremophila glabra Amber Carpet
Eremophila glabra Grey Leaf form
Eremophila glabra prostrate yellow
Goodenia albiflora
Goodenia macmillanii
Goodenia varia
Grevillea lavandulacea
Hardenbergia violacea
Kennedia prostrata
Kunzea pomifera
Leucophyta brownii ‘Little Nugget’
Lomandra effusa
Lomandra multiflora dura
Maireana oppositifolia
Microlaena stipoides
Microseris lancelolata
Microsorum diversifolium
Microsorum punctatum
Olearia lanuginose
Orthrosanthus multiflorus
Polypodium sp.
Prostanthera floriferum
Pteris umbrosa
Pyonosorus globosus
Rhodanthe anthemoides
Rytidosperma caespitosa
Vittadinia gracillis
Wahlenbergia stricta
Billardiera heterophylla
Microseris lanceolata
Mentha australis
Apium annuum
Xanthorrhoea semiplana
Carpobrotus rossii
Hakea Burrendong Beauty
Podocarpus elatus
Araucaria bidwillii
Doryanthes excelsa
Woodside Depot
More than 190 locally sourced native plants can be found at our Woodside Depot, showcasing a lush range of natives that are indigenous to the Adelaide Hills. The layered plantings of groundcovers, sedges, shrubs and trees were designed in partnership with local specialists Mark Thomas with aftercare and pruning by Amanda Pearce.
The garden features 30 species of local native flora, carefully selected for their visual appeal and adaptation to the area’s acidic loam soils and cool winter conditions. Some of the many species to feature in the garden include the Notched Sedge, Slender Mint, Long Purple-flag, Smooth Correa and Hill Indigo.
- Angled Lobelia (Lobelia anceps) - mat
- Slender Mint (Mentha diemenica) – herb
- Notched Sedge (Carex bichenoviana) – sedge
- Yellow-anther Flax-lily (Dianella longifolia) – sedge
- Long Purple-flag (Patersonia occidentalis) – sedge
- Round-leaf Wattle (Acacia acinacea) – shrub
- Heath Grevillea (Grevillea lavandulacea) – shrub
- Clasping Goodenia (Goodenia amplexans) – shrub
- Austral Indigo (Indigofera australis) – shrub
Kadina Depot
The once dusty frontage to our Kadina Depot has been given a boost with a beautiful native landscape garden. The space demonstrates climate-adapted gardening that celebrates regional biodiversity, laid out in three garden styles – small courtyard, shady woodland and semi-arid.
We designed the garden using 34 species of local native plants, which were carefully selected for their heat tolerance and adaptation to the area’s alkaline soils. Some of the species to keep an eye out for include the Mallee Blueflower, Austral Bugle, Bluebells and Sturt’s Desert Rose.
The landscape work was done in partnership with David Sloper, the Australian Plants Society Northern Yorke Group and local Aboriginal business Stone Environmental.
- Desert Senna (Senna artemisioides ssp petiolaris) - medium shrub
- Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) - large shrub
- Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) - small tree
- Pink velvet bush (Lasiopetalum behri) - medium shrub
- (Dampiera rosmarinifolia) - spreading herb
- Common wallaby grass (Rytidosperma caespitosum) - grass
- Narrow leaf hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa ssp. angustissima) - large shrub
Port Pirie Depot
We are developing a layered native garden at our Port Pirie Depot, comprising of ground cover, shrubs and small trees, all sourced through the Port Augusta Arid Lands Botanic Garden.
Using plants native to this region ensures they will thrive in their surroundings, limiting impact from the local hot and dry environment.
Drip-irrigation will be used during warmer months to optimise plant performance, however ground cover species are an example of a living mulch that retains moisture in the soil, supporting the surrounding plants and reducing their reliance on water.
The garden will also feature tight pockets of seasonal colour that can be heavily pruned back in summer when the landscape is dry.
The diverse range of species being planted supports biodiversity outcomes and invites native birds and bees into the urban garden.
The garden will reach semi-maturity in late 2023 and achieve full maturity in around five years’ time.
- Drooping She-oak (Allocasuarina verticillata) - tree
- Native Apricot (Pittosporum angustifolium) – small tree
- Weeooka (Eremophila oppositifolia) – tall shrub
- Spiny Saltbush (Rhagodia spinescens) – low shrub
- Turnbull's Smooth Correa (Correa glabra var. turnbullii) – low shrub
- Common Everlasting (Chrysocephalum apiculatum) – herb
- Clustered Everlasting (Chrysocephalum semipapposum) – herb
- Round Pig-face (Disphyma crassifolium) – mat
- Creeping Boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium) – mat
- Prostrate Emu-Bush (Eremophila glabra) ‘Roseworthy’ – mat
Pycnosorus globusus also found in the Port Pirie Depot
Where to buy: Visit the Northern and Yorke Landscape SA website for a list of nurseries that stock native plants.