Southern Plants^™ garden advice

Planting & Care

Plant with confidence. Grow your knowledge, one good gardening decision at a time.

From choosing the right spot to caring for an established garden, our practical guides help you understand what your plants need and feel more confident putting it into practice.

What would you like help with?

Each guide has its own page, with a clear path back here whenever you want to explore something else.

Foliage and flowering plants grouped in a garden container

Before you dig

Choose the position

Choose a position with confidence by understanding sun, shade, wind and the space your plant will need.

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Start below ground

Soil & drainage

Get to know your soil and drainage so you can choose plants and prepare their root zone with confidence.

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Hands settling a young plant into garden soil

Give new roots a good start

Planting out

Plant with confidence: prepare the hole, handle roots gently and give your new plant a good start.

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A young gardener watering a collection of potted plants

Help your garden settle and grow

Ongoing care

Grow your confidence through observation, with practical routines for watering, feeding, pruning and seasonal care.

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A varied collection of flowering plants and succulents in individual pots

A garden in any space

Plants in pots

Create a thriving container garden with confidence, from choosing the pot to caring for its roots.

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A dense green hedge bordering a strip of lawn

Shape the spaces in your garden

Hedges & screens

Plan hedges and screens with confidence, choosing the right size, spacing and care for your garden.

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Flowering Australian native plants in a garden bed

Bring the bush to your backyard

Native gardens

Choose and care for Australian natives with confidence, from matching the right plant to feeding, watering and pruning.

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A gardener watering a potted kangaroo paw

Save water, grow well

Water wise gardening

Grow a garden that thrives on less water, with confidence in where, when and how much to water.

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A sunny courtyard garden with flowering plants in pots

Through the year

Seasonal gardening

Know what to do in the garden each season, from the best times to plant to pruning, watering and protecting your plants.

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Southern Plants labelled plants on a retail display bench

The right plant, the right place

Choosing plants

Choose plants with confidence by matching them to your light, soil, climate and the space you have.

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Planting for the first time?

Build confidence from the ground up

Choose the positionMatch the light, space and conditions.
Check your soilUnderstand what is happening below ground.
Plant with careGet depth, roots and watering right from the start.
Keep observingAdjust your care as the garden settles in.

Have a particular plant in mind?

Use these guides alongside the variety’s plant profile. Its light, soil, water and care requirements should guide your decisions.

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