Trees and plants for the ACT

Waterwise trees

You can get involved in planting trees at home, at your school and in planned urban areas.

Healthy trees can:

• keep streets cool
• improve health and wellbeing
• increase wildlife diversity
• improve water quality
• increase property values
• contribute to friendlier, safer neighbourhoods.

A lot of trees can thrive in our climate. In fact, 210 tree species grow well in different parts of the ACT.

Tree canopies can help reduce the effect of climate change, such as the 'urban heat island effect'. This is when roads, footpaths and buildings absorb the sun's heat and radiate it back. This raises both daytime and night-time temperatures.

Find out more in Canberra's Living Infrastructure Plan.

Plants for the ACT

To create and maintain a waterwise garden, choose plants suited to the area where you want to plant them.

Before you plant, consider:

• the soil type and condition as well as mulch options
• how you will irrigate
• drainage so water doesn’t run off the soil surface
• the microclimate of your garden
• the size of the plant at maturity to ensure it fits the space
• replacing some lawn areas with permeable paving, pebbles or hardy ground covers that need less water.

To assess your garden’s microclimate, look at the aspect, amount of sun and shade, slopes or winds. This could be different for each area of your garden. It could also change with the seasons. The microclimate is also affected by surrounding:

• buildings and walls
• fences and structures
• hard surfaces like paving and roads
• trees, shrubs and windbreaks.

Match plants with the microclimates that suit them. They’ll need less water and maintenance, grow better and suffer less stress.

Get more tips about water and your garden.

When choosing plants, consider:

• using plants that need less water, such as plants adapted to dry conditions and the ACT.
• choosing plants with thick or waxy coated leaves, small or needle-like leaves, hairy or felty leaves, silver or grey foliage, or fleshy leaves that store water
• grouping plants with similar water needs
• growing more sensitive plants in sheltered spots
• choosing plants that are tolerant of frost
• using grass varieties that do not use a lot of water.

A fire wise garden

With climate change increasing the risk of bushfire in and around the ACT, there are steps you can take to protect your home. For example, a well-watered hedge on the fire-prone side of the house can reduce radiant heat. This may prevent the shattering of windows, melting of materials and the spread of fire to your house.

Consider plants with fire retardant features such as:

• broad or fleshy leaves
• smooth bark
• high moisture or salt content in leaves
• leaves with a lower surface area to volume ratio
• low oil content (absence of visible oil glands in the leaf when held up to the light).

Always keep plants well-watered through the warmer months with deep soaking. Remove woody weeds and dry or dead material from around plants.

Help choosing plants

Use the Canberra Plant Selector to look up the sun, shade and frost tolerances of plants. You can also see how much water a plant needs.

Use WaterRight Gardens to get a personalised watering schedule and tips.

Download the Suburban Land Agency Climate Wise Garden Designs booklet.

Trees can provide shade and privacy for your home and garden. Plant a Tree in Your Canberra Garden is a practical guide to choosing the right tree for your garden based on your house design and local conditions. The trees recommended in the guide are suggestions based on Canberra’s unique conditions.

You can also ask your local garden nursery for advice.

Insects

Insects are vital to the health of our plants. But they can also be pests!

Learn to control pests without the need for pesticides. You could also build an insect hotel to increase your garden’s biodiversity.

Trees and plants in your home and community

If you think your local area needs more trees, you can suggest we plant some. Ask for a tree using either:

• Fix My Street
• Your Say

Nature strips provide shade and shelter and are often home to urban wildlife. You can plant and maintain plants on your nature strip. All plants need to be kept lower than 50 cm (or 20 cm in a Bushfire Prone Area). Before you start, check the Nature Strip Guidelines [PDF 5.6MB].

You can also apply for either:

• a Community Garden Grant
• a Nature in the City Grant.

Nominate a tree, or a group of trees, for inclusion in the ACT Tree Register. That way, we can protect significant and valuable trees.

Take a look at some new ideas. At Jamison shops we're doing the Water Sensitive Urban Design trial.

Our urban forest helps make our city the most liveable in Australia. Read how we're nurturing that in our Urban Forest Strategy 2021-2045 [PDF 14.5MB].

Get involved with a Community Environment Group, a citizen science program, or volunteer with Urban Parks and Places.

School grounds

With careful landscape design and maintenance, schools can protect and restore plants and animals. Support your school’s biodiversity.

At your school, you can:

• make sure all staff and students know what they can and should do to help
• book our horticulturalist to provide advice
• promote school gardens at assemblies and in newsletters
• nominate school grounds monitors and reward them for their efforts
• organise competitions and present biodiversity awards at assemblies
• download our resources.

Get started with the Sustainable Schools Program.