Timandra Garden at Mintaro: In the Mid North region of South Australia

With permanent water restrictions in place, the ailing health of the Murray River, and having just endured one of the worst droughts on record, perhaps it's time to take stock of the way we tend our gardens.

Now more than ever we need to be ‘water wise’ and clever about plant selection. That’s especially the case in tough dry climates like Mintaro in the Clare Valley. So a good place to visit for a lesson in combining garden creativity and cost cutting is Timandra Garden designed and owned by Alison Aplin.

Alison told us what she is trying to achieve with Timandra. “I’ve set the garden up to be a learning tool not only for me but for the horticultural industry. I'm also trying to use it as a model for people to understand that you can achieve a garden with minimal water - you don't have to pour it on.”

As a result, Timandra is no ordinary garden. It relies on low natural rainfall and a limited supply of bore water. As a result, most of the classic cottage plants like lots of daisies and roses have gone. They have been replaced with carefully selected natives and exotics.

There is also a path lined with wonderfully healthy English Box - a plant most suburban gardeners struggle to grow. “While a lot of people have trouble with English Box - here they thrive in a water-wise garden, with low rainfall and limestone soil. That's exactly what it likes. The limestone yields the drainage and that is why the Box does very well in places like this - it is the good drainage. You can’t grow it in heavy clay. There are other plants that you should use if you've got clay.

Timandra is a living classroom on good garden management. Despite the low rainfall, searing summers and vicious winter frosts there's plenty of color and texture. And that's achieved through a clever mix of flowering plants and others chosen for their foliage.

“This is one of my favourites - I really love the Ecium. It’s very neat and tidy even when it’s not in flower. Another plant I love is the pride of the outback - Old Man Saltbush. It’s an excellent plant for dry climates.”

Timandra Garden is in Mintaro on Kingston Street. It's open daily between 10 and 4 except Tuesday and Wednesday. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au

Timandra Garden
Kingston St.
Mintaro.
Open 10-4 (closed Tues, Wed)