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How to Prepare Your Garden for Extreme Weather

How to Prepare Your Garden for Extreme Weather

Five resilient trees plus a practical playbook for protecting Australian gardens from heat, storms and drought. Strong roots, deep watering and smart pruning.
banksiabay treebrachychitondroughtextreme weathermagnoliaolivestorm-resistant

Australian gardens see it all: heatwaves at 30C and above, southerly winds, hailstorms and weeks of dry weather. Choosing weather-resilient trees and looking after them well is the difference between a garden that holds together and one that doesn't.

Here are five tough trees we recommend at Evergreen Trees Direct, and the care strategy to back them up.

Pick weather-hardy species

Deep roots resist wind. Waxy or silver foliage handles heat. Native and Mediterranean species evolved for dry summers and lean soils and outperform softer exotics every time.

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Olive

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Kurrajong

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Magnolia

Strong roots, deep watering

Plant young trees so roots have room to grow deep. Water deeply but infrequently. The deeper the roots, the more they shrug off wind and dry spells.

Mulch and prune smart

10cm of organic mulch reduces evaporation by half. Thin dense canopies in winter so wind passes through cleanly rather than catching the tree like a sail.

FAQs

Watering through heat? Deep weekly water for new trees, fortnightly once established.

Best wind-resistant trees? Magnolia Teddy Bear, Olea and Kurrajong.

Drought protection? Native species plus heavy mulch.

Compare at a glance

CultivarHeightWidthFormFoliageBest if you…
Olea europaea
Olive 		5-8m4-6mRounded, gnarled with ageSilver-green narrow leavesHeat-prone gardens, dry summers, Mediterranean style
Brachychiton populneus
Kurrajong 		10-12m5-6mUpright, pyramidalGlossy green, variable lobed shapeHeat, drought, wind, frost
Laurus nobilis
Bay Tree 		5-8m (can be pruned to desired height)3-4mUpright, denseDark green leathery aromatic leavesWind protection, hedging, drought hardiness
Banksia integrifolia
Coast Banksia 		6-15m3-5mUpright, gnarledDark green above, silver undersideCoastal weather, salt spray, wind exposure
Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear'
Teddy Bear Magnolia 		4-5m2-3mUpright, dense, pyramidalGlossy dark green with copper undersideWind-tolerant hedging, year round structure
Olea europaea

1. Olea europaea (Olive)

Mediterranean evergreen built to handle drought, heat and the worst of summer.

Type
Evergreen tree
Height
5-8m
Width
4-6m
Growth rate
Slow to moderate
Foliage
Silver-green narrow leaves
Form
Rounded, gnarled with age
Conditions
Full sun, well-drained soil, drought tolerant
Maintenance
Low.
Best for
Heat-prone gardens, dry summers, Mediterranean style

Why choose it

Silver foliage reflects heat. Deep taproot reaches subsoil water. Designed for 30C and above.

Perfect pair

Pair Olea with a Laurus nobilis hedge for layered Mediterranean structure.

Tips for planting

Water deeply through year one. Mulch with gravel. Open canopy each winter.

Built for the worst of summer.

Shop Olea europaea
Brachychiton populneus

2. Brachychiton populneus (Kurrajong)

Australian native that stores water in its trunk and handles whatever weather extremes the inland throws at it.

Type
Evergreen tree
Height
10-12m
Width
5-6m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Glossy green, variable lobed shape
Flowers
Bell-shaped cream blooms in summer
Form
Upright, pyramidal
Conditions
Full sun, most soils, extreme drought tolerant
Maintenance
Very low.
Best for
Heat, drought, wind, frost

Why choose it

Bottle-shaped trunk stores moisture. Flexible branches handle wind. Handles 30C and above and frost too.

Perfect pair

Pair Kurrajong feature with a Banksia integrifolia for native resilience.

Tips for planting

Plant in autumn. Stake against summer wind. Water through year one only.

Whatever the weather, the Kurrajong handles it.

Shop Brachychiton populneus
Laurus nobilis

3. Laurus nobilis (Bay Tree)

Mediterranean evergreen with waxy leathery foliage. Slow steady growth and tolerance for heat and frost.

Type
Evergreen tree
Height
5-8m (can be pruned to desired height)
Width
3-4m
Growth rate
Slow
Foliage
Dark green leathery aromatic leaves
Form
Upright, dense
Conditions
Full sun to part shade, well-drained soil
Maintenance
Low.
Best for
Wind protection, hedging, drought hardiness

Why choose it

Waxy coating on leaves locks in moisture. Dense habit acts as a windbreak that shelters other trees.

Perfect pair

Pair Bay hedge with an Olea feature for Mediterranean weather hardiness.

Tips for planting

Mulch with bark. Water deeply through year one. Trim spring and autumn.

A windbreak that earns its keep.

Shop Laurus nobilis
Banksia integrifolia

4. Banksia integrifolia (Coast Banksia)

Coastal native that thrives in salt spray, wind and drought.

Type
Evergreen tree
Height
6-15m
Width
3-5m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Dark green above, silver underside
Flowers
Yellow candle blooms autumn to winter
Form
Upright, gnarled
Conditions
Full sun, sandy soils, coastal exposure
Maintenance
Low.
Best for
Coastal weather, salt spray, wind exposure

Why choose it

Salt-tolerant leaves and a wind-shaping habit. The native answer to coastal storms.

Perfect pair

Pair Banksia with a Kurrajong feature for inland or coastal native resilience.

Tips for planting

Plant in free-draining soil. Low-phosphorus fertiliser only. Trim spent flower spikes.

The coastal classic that shrugs off storms.

Shop Banksia integrifolia
Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear'

5. Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear' (Teddy Bear Magnolia)

Compact evergreen magnolia that holds shape through wind, heat and frost.

Type
Evergreen tree
Height
4-5m
Width
2-3m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Glossy dark green with copper underside
Flowers
Large fragrant white blooms in summer
Form
Upright, dense, pyramidal
Conditions
Full sun to part shade, well-drained soil
Maintenance
Low.
Best for
Wind-tolerant hedging, year round structure

Why choose it

Thick waxy leaves shrug off wind. Dense habit doubles as a windbreak. Frost tolerant once established.

Perfect pair

Pair Teddy Bear hedge with a Brachychiton populneus feature for weather hardiness.

Tips for planting

Plant 1.5m apart for a hedge. Water through year one. Mulch annually.

The weather-proof evergreen hedge.

Shop Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear'

Frequently asked questions

Watering through heat?
Deep weekly water for new trees, fortnightly once established.
Best wind-resistant trees?
Magnolia Teddy Bear, Olea and Kurrajong.
Drought protection?
Native species plus heavy mulch.

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