We have an area maybe 3 x 3 m, currently turfed, that we'd like to turn into garden. It's full sun, all day. Thinking something cottagy, maybe a small lemon tree in the middle. We are just north of Brisbane. Love to see and hear ideas please :)
Hi @Katkatkat,
Have you got any photos of the space that you could share? Seeing the existing layout can often with understanding the space and will help to guide your planting.
One idea that would suit a cottagey feel, under full sun in your area is to plant a dwarf lemon in the centre, then underplant with a soft mix of lavender, salvia, catmint and white alyssum for that layered, slightly overflowing cottage look.
Place the dwarf lemon roughly in the middle with at least 1 to 1.5 m clearance from the trunk to surrounding plants. This gives it room to grow to around 2 to 3 m wide and allows airflow and access for harvesting.
Around the lemon, plant medium shrubs like salvias or lavender about 50 to 70 cm apart. They will fill out and lightly touch over time, creating that soft cottage layering without competing too heavily.
For softer fillers such as catmint or similar mounding perennials, space them about 40 to 50 cm apart. They will knit together and spill gently between the larger plants.
Low edging plants like alyssum can be planted more closely, around 20 to 30 cm apart, to form a continuous border at the front.
You might like to check out the following articles for some guidance about the plants mentioned.
You could also have a look through our Cottage Plants, as there are plenty of other varieties that will work. Just double check that they are capable of being in full sun.
Let me know what you think.
Jacob
Thanks Jacob! Here are a couple of photos
Hello @Katkatkat
Thank you for sharing those photos of the garden, that sunny 3 × 3 m patch looks like a lovely little canvas for something colourful and inviting out front. With that all-day sun in your area, you’ve got so many fun options.
One idea is to keep your lemon tree dream and make it the centrepiece as you've mentioned. The Meyer Lemon Tree (Citrus jambhiri) is available at the store and will thrive in full sun. It’s a compact fruit tree that loves bright light and can be very rewarding with fragrant blossoms and tasty fruit as it matures.
Around your lemon tree, consider building a cottage-style garden with layers of flowering plants and cottage plants that bloom at different times and attract bees and butterflies. The store has a beautiful range in stock now, like English lavender, agapanthus, daisies, salvia and geraniums all classic cottage garden favourites that enjoy full sun and will give you colour from spring into summer.
In the mid to lower zones of the bed, you could plant clusters of lavender or osteospermum daisies for scent and cheerful blooms, paired with agapanthus for height and structure. Sweet little salvias as suggested earlier or phlox will add pops of colour and movement, and if you like soft foliage touches, a few pelargonium geraniums help fill gaps and soften edges.
To keep it looking tidy and lush, use a bit of mulch around the plantings to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, and maybe a narrow edging of small stones or low pavers to define that garden bed from the lawn. A gentle curve from the driveway edge back to the lawn will give it that informal, relaxed cottage feel that still looks neat from the street.
If you want even more structure or wildlife friendly plants, you might add one or two hardy shrubs or natives something like a kangaroo paw or a hardy bottlebrush look great in the garden and are typically available at the store as well.
I've created a rendered image using AI to give you a clearer idea of how everything could look once it’s all in place.
If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.
Eric
TThank you, this looks terrific!
We also have this stretch, on the other side of the same driveway,
Also full sun, bordering a path on council land. Suggestions please :) maybe a rockery?
Based on the space and the full‑sun conditions, a rockery garden is actually a great fit. It works really well along paths and driveways, adds structure, and keeps maintenance low.
I’ve added a couple of AI-generated images of how the area could look once transformed. It uses a mix of natural boulders, hardy low‑growing plants, and gravel to keep everything neat and drought‑tolerant. This style blends nicely with the surrounding bushland while also giving the driveway a cleaner, more intentional edge.
Suitable plant options for this space could include pigface, lomandra, dianella, sedum, and kangaroo paw, which are all hardy, full-sun performers that provide texture and seasonal interest.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Thanks Mitchell, this is fantastic! One further area we'd love advice on please :) in the backyard we have a long narrow strip. Between the house and the lower fence gets direct sunlight for 3 to 5 hours a day, while the other area with the higher fence gets that plus afternoon sun for a couple of hours. We've been thinking about a narrow garden along the Besser blocks, that will grow to cover some of the fence, and in the other part maybe passionfruit vines. Can you grow them on colourbond or is it too heavy? Thanks :)
With passionfruit, the main thing to understand is that they are vigorous and can get quite heavy once established, especially when full of fruit and foliage. Colourbond fencing on its own is not designed to carry weight. The sheets can flex and the posts are usually spaced for wind loading, not for supporting a dense vine. If you let a passionfruit cling directly to the fence panels, over time it can cause bowing, loosen screws, or make maintenance difficult.
That said, you can absolutely grow passionfruit along that boundary, you just need to give it its own support. The best approach is to install a simple wire trellis system in front of the fence. You can run galvanised wires between independent posts set into the ground, or use sturdy star pickets or timber posts placed a short distance off the fence line. Another option is fixing eye bolts into the fence posts, not the sheet panels, and running tensioned wire horizontally. That way the structural load is carried by posts and wire rather than the Colourbond sheets themselves. Keep a small gap between the vine and the fence so air can circulate and you can still access the fence if needed.
For the narrow garden bed along the Besser blocks, that is a really nice idea. Since you have three to five hours of sun in the shadier section and more in the higher fence area, you could stagger plant choices. In the part with only a few hours of direct sun, consider climbers that tolerate part shade such as star jasmine, climbing hydrangea in cooler climates, or even some native hardenbergia. In the sunnier section, you could mix in flowering climbers or espalier shrubs to soften the fence line. Because the bed is narrow, think about plants with a relatively slim root system and avoid anything that will aggressively push against the blocks.
One more thing to keep in mind with passionfruit is lifespan. They are fast growers but often only produce strongly for about three to five years. If you are happy with that trade-off for quick coverage and fruit, they are wonderful. Just plan your support structure as something long term so you can replant easily when needed.
I've placed a sample rendered image using AI to give you an idea of what it can look like. The raised garden bed is built over the Besser blocks so the space inside is not that big. The same technique can be applied to your other fence line.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Thank you, this is great! What are the low plants please?
Also Is thete a particular time of year we should or should not plant these things?
The low plants shown are simply a mix of compact, low-growing in-fill varieties used to soften the base of the climbers and cover the soil in a narrow bed. In the image, there appear to be some purple flowering fillers (similar to petunias or scaevola), along with strappy foliage plants like a small growing Lomandra, and possibly clumping plants such as Dianella. These types of plants work well because they stay relatively compact (generally under 30–40cm high), provide texture and colour, and won’t overwhelm the space or compete too heavily with your climbers.
As for timing, the best time to plant passionfruit and most climbers or low shrubs is late winter through early spring. This allows the plants to establish their root systems as the soil warms up, before the stress of summer heat arrives. Passionfruit in particular prefers warm conditions and will take off once temperatures rise. If you’re in a frost-prone area, it’s best to wait until the risk of heavy frost has passed before planting.
