Everyone can play a role in greening and adapting our towns and cities, learn more about this project and share your thoughts with us.

This is the first Woody Meadows trial in South Australia—a 5-year partnership between The Rural City of Murray Bridge, the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, the University of Melbourne, and Treenet.

🌸What is the Woody Meadows trial project?

This project is testing a new style of urban planting using native Australian shrubs and small trees to create beautiful, low-maintenance landscapes that use less water.

This is the first time the Woody Meadows method is being trialled in SA. It will provide information on how well the dense planting style performs in local soils and conditions.

The Rural City of Murray Bridge council will learn as the planting grows, which plants will grow well, and which plants might not do so well. The landscape board is working with council to monitor the plants growth rates, and the amount of water used to establish them.

These plantings are designed to be low water use and low maintenance when established.

Before After

🌱What is a woody meadow?

Woody meadows are layered shrub plantings using native species, maintained by coppicing (hard pruning to 10-20 cm) to promote flowering and create dense canopies to exclude weeds. The planting method has been developed and trialled by the University of Melbourne.

This structure improves biodiversity, keeps weeds out, is low maintenance and low water use, and looks great year-round. The mix of flowering plants can boost biodiversity and make small areas more attractive for communities.

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đź“ŤWhere is the trial?

🌿What kind of plants are growing here?

All plants are native and grown locally in Murray Bridge. A total of 436 plants have been planted in this trial. They’re planted densely to block weeds and reduce watering needs. The plants around the street trees will be cut back (coppiced), but the street trees themselves will not be coppiced.

  • Base layer (<0.5 m height)

    • Enchylaena tomentosa var. tomentosa
    • Disphyma crassifolium
    • Prostanthera aspalathoides
    • Atriplex semibaccata
    • Chrysocephalum apiculatum Prostrate
    • Goodenia varia
    • Scaevolia humilis

  • Mid-upper layer (0.7-1.2 m height)

    • Lasiopetalum baueri
    • Olearia axillaris
    • Olearia pimeleoides ssp.pimeleoides
    • Eutaxia microphylla
    • Olearia ramulosa
    • Dodonaea viscosa ssp.viscosa
    • Senna artemisioides ssp. Artemisioides

Can I grow these plants in my garden?

Yes! Many of these species do well in urban gardens if:

  • Watered during the first 1–2 years
  • Planted in suitable sun/shade
  • Grown in appropriate soil

Soil types can affect how well native plants can grow, we recommend contacting State Flora for advice on any special requirements

✨More info about the trial