Best drought-tolerant plants for an Sydney garden

Sydney's summers punish gardens that were designed for somewhere else. Here's the short list of species we lean on that consistently hold up without complaint.

Structure and hedging: Westringia 'Grey Box' and 'Mundi', Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner' (in part shade), and Ficus hillii for tall formal hedges.

Grasses and strappy foliage: Lomandra 'Tanika', Dianella 'Little Jess', and Poa labillardierei for movement in bigger beds.

Feature and flowering: Grevillea 'Bronze Rambler', Correa alba, Anigozanthos flavidus (kangaroo paw) and Salvia 'Waverly' for long flowering.

Trees: mature Olea europaea, Magnolia 'Little Gem', and Eucalyptus leucoxylon for a native canopy.

Soil prep matters as much as species. Gypsum through the top 300mm on reactive clay, a generous compost layer, and 75mm of composted pine bark mulch. Get that right and even a hot Sydney February looks after itself.