What do Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and the architects behind a home on the far north coast of NSW have in common? A love of Palm Springs, that’s what!
In the sleepy surfing town of Kingscliff, you’ll find a beautiful beach retreat that takes its cues from 1960s modernism and the desert-resort-glam look made famous in Palm Springs. And it’s not just the architecture – the landscaping is a huge part of the design, too.
WATCH: Johanna Griggs and Charlie Albone take tour of the Palm Springs-inspired home and garden
Want to get a designer-style Palm Springs garden that also looks after itself? All of the plants are from the most arid countries and can thrive in Australian conditions without any further maintenance.
Here’s a list of plants used in the Kingscliff garden so you can recreate the look yourself.
1. Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)
A hardy plant, Echinocactus grusoni is also known as golden barrel cactus, golden ball or mother-in-law’s cushion and is a popular choice in modernist-inspired gardens. It requires good drainage and less watering in winter, as excess water can lead to rot.
2. Mexican giant cardon (Pachycereus pringlei)
The tallest living cactus in the world, Pachycereus pringlei, also known as Mexican giant cardon, can grow on bare rock even where there is no soil is available.
3. Blue barrel cactus (Ferocactus glaucescens)
A species of flowering cactus endemic to Mexico, this spherical or cylindrical plant can grow to 60cm in diameter, with yellow spines and yellow flowers in summer.
4. Artichoke agave (Agave parryi var. truncate)
This hardy flowering plant is a slow-growing succulent featuring pointed tips that are typically darker than the leaves. With low water requirements and easy maintenance, this plant requires full sun and is a popular choice for modernist landscaping.
5. Desert spoon (Dasylirion)
Dasylirion wheeleri, also known as desert spoon and flowering plant belonging to the asparagus family. It’s a moderate to slow-growing plant with slender gray-green leaf blades 35–100 cm long that radiate in a spherical shape from the center of the plant’s apex.
6. Madagascar palm (Pachypodium rutenbergianum)
Pachypodium is a succulent spine-bearing tree native to Madagascar and Africa, and is the spiky cousion of frangipani. The plants rely on the food and water stored in its trunks and branches.
7. Thornless crown of thorns (Euphorbia gerodlii)
Endemic to Madagascar, the thornless crown of thorns is a semi-succulent shrub that naturally grows in subtropical or tropical dry forests. Almost constantly in bloom, it will add a pop of colour to the grey-green tones of a Palm-Springs style cacti garden.
8. Mexican fencepost (Pachycereus marginatus)
Pachycereus marginatus, also known as Mexican fencepost cactus, has columnar trunks that grow to 3.7m and may reach 6.1m in height. With 9-10cm diameter stems, its cuttings are sometimes used to create fences as its spines are not as large and spiky as some cacti.
9. Ocotillo (Fouqeria splendens)
Fouquieria splendens, also known as ocotillo, is indigenous to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its bright red flowers bloom after rainfall in spring and summer.
10. European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis)
The drought-tolerant Chamaerops humilis, also known as European fan pan, is a hardy plant that thrives in hot weather. It is one of the northernmost naturally-occurring palms in the world.
11. Morrocan mounds (Euphorbia resinifera)
Euphorbia resinifera, also known as Moroccan mounds, is a shrub growing to 61cm wide and forms multi-stemmed cushion-shaped clumps up to 2 metres wide. It naturally grows on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
12. Blue yucca (Yucca rostrata)
Yucca rostrata, also called beaked or blue yucca, is a tree-like plant that is native to Texas, Chihuahua and Coahuila. Its trunk grows to 4.5 meters with a crown of thin, stiff leaves at the top.
The garden also features:
- Huge limestone boulders were used to create the dramatic look of a mountain-scape meets rolling arid hills look. Boulders of any size can create further interest in gardens and can also create shadows, micro-climates and even influence sunlight and water and drainage.
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Artificial lawn is from Urban Turf Solutions.
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