Low Maintenance Trees for Melbourne Homes

Low-Maintenance Landscaping Trees

We talk to many landscapers and designers with clients who favour ‘low-maintenance’ landscapes. Sometimes, clients are simply too busy with small children and bustling work schedules and would rather rest in their garden than tend to it. A solution to a thriving garden with minimal fuss is to select well. Designs focus on creating functional spaces for shrubs, plants and trees that require very little up-keep to look good.

We consider ‘low-maintenance’ to be a subjective term – what might seem high maintenance to one homeowner isn’t to another. So the idea with this list was to identify trees that are the perfect size for a residential space, are changing-climate-tolerant, meaning that they can sustain more warmer days without failing and that give back in terms of colour or flower or form all year round. These trees definitely add beauty to your garden landscape without adding to your to-do list. 

We have spent decades growing and nurturing trees and have experience and insight into what works well for Melbourne. So what are our favourites?

Let’s start…

What are our recommended Low-Maintenance Trees for Landscaping

You cannot go with natives for lower fuss greening and year-round attractiveness. These four native selections are excellent low-fuss trees and climate suitable that thrive with minimal maintenance.

Eucalyptus gregsoniana growing in Melbourne

Eucalyptus gregsoniana is a small growing Snow Gum that can tolerate very cold conditions, making it great for Melbourne’s inclement seasons. Its young branches are reddish in colour, and the tree produces slender mint green foliage and pretty fluffy white flowers in summer.

Specifics: Small, Evergreen, Weeping-shaped, Native

Eucalyptus-pulverulenta 'Bab Blue' growing for supply into landscapes

Eucalyptus pulverenta ‘Baby Blue’ is not only popular for its compact height but also for its contrast colour, form and foliage. Rounded leaves and a horizontal form mean it is easily spotted in the garden. Branches are long and elegant which makes them attractive in floral arrangements too.

Specifics: small. Evergreen, bird attracting, native, year-round interest.

Eucalyptus 'Euky Dwarf'

Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Euky Dwarf' is another smaller growing gum suitable for the urban garden. It forms a light, open canopy, beautiful for dappled shade and in allowing sunlight to filter the space. Grown from seed, its blossoms are pink, red, and/or cream and flourish from late autumn to early summer. This makes it very bird-attracting. A smooth trunk with shedding bark offers another dimension for year-round interest. A beautiful tree for contrast colour and form.

Specifics: Small, Evergreen, Native, Rounded canopy, Tolerant of coastal properties, Can be used for Informal screening, Provides shade and is compact for urban blocks.

Eucalyptus leucoxylon megalocarpa

Most leucoxylon species of gum are good for residential / urban situations. Eucalyptus leucoxylon megalocarpa is no exception. Growing to 8m tall, this smaller form of Yellow Gum produces beautiful large bird attracting flowers. When the reliability of grafted flowering gums is in question and subject to variable planting success rates, this tree is a ready substitute for size and flower. Being able to handle a moderate increase in heat, its use as feature tree is expected to increase as more people realise its beauty and reliability in a changing climate.

Specifics: Medium, Evergreen, Round-shaped, Attracts Birds, Native, Provides shade, Aesthetically pleasing.

It is also worth considering:

Eucalyptus torquata is a spreading tree with flaky bark. Its leaves are grey-green, and its flowers are large and coral-pink in colour.

Eucalyptus woodwardii has attractive grey-brown bark. It produces a delightful lemon-coloured flower and fruiting capsules that can become so heavy that they weigh the branches down, giving them a beautiful pendulous effect.

Originating from Western Australia, they both prefer a drier microclimate and sandy soil that is not as familiar in Melbourne. They may thrive in some areas down the Peninsula in the right location but certainly worth the attention due to their form and flower.

A special mention goes to:

Flowering Gums (Corymbia ficifolia)
Eucalyptus caesia ‘Silver Princess’

Corymbia ficifolia is also known as flowering gum. Historically grown from seed, there are efforts underway to graft these trees for longevity and better uniformity of form and colour. While some success has been achieved, these grafted trees tend to fail in the landscape suggesting that the process is a long way from being commercially viable. Seed forms are available but don’t offer the same intensity of colour.

Eucalyptus 'Silver Princess' is an ornamental tree that grows to 8m with weeping branches and gorgeous pink & red flowers that burst in spring time.

These too are WA species, but they are sensitive to heavy soils. So, we are in the process of grafting them on a different rootstock for greater tolerance of Melbourne soil. No grower in Melbourne has yet perfected it, but we are working on it!

Growing from seed throws a lot of variation within a species, so grafting is a way of generating uniformity by marrying the genetics of a tree above the ground with a rootstock that suits the soil in which it will grow.

If you would like help on a project or want to discuss trees for your Melbourne home, business, council, or other, please get in touch with our team. We are only too happy to discuss selections to suit your particular requirements.