Waterwise and Shade Tolerant Herbs, Flowers and Trees for…

If you’re living in an Australian apartment with small part-shade courtyards, don’t despair. These waterwise herbs, flowers, and trees offer edible fruits or leaves and suit border plantings–and can be perfect for your space.

Waterwise Edible Herbs

• Warrigal Greens (Tetragonia tetragonioides): Native, shade-tolerant, edible cooked leaves.
• Mint, parsley, coriander, chervil, and lemon balm: All handle part-shade and have culinary uses.
• Comfrey and chicory: Edible leaves, tough in dry conditions, with both culinary and medicinal value.

Edible Flowers for Borders

• Borage: Star-shaped blue flowers, edible and highly drought-tolerant.
• Calendula (English marigold): Edible petals and can handle part-shade spots.
• Native Pigface (Carpobrotus glaucescens): Succulent, waterwise, edible fruits and flowers.
• Blue Flax Lily (Dianella caerulea): Edible seeds and berries, drought-tolerant, decorative strappy leaves.

Waterwise Edible Trees or Shrubs

• Midyim Berry (Austromyrtus dulcis): Part-shade-loving shrub, edible berries like mild blueberries.
• Dwarf Fig (Ficus carica): Adaptable to part-shade, drought-tolerant and compact for apartments.
• Feijoa/Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana): Waterwise, edible fruit, can be grown as a hedge.
• Strawberry Guava (Psidium cattleianum): Low-maintenance, hardy, edible berries.

Other Notables for Raised Beds

• Queensland Arrowroot (Canna edulis): Edible tubers, large leaves, suitable for dappled shade.
• Ginger: edible tubers.
• Turmeric: edible tubers.

Tips for Success

• Mix varieties for year-round interest and resilience to dry spells.
• Select compact or dwarf varieties for tight spaces or pots.
• Mulch well and adjust watering for part-shaded, moisture-retaining sites.

By planting these waterwise, edible options, it’s possible to support both beauty and harvest in small, shaded borders of Australian apartment complexes. *Note that my suggestions work best in a temperate environment.