Book Review: Futureproof Your Garden

Angus Stewart is well known as a former presenter on ABC’s Gardening Australia, and in Futureproof Your Garden he’s joined by his horticulturalist daughter Emma Stewart to deliver a practical guide to gardening in a changing climate. This book is about preparing your garden for a future where water – not enough of it for extended periods, but sometimes too much all at once – will increasingly dictate growing conditions for Australian gardeners.

Water flows thematically through every chapter of the book, and its central message can’t be ignored: don’t take water for granted. The book explains in simple terms why water is essential to all plant and animal life, and encourages gardeners to rethink how they use, store and value water in their landscapes.

One of the things I most liked about the book is how the authors make a clear distinction between the needs of different types of gardens. For productive gardens, water is non-negotiable—vegetables, herbs, and fruiting plants need consistent access to moisture to thrive. The emphasis when growing food is on storing rainfall water and using it as efficiently as possible.

For ornamental gardens, the key is plant selection: choosing tough, water-wise Australian natives or plants adapted to dry climates, such as those from South Africa or the Mediterranean. The extensive photographic plant directory at the end of the book is a standout feature, offering detailed, accessible information on a selection of native plants, as well as information on how to plant and care for them.

One of the book’s strengths is its practical approach featuring DIY projects or Australian products. There are photos and descriptions of Waterups wicking beds, Vegepod raised gardens, the Airgarden hydroponic system, Vegebag grow bags, ollas, water spikes, self-watering pots and moisture meters. DIY enthusiasts will appreciate the instructions for making wicking beds and biochar, with straightforward explanations and tips.

This approach to sustainability is refreshingly non-prescriptive. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, the authors present a menu of options so readers can tailor strategies to their own gardens and budgets. For example, the chapter on water storage focuses on tanks but also includes dams and bore water for larger properties and using grey water. The chapter on watering covers watering by hand, drip and spray irrigation systems, ollas and water spikes, and wicking beds.

I took away several key actions from the book to implement over time in my own garden:

1. Increase my capacity to harvest and store rainwater to reduce my reliance on mains water and provide security during droughts.
2. Learn efficient watering techniques so I can use enough to support my plants’ growth but not so much that water is wasted.
3. Continue to care for my soil to improve its structure so it will hold water more effectively.
4. Design my garden to slow, sink, and store rainfall with the goal of preventing precious water from being lost to the stormwater system.

In terms of climate resilience, the book could have focused more on urban heat and the broader role of green spaces in cooling cities. But it’s likely that most gardeners would trade this omission in favour of the expert information on native plants, which is not found in other books.

Futureproof Your Garden is an excellent reference for gardeners beginning to think seriously about climate adaptation. It’s informative without being overwhelming, focused on solutions, and grounded in the reality of gardening in a hotter, drier world.

Title: Futureproof Your Garden: Environmentally sustainable ways to grow more with less
Authors: Angus and Emma Stewart
Publisher: Murdoch Books 2022
ISBN: 9781922351302