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Fire proofing your yard: Five expert tips

By Amy Collins-Walker โ€ข 1 Comment

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While this yearโ€™s bushfire season has already been harrowing in its effects, itโ€™s horrifying to think that weโ€™re only at the beginning. With a brutal bushfire season predicted for the weeks and months ahead, we caught up with landscape designer Matt Leacy, of Landart Landscapes, who shares his top tips for mitigating fire risk around your home.

Landart Landscapes

โ€œI love the Australian bush, and live near bushland myself, so I would never want to seem alarmist in my approach to fire-prepping. However, the reality is that weโ€™re already experiencing devasting fire conditions in many parts of Australia and signs are pointing to a long, dry summer โ€“ so weโ€™ve got to be as proactive as possible when it comes to mitigating fire risks to our homes and outdoor spaces,โ€ says Matt, who is also resident garden guru onย Channel Tenโ€™s The Living Room.

โ€œWhile thereโ€™s no way to entirely fire-proof your property, property owners shouldnโ€™t underestimate how much a good garden clean-up, prune and some clever plant choices can potentially make in reducing bushfire risks to your home,โ€ says Matt.

1. Tidy up and trim back
โ€œAs much as it may seem an obvious and tedious task, one of the best things you can do is to thoroughly prune and tidy up around your gardens and property,โ€ says Matt.

This includes cleaning gutters (especially if your house is surrounded by large trees) and ensuring that all of the old dry leaves from autumn and winter are cleared away from your property. โ€œYou should also ensure that dead branches are cut away, and trees and other plants are trimmed right back away from your house,โ€ says Matt.

For some properties, installing fire irrigation on the roof, or some extra hose points, might be worth considering. โ€œIf a fire borders your property, it could make a critical difference to be able to wet your house down and put out spot fires from embers from multiple angles,โ€ says Matt.

2. Know what is in your garden
โ€œItโ€™s useful to have at least some knowledge of how flammable the plants and trees on your property are โ€“ and if youโ€™re unsure and surrounded by lots of gardens and bushland, it might be worth engaging a professional to help inform you,โ€ says Matt who explains that plants that are known to ignite quickly (and some will even explode) include tea tree,ย Cyprus, pines, eucalypts and various other natives.

โ€œObviously, if you have a beautiful, well-established eucalyptus tree โ€“ which is also an important wildlife habitat, you arenโ€™t likely going to want to remove it entirely. But if you can prune it back and maintain it โ€“ especially the branches that are dying off โ€“ as well as control whatโ€™s around it, youโ€™ll help to reduce associated fire risks,โ€ says Matt who adds that you must check with your local authority as to how much of the tree you can remove each year.

3. Landscaping choices
โ€œWhen introducing new varieties into your outdoor spaces, choose plants that are fire retardant โ€“ that is, plants that donโ€™t ignite and therefore make areas less flammable,โ€ says Matt.

Plants that have a high moisture content in their leaves, as well as big thick leaves rather than fine hard leaves, will help protect your home from falling embers. Some of these plants include, saltbush, lavender, hydrangea, white cedar, succulents, grey or silver mulga, wattles, lilly pilly, kangaroo paw, palms, Moreton bay figs, Scaevola โ€“ fan flower, Cyathea, Dianella, Hymenopsermum โ€“ Native frangipani, Myoporum, Senecio, Syzygiumย  viola and various species of flax and pigface.

Succulents have high water content
Succulents have high water content and are thus more fire retardant

โ€œKeep in mind that if some of these plants dry out, they may then burn. But vegetables (especially if you have a patch bordered by a pathway or pebbles) are also a great option,โ€ says Matt who suggests choosing plants with smooth bark, rather than rough bark, and checking with your local nursery to check which plants are suitable for your area.

โ€œAlso, do your best when designing your garden to plant fire resistant trees and plants in a shield format, particularly if your property is bordered on any side by bushland. Lower shrubs and ground covers are a better choice than big tall trees or hedges,โ€ says Matt who also recommends stones, gravel and pebbles as an alternative to โ€˜fire fuelโ€™ such as wood chips.

โ€œFrom a design perspective, if you are starting fresh with a new garden, or can adapt what you already have, Iโ€™d suggest planting trees at least 10 metres from you house. Also, include pebbled, paved, tiled or concrete pathways to help create fire breaks,โ€ says Matt. And for anybody whose property backs onto a national park, from a pool to a tennis court or large stretches of lawn, itโ€™s a good idea to put something between the bushland and your home.

Landart Landscapes

You should also avoid clumping too many trees together (a tight canopy can carry fire), and avoid having trees that grow over, or onto, your house.

4. Lawns and water provision
โ€œLawns can act as a physical barrier, if youโ€™ve been able to keep them green during water restrictions and very dry conditions,โ€ says Matt.

Lawn
Large expanses of lawn can act as a safety barrier for your home

While not possible for everybody, Matt suggests pre-planning for upcoming rainfall and installing water tanks. โ€œWhen we do eventually get rain, these tanks can be used to maintain a green garden, which can help to ward off the severity of bushfires later down the track,โ€ says Matt.

Sinking a bore, for watering, might be a feasible option too but you must obtain approval and licensing to do so so.โ€œDrip watering systems are also a great, simple and cost-effective way to transport water into your garden in an eco-friendly manner,โ€ says Matt.

5. Help local fauna find refuge
โ€œIf youโ€™re in the sad situation of being hit by fires (and hopefully itโ€™s just your garden you need to re-build), or you live in an area with bushland thatโ€™s been ravaged by fires, look at how you can help support the animals in the area,โ€ says Matt.

You can support local animals by leaving out buckets of water, or incorporating water features with fresh water, or bird baths into your garden. โ€œIf you know what animals are in your region, you might look at establishing plants and garden features that wildlife could seek refuge in and use as a food source,โ€ says Matt who suggests purchasing seed to feed birds and other animals in extreme situations.

โ€œNote that if youโ€™re encouraging wildlife into your garden, you should be more vigilant with cats and other domestic pets that may hunt displaced fauna seeking refuge in your outdoor spaces.โ€

Matt Leacy
Landscape designer Matt Leacy

Photography: Jason Busch

For more on Matt Leacy | Backyard ideas: 3 reno projects to get it summer-ready

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November 28, 2019

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There's nothing like ticking off little jobs! We f There's nothing like ticking off little jobs! We finally knocked out our 60s brown tile back step and replaced it with a smaller grey one made from @trexcompany Island Mist decking to match our deck (that went in 4.5 years ago) and now painted brick exterior. Making the step smaller allowed us to add in an additional manhole under the back door too to allow easier access under the house at the back. And we made a cover for that too (final slide) using Trex. I say "we" but I really mean our handyman ๐Ÿ˜‰ One plank was enough for both jobs. Why we didn't do this ages ago I do not know but it's done now! ๐Ÿ˜ Installed with @trexrainescape to ensure it stays dry and lasts!

Disclosure: Plank of Trex decking was gifted. I paid for the handyman.

#backstep #doorstep #deck #decking #deckdesign #deckideas #compositedecking #trex #trexdecking #greydecking

Mat from @doormatau
Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I fir Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I first came to Australia in my 20s, it's where I headed to buy everything I needed for my first apartment at an incredible price! And I've loved watching the range get more and more impressive over the years as my knowledge of furniture has increased. I had no idea how extensive their Aussie Made sofa range was though. I'd love you to check out the options via link in bio as I think you'll be impressed! I think we have a renewed appreciation for Aussie Made and supporting local manufacturing and jobs and this is a great success story. We love a bit of high low decorating, and turns out Fantastic Furniture is a great place to find your family lounge, a special accent chair, an extra ottoman for occasional seating and so much more. 

#fantasticfurniture #aussiemade #australianfurniture #FindyourFantastic #FantasticFamily #affordablehomewares #affordablefurniture #custommadesofa #custommadelounges #australianhomes #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsdaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Please don't show my boys this room or they'll wan Please don't show my boys this room or they'll want one like it!

How gorgeous is this Brisbane kids' bedroom?! 

@brittwhitestudio worked closely with the boys (aged 7 and 9) to understand their needs with a bespoke bunk bed solution crafted by BRC Cabinets, featuring ample storage as well as an under-stair hidey-hole, a useful reading nook for books and a built-in charger for electronics. Local craftsmen Emmettโ€™s Ropes designed and hand-tied the ropework on the top bunk and the supporting pillar beneath.

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see and read more!

#bunkroom #bunkbed #bunkbedsforkids #bunkbeds #bespokebunkbeds #custommadebunkbeds #sharedbedroom #sharedbedroomforkids #boysroominspo #boysroomdecor #junglebedroom #kidsroomstyle #kidsroomstyling #childrensrooms #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #brittwhitestudio #highriseliving #apartmentlifestyle #penthouses #apartmentlivingwithkids #newsteadbrisbane 

Pix by @joebrosnan.photo
Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3? Just 3 of the kitch Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3?

Just 3 of the kitchens in the @duluxaus Colour Awards 2023 shortlist which will give you some serious inspiration!

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Projects by @studio__bright @kaiko_design and Georgie Shepherd Interior Design. Pix by @arorygardiner @fiona_susanto and @christophermorrisphoto 

#duluxcolour #duluxpaint #duluxaus #duluxcolourawards #duluxcolourawards2023 #moodykitchen #allwhitekitchen #designerkitchen #sagekitchen #boldkitchen #colourfulkitchen #colouredkitchen #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount
We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony m We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony makeover using @kmartaus stone tiles!

Nineties townhouse in Lennox Head or villa in Greece? You decide! All up it cost $2000 including all materials and she did the work herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

Love your work @twin_palms_lennox

#kmartaustralia #kmartdiy #kmarthack #kmarthome #modernmediterranean #balconymakeover #balconyideas #diybalcony #budgetdiy #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Wallpaper in every single room! What do you recko Wallpaper in every single room!

What do you reckon? You'd think it would be overkill but it isn't because so many of the designs are subtle yet still impactful.

Head over to the blog to see how @grafico_walls transformed this blank canvas Melbourne townhouse with their products, which you've probably seen on The Block over the years. And read how Damian Corney has grown this Melbourne business with wife Adele and a growing team. There's also a look inside the very cool Motley Hotel which has used a whopping 4km of their wallpaper throughout!

You can also watch a video tour with Bec Douros as the house featured on Open Homes Australia over the weekend.

Via link in bio now.

#wallpapergoals #wallpaperdesign #australianwallart #australianwallpaper #wallmurals #wallpapermural #wallpapermurals #wallpapereddoor #digitalwallpaper #digitallyprintedwallpaper #customwallpaper #wallpaperaesthetic #wallpapertrends #wallpaperaustralia #grafico #graficowallcoverings #melbournebusiness #melbournesmallbusiness #openhomesaustralia #theblock #becdouros
Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! 

Braved the rain second morning in a row to feed the animals at @edenfarmescape because life's too short to worry about a bit of mud and drizzle!

Feeling relaxed ๐Ÿฅฐ
Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before ๐Ÿ˜‚

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION? How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION?!

Our friends at @mintdesignau have done it again!

Homeowner Briony Marsh says: Itโ€™s totally changed our home lifestyle now we can sit outside on the lounge in the sun or shade, be in the pool, spa, sauna or cooking pizzas and hanging out with friends. It sounds cliched but it really feels like we are on holiday at home!โ€

Head over to the blog to see the finer details, including a sauna and a seriously good looking copper pizza oven. There's a lot packed into this space!

#backyards #smallpools #smallpool #homesauna #pizzaovens #outdoorpizzaoven #landscapedesigner #mintdesign #holidayathome #resortstylehomes #landscapeartist #backyard #exteriorinspiration #exteriormakeover #exteriordesigns #pergoladesign #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
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Amy Collins-Walker

About Amy Collins-Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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  1. AvatarSlideasy Doors says

    November 28, 2019 at 4:05 pm

    Thanks for sharing

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