If you are in charge of a private road, it can be a good idea to plan out the correct roadway landscaping. Well planned roadway landscaping can reduce speeding, improve safety (by maximising visibility) and reduce littering, but if you are in charge of the road, you may not have a permanent landscaping team to maintain the landscaping.

Here are some tips on low maintenance roadway landscaping that can be suitable for your road. 

Saltbushes (Atriplex)

Saltbushes are an easy-to-grow and hardy Australian native plant. They grow in low water environments and can adapt to high salinity water sources easily. They can also act as a food source for local animals, including grazing food for cows and local sheep. This plant comes in a range of varieties, including the Chenopodium varieties, which have attractive red berries in summer if you would like to add a pop of colour. 

Grass trees (Xanthorrhoea)

If the road is not clearly marked it can be useful to show the boundaries of the road with marker trees. Grass trees can be a great option to mark out the edges of the road. Grass trees are a distinctive tree with green foliage at the top with a blackened base, which does not require regular pruning or maintenance. They also do not drop branches (as they have a grass top rather than branches), and again have very low water requirements. They are also very tolerant to frost or coastal conditions if you live either of these climates.  

Strappy leaf plants (Lomandra)

Lomandra is a great roadside plant as it is very tough and can even survive being driven over if people pull off the road. It creates a pleasant green appearance helping to delineate the side of the road between trees. It is very hardy in a range of weather conditions from drought to frost. Using these and similar ground covers on the roadside can distract people from littering as the area is clearly landscaped and not empty ground. 

In addition to the plants, it can often be a great idea to have a bin installed by the side of the road. This can ensure that people have a place to appropriately dispose of rubbish and keeps the landscape looking great. If you rebooking for some ideas on how to design your road landscaping to keep your roadside safe and looking great, with the minimum amount of maintenance.