Outside In

It's a Jungle in there

Over the last few years there has been an increase in the popularity of houseplants, not since the swinging 60's & 70's have indoor plants been so popular. A definite surge has occurred with the 20 and 30 somethings taking the leap and owning a plant.

Many factors have led to the increase in popularity. The obvious one is the jump in the social media influence and "influencers" online putting up posts about their new purchase or a carefully placed plant in the background to be noticed by all their adoring followers. 

Social media has also helped growers & plant breeders get their plants out and seen. Nurseries and plant re-sellers also have used online advertising to promote sales and creating events to drive the demand. Just add "collectors item" and watch those plant hunters come out.

The other more obvious reasons for the spike in demand is the size of living in the cities. Apartments are the only thing you seem to see being built, their availability and affordability make them attractive to Gen Y. The lack of a garden means both those with green thumbs and those who are looking to put some green amongst the grey have created a demand for house plants once again. 

All this said, I have absolutely no problems with this, it's great to see the interest in plant life grow (pun intended). Chuck in a global pandemic and people have had the best opportunity to spend more time doing something they love as well as becoming first time plant parents. 

So where do you start? Look there is a million and one platforms online that'll give you an overload of info. So what's the best advise? Check in with your local nursery (no, Bunnings doesn't count) and see what they have to offer. Horticulturalists are great people, passionate and always up for a chat about plants. See what's out there and look for solid, easy to understand advise if you're a beginner.

If you're an old hand at this, look for these so called "collectors items" or the new school plants that are bred to be a bit different (foliage colour/shape, pest resistance) to add tot he collection.

Having lived in apartments the last few years I have tried my hand an indoor plants with some good results. So here are a few old school (and a couple of new kids on the block) plants that have worked well for me and would be a good starting point.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum sp.):

These are a staple of many a home or office, not a rare plant by any means but a worthy choice for the beginner. There are a few different species in the market and in more recent times a few new varieties bred for hardiness and flower production. Leaves & flowers can vary in size. 

Flowering can also vary depending on the variety. It prefers a protected, well lit spot and likes humidity. So mist the leaves with a spray bottle in between watering the soil. Foliar feeds (liquid fertilisers) van be given the same way.

The Peace Lily also grew in celebrity status after the 1989 NASA research into the best plants species for purifying the air. It was found that Spathiphylum, in particular the 'Mauna Loa' variety, was the best at breathing in and taking out nasty chemicals from the air.

A peaceful demonstration 

Devil's Ivy/Pothos (Epiremnum aureum):

This is also a certified Nanna's plant and was displayed with pride just like Grandma's best china. It's a climber native to the French Polynesia area where it normally would scramble up a tree trunk for support via it's aerial root system. This is why it's good to give this guy some support in the form of a bark or coir totem pole. Also works well in hanging baskets and will tolerate very low levels of light

Epipremnum is pretty easy to propagate by cuttings, so if you have a friend with one ask nicely for some cuttings. If you can, get a piece that already has some aerial roots forming.

 It also was tested well with air purification in NASA's study. A word of warning, the leaves and stems of Devils's Ivy can be toxic to cats and dogs, so please consider this before purchasing.

The devil is in the detail

Flamingo Flower (Anthurium andraenum):

Another old school favourite that never really went away. This glossy, heart shaped leaf plant from Colombia and Ecuador has a striking red heart spathe (flower petal) with a distinctive elongated white/yellow inflorescence .

The flamingo flower has been a staple of florists and indoor nurseries for decades as it's popularity has never really ever waivered. It prefers a warm but shady position and like the peace lily, enjoys humidity, which helps with it flowering. 

It is a recipient of Britain's Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, it's also listed on NASA's list of best air purifying plants and is also toxic to all mammals (multiple themes developing here), so let common sense prevail before throwing the leaves in your next salad.

Syngonium podophyllum 'White Butterfly':

This dainty, clumping foliage plant with arrow shaped leaves, lending to it's common name the Arrowhead Plant. There are many forms of S. podophyllum, ranging in varying leaf size and colour patterns. It's native to a wide range of Latin America, so it does prefer a warmer spot and works well in varying light indoors.

The leaves of 'White Butterfly" generally have distinct leaf patterns with noticeable "veins" which add to it's character. The amount of light can affect leaf variation, in lighter positions the leaf can hold it's lighter, almost white colour better. In darker spots the leaves are generally greener. It is a semi-trailing plant so it can also work well in taller pots or hanging baskets where it's allowed to cascade. 

Syngonium podophyllum 'White Butterfly'

Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis sp.):

Doesn't look like a cactus but a pretty easy going and cool plant none the less, once you look a bit closer you'll see how it fits in the cactus family. Another South American native, it also occurs in Central America, Florida and the tropical areas of India and Sri Lanka. They are the only group of cactus to be found outside the New World. The increase of trade between countries helped them spread (as did birds who like the berries).

Rhipsalis is a genus of epiphytic cactus, that is they generally don't rely on soil as most plants to get their water and food but via the atmosphere around them. This means it is important to plant them using a media such as orchid bark to stabilise the plant and use a spray bottle to mist the plant.

Given that most species of Rhipsalis grow with a pendulous or sprawling habit, they work well in taller, tapered pots and hanging baskets. It'll enjoy a warmer, well lit spot, such as a window sill or outside on a balcony.

Rhipsalis sp.

Zanzibar Gem (Zamioculus zalmiofolia):

This tropical plant, native to several areas of Africa, burst onto the plant scene in Australia about two decades ago and was branded as the bullet proof plant that all the "brown" thumbs could keep alive no sweat. It derives its name to the similarity it's foliage structure/shape has to plants in the Cycad and Zamia families.

Dutch production nurseries began to mass produce the Zanzibar Gem in 1996 and it didn't take long to spread across the globe along with it's popularity with plant collectors. It is just as popular today due to it's ease of care, it structural habit and glossy, succulent stems and leaves. Leaves rise up from a strong underground rhizome,

Leaves reach about 50-60cm long and form clumps as the plant develops. Their leaves are made up of 90% water and is a reason why they can survive long periods of dry. Zamioculus will become deciduous when in drought, shedding it's leaves and storing moisture in the underground rhizomes.

Over watering is the most common reason for declining plant quality, so find a bright spot in the home, out of direct light and water sparingly.

A real gem in the home

Some other  old school favourites are listed below.

Top Left: Mixed succulent & cactus planters for those with a sunny, warm spot. Top Right: Mother in Law's Tongue (Sansevieria sp. also now know as Dracaena sp.).

Middle Left: Spider or Ribbon Plant (Chlorophytum comosum). Middle Right: Ferns are great for a darker space with no direct light. Try the Boston or Fishbone Ferns or natives such as Birds Nest or Maiden Hair Fern.

Bottom Left: The tough and structural Dracaena marginata looks great in a pot. Bottom Right: Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) as the name suggests is a tough bugger.

It's great to see so many people dip their toes into the world of indoor gardening, it's the kind of panic buying that I'd like to see continuing, who needs toilet paper when you have leaves?! 

A few things to remember before buying your first house plant. There isn't really such a thing as an indoor plant, they all happily grow outdoors in different parts of the world, us humans just try to alter their lifestyles to suit ours.

So when researching your next plant purchase for your house, look at where they normally grow in the world, 9/10 times it will be somewhere tropical with high humidity and high rainfall. So with this in mind find spots in the house that mimic this or can be adapted to provide these requirements. A well lit bathroom is ideal for many of the plants listed above.

Don't over water, in most cases plants will be fine if left to dry out slightly between watering. So observe and act when required. Use saucers to limit spills and stains on your flooring. A good idea is to put a layer of pebbles or gravel under the pot (in the saucer) so the roots don't sit in water and it also helps create humidity.

Fertilise sparingly, unless it's a plant that flowers often. Use a specific houseplant fertilise at the rate suggested, these are usually formulated with higher nutrients to promote leafy growth and for plants in low light situations. Fertilisers can also be applied my misting the leaves with a spray bottle at a more diluted rate.

Wash their hands! I mean leaves, if we have learnt anything from COVID-19 it is that hygiene is very important, even for plants. Plants breathe through their leaves and if they get dirty and dusty it can cause poor transpiration rates and lead to poor plant health. Clean them regularly either with a damp cloth or using a horticultural spray, these sprays add shine to your plants leaves and also protection from nasty pests.

Now that you are giving a plant protection from the elements and warm, pests will find that inviting too. Leafy plants make ideal hiding spots for insects such as scale, aphids and mealy bug. So when your cleaning the leaves, dig a bit deeper and keep an eye out for these pests - it doesn't take long for them to build up in numbers. Remove by hand if possible or use a natural or eco-friendly chemical to manage these pesky buggers.

The health benefits of having plants is amazing. Not only does it give one a sense of nurturing by giving you a sense of purpose and responsibility to a life, there are also numerous health benefits to gardening. Aside from the physical benefits that are more tied to outdoor gardening, the mental health and not so seen or felt physical benefits to indoor gardening are just as rewarding and important.

So while things are getting back to normal, many of us are still working from home, if your office at work is green, why not bring some of that "normality" to your home office. If not, what a great time to start improving your plant/life balance. 

The new normal may just mean that you have to become that "crazy plant person"!

Indigenous/Ingenious

Yesteryear 

In the beginning...

You'd barely recognise Eveleigh when you look at the historical photograph's scattered around the former workshops that maintained and then built NSW growing fleet of steam trains in the late 19th century.

Today the site houses some major corporations (Commonwealth Bank, Mirvac and the 7 Network) is also houses the CSIRO Data 61 (Data Science and Engineering Division) as well as many technology based companies. But prior to all this, it was seen as one of the world's best engineering workshops.

Construction on the workshops started in the early 1880's, on a site that was approximately 60 acres bounded by Newtown, Alexandria, Redfern and Chippendale. The main purposes of this site was to service and repair of existing locomotives but also manufacturing of rolling stock, such as carriages and wagons.

In 1908 the site began to produce steam locomotives and by this time more than 3,000 workers were employed by the workshops, it was the main centre for railway services in the state. By the 1930's many services were expanded (or relocated) to Chullora and Clyde depots. Modernisation of the fleets to electric trains meant the site became obsolete and attempts to upgrade were futile. The site's purpose gradually declined and it's operations ceased in 1988.

Train ride in history

Flash forward to 1995. The site, under the the creative guidance of the NSW Government and local Sydney Universities is transformed into the Australian Technology Park, a hub for technology and scientific research and development. The focus being on educational opportunity integrated with both private and public companies to improve and strengthen Australia's global tech presence.

Retaining the past

In 2015 the site was acquired by Mirvac (a multi-billion property investment and development company). Development of the area continues today and the site offers commercial, housing, recreational and hospitality opportunities. The site retains many old buildings as a nod to it's humble but important beginnings and holds heritage status due to importance to Australia's engineering past.

Tree houses are a favourite of kids (both big and small)

History and culture are important to how we move forward but what we learn from the past is just important. With this in mind, the reason for my latest blog comes from my visit to the rooftop garden situated on top of Yerrabingin House, home to Mirvac in South Eveleigh.

In a garden, high above a rooftop.....

Yerrabingin was founded in 2018 by Christopher Hampson and Clarence Stockee, both Aboriginal descendants who are passionate about their people, celebrating and sharing their culture through various educational opportunities. Together, with the garden acting as a conduit, they have developed a space that not only delivers landscape design principles but programs that are accessible to both the public and private sectors.

Both men have an extensive background in Environmental and Cultural Heritage Management as practitioners and educators. Their idea to disrupt the 'norm' when it came to Aboriginal disadvantage and apply the practices of generations of indigenous people in modern landscape design principles and collaborations.

The rooftop garden was the first project launched by Yerrabingin, after more than a year's collaboration with Mirvac and various community stakeholders. The result is a world-first indigenous rooftop farm that is set up to offer more opportunities for their people to use or learn about their specific skills as well as using the space to promote environmentalism, education and entertainment opportunities.

Multi million Dollar Views

The garden, although small in size, is quite inviting with it's crushed granite path. The garden beds are packed with many natives species, some that generally don't get much of a chance in modern design. Like many of Australia's vegetation communities, the rooftop garden is made up predominately low shrubs and ground covers but this is also dictated by the aspect.

Meet the Locals - a mix of Native Shrubs & Groundcovers

In it's short history the garden has grown over 2,000 edible, medicinal or culturally significant plants. The elevation of the site and the garden beds themselves have lent to somewhat of a trial and error planting - somethings worked that weren't expect to and vice versa. The result is productive garden with culturally significant plants that are supplied to local restaurants and cafes and in turn have encouraged the use of "bush foods" both locally and internationally.

The garden space also lends itself to social and team building events as well as food and drink making courses, all designed to explore the use of lesser know ingredients, that have had much history with Indigenous Australians, but are now becoming more significant to modern communities.

Recently Yerrabingin was awarded the Delicious Outstanding Native Producer by Australia's top chefs and the Australian Institute of Horticulture because of their innovative design and contribution to educational opportunities.

Aussie As Ingredients

The popularity of native ingredients has been driven by enterprises such as Yerrabingin and the need for local flavors to set us apart on the world stage. Australia's Indigenous ancestors have know about the benefits of these plants for many generations and it is the need for this information to be passed on that has allowed the broader community to be able to enjoy these ingredients in more recent years.

Once confined to high end restaurants and hard to access food wholesalers, many native ingredients are finding their way into our supermarkets or being added to our favourite dishes and beverages. Many of us know about plants such as the Macadamia Nut or the heavenly Lemon Myrtle but some of the lesser know things you once wouldn't have know about/be able to find are gaining popularity.

Did you know about such ingredients as Wattle seeds? with their somewhere between coffee and chocolate flavour can be easily added to your next baking adventure. How about the crunchy texture and savoury flavour of Salt Bush? it's leaves that can easily be introduced to your next salad. Or even the Mountain Pepper? that can add a native zing to your next pepper squid.

You can find so much info on native bush foods online, from what plants to grow (and where to buy them - local council nurseries are a great place to start), where to buy processed ingredients and delicious recipes (I have found SBS Food a great source of ideas). If you have the time and can grow or source the ingredients, I suggest giving them a go. It will open a world of new flavours and at the very least a great reason to try something new, (native) variety is the spice of life!

Tasmannia lanceolata - Mountain Pepper

Tetragonia tertagonoides - Warrigal Greens

Wattle Seeds - whole and ground

Atriplex nummularia - Old Man Saltbush

Since I began this blog the world has changed a bit to say the least. The globe has been partially shut down for weeks now and we are all adjusting to a new "normal". I think we can take a lot from the ideas organisations like Yerrabingin and people like Clarence and Christian are promoting - that getting back to basics, having more of a community based outlook will help better sustain our future.

There hasn't been a better time to get into the garden, be you an amateur or expert gardener and try something with a bit more local flavour. Utilise plants and ingredients that are more suited to our conditions and looking to our own backyards before venturing too far. We all complain that we are too time poor but things like pandemics can be a blessing in disguise - time to reset and identify things that matter more and that we can work differently to help us move forward.

Parched

Australia - a big brown land.

Unless you have been living under a rock or from another planet, you know most parts of Australia are experiencing the worst drought conditions in living memory. Many towns are coming to terms with the very stark reality of life without water.

In Sydney, we have just been put on Level 2 Water Restrictions, these are the strictest levels for over a decade - the last time they were in affect was 4 year period between 2003 and 2008. In 2009 Sydney Water imposed "Waterwise Rules" even after restrictions were receded. These rules were brought into manage and promote more efficient watering practice, these rules included:

* All hoses must now have a trigger nozzle.
* Hand held hoses, sprinklers and watering systems may be used only before 10 am and after 4 pm

   on any day – to avoid the heat of the day.
* No hosing of hard surfaces such as paths and driveways. Washing vehicles is allowed.
* Fire hoses may be used for fire fighting activities only.

Most of the water used in the household is consumed internally but it is usually the garden that suffers the most, being that it is outside, it is the easiest to see (and to be caught out breaking the rules).

 More significantly, for the horticulture industry, nursery trade slows down. People aren't prepared to do anything more to their garden if they can't keep it looking tip top. Although this time of the year is not great to be planting, it usually falls within a time when retail sales are most rewarding for nursery owners. 

So what measures can you take to keep your garden looking good while being water wise? It all starts with good preparation, generally the best time to plant is through Spring and Autumn, avoiding the hottest and coldest parts of the year. These periods are less stressful for you and your plants and are also good times to prepare for the coming extremities.

• The good soil

Healthy soil will go a long way to helping your plants establish and thrive, even when most under stress. Maintaining soil moisture is important but it doesn't always mean irrigating the ground, you want to build and encourage soils to retail moisture, not too much of course as that leads to other issues, but it is very hard to re-hydrate dry soil. 

Beached as bro!

When soils dry out they become hydrophobic, this is the case for many soils containing higher levels of clay. Irrigate all you like, water will follow the path of least resistance and you'll probably just watch it run off. Now the easy "solution" would be to add a wetting agent. These products break the surface tension allowing the water to penetrate to soil surface and head down through the profile. But soils ain't easy and transformation isn't quick. Good preparation is needed to reduce multiple applications of wetting agent products.

Soils are really slow to change (without serious intervention) and what they need the most is time. The first settlers to Australia found out quickly that a lot of our soil types are impoverished and for over 200 years we have been changing them much faster than natural processes would do, the result  has also had a negative effect on the natural environment.

The heart and soil of a good garden

So when you are starting out or trying to improve soil it will take time, you will need to be patient and persistent. The addition of organic material such as compost is a great way to start changing the composition of your soil. Healthy soil will attract many beneficial organisms that will add life back to the soil, rewarding you with healthier, stress resistant plants. Be prepared to persist!

• How much mulch?

The practise of mulching has been around for many, many years and is a great practice to start if you haven't done so before. The idea is that it helps insulate the soil temperature and plant root systems. It also slows down soil moisture evaporation and in the long term it breaks down and adds organics back into the soil - circle of life! It also helps suppress weeds that will compete with your more desired plants for food and water.

Mulch can be both beneficial and aesthetically pleasing

How quickly this happens is all dependant on what type of mulch you use. The finer the material the quicker it breaks down. Finer materials may also cause problems with air flow at the soil level and even becoming hydrophobic, which is the opposite of what your trying to achieve. Finer materials should be changed regularly or at least turned to ensure they don't cause these types of issues.

How much mulch you should use depends who you ask. Everyone in the industry seems have a different idea and this just creates confusion. The rule of thumb is about 10cm deep, but this will vary depending on the type of product. You can get many colours and grades (thickness of bark) as well as many types but mostly from bark and wood products which are better for more ornamental type garden settings. Otherwise there are products made from and grasses and legumes (such as pea straw or lucerne) and composted materials which are generally better for vegetable and herb gardens.

Many Mulches - but which one?

Mulching by itself isn't the magic bullet, good soil preparation, as discussed above is critical in good soil health, putting mulch on poor soil is almost the same, except you don't have to look directly at the poor soil anymore. Mulching is another longer term process that will add health benefits to your soil, mulching over good soil is just like slipping into a freshly made bed. 

* Which plants?

Planting the right plant for our conditions is also paramount to have long term success in your garden, not only when water is plentiful but for times like these that Australia is currently experience. The aim should be to create a water wise garden for all types seasons and years.

Information about water efficient gardens can be found all over the internet, other good places are to start are local council or government agencies. The basis of a water wise garden is the selection of hardy plants that have minimal water needs once established.

Try a native - local and adaptive

The first plants that come to mind are succulents and natives, Both have the ability to survive with low water use and in the case of natives, evolved to the sometimes harsh local conditions. The selection and breeding of both these types of plants has resulted in some very pretty and ornamental varieties hitting the market, which gives the home gardener a lot more choice.

Sunny Suckers!

Lastly, check out your own neighbourhood when looking for planting ideas. On your next stroll around the block, pay attention to the gardens in your suburb. In newer areas it's hard to compare older plantings with newer to see what works best. We should maybe also look at the old school ornamental plants that our Grandparents tended to, yes the might be outdated but look at all those terrible boy and girls bands of the 90's - somehow they got relevant again.

Got some space and looking for something to give your garden shade and colour? A few tree species worth trying are Crepe Myrtles - Lagerstroemia sp. (specifically the 'Indian Summer' varieties), Brachychiton including B. acerifolius, B. populneus & B. rupestis (and the newer grafted or hybridised varieties), Olives - Olea europea varieties such as 'Swan Hill' or 'Tolley's Upright' and the fan favourite Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

A trio of toughness Olea 'Tolley's Upright' (Above Left),
Lagerstroemia 'Tuscarrora' (Above Right) and
Brachychiton acerifolius (Bottom Right)

Given our current predicament it's a great idea to look around the streets of where you live and see what's doing well BUT more importantly, what's not. It's something the planners of our cities will need to pay close attention to over the coming months as we look to planting (and planning) for the future.

* Water - the giver of life

One of the most precious commodities on earth, important to every single living thing on this earth. Unfortunately we rely on it too much and for most us, we take it for granted. Although it may not feel like changing your habits will do much on the broader scale, think of the drop of water hitting the pool, the ripple effect can cause waves.

So you have got your soil health on the mend, you've chosen the right plants, the mulch is down - what next? In Sydney you can only currently use a watering can before 10am and after 4pm to water your plants or use drip irrigation for 15 minutes during the same periods. The timing makes sense, especially during summer because it it gets too hot, plants shut down to minimise loss of water through their leaves and stems. It's also much easier on us humans to do it at this time too. 

Drips and drops - drip irrigation gets water to where it's needed.

Installing a drip irrigation system may be costly but it helps get water to the right spot more efficiently while reducing wastage. Irrigation systems can range from basic to high tech and will differ depending on the garden situation. Some automatic systems are smart enough to tell if the soil is dry or wet and water accordingly - but you will pay a premium for a set up such as this.

Yes you CAN - it may be a chore but it helps you get in the garden.

Using just a watering can can be laborious but isn't your garden worth it? If you have a small or potted garden - no sweat! But if you have a larger garden it may be an effort to get water to your plants - so for all you starting off, keep that in mind. Either way it is important to plan how and when you water. An idea is to group your garden in sections and rotate the watering chores. Look at what is growing in your garden and note if it needs more or less water and plan your irrigating accordingly.

So what other ways can you conserve and harvest water? As stated above, most of your household's water is used internally so let's start there. Limiting the amount of water you use is the most straight forward & common sense approach. It might not seem a lot at an individual household level but imagine if everyone did their bit!

Drip, Drop - make that leaky tap stop!

If you are a D.I.Y. kind of person, check your taps & shower head for leaks and replace seals - there's plenty of instructional videos on YouTube but if you're unsure maybe call a plumber, they can also recommend water saving options.

Utilising your grey water also is a good way of re-using that which would literally end up going down the drain. Connecting a extension grey water hose to your washing machine and divert it to your lawn or garden is a good way to keep them green.

BUT, grey water can be high in nutrients that may cause problems with sensitive plants. So before you reuse grey water check what's in your laundry detergent, also check with a local nursery to get tips on what species will do better. It may mean using grey water in conjunction with town water so that nasty elements don't built up in your soil causing a toxicity.

Your time starts.... now!

What else can we do? Limiting your showers to 4 minutes or less is a great start. So if you and partner are comfortable enough - shower together! Or if you prefer a little privacy, how about taking a bucket in with you for company? This will catch excess water and you'll be able to transfer to your watering can and in turn use it on your garden.

There are heaps more tips and hints, you can find plenty via your local water authority such as Sydney Water. So there we have it, a few things you can do to help your garden not just thrive but survive prolonged periods of heat and water restrictions. As I type these final words, it is now the 3rd day of very heavy rainfall around Sydney, but let's not fall back into our old ways cause it's wet outside.

Train yourself, as well as your garden, to be resilient, water wise and productive. Don't just be reactive to sudden and unpredictable change. It is very likely that the weather patterns we have seen across Australia recently will continue - it's up to us to make a difference and it all starts at home.

On the Verge

Taking it to the streets.

In a recent blog I looked at Guerrilla Gardening and how the movement actively tries to beautify our unused and neglected city spaces. Today I will take a look Verge Gardening and how local councils are helping residents take some ownership of their suburbs.

Verge Gardening is a more conventional (and totally legal) way to help design and maintain the nature strip outside your place, while beautifying your street and maybe making some gardening friends along the way.

If you're a lucky enough to have a nature strip outside your home, it usually consists of a street tree and some wood chip mulch, like below:

Unnatural nature strip.

Not an ideal situation, but slightly better than just grass (if you're lucky to have any with the drought that's griping Australia currently). Though there are a few councils being proactive to the way they look at nature strips and the role they can play in engagement and community pride.

In Sydney we are lucky to have a few councils actively encourage residents to take their love of gardening to the streets. It can be a win/win for the community and the council, the council can reduced management costs for nature strips and the community get some beautification. In my area, Inner West Council has developed the Sustainable Streets Program, while close by City of Sydney Council has the Footpath Gardening Policy

Council's who promote this type of programs will encourage participants to have well planned designs that address criteria (see links above for further detail) that produce a "safe" gardening space within the confines of the street verge, this is to alleviate any potential liability to pedestrians using the foot path or cars parking adjacent to these gardens.

Who would of thought, councils = red tape and rules? Yes I know, you were just about to run out side and dig up the nature strip and start planting - you ol' Guerrilla Gardener you! Just cool your heels, first there are a few things to consider before planting yous street verge.

What Lies Beneath?:

Most council programs will only allow a maximum of 300 millimetres depth when digging due to spacial constraints of foot paths and nearby infrastructure (pipes, cables, that wonderful NBN system, buried treasure etc). It is also a good idea to Dial Before You Dig and see what is actually below the ground before you going cutting the power off to your once friendly neighbours.

Love (as well as Cars, bikes & pedestrians) is all around:

When planting it's a great idea to take into account the use of the neighbouring footpath and curb (parking) and choose species that are easily contained (pruning or small growing), non obtrusive such as herbaceous perennials, grasses or succulent types. Using plants such as these will lower the chance of creating a trip hazard (god forbid people watching where they walk) and the likelihood of damage to cars as they park or opening doors (but more importantly, limiting any damage to the plants).

Which plant where?

So what plants should you consider? From the info above and depending on the specifications of your local council, water wise natives are a great start. It'll be easier to get the tick of approval from your local council and given the current water restrictions, easier to find these types of plants at your local nursery. Council nurseries (if yours has one) are are a great place to start too, as they have regular giveaways and stock local species endemic to the area you live in.

The use of herbs, fruit and vegetable's in verge planting projects isn't generally allowed, not because it's a terrible idea to grow your own but due to the possibility of soil contamination from run off from foot paths and streets. There are however many councils that provide locally funded or volunteer run community gardens where you can donate your time with the preparation and management of growing & harvesting these types of plants

Below is a (almost) fool proof list of species that will work well in a verge planting project:

* Stunning Shrubs

Westringia fruiticosa (Coastal Rosemary): Commonly found up and down the East Coast of Australia, this hugely popular landscaping staple is tough as old boots and won't take too much care once established. The straight species will get a bit taller, so smaller or compact species such as 'Zena' or 'Mundi' might suit a verge garden better.

Not such a (Warrior) Princess - Westringia fruiticosa 'Zena'

* Sunny Succulents

Carpobrotus glaucescens (Pig Face): This guy (or girl) is pretty tough. You may have seen it planted/growing in coastal areas, almost right down to the beach. Being a succulet, it stores a lot of moisture in it's flesh leaves (which are sort after by kangaroos and wallabies in time of drought). Towards the end of winter and into spring they'll reward you with bright pink/cerise flowers. Easy to propagate by cutting if you want to make some free plants.

Pretty Pig Face

Senecio serpens/S. mandraliscae (Blue Chalk Sticks): A pretty popular landscape plant due to it's hardiness but more so it's blue foliage and spreading habit. Senecio serpens tends to spread and get a bit more wiry with age (and if it's unkempt) whereas S. mandraliscae is a more tight, clump forming plant that is a bit neater with less care. The good thing about these (an other succulents mentioned below) is that they are easy to propagate from cuttings, so if your verge needs some extra's you can make free plants to fill up space/gaps.

S. serpens

S. mandraliscae

Aptenia cordifolia (Baby Sun Rose): Another fantastically easy to grow (and re-grow) succulent. It's glossy, heart shaped green leaves spread and fill in gaps with ease. It has a small pink flower that blooms from Spring to Autumn. If the flower looks familiar, you've probably seen one of it's many cousins as it is closely related to other pig-face succulents. There is also a variegated form (not always easy to come by) if you want to add a bit more colour to your colour palette.

'Baby Sun Rose'

* Grey Ground Covers and Great Grasses

Long time readers may have read some time ago that I have an affinity for grey leafed plants, new readers can check that edition here. But there is a good reason grey leaf plants work well in low maintenance gardens - they are usually tough as nails. Some great examples are:

Gazania tomentosa:
A landscape staple for decades, its striking grey foliage and bright yellow flowers have adorned roadside plantings for many years because it is tough. It's spreading habit is great for soil stabilisation, weed suppression and quick to fill in garden beds. It's downside is it has had the tendency to spread via seed. A newer, improved form was released a few years ago and is marketed as  being sterile (can't produce viable seed or hybridise with other Gazania's) plus the added bonus of having a double flower, making it a bit more bright.

Gazania 'Double Gold'

G. tomentosa

Chrysocephalum apiculatum/Helichrysum Yellow Buttons:
Another fairly popular plant in landscaping circles due to its foliage colour and interesting flower form and colour. These tough little guys do the trick in either native plantings or more ornamental settings. The straight for of Chrysocephalum  tends to be a bit more upright and open in habit, whereas 'Yellow Buttons' is lower crowing and more mat forming. Both do better in freer draining soils and in areas with less humidity. There is also an improved for called 'Silver & Gold' on the market. Cuttings are a little more tricky to take from these but it's well worth a try if you have had experience with native propagation.

'Yellow Buttons"

Chrysocephalum apiculatum

Dianella sp.
Speaking of landscape favourites, Dianella's have been used on mass for ages due to their spreading nature (from a rhizome - underground root structure that contains nodes where new leaves can emerge) and hardiness. Many native bees rely on the flowers for pollen for food and honey production. The downside to many of the 'straight' species of Dianella is that they tend to get tall & leggy and open. Much breeding has taken place over the last 10 years plus and has resulted in forms that are neater, have colour variation and clump better, creating fuller gardens for longer.

D. caerulea 'Cassa Blue'

Dianella caerulea

D. revoluta  'Revelation'

Lomandra sp.
Like the Dianella's above, designers and landscapers have had an affinity with using Lomandra in their projects forever (well maybe not that long). They are tough, the most common for L. longifolia can be found almost all over the eastern states, from inland bush to coastal plains. This form isn't ideal for verge plantings as it can grow too tall and be a little spiky for areas of foot traffic. Newer varieties such as 'Tanika', 'Verday' or 'Lime Tuff' would be better suited as they are smaller growing with a softer foliage and in the case of Tanika and Verday, a slightly weeping habit.

L. longifolia 'Verday'

L. longifolia x confertifolia ssp. pallida
'Lime Tuff'

L. longifolia 'Tanika'

There are many more options available than what has been outlined above. It is important to check with your local council about your rights and responsibilities and they are are great point of contact when starting a verge planting project of your own.

I hope this will inspire to you get involved with the community outside your house or apartment, hopefully you'll make a few new friends in your neighbourhood along the way - gardening is a great way to get outside and meet like minded people.