Helen's garden

I think this is a wonderful initiative on so many levels. It is important for Council and the community to work together to improve and sustain the environment. I would like to encourage more birds to my garden and my hope is that planting more native plants will also help to make my garden more water wise.

With urban densification, wildlife and vegetation corridors are being lost or interrupted. By planting native plants in the gardens, we can help to continue these corridors and encourage wildlife to our gardens.

My native plants are still relatively small and have not flowered yet, but when they grow larger, we should see a wider range of insects and small birds. I love the fine foliage of the native plants we chose. They look so healthy and add wonderful textures and contrasts to the garden. Other than watering in the hottest and driest weather, I have not had to water these native plants much.

I especially like the tea trees and the fringe myrtle; the delicate foliage is a good contrast to some of the larger leafed tropical plants nearby.

The Council officer and consultant that came around to look at the garden and advise on what plant could go where were so helpful, even providing a list of plants and their locations to me afterwards.

The garden is now a functioning ecosystem encouraging a range of bird and insect life. I have put in a bird bath, an insect hotel and have also added materials such as fine dog fur (down) and fine twigs and grasses in forks of trees for the birds to find for nest building.

Check out our Living Connections page for all the details and how to get involved.

Helen with her box of seedlings

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