A natural extension is a native verge garden
Leaving the decisions about street trees to councils still leaves the opportunity for residents to decide what to plant in their verge garden.
Leaving the decisions about street trees to councils still leaves the opportunity for residents to decide what to plant in their verge garden.
While street trees take priority, a native verge garden is a natural extension.
Small native shrubs trap fallen leaves to create a natural mulch and build habitat for small creatures and biodiversity in the soil. Groundcovers provide a living mulch and reduce weeds. The tree has no competition from grass and no damage from mowing equipment.
Local native plants don’t need added nutrients that contaminate the stormwater and creek systems. Perennial and self-seeding plants avoid unnecessary root and soil disturbance.
Once you’ve converted from grass to suitable native plants, these gardens are lower maintenance than mowing and edging.
As more residents plant gardens, corridors emerge for pollinators and other wildlife. Every new verge garden also adds to the value of the existing gardens.
This free article is part of the Understanding the Space section: bite-sized introductions to gardening in these small but wonderfully complex spaces.