Category Design

Using native plants to attract birds not only brings life, colour and song to our gardens, it also helps keep our local ecosystems balanced because of the roles birds play in pollinating plants, dispersing seed, controlling insects and, in some cases, even keeping rodents in check.

Bird habitats throughout the country are continually being cleared or destroyed, threatening vulnerable species. We have an opportunity to counter some of the imbalances this causes, by satisfying some or all of our local birds’ needs in our own garden. Their needs are simple; food, water, shelter and a place to nest. Choosing the right native plants for our gardens is one of the best ways to attract and support our native bird species.

Before starting to plan your bird-friendly garden, you can start by finding out what birds live in your area. Like us, they all have their individual likes and dislikes. Some love nectar while others prefer seeds or fruit. There are all manner of insects that birds enjoy and some will nibble on foliage and even bark.

The arrival of spring’s warmer weather is a great time to introduce chooks into your patch. More than just protection from weather and predators, a chicken coop needs to be well considered to ensure your flock stays happy, healthy and laying.

Integrating a flock of chickens into your patch has so many more benefits than simply a regular supply of healthy eggs. They process kitchen waste, fight common garden pests and produce nitrogen-rich fertiliser. When it comes to supplying them a cosy home, they have some specific requirements that need to be considered. But a well thought-out design – both in terms of the structure itself and how it fits into your space – will ensure you’re getting the most from your flock, while they stay happy and healthy.

For Jaclyn Crupi and her partner Andrew Stewardson, transforming a disused tennis court into a productive vegie garden was about finding a design that balanced history, happiness and health.

In 2019, Jaclyn and Andrew acquired half an acre on the Mornington Peninsula, less than 100 kilometres southeast of Melbourne. On it stands a mid-century home that remains practically unchanged from what would have been regarded a quite forward-thinking build in its day, right down to the pantry’s cold cupboard next to the small original kitchen at the rear of the home.

Imagined by Andrew’s grandmother and designed by his grandfather in 1948, the home has been the Stewardson family’s holiday destination for as long as Andrew can remember. Filled with as much light as important memories, it’s not the building we’re here to see, but the impressive enclosed vegetable garden Jaclyn and Andrew have created on the property’s original tennis court.

Drawing on the wisdom of Indigenous Americans, the Milpa method of gardening mimics a forest ecosystem to promote fertility and increase resilience.

Adapted from the forest ecosystem by Indigenous Americans over a period of thousands of years, Milpa gardens are an elegant response to the challenges every natural gardener faces; weather, weeds, fertility and pests. The method increases drought and inundation resilience, while promoting natural fertility by recreating the managed forest gardens, the natural habitat of humanity.

North American Indigenous gardener and environmental biologist Mel Landers was seduced by the gardening techniques he encountered following fieldwork with the Urarina people of the Peruvian Amazon in 1969, triggering a lifelong study of the Milpa system.

Implementing permaculture design into the home garden doesn’t have to be a complex and drawn-out process, you just have to look at what nature is doing and follow her lead.

The aim of using permaculture design in the home garden is to imitate nature and allow your garden to maintain itself with minimal input from humans. In nature no element stands alone. Our natural ecosystems are made up of complex synergies where plants, animals, insects and the elements are all working together supporting and nourishing one another.

In healthy ecosystems all these parts are effortlessly working together, feeding and creating habitats for one another to survive. You too can create a garden where you can allow nature to do a lot of the work.

Most of us already know how effective worms are at turning kitchen waste into rich garden goodness, but there are other ways they can help around the home.

Worm farms have become an increasingly common sight in productive backyards and urban gardens over the last few decades. And given their compact design, lack of odour and minimal labour investment, it’s easy to see why.

While worm farming (also known as vermicomposting) remains one of the best ways to convert organic waste into soil-improving compost, the system also has the potential to do some heavier lifting for us around the house. Recent studies have shown vermicomposting is also an excellent option for treating grey and black wastewaters, stabilising heavy metals in soils and even degrading persistent chemicals within our soils.

Create a thriving and productive mini ecosystem that supports your fruit tree by designing a guild – a permaculture technique in which a group of plants are chosen to complement and support a central plant.

Guilds are a great way to make the most of under-utilised space in the garden and to obtain a diverse yield. Whether your garden is small or your property vast and rambling, the space under and around your fruit trees is valuable real estate. Being mindful with what you plant there can bring many benefits to the fruit trees, to your other garden inhabitants and to yourself. A guild can bring higher yields as it adds nutrients, attracts pollinators, stabilises temperatures and controls pests and diseases. By creating a little food forest of mutually beneficial plants below your fruit trees you can obtain a bountiful mixed yield, while at the same time, reducing the amount of work you need to put into it. Win win!

Turning a challenging piece of land into a productive permaculture patch doesn’t need to be as daunting or as difficult as you might think. Successful design starts with providing honest answers to the right questions.

Michelle and her two kids live in the northern suburbs of nipaluna/Hobart on a 750 mÇ urban property. Chosen for its low-maintenance house and the relatively large land size, other would-be owners saw overgrown lawn and a steep slope, but Michelle saw her future edible landscape.

As a passionate gardener striving for a productive patch, Michelle wasn’t interested in just popping in a garden bed here and there, she wanted to completely transform the property. We worked with Michelle to first understand what she wanted and how we could realistically achieve it given her challenging urban block, before turning it into a waterpreserving, soul-nourishing and nutrient-dense foodscape.