On the topic of the real outdoors, I thought I would share what are some topics we can google, doodle or brood upon.
Now the first ones to be doodled over are:
Habitat Plantings/Bog Gardens/ Exotics - Natives - Indigenous Plants
These all are supportive of biodiversity and thus wild-life conservation.
Productive Planting
Try fruit trees on your nature strip, provided there's not alot of pollution on your street. Vegie plants can look artistic interspersed with sedums, marigolds, echiums, and plants with mixed colours and foliage. Never forget your companion planting guide. Sustainable Gardening Australia's website and booklets for sale, are very useful for this topic. Also, check out Van Leuwen Green's website - talk about a wonderland vegie garden.
Raingardens, Wetlands, Swales, Buffer Strips (in addition to Rain Water Tanks)
These all act as stormwater purifiers or water diverters so these can occur.
Permeable Paving Surfaces
Stepping stones, ground covers, crazy and random paving, Lilydale or Dromana topping (fine gravelly surface which does need topping up) plus commercially made permeable surfaces which can support car-parks, driveways and general pedestrian areas. These divert 'stinky stormwater' away from the drains and the house and also perform a filtering role too.
Roof Gardens and Vertical Walls
On a previous posting I mentioned putting in a roof garden on my small chicken shed, as experimentation. I am going to have to do some more work and not to worry, as nothing will be wasted ... err... the weed mat can be used in the garden, and I will replace it with a more effective filter layer. I will also need to attach another waterproofing layer. You cannot neglect the waterproofing on a green roof. The poor chook doesn't like the plip plopping drips in front of her nesting box ... no sirree. Just as well I started small!
Lawn and lawn substitutes such as ground covers
Poor old lawn can get bad-press. The fact is having a lawned or ground-covered area is much more beneficial for the planet than a decking. A small area can be hand-mowed and you can keep it small and go for some other permeable areas mentioned above, such as cobblestones and grass interspersed.
So sustainable landscaping can mean lots of options apart from the standard lawn and border planting set-up.
Don't forget the slogan: Out with the Outdoor Room and In with the Real. As Ali G would say, let's keep it real.
Blooming and Bold
Without the buzzards and bees
Where would we all bee?
In an outdoor room
Searching for shrubs and trees ...
A blog by Nicolle Kuna, author, Green Spin (or) Promoting the Green Message (2012)
A blog about sustainable landscaping and some eco-humour and eco-creativity which helps open up audience receptivity.
Inside this blog we look at everything that is encroaching in to our natural urban landscapes –outdoor rooms (errchkem), weeds, nutrients, and the way these affect our rivers, ground-water and general environment. It's easy to forget that all our eco-systems are interconnected. The first few months of the blog are reflections on the benefits of gardens vs constructed backyards (a la the outdoor room phenomenon). More nature in our midst is a blessed thing! There’s a bit of art to add extra colour and gardenesque inspiration.
Also see our website on social marketing for greenies
TIME FOR A GARDEN CHECK-UP ?
Nicolle and her fellow-workers do site visits from inner Melbourne out to northern suburbs, and can help with all the issues that crop up (pardon the err ... pun) with gardens, as with the wider landscape:
eg. plant recommendations, landscape materials to use (life cycle analysis, inputs, outputs, waste and recycling aspects), fertilisers to avoid, how everything we do affects local habitats, etcetera. Workshops can be arranged, to suit the needs of the group.
To contact us – go to the contact us page http://www.converseconserve.com as the contact facility on this blog has been giving us mischief.
What’s orange and black, homeless
and likes
to pounce?
A hopping mad Xmas beetle
in its new outdoor room.
Proper attribution for above garden design goes to
Andrew Jones, artist and designer.
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