Creating climate-wise verges
Many homeowners can find themselves grappling with the challenge of maintaining their verges. These areas on a property are ripe for climate-wise garden makeovers, which can have a massive benefit for both the looks and the local fauna of a neighbourhood.
Homeowners often seek guidance from our Mingle team on how to get the most from their verges. So Mingle is showcasing tips from our Climate Wise Garden Designs booklet.
With the help of a team of community volunteers, Mingle lead a stunning makeover of a local verge in Taylor. It demonstrates the principles outlined in the booklet and provided a beautiful example for residents to draw inspiration from when thinking about their own verge transformations.
Putting a red-hot team together
Mingle called out to Taylor residents for a verge in need of a make-over. Luckily Michelle and Travis' 16m sloping verge on a corner block ticked all the boxes.
Mingle partnered up with landscape architect Edwina from The Climate Factory, who wrote our Climate Wise Garden Designs Booklet and who has the vision to build a micro-forest or tiny forest in every urban hot spot in Australia. The Mingle team also worked with internal specialists at SLA, Yarralumla Nursery and Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS) to meticulously plan out a low-maintenance makeover for Michelle and Travis that complies with the TCCS Nature Strip Guidelines.
Dirty hands and a stunning makeover
The verge went through an incredible makeover worthy of any prime-time TV spot! Starting from a thicket of 1.5m-high grass and stubborn weeds, the team then had to crack through some seriously rock-hard clay soil. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and began cultivating the tough soil, turning it into perfectly mulched and aerated garden beds.
The best part is that the locals were right there, getting their hands dirty and asking the gardening experts questions for their own verges and gardens. Everyone left with inspiration, tips, a sense of community and the confidence to get started on their own verges and gardens.
The makeover not only focused on enhancing the visual appeal of the verge but also prioritised environmental sustainability. By implementing water-wise gardening techniques and selecting native, climate-wise plant species, the garden will use less water and support local biodiversity - bringing beneficial insects, lizards and birds into the neighbourhood. Michelle and Travis will have a climate-wise, low-maintenance verge garden to enjoy for years to come without ever needing to drag their mower out to their front yard.
Gardens create wildlife corridors
Native gardens play an important role as 'pathways' that connect fragmented habitats and allow for the movement of wildlife. By incorporating native plant species in your gardens, you can help create a network of interconnected habitats, providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds for a diverse range of native fauna.
Your front garden corridors serve as lifelines for various species, enabling them to navigate urban areas, access vital resources, and find refuge. From small insects and birds to mammals and reptiles, native gardens offer a sanctuary in our suburbs.
