Learn about the many benefits of sustainable gardens for our environment, climate and community.
Replacing your lawn, fake lawn or exotic gardens with sustainable gardens will help create a brighter, more resilient and biodiverse future. Help by creating your own sustainable garden, by getting to know the different types of sustainable garden options and using our resources and tips to help you get started.
Benefits of sustainable gardens
Waterwise and Wildlife Friendly Gardens guide
View our Waterwise and Wildlife Friendly guide for information about how to create an urban garden that enhances the connectivity of green spaces and builds resilience in a changing climate.
Firewise Gardening
The State Government has developed a Firewise Gardening guide to help you with plant selection, positioning and management to help reduce the risk of damage and protect your home from a bushfire. This is increasingly important with the impacts of climate change.
Get inspired by nature
If you are after resilient, tough and fauna friendly native plants for your garden that suit our local climate and soils, and flower for days, then look to nature to guide your plant selection. Our bushland reserves include various significant plant species and communities, such as the threatened Banksia woodlands and Tuart woodlands. Read our Plants and People in Mooro Country publication to learn about our iconic and unique native species.
Growing your own food
Grow it local and community gardens
Sustainably grow productive edible gardens to reduce your carbon footprint and household food waste.
Learn more through Grow it Local, bushtucker gardens and our local community garden groups on growing fruit and vegetables in your garden.
The City provides a database of community groups, visit the City's Community Directory to view our local community garden groups.
Street trees and habitat trees
Whether living or dead, is a native tree with a hollow or substantial trunk diameter. Trees with a diameter exceeding 30-50cm may receive protection under State and Federal laws, as they serve as vital habitat for threatened species like black cockatoos. Habitat trees are crucial to the natural environment, taking a century or more to develop, particularly where urban environments offer limited options for our local wildlife.
The City provides free street trees to help green your garden and our neighbourhoods, and has a Significant Trees Register.
Fertilise Wise and finding your soil type
Using appropriate fertiliser practices reduces the amount of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen).
Fertilise wise and grow local guides are aimed at specific soil types. By identifying your particular soil type, you can design a garden with the most suitable plants for your area.
Check your soil type below or visit the Fertilser Wise website.