Tag: Gardening

It’s Biodiversity Month

Biodiversity Month banner

September is National Biodiversity Month, which is an annual celebration of the natural environment and the life it provides Biodiversity Month is about encouraging the protection, conservation and growth of biodiversity worldwide.

The City is celebrating Biodiversity Month by running events and promotions to encourage the growth and preservation of biodiversity.

National Threatened Species Day is also held on 7 September each year celebrating our threatened species, such as the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, priority Quenda and near-threatened Southwestern snake-necked turtle.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity encompasses all living things on our planet and the vast ecosystems that make up our Earth. This includes all animals, plants, fungi, micro-organisms, minerals and even water. Humans, like all animals, depend on biodiversity, and without it, we would not be able to survive.

Biodiversity Month raises awareness of some of the threats to biodiversity, which include:

  • invasive species, such as plants, animals and diseases
  • ecosystem modification caused by land clearing, global warming, natural disasters, fire management and pollution
  • human population growth.

Australia is a group of only one of 17 ‘megadiverse’ countries. The megadiverse countries cover less than 10 per cent of the world’s area but have more than 70 per cent of its biodiversity.

Many of our plants, animals and places are unique and can’t be found anywhere else in the world. We are lucky to live in such a special place, and it’s important we protect and conserve our unique biodiversity.

Celebrate Biodiversity Month

The City is running multiple events throughout the next few months to celebrate the City’s biodiversity.

Jarrah Trail Self-Guided Walk Official Launch

Jarrah Trail self-guided walk official launch
Sunday 25 August 2024, 1pm-3pm

Bring your curiosity, sense of adventure, and smartphone to this wonderful opportunity to walk through the beautiful Warwick Bushland. The Jarrah Trail self-guided walk combines education with creativity, culture, history and natural wonders.

Book online

Discovery Session – Sustainable Pest Management
Monday 16 September 2024, 6pm-7.30pm

Invertebrates such as insects and spiders are vital for healthy ecosystems. Come along to our workshop to hear entomologist and urban ecologist Dr Lizzy Lowe, alongside David Piggott from Systems Pest Management WA, talk about the important jobs that invertebrates do in our gardens and how we can tell pests from a pal.

Book online

Discovery Outbound - Photo Walk

Discovery Outbound – Herdsman Lake photography walk
Friday 20 September, 9.15am-1.30pm

City of Joondalup Libraries’ Discovery Outbound program offers a wide range of activities and excursions for adults aged 50 and older that are active, creative, educational and entertaining.

Join photographer Michael Pelusey on a walk around Herdsman Lake, snapping photos of birdlife, scenery and flora. 

Book online

Morning birdwalk at Neil Hawkins Park
Saturday 21 September, 2024 8am-10am

Join Brendan Kinsella from Birdlife WA on a guided walk around Neil Hawkins Park. Learn to spot different bird species, how to conserve the local ecosystem and how community members can get involved in protecting wildlife. Includes refreshments and a Q and A, as part of the City’s Biodiversity Month celebrations.

Book online

Jack Bromell Art trail walking tour
Sunday 22 September 2024, 10am – 11.30am

Join us on a guided walk through Western Australia artist Jack Brommell’s mural trail that features some of the unique and biodiverse species that call the City home. This interactive experience will take you on a journey through Central Park Bushland, where you can also view the native wildflowers and wildlife on display during Djilba.

Book online

Discovery Session - Birds and Backyard Biodiversity

Discovery session – Birds and backyard biodiversity
Saturday 19 October 2024, 10am-11.30am

Join the brilliant Brendan from Birdlife WA for an im-peckable workshop about supporting birds and biodiversity in your own backyard. You will learn how to attract birds to your garden, how to tell pest parrot from native birds, and how you can help threatened and endangered species.

Book online

September school holiday program

Saturday 21 September-Sunday 6 October 2024

The fun doesn’t stop there! The City is running an extensive school holiday program full of fun celebrating all things nature and biodiversity. Events include a Spider Safari, Plant Prints, Native Wildlife Encounters and Aquatic Animals. Book online via Ticketbooth from Monday 9 September 2024.

How can we improve biodiversity?

Plant native species

Go native in your garden. Native plants support native wildlife, providing them with habitat by creating a food source and home. Native gardens can also provide stepping stones for local wildlife to safely move between green spaces and create habitat corridors in the urban environment.

Stay updated about our upcoming Native Plant Giveaway 2025 by subscribing to the City’s Sustainability eNewsletter.

Visit the Growing local native plants page to access native gardening resources.

Help increase our tree canopy

Native trees (whether living or dead) support biodiversity by providing habitats, such as hollows, for wildlife, providing a food source, and cooling temperatures around our homes. You can apply by filling out the City’s online application form to plant a street tree on your verge for free.

Weed them out

Weeds and common garden escapees can cause havoc on our natural environment, impacting food sources for wildlife and some non-native species can even be poisonous to native species and our waterways. When gardening, aim to plant natives and make sure you remove weeds responsibly.

Join a Friends Group

Friends Groups protect, enhance and improve biodiversity across the City’s natural areas. By joining your local Friends Group, you can participate in large-scale conservation projects and events that will make a huge difference in your local area.

Find out more about how you can get involved by visiting our Friends groups page.

 

Raising eco-conscious children with early environmental learning

Value and respect for the environment often starts with community, connection and care for nature from a young age. In a world where our planet needs love and care, teaching our little ones about being kind to the environment can empower them to make positive choices throughout their lives.

MercyCare’s Heathridge Early Learning Centre is committed to raising a community of environmentally conscious children who develop a life-long care for the natural environment. Their centre is not only a place for learning, but a place for excitement, exploration and fun. Children enjoy climbing trees, running around outside and fully immersing themselves in the natural environment as part of their learning experience.

Raising eco-warriors

Children develop a lifelong love of learning and caring for the environment through MercyCare Heathridge Early Learning Centre’s many initiatives, such as their one of a kind ‘Eco Warrior Program.’

The Eco Warrior Program is an environmental learning program where children discover environmental issues and how they can work towards solving them. The Program sets monthly sustainability goals that align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the children work towards achieving them within the centre every month.

Each goal covers being waterwise, reducing waste, saving energy and building sustainable cities and communities.

Children in all three age groups at the centre take part in various age-appropriate activities that work towards achieving that month’s goal for each topic. These practices are also embedded into their daily routines at the centre and at home, which work towards developing lifelong sustainable habits.


All three age groups work towards achieving each month’s sustainability goals.

The race against waste

Learning about the waste hierarchy is an incredibly important tool for children and adults alike to build healthy waste avoidance habits. Starting with avoiding waste is the first and most important step to making a difference.

One part of the daily routine for children at MercyCare Heathridge Early Learning Centre is working towards their recycling and waste reduction goals. The centre uses a three-bin system in the children’s rooms, and at play. The bin system uses the same colours and waste disposal guide as the City’s three-bin system, to get the children accustomed to using the system both at the centre and at home.

The centre also uses Containers for Change to recycle their drink containers. Both the children and their families get involved in the program, with all the outcomes of their efforts working towards achieving their waste goal.

There are two worm farms at the centre, with children given the opportunity to be ‘Worm Warriors’ to coordinate the collection of scraps to feed the worms. The worm wizz and castings are used to fertilise the centre’s veggie garden, and children love learning about the worms and watching their food scraps get eaten up!

 
Using the three-bin system is both a playtime activity, and a waste disposal system at Heathridge Early Learning Centre.

Environmental engagement for all ages

Gemma Gardiner is the Manager of MercyCare Heathridge Early Learning Centre. Gemma thinks that children engaging with the environment and nature is important at all stages of their lives.

“They are our future Eco Warriors. We need to teach children that their actions can have a big impact on the world around them, so that they can become stewards of the environment from an early age.”

The children take home what they learned to their families and become educators about the environment themselves. Gemma has noticed that the children have an increased interest and awareness of the world around them during their time at the centre, as well as an increased respect for the environment. The holistic approach to environmental learning provides many benefits and opportunities.

Gemma recalls a proud moment she witnessed between a TAFE student and a child at the centre. When the TAFE student was about to tip her old water from a bottle down the sink, the child reminded her that “we don’t waste our water from lunch, we water the trees” and took her by the hand to go and water their mango tree. Moments like these demonstrate the huge difference that early environmental learning can make towards building healthy habits, and the positive impact that environmental education can make.

Left: Harvesting fruit from the apple tree, that is often watered using leftover water from lunch.

Right: Children planting seeds in repurposed egg cartons for their vegetable garden.

Creating mini-gardeners and MiniChefs

MercyCare’s Heathridge Early Learning Centre has a vegetable garden, fruit trees, compost bins and worm farms for the children to learn all about the benefits of growing their own food. Children are involved with gardening right from the beginning each year. They plan out the garden by researching what plants grow at each season, which plants are safe to eat and what will work best in the vegetable garden.

The children then get involved with planting from seed, and later transplanting their seedlings, mulching, watering and fertilizing their vegetable garden. When it’s time to harvest, they also help with collecting their produce.

The produce collected is then used for cooking experiences as part of MercyCare’s MiniChef program. The children learn how to use their produce in recipes, and how to use the entire fruit or vegetable to limit food waste. Anything left over is put back into the compost bin or worm farm, ready to nourish the vegetable garden and start the cycle all over again!

Programs like this provide an invaluable learning opportunity that teach children the value of fresh and healthy food, gardening and reducing food waste. Gardening and cooking experiences provide children with lifelong skills and habits that will help them for many years to come.

Teaching the next generation

Gemma has some great advice for parents, caregivers, educators or teachers to inspire their own children to love and enjoy nature.

“Allow the children to wonder, we don’t need to have all the answers for them.  By following the lead of children you will be amazed where you can go.”

It is never too early for children to start learning, exploring, respecting and loving the world and natural environment around them. Here are some ways that you can get involved and help teach our future generations about loving and caring nature:

  • Join your local Friends Group – Friends Group events are fantastic ways to get involved in learning and appreciating the natural environment. Their family-friendly community planting, weeding and watering events are a lot of fun for all ages. Becoming involved in a volunteer group with your family is not only a fantastic bonding opportunity, but also a rewarding experience for everyone involved.
  • Learn together – head to your local library to discover the amazing resources, workshops and learning experiences they have to offer for both you and your child. Libraries are a wonderland of environmental knowledge and nature resources for you both to explore.
  • Explore the natural environment – the City has so many wonderful natural areas for both kids and adults to enjoy. Consider grabbing a Nature Passport from your local library or access it online and start exploring. The best way to develop an appreciation for the natural world is to go out and see it!
  • Garden for wildlife – undertaking a gardening project, such as creating a waterwise verge, a veggie garden patch or planting some native trees are a great way to teach your child about protecting wildlife, creating ecological corridors and how to take care of the environment. The City have a range of gardening resources, including a soils map, that can be accessed here. You can also start a ReWild Garden together, ticking off the checklist as you go.
  • Take Active Transport – Teach your child the importance of taking active and sustainable modes of transport by walking, riding or catching public transport to school. It is a great way to keep active and also do your part for the environment.
  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost! – working together to reduce waste and using innovative ways of avoiding waste going into landfill is a valuable habit and way of thinking that will be crucial as we work towards building a circular economy as a society.

 

Waterwise Demonstration Garden

Lawns are often used in home gardens and public open spaces for amenity and aesthetic reasons, however, with a warming climate and the increasing need to conserve water and cool down our streets, many people are opting to transform their lawned areas into waterwise and biodiverse gardens.

Waterwise gardens have so many benefits. Waterwise and native gardens not only save water, reduce the urban heat island effect, provide habitat for local wildlife and improve biodiversity, but they also provide many physical and mental health and well-being benefits for the entire community.

The City aims to promote waterwise and native gardens and their benefits through its many waterwise initiatives.

Joondalup Administration Building Waterwise Demonstration Garden

The City of Joondalup installed a waterwise and biodiverse native garden out in front of the City’s Administration Building in July 2023. The project was proudly supported by the Water Corporation and designed by The Forever Project. 

The City of Joondalup Administration Building Waterwise Demonstration Garden

Growing local native plants

The front garden of the Administration Building was previously overgrown and required regular irrigation using groundwater. The exotic plant species were removed from the garden, but the native plants, such as the existing Silver Princess tree and mature Acorn Banksias, were retained. 

The garden bed was transformed into a living waterwise landscape full of local flora species and a habitat for wildlife. Over 200 new native species were planted, such as Ground Banksia, Native Pigface and Tar Bush. A new Jarrah tree was also planted in the garden to provide shade and increase the urban tree canopy. Using all locally native species meant that the plants were adapted to the local soil conditions and climate. 

The City encourages growing local native plants that suit your soil type. To find out soil type and discover local native plants that will thrive in your garden, visit our Growing Local Native Plants webpage.  

Habitat for wildlife

The garden’s existing limestone rocks were retained so that they could continue to provide a habitat for the lizards and birds that frequently visit the garden.  

Two gabion seats, filled with additional limestone rocks, were made and added to the garden. These seats not only entice visitors to sit and enjoy the garden but also provide additional protection to wildlife from the weather and predators.  

A bird bath was installed in the garden to provide a water source for wildlife and add visual amenities. Small native birds such as the Djidi Djidi (Willie Wagtail) and the Bandiny (New Holland Honeyeater) are frequently seen enjoying the garden and the habitat it provides for them. 

Visit our Protect our Wildlife resource to find out more ways to provide habitat and protection for wildlife. 

Residents watched as the Administration Building Waterwise Demonstration Garden transformed into a Waterwise and biodiverse garden.

Residents attended to watch the transformation while The Forever Project delivered a presentation on creating Waterwise native gardens. Attendees learned about soil improvements and techniques, waterwise native plants, weed management and garden maintenance tips for them to take home to their own gardens.

Waterwise and firewise design

Alongside the native plants that require very little water, pathogen-free course mulch was used to retain moisture and also provide visual aesthetics. Recycled rock and rubble materials were used to form the garden’s pathway, which also meant the garden was a firewire design. 

The garden now features educational signage full of waterwise gardening tips, local native plant species information, waterwise plant ratings and habitat ratings.  

Signage highlights the species in the demonstration garden, their waterwise ratings and habitat overview.

Waterwise gardens green, beautify and cool our communities. Waterwise demonstration gardens like the City’s Administration building garden raise awareness of the importance of verges and gardens as green spaces that can provide canopy cover and habitat for wildlife. 

Signage in the garden highlights waterwise gardening techniques, including soil preparation, plant selection and timing, mulching and watering tips.

Why Waterwise biodiverse gardening?

Whether it’s your verge, entire front garden or just a small garden bed around the side of your house, implementing a waterwise and biodiverse garden has so many huge benefits.

  • You will save water.
  • You will save time maintaining your garden. Waterwise native gardens often require less weeding, pruning, mulching, and hand watering.
  • Your garden will look amazing all year round.
  • Creates a climate-resilient and long-term sustainable garden. 
  • Provides habitat for wildlife, and you will enjoy many more birds, lizards, small marsupials and even frogs in your garden.
  • Cool your home and counteract the urban heat island effect. 
  • Contributes to healthy drainage around your home. 
  • Improves the value of your property. 
  • Improves your and the community’s mental and physical health.

By creating waterwise gardens and requesting a free street tree from the City, you can help to create cool, green and biodiverse neighborhoods that combat the urban heat island effect and help build a sustainable and climate-resilient community. 

Tips and resources

Joanne Burgess from Wildflower Society of WA’s Northern Suburbs Nursery

Most people are content contributing their time to one volunteer task or role to make real, meaningful and positive change. Joanne is not one of those people and is volunteering her time to help with numerous sustainability, conservation and community causes across Perth and, importantly, she stays true to her values and inspires those around her.

Joanne is many things: a keen and experienced gardener, former Sustainability Officer at the City of Stirling, and more recently, is focusing her efforts on helping conserve, educate and green our neighbourhoods through volunteering with Wildflower Society of WA (WSoWA) at the Northern Suburbs Branch Nursery and Friends of Kings Park in the Growing Friends group. Joanne also volunteers as a dog walker with Pets of Older Persons (POOPS); helps promote active travel through her role as a casual Bike Education coach with People on Bicycles and volunteers her time to help with several citizen science projects that help wildlife including Birdlife’s Great Cocky Count; the Bird in Backyards Seasonal Surveys; the Aussie Bird Count and more. She is also adding to her diverse skill-set and is training to volunteer as a literacy tutor with Read Write Now.

Joanne has also supported the City to implement its Waterwise Verge Rebate Program, with the WSoWA being one of the participating nurseries in the program. Through this program, 100 households in the City will be transforming their lawn, fake grass or paving into beautiful, biodiverse and waterwise verge gardens.

 

Promoting the conservation and enjoyment of wildflowers in WA 

The WSoWA is a community of wildflower enthusiasts who are connecting over WA’s incredible biodiversity and wildflowers, and inspiring others to explore ways to conserve WA’s unique flora and help people create sustainable gardens. Established in 1958, the Wildflower Society of WA has made a significant contribution to help everyone to better know, grow, conserve and enjoy the wildflowers of WA.

Joanne explains that the south-west of WA is a biodiversity hotspot and many of the plants are endemic to WA.

Joanne remarked that “so many people are yet to discover and enjoy the unique and wonderful diversity of WA flora! With the south-west of WA being a biodiversity hotspot, and many of these plants rare or threatened, the flora needs our help.”

“The south-west corner of WA is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. It is only 5% of the Australian land mass but one-third of all Australian flowering plant species grow here. The majority of these plants grow nowhere else in the world, and land clearing poses a huge risk of pushing many plant species into extinction.”

“Residential gardens and outdoor spaces have enormous potential to support our local flora and ensure that threatened plant species continue to exist.”

 

Conservation through Propagation 

The Northern Suburbs branch of the Wildflower Society of WA has a unique and wonderful nursery where WA’s flora, particularly the rare and unusual species, are the volunteer’s speciality. This is where Joanne spends her time helping to propagate plants from cuttings and seed and keeping the stock-plants used for the cuttings thriving.

The nursery is continually increasing the range of rare and threatened plants it propagates, to support the conservation and protection of these species. The volunteers only grow plants native to WA and many of the plant species are not commonly available or grown by other nurseries.

“By growing these plants and making them available for people to plant in their home gardens, we hope to preserve them and ensure that they don’t go extinct, as well as increase appreciation of the beautiful flora that WA has and support efforts to protect it.”, Joanne said.

Learn more about the services and activities our local Northern Suburbs Branch have on offer.

 

What’s happening in the nursery right now?

Did you know it takes six months to grow a plant from seed or a cutting?

This means the nursery is busy propagating plants to sell in September and October, which will be the last chance for people to get plants in the ground before it gets too hot.

The Northern Suburbs Branch is also planning for a relocation of the nursery over the next year or two to larger premises so they can grow more plants.

Image: Sally from the Wildflower Society’s beautiful native garden.

 

Benefits of Biodiverse Gardens

Gardens filled with local wildflowers provide homes, food, and places to socialise for wildlife and pollinators, as well as forming important stepping-stones or wildlife corridors between local reserves and waterways. Native plants are well adapted to local conditions, making them more suitable in the context of climate change.

“Native plants have evolved in local conditions and climate making them more resilient, waterwise and easier to maintain. By selecting the right species you can have flowers and colour all year round. Native gardens will still look beautiful with reduced water and increased heat.”

There are also many health and wellbeing benefits from gardening and connecting with nature.

“Just imagine if everyone on your street had a biodiverse and waterwise garden, how this could transform our neighbourhood streetscapes into a cool, green and liveable nature corridors helping the birds, insects, frogs and native animals to safely move and forage, which is really important for the long-term health of our urban bushland and fauna species.”

 

Get involved

  • Volunteer your time to help conserve WA’s flora and vegetation communities through a local Friends Group, WSoWA (website and Facebook) or one of the many other incredible volunteering opportunities near you.
  • Plant WA native plant species at your home: there are also many great nurseries offering native plants, find one that specialises in native plants or waterwise plants.
  • Learn more about and connect with nature and local flora in your local area.
  • Advocate for the protection of WA’s flora and vegetation communities.
  • Spread the word, because together we can make a difference.

 

Upcoming Event: Plant Sale Day

The WSoWA’s Northern Branch nursery’s annual autumn plant sale is happening on Saturday 22 April, 9.00am – 2.00pm. There are approximately 300 species of native plants available for sale, from trees to groundcovers and everything in between – many of which you can’t buy anywhere else.

Joanne and many of the volunteers will be in attendance to help you choose plants suitable for your garden and provide advice and answer all your questions.

 

Community Gardens

Community gardens bring many benefits such as enhanced social connections, education around sustainable practices and edible produce. Community gardens can create a sense of belonging and be very rewarding for people of all ages. The City takes a Community Development approach to community gardens and helps facilitate community gardens to be self-managed in a sustainable way by the community. It is not anticipated the City take an active role in establishing gardens directly or provide funding for the establishment or operations of gardens.

Community Gardens must be managed by an incorporated, not-for-profit community group and the community group must be sufficiently resourced and prepared to fund and manage the governance, membership, finances, insurances and operations of the Community Garden.

Should you wish to start a community garden please contact the Community Development Team on 9400 4226 or via email to discuss your idea.

Grow It Local Program

Grow It Local is a digital platform that encourages individuals to register their ‘patch’ then share produce, socially connect, share ideas and inspire one another to grow produce using sustainable practices. Residents can also share knowledge, skills, space, produce, seeds and seedlings, compost, food waste and more.

Grow It Local is community-led and enabled through technology by connecting local people that have time, space and skills with those that don’t. For example, connecting an experienced grower with a young family to mentor them on their growing journey.

Grow It Local is for everyone, including local growers, community gardeners and food lovers. It is also for composters and anyone with food waste such as local businesses and schools, as well as sustainability enthusiasts and community advocates. Grow It Local is suitable for both ‘givers’, such as contributors who want to share their home-grown produce or gardening tips, as well as ‘receivers’ who want to connect locally and benefit from advice, friendship or locally grown food.

For further information visit the Grow It Local portal.