Ku-ring-gai Council is offering practical help to residents who want to set up a ‘verge garden’ on their nature strip.
As part of its Urban Forest Strategy adopted last year, the council is offering practical support to residents wanting to make more of their nature strips.
Verge gardens are being promoted to improve the appearance of nature strips and also encourage more planting of natives, particularly those that boost local biodiversity and encourage pollinators such as bees.
They are proven to combat the effects of urban heat and reduce the effects of stormwater run-off.
The council’s verge garden program provides advice and a limited number of free plants to residents who qualify.
As a first step residents are invited to complete an online checklist to assess whether their nature strip is suitable.
Where possible residents are encouraged to use plants that are indigenous to the local area, with the Wildflower Garden’s plant nursery selling suitable tube stock.
Mayor Jeff Pettett said the verge garden idea was ‘catching on in Ku-ring-gai’.
“In the future verge gardens could make an important difference to lowering the temperature in summer and improving the appearance of local streets,” he said.
To find out more about the verge garden program and complete the online checklist go to krg.nsw.gov.au/vergegardens
