Lapwings on the Verge

Although Jenny has only done small gardens around the new trees on her verge, it is already attracting visitors.

ACF Community Brisbane Northside

member, Jenny Peat asked council to plant some street trees on her grass verge. She’s planted a garden around the base of each tree with native ground covers including Chrysocephalum apiculatum, Wahlenbergia (maybe gracilis) very small flowers on long stems, Viola hederacea, Orthosiphon aristatus (white form), Dianella sp., a small fern, (struggling), and a self-sown straw daisy growing up through the foliage of the Elaeocarpus reticulatus (Blueberry ash).

Two lapwings checking out the territory. The gardens protect the trunks of the new trees from mowing equipment and provide a better growing environment for the trees.

Shade, shelter, and food.

Close up. Verge gardens bring nature into our daily lives. Not just the native plants but whole ecosystems and food chains.

Big Projects or a Step at a Time?

You don’t have to convert the whole area to make a difference. Every small patch contributes, especially when it is close to the next small patch. Taking it slowly also gives time to observe, find out how different plants respond to that location, and adapt as you go.

As a bushcare volunteer, Jenny is used to the idea of working with nature to regenerate in small manageable steps, allowing the native plants to grow into the clear spaces as you clear away the weeds.

See more about the different approaches to verge gardens that are part of the Understanding the Space articles from

The Shady Lanes Project

Big Projects or Slow Gardening