WILDLIFE GARDEN 

We were engaged to create a Planting Plan for a new Wildlife Garden for a client who wanted to contribute to protecting local native plants and animals by "Habitat Gardening". They wanted to garden in an ecologically diverse space, safe for local wildlife to live in and breed. The hard landscape construction elements were to be built by a licensed landscape contractor so the necessary documentation to allow that was provided. The client wanted to carry out the planting themselves so we created a planting plan to guide and support them.

The planting plan we have completed here illustrates the location and extent of where individual species are to be planted. A plant schedule is included detailing the number, species and container size. Photos of plants represent the species specified in this design.

Other documentation created as part of the complete drawing package illustrated detailed levels, drainage design, erosion control, soil preparation and maintenance. The planting plan will attract and become a new home for a variety of native wildlife, dealing with existing erosion issues by regrading and binding the soil, improving drainage infiltration and overland flow movement, slow water for plant uptake, polish water runoff to local waterways, providing a soul stimulating place of poetic beauty, abundance and quiet repose for the clients, providing close encounters with nature.

WILDLIFE GARDEN

This planting design is for a client who wanted to protect Brisbane native plants, animals and insects that live both above and below the ground. Featuring the small tree, the floral emblem of Brisbane, the powerhouse Wattle, Acacia fimbriata, or as known to its friends, simply as  "Fimby". Supporting roles in this scheme are played by Eucalyptus curtisii ,the Brisbane Plunkett Mallee, a small local Eucalyptus tree, classified as threatened due to land clearing, flowering profusely in October . As an alternative to lawn i have introduced to the stage Ottochloa gracillima, otherwise known as Graceful Grass, indeed ,gracing us with its presence with its ability to grow happily without chemicals or fertilisers while at the same time providing habitat and protection for ground dwelling lizards and escape routes for small frogs. Hovea acutifoila, the pointed leaf Hovea , will delight the Carpenter and Fire - Tailed Resin Bees with its abundant offerings of pollen and the sweetest nectars, whilst also providing the perfect food for many varieties of Butterflies including the Common Grass Blue. Lomandra confertifolia makes an appearance, with its combination of fragrant flowers and strappy foliage, will attract the attention of native bees and provide shelter for ground dwelling fauna. Finally ,in the blue corner we have Themeda triandra, also known as Kangaroo Grass, a favorite food of the Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Cockatiel and many Caterpillars.

Wildlife Garden Concept Sketch

Local insect species from my garden and suburb including a Praying Mantis eating a European Honey Bee in a Lilly Pilly Tree

VERGE GARDEN

We are currently designing a beautiful garden in Brisbane where wildlife and people can connect and flourish together. We are borrowing land right in the heart of the city: The Verge ! Verges are small strips of land, between the roads and boundaries normally covered in lawns but they can potentially be much more. They are like the veins of our cities, moving us from place to place, potentially shaded by trees and surrounding us with native plants providing food ,water, shelter and sites to breed for our wildlife.

Verge Garden Concept Sketch                                                                                                                                                                                                     

URBAN FOREST                                                                                                                                                                                                              The urban forest design includes creating new areas of vegetation and augmenting existing areas with locally occurring

species of native groundcover, grasses, shrubs, vines and trees including Eucalyptus in Brisbane and South East

Queensland. The threatened Eucalyptus curtisii, known as the Brisbane Plunket Mallee, that naturally occur in Brisbane

will feature. These areas of natural beauty will provide important places and opportunities for people to connect with

and conserve nature, habitat for our native animals and insects and improve the livability of Brisbane through improving

air quality and reducing the heat island effect occurring now as a result of densification. The projects can be of any scale

from a container on a balcony or in a courtyard, a private garden of any size, bushland reserves or a forest in need of

recovery, creek corridors riparian, an existing commercial or industrial garden, within a public park or green space and

even a street verge or footpath !