Urban Greening – Village Dreaming

Up the hill

Mara — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 22:37:23 +0000

Artemisia and I took the hill ride on our way to a fringe cut. The slow ascent offered views of gardens with lavish thick hedges. Many of the gardens use plants to create privacy and fencing and the overall effect is verdant. Daylesford is positively beautiful because of the gardens it boasts. If you stripped it of its green cloak, its mix of mature evergreen and deciduous trees and its thick tall cypress hedges, what nudity you would have.

I only wish that the main street had large shade trees too.

Up the hill we filled our lungs with garden air.

Riding with Artemisia on our marvelous Yuba bike. I sold my trailer a year ago and feel more mobile on this bike. Artemisia is old enough to mount the back without me having to lift her.

Artemisia.

Our first stop is pink…

…and soft grey.

Our second stop is green, light and dark and at the forefront berries in flower. We will be sure to ride past again in the near future to see if we can harvest.

We will be back to visit you when you fruit!

A close up of this brilliant building with its green facade.

A quite spot to read and dream.

Artemisia collects leaves and small lawn flowers along the way.

Someone here loves trees…

Hedge of gold and green…

Hedge of green…

If it’s a shrub then it most likely can be hedged. Any plant that produces prolific lateral stems and does not mind being pruned back hard.

An edible paradise, with large established nut and fruit trees on the periphery.

A bright lustrous hedge.

A diminutive entrance.

Is this not beautiful!

Sculptured green.

Along the drive-way and against a charcoal fence Asteraceae.

Green cloud entrance.

With black chalk fence.

And on our last stop a treat! Red currant. Sour and perfect.

some like it green some like it grey

Mara — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 12:54:38 +0000

When I see the cultural trend towards massive concrete drive ways, I wonder why oh why, there exists this lustful relationship with grey.

While the trend is not entirely pervasive it is a worrying trend none the less. As there is plenty of grey concrete to share among us (footpaths) and plenty of black communal asphalt to go around, I wonder why there exists this yearning to have even more of it around ones home.

My concern for this excess of grey and black is not whimsical nor motivated by a deep desire to turn everyone into an ardent gardener. It’s just that we all know, don’t we? that we need to cool our cities and that we need to reduce storm water runoff to protect our streams.

It is through a collection of small individual efforts to re vegetate our urban landscapes that Cities like Melbourne become “Livable City” icons. It is not enough to leave the responsibility to city planners and local governments. We need to contribute too. And those contributions don’t go unnoticed. How many times in the past ten years have I heard a passer by comment on how much pleasure our Reservoir garden gives and how often has someone shared with me that they chose to walk or run down our street for a glimpse of our gardening activities?

A rambling, messy, productive or non productive garden, full of plants of different heights, with a small meandering path or pot plants spilling with unkempt fruit speaks of life and vitality. It suggests that people do in fact live here and that their lives are bubbling and simmering. But a large, really large concrete drive way, what does that suggest? Only that its residents hope to convey that everything in their lives is absolutely and completely and utterly under their control…

Some like it grey.

A large concrete drive way leads the resident straight to their door.

This car parking area is very large and in a quite street with plenty of on street parking.

Freshly laid concrete: a symbol of sterility and nothingness.

A variation on the theme.

Another large space devoted to parking: parking life itself maybe.

Once upon a time we were a little more humble with our drive ways and did them like this. Grass was actually permitted to grow in the middle.

Many early 20th Century homes planned simple drive ways, with minimal concrete.

Lucky for us the trend is not entirely contagious. While some are paving their drive ways with extensive shades of grey and black others are looking for places to plant more green. A nature strip is planted out with new vegetation.

At this home a raised vegetable garden bed has been installed, adding colour and texture.

This garden was dripping with red rubies and…

large succulent gems and …

crimson capsicums.

While this nature strip is a delicious mix of orange and green even through the dry summer months.

A grey fence is softened with Pencil Pines.

Neatness and control are not defining moments here.

A plant is allowed to mostly ramble and bubble over this small entry gate.

A spill of green.

This highly managed/pruned hedge could also suggest a desire for control, but the surrounding foliage and trees that accompany it make for a beautiful garden.

Wispy green.

Shades of a very different type of grey.

A minimal path, edged by an expansive garden.

A narrow drive way met by a green wall.

Shrubs, grass and trees, the way it could be.

More plant than fence.

And where there are plants there are jewels like these to be found…and

And where there are plants life abounds! Jools most certainly thinks so!

Fruit protection

Mara — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 11:39:39 +0000

On a recent bike ride I was overjoyed to see the efforts people were making in an attempt to protect their fruit harvest. With possums, white cockatoos and Rosella’s all competing for food in the neighbourhood people of all ages were going to extreme lengths to protect their bounty. For anyone with a love of fresh fruit grown by their own crop the efforts are entirely worth it. It takes after all a whole year for the fruit to grow and then the harvest lasts merely weeks or at most a month.

Not far from me, one particular tree caught my eye. It appeared from a distance like a large human eating monster, ready to multiply and take over the streets. But on closer inspection the ingenuity and effort of its maker struck me with admiration.

This apple tree has been lovingly protected with large hessian sacks sewn together. The elderly resident who created the hessian protection tells me that for many years the neighbouring house had boasted a large fruit tree which the birds always favoured above the apple tree. When the neighbours house was sold the tree was cut down and all the birds migrated to his apples.

Our visit brings delight and a harvest of apples is donated. Apple crumble is secured on our weekly menu.

At a nearby home a pear tree has matured and its residents have keenly covered its fruit.

From behind the bird netting healthy beautifully formed pears nest.

Bird netting has kept the birds away but not the cherry slug which has profoundly consumed the pears leaves, and yet the harvest seems unaffected with plenty of pears in sight.

This resident has made the most of the nature strip and planted olives which need no protection at all.

Olive grove detail.

In Germany

Mara — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 01:50:12 +0000

In Germany even humble locals are passionate about urban greening. Ralf’s cousin welcomed us for lunch at his home which had been recently renovated to include various green roofs. A green roof takes up rainwater and diminishes the amount of water that leaves the site. Old school planning policies designed urban landscapes that would ensure rainwater would move quickly off urban streets and homes and into storm water drains, creeks and rivers. As populations in cities have grown and paved areas have increased the amount of water discharged into urban waterways has also vastly grown. In response to this, a new wave of thinking has been introduced: water sensitive urban design (WSUD). The aim of which is to capture water on site in a rainwater tank, or in the form of an ornamental or productive vegetable garden, or as a rain garden bed with aquatic plant species. Urban planning is now geared towards reducing paved areas so as to allow rainwater to enter the soil on our properties. The soil profile, rich with soil microbes, also acts as a cleaner. Bacteria use the nutrients in the water (nutrients washed off roads, gardens etc) to reproduce and hence diminish the nutrient loads entering our waterways. By designing our homes to capture rainwater for reuse on our gardens we also help to cool cities through evaporation and transpiration. Gardens help to cool our homes and collectively our cities. Roof top gardens are excellent insulators that stabilise indoor air temperatures. I loved visiting this German home and have developed such huge admiration for the German people and their endless innovative green practices.

New garage rooftop doubles as an outdoor living area.

A small roof above a walkway is also planted out.

Permeable paving along a small residential drive allows storm water to filter through and diminishes storm water run off that swells our rivers and creeks beyond capacity.

wall vases – retro shop finds

Mara — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 10:38:49 +0000

Fiona Cabassi introduced me to wall vases. In our home in Westgarth, Melbourne, she would decorate our corridor with gorgeous flowers draping from ceramic craft. I hunted for wall vases of my own when our share house shared no longer and found two for the entrance of my Reservoir home. Thank you for the inspiration Fiona.

Wall vases filled with rosemary, lettuce and achillea flowers.

Farm zone

Mara — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 11:49:55 +0000

Our farm in Daylesford is zoned ‘farm zone’ and hence it cannot be described as Urban at all. However although hard paved surfaces are rare in farm zoned areas, in many cases so are trees! Because farm zones are reserved for agriculture or grazing, farming has traditionally removed almost all trees from farm properties. Some properties have planted trees as wind breaks on the perimeter, but beyond that the pressure to make the farm economically viable has had many property owners forget the value of trees altogether. The hardships of rural/farm living can be great as there is so much out of ones control: rain events, overall climate conditions/humidity/dryness, pest invasions as well as changes in the market place…everyone wants apples one day and none the next. There is also the sheer physicality of it, the hard labouring, fences that need mending, crops that need harvesting before the next rainfall, seeds that need sowing before the end of spring. So I take my hat off to all of those who have braved farming or are compelled to farm, to bring food to our tables.

In more economically lenient times, or as a result of experience or reflection some farmers have had the opportunity to reevaluate the role that trees play in supporting farming practices. One farm that caught my attention back at University is called Lanark. Every time I read about John Fenton’s work I get goose bumps and feel this wave of emotion. And why? Because what he has done seems so very important to me. Because his approach is transformative. The aerial photographs of Lanark speak a thousand words: beauty and biodiversity abounds.

Lanark is a 800 hectare property.

On our humble 15 acres Ralf and I have began the process of tree planting and have introduced a small wetland too. The wetland has been planted out with various aquatic species to provide habitat for dragonflies, frogs, ducks and birds and the local kangaroos come drinking here too. The wetland plays another important role for us as well. It makes a fantastic swimming hole and recently I have been getting up early to start my day with a swim, bathed not only in water but also in the orchestral sounds of singing frogs.

We are all enjoying our farm renaissance: Ahlia has an unquenchable thirst for swimming in the wetland and Artemisia finds solace in the dirt mounds. And in between swimming and playing we are slowly mapping out where to plant trees and which trees to plant.

Ahlia makes a quick run for the wetland as soon as we arrive.

With a new row boat the hours are passed easily.

The aquatic plants we transplanted a year ago have established well.

While I read and eat (pork mince from Jonai farm with cicory leaves) Artemisia…

…is in a soil mound meditation.

Riding practice in the courtyard.

and a very happy Artemisia

Scarpe all natura.

Tree top twilight sky.

in Daylesford urban greening makes me smile

Mara — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 09:22:29 +0000

In Daylesford there are some wonderful examples of the softness, shelter and shade that plants bring to urban environments. Daylesford has some fantastic established gardens, small orchards and a lovingly tendered community garden in the heart of the CBD.

Shaded garden entry.

Soft, spongy, lush and a welcome colour on a 38 degree day.

Apple orchard outside the Daylesford library, with accompanying bike parking! I love it!

Red apple detail.

More apples on trees just outside the library entrance.

Public seating in the apple orchard outside the library.

Bike parking sends a clear message that the community here supports one of the best transport modes in the world!

Daylesford community garden.

Community communication.

Pears and cherry slugs.

Red apple detail.

Beautiful garden stakes.

Mulched soil and corn plants. Mulch provides soil carbon, water proofing and food for microbes.

Trellised grapes.

A well cared for compost heap, with lots of coffee grounds.

Climbing peas.

Potato flowers.

Raised gardens beds for improved drainage.

Gardens aren’t just beautiful – they let us breathe

Mara — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 11:53:34 +0000

One of the big reasons I love gardens is because as is well known but mostly taken for granted, it is plants that produce the oxygen we breathe. Whether that plant be a rose, or an indigenous grass or a tomato, all plants photosynthesise and produce oxygen in the process. It is plants and in particular trees that shade our streets and create ‘liveable cities’. Pedestrians and cyclists…where would we be without trees? They are our air-conditioning, our protection from harmful UV rays, our nesting place when we are tired. And as much as I love beautiful architecturally designed buildings, and gorgeous landscaped spaces, without the green of trees and shrubs and grasses and climbers, even the best architectural landscapes pale in significance. So no matter how small your home or apartment is, no matter how little you think you can contribute, plant a herb or a native grass or a shrub as soon as you can because our cities need more green…arrivederci cari amici, mara

Even the smallest addition of vegetation transforms a space for me. Someone is lovingly tending this climber. They will have watched it grow over many years and slowly trained it to follow the line of the veranda. Trimming here and there to keep its shape.

This stunning tree embellishes this home and blocks out a bit of summer sun.

Nature strips have a bit more nature in them when they are planted to more than just lawn.

Small amounts of paving pave the way for larger gardens.

Rambling and a bit wild and fantastic I think.

A lonely tree in a sea of paving: neat and tidy it is but this garden does little to mitigate summers scorching heat.

Small amounts of paving create an intimate path and even more importantly make room for more oxygen producing plants.

A simple rugged fence, rusty and open to let plants work their way through it and to let passers by enjoy a view to the garden within.

Green screen of soft wispy foliage.

A cool and cosy nook with a view of the garden.

Structural support for a growing plant.

This walkway benefits aesthetically from the green small tentacles that shoot up from the gaps in the paving.

A welcome chair at the end of a calming path.

A spectacle of texture.

It is always the colour green that transforms for me a cold concrete environment into a little oasis.

A gift of petals on my walk.

Purple painterly lines along the path.

Another welcoming set of steps.

A spectacle of red.

My favourite gardens are a blur of green, with a few strong structural forms and shapes, but mostly bleeding lines, overhanging branches, and few colours.

White and green looks fantastic to me.

Purple ice cream cones.

Stones and rocks mixed with green and in the city you could not possibly be.

A great mix of wood and fangs and prairie soft.

Supporting branches.

An inviting garden…sure the sticker makes my statement a little absurd…

Someone has made a huge effort I imagine, to get these grasses to grow along this path.

An abundant overflowing sea of daisies with purple and white as the central theme.

Corymbia ficifolia.

Disc-like suckers a decorative feature.

Slightly overhanging foliage creates a dynamic path.

A small path leads to a car park.

Daisy detail.

I prefer a weedy garden full of nutritional herbs like dandelions, than a sterile, highly controlled environment of meticulously few plants.

A simple grape vine fence.

Blurred garden edges soften a concrete path.

One of the other really important reasons to plant more trees.

Paper bark trees are great for building cubby houses with. Just peel a few layers from various trees on the street and not too many from any one tree.

Pea flower detail.

Street placed raised garden beds make me smile with happiness.

What more can I say but that I really, really respond to this type pf garden design.

More nature on nature strips with a path to the car. Why use your garden as a car park when the streets are full of asphalt.

Texture, form and white.

Shade and green is what I want on a hot summers day.

Garden detail.

Merri Outing

Mara — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 12:51:01 +0000

Along the Merri Creek we went, Jules, Artemisia and I. On the way we found a hut, trees to climb, wattle happiness, and on the way home, lichen and blue.

Merri hut finding.

It is easier to look after children in the outdoors.

In and out for hours.

…

On the way home lichen and blue.

You don’t need expensive green

Mara — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 12:46:08 +0000

Green walls/living walls, have quite a high profile in the Urban Infrastructure scene, and a good thing that is, for they are very beautiful. When people talk about green walls in cities, they are usually referring to high rise or medium density dwellings that have had their facades planted with a lush array of vegetation. Usually this is achieved by building a wall substrate that can hold light weight growing media. Irrigation is key in these systems in most situations. There are some fantastic examples of green walls in various cities. Apart from their beauty, natural vegetation growing along the facade of a tall building tends to inspire a little awe: for example Patrick Blanc’s green wall at the Athaneum Hotel in Picadilly, London. But green walls can be very expensive to build and expensive to maintain. And in places like Australia with irregular rain fall and very dry summers, the plants will be 100% dependent on the irrigation system working 100% of the time. So here are some ‘green walls’ or Green Infrastructure projects of the old fashioned kind; cheap to establish, accessible to all and cheap to maintain: starting with plants that are used to create ‘green fences/walls’.

A beautiful green wall, pruned and maintained over many years.

This hedge creates a sense of mystery, the small entrance, intrigues.

Side view: the flowers look fragrant but are not, but the overall beauty of the hedge makes the walk almost appear fragrant.

Dwellers who choose to create these living walls must be humble souls with a generous spirit, for all of us get to benefit from their patience.

When roller skating I’d rather land into this…

All the fine foliage of the conifer, will adhere dust and other air borne particles. It appears two different conifers have been used in this wall as the plants have responded to pruning in slightly different ways.

A combination: a dull fence has been improved by this screening plant.

This cheap and simple fence provides all the support this hedging plant needs.

A rock wall combined with a coniferous hedge makes a great fence full of texture.

Hedera helix (English Ivy) : if properly managed , as it has been in this green wall, then a fantastic performer it can be. English Ivy is otherwise very invasive.

A variety of different plants have been used in this green wall.