# Creating native habitat on YOUR land and green strip tips and experiences



## kingofnobbys (Mar 27, 2015)

I'm looking into planting 2 or 3 small flowering native plants (banksias and wattles say that will not grow over 2m-3m tall) in my green strip.

Aims:
1) deny the green strip's use by my neighbour as his private parking lot 
2) attract native birds and insects (by providing food and habitat)
3) to beautify the front yard.

Found this pdf by drilling deep into my local council's website. http://www.lakemac.com.au/downloads/100171E7D96A68F92E5588957033E33522F819E4.pdf
Is pretty handy and contains some good useful information. 

What have others here done ?


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## Bluetongue1 (Mar 28, 2015)

While there are of literally hundreds of native plants that can be used to attract birds and insects and provide natural micro-habitat in the situation described, I'd recommed sticking with ones that are popular (therefore easy to get a hold of), ?bullet-proof? and have spectacular flowers. The three genera that follow each have very different looking flowers ? so maybe use one from each. Check ?em out on Google first to see what appeals to you.

One of the best plants is Grevillea ?Robyn Gordon?, which grows from 1 - 1.5m high, with red flowers throughout the tear. This is garden hybrid, from _Grevillea banksii_ and _G. bipinnatifida_, that came up as a chance seedling on a Mr. Gordon?s property and was named after his daughter. Its big plus is its ability to attract native birds (and insects ? also bird food) combined with the fact that it flowers continuously throughout the year. Similar hybrid grevilleas are Grevillea ?Misty Pink? (to about 3m, pale pink flowers throughout the year) and Grevillea ?Boongala Spinebill? (about 1.5m, burgundy toothbrush flowers most of the year). The Pink Spider Grevillea, _G. sericea_, is a natural species on the recommended list and is an excellent, long flowering bird-attracting shrub to about 1.5m.

Dwarf forms of the Heath-leaved Banksia, _Banksia ericifolia_, grow to 2m or less and have lots of large, showy cylindrical flowers in autumn and winter, with plenty of nectar which attracts birds and insects. There are several varieties of Hairpin Banksia, _Banksia spinulosa_, which vary from 1m to 3m high and have lots of nectar rich, attractive showy flowers from April to July. 

There are several really excellent, not-so-big bottlebrushes. These would be my pick. _Callistemon viminalis_ 'Captain Cook', a compact weeping shrub, growing 1 - 2m high, with masses of bright crimson flowers borne over long periods during spring and into autumn. Callistemon citrinus ?Endeavour? is a dense shrub, growing 2.5 - 3m, also bearing loads of crimson bird attracting flowers, mostly spring and autumn. 

Blue


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## Ramsayi (Mar 28, 2015)

If you really want to help out the local native wildlife the I suggest you try and stick with the endemic species in your area.Your council will most likely have a list of species that occur locally.


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## Bluetongue1 (Mar 29, 2015)

Ramsayi said:


> If you really want to help out the local native wildlife the I suggest you try and stick with the endemic species in your area.Your council will most likely have a list of species that occur locally.


While I agree with the sentiments behind this statement, it is not always the best option in a suburban garden. There is also a lot more consideration gone into my suggestions than what I have have indicated. Allow me to explain.

With plants that produce nectar to attract birds and insects, local species and varieties will often (though not always) have limited flowering periods. It is the combination of many different species, which flower at different times, that provides continuity of food supply in nature. Many species are also sparse flowering or may produce only little nectar, overcome in nature by the wide foraging of birds and insects. By growing plants that have quite an extended flowering period and are known to produce copious amount of nectar, you give yourself more opportunity to attract birds and insects to your garden throughout the year. At the same time, you want to provide food sources similar to what the local wildlife is used to. All the species (not the hybrids) I have suggested, bar_ Callistemon viminalis _(Captain Cook cultivar) are found in the Lake Macquarie region. (C. viminalis occurs from Grafton north.) this also helps ensure that the climate and soils are suitable. All bottlebrushes produce similar style flowers and nectar, so substituting one for another is not usually an issue. Wattles, for example, are also great plants for attracting insects in particular, even when out of flower. And many birds eat the seeds. However, birds also distribute some undigested seeds in their droppings, so I have deliberately avoiding suggesting them so that varieties and species not local to the area don't get into any local bushland which might be in the vicinity. It can often be difficult to source true local plant material in areas which do not have a group dedicated to growing local natives. Where true local wattles and similar suitable seed producing natives, can be obtained, then go for it. 

The structure of plants chosen for attracting native birds to gardens is also important. Plants in gardens are much out in the open than those in most local bush and scrub. This can make many of the smaller species of birds in particular more vulnerable to predators such as cats and butcher birds. To offset this, it is wise to choose full, bushy plants that also have lots of flowers within the body of the plant, which affords much more protection to foraging birds. This is particular important in this case where the intended plants will be shrubs (around 2m high), not trees, and will be planted in the open.

There is a bit more to it than meets the eye...

Blue


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## GBWhite (Mar 29, 2015)

Despite being adaptable to most soil types and prolific bloomers I'd be careful if you decide to use any Grevillea as they are the main Australian native plant implicator for contact dermatitis, especially the Robyn Gordon which is the most common reported grevillea associated with allergens. They're basically a look at but don't touch plant and not suited to high traffic areas such as nature strips.

Personally I'd do as Ramsayi suggests.


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## Ramsayi (Mar 29, 2015)

Bluetongue1 said:


> While I agree with the sentiments behind this statement, it is not always the best option in a suburban garden. There is also a lot more consideration gone into my suggestions than what I have have indicated.
> 
> There is a bit more to it than meets the eye...
> 
> ...



You are entitled to your opinion just as I am to mine.I find it very difficult to believe that using endemic species isn't always the best option and I am sure a lot of other would as well.Endemic species also contain types that are full,bushy and have lots of flowers which affords protection to foraging birds just as well as non endemic species.


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## Bluetongue1 (Mar 30, 2015)

@Ramsayi Can you please explain exactly you mean by "endemic species"? I may have misinterpreted your intent.

Blue


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## syeph8 (Mar 30, 2015)

It will also be worth your while going here to see council regulations on planting on nature strips: 
http://www.lakemac.com.au/natural-environment/trees/public-property 

Make sure the council has provided you with written Approval before planting. Don't mention the spiteful intent towards your neighbour in the request, as the council will not want to be an active participant in potentially escalating a neighbourly dispute. Focus your request on things like blocking traffic noise, beautification and attratcing native fauna.

I'm no plant expert, so can't tell you what to avoid, but I'm certain they won't be a fan of planting of species that have high incidence of adverse reactions. Bd prepared with species and exact locations when making the request.

Good luck

Sye


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## kingofnobbys (Mar 30, 2015)

syeph8 said:


> It will also be worth your while going here to see council regulations on planting on nature strips:
> http://www.lakemac.com.au/natural-environment/trees/public-property
> 
> Make sure the council has provided you with written Approval before planting. Don't mention the spiteful intent towards your neighbour in the request, as the council will not want to be an active participant in potentially escalating a neighbourly dispute. Focus your request on things like blocking traffic noise, beautification and attratcing native fauna.
> ...



Good points. 

Will make sure I have council permission to plant there , this way the *incalcitrant* illegal parkers from next door will not have a leg to stand on and their recidivism can be brought to a stop. Even better - maybe I can get the council to do the planting (even if I have to pay them for this work).


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## Jeffa (Mar 30, 2015)

I might just add, If you plan on introducing native and flowering plants to encourage wildlife, ensure there are no cats present in the area. Cats soon learn where birds and small mamals feed on a regular occasion. (i learnt this the hard way)


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## kingofnobbys (Mar 30, 2015)

Jeffa said:


> I might just add, If you plan on introducing native and flowering plants to encourage wildlife, ensure there are no cats present in the area. Cats soon learn where birds and small mamals feed on a regular occasion. (i learnt this the hard way)



Unfortunately there is at least one PROBLEM free roaming cat , it will be dealt with one way or another. I wont go into how this might be dealt with in this thread though.


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## Bluetongue1 (Mar 31, 2015)

GBWhite said:


> Despite being adaptable to most soil types and prolific bloomers I'd be careful if you decide to use any Grevillea as they are the main Australian native plant implicator for contact dermatitis, especially the Robyn Gordon which is the most common reported grevillea associated with allergens. They're basically a look at but don't touch plant and not suited to high traffic areas such as nature strips.


Given he wants to create a barrier to keep the neighbours at bay, it may well be the ideal choice (hee...hee...)

Contact dermatitis (an allergic reaction in those sensitive to a given allergen) is most commonly reported for Grevillea banksii and G. pteridifolia and hybrids based on them, such as 'Robyn Gordon'. The only reason that 'Robyn Gordon' is "number 1" is because it is so incredibly popular, being one of the most common garden plants in Australia. The relative incidence of reactions, given how frequently and widely the plant is used, is remarkably low. None-the-less, as suggested, it should not be places adjacent to paths and other areas subject to foot-traffic. Should you wish to use it, this potential problem is easily resolved by setting it back amongst other plants.


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## Wallo (Mar 31, 2015)

you cant go wrong with Grevilias and bottlebrush
Wattle wont flower unless the air temp gets down between 0-10 degrees c


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## kingofnobbys (Mar 31, 2015)

Contacted council to ask for permission to plant there and made no mention of illegal parking issues.

A mix of bottlebrush, grevillias and wattle look best. I see local yellow and white wattles blooming all over the place here in spring and later.


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## Bluetongue1 (Apr 1, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> A mix of bottlebrush, grevillias and wattle look best. I see local yellow and white wattles blooming all over the place here in spring and later.


The local wattles you are seeing would be _Acaia longifolia_ (yellow flowers, two subspecies) and _A. suaveolens_ (cream flowers). Local forms of these two species are described in the linked ?Plant Selection Guide?. I?d definitely recommend using only the local forms for two reasons - Firstly, while the local form of the two subspecies of _A. longifolia_ grow to no more than about 2m, there are forms from other areas that can reach 10m (way too big for your stated requirements); Secondly, if you live within about 5km of bushland, then using local forms prevents garden escapes of non-local plant material into nature. Both these species are widespread throughout SE Australia and vary considerably with geographic locality. So it is not good enough to use locally occurring species if you don?t know where they originated from. To source guaranteed local forms, your best bets are probably the local council's ?Natives for Backyard Habitat? program (which the linked Plant Selection Guide is part of) or ?Trees in Newcastle? http://www.treesinnewcastle.org.au/page19200/ContactUs.aspx. 

Just a little explanatory background to my posts... I became interested in native flora as a youth living in NSW and have been an active member of the Wildflower Society (ASGAP WA) for over 20 years. Prior to that, was in the Carnarvon Tree Society for 5 years, where I authored a booklet on growing native plants for the Carnarvon region.

Blue


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 1, 2015)

Bluetongue1 said:


> The local wattles you are seeing would be _Acaia longifolia_ (yellow flowers, two subspecies) and _A. suaveolens_ (cream flowers). Local forms of these two species are described in the linked ?Plant Selection Guide?. I?d definitely recommend using only the local forms for two reasons - Firstly, while the local form of the two subspecies of _A. longifolia_ grow to no more than about 2m, there are forms from other areas that can reach 10m (way too big for your stated requirements); Secondly, if you live within about 5km of bushland, then using local forms prevents garden escapes of non-local plant material into nature. Both these species are widespread throughout SE Australia and vary considerably with geographic locality. So it is not good enough to use locally occurring species if you don?t know where they originated from. To source guaranteed local forms, your best bets are probably the local council's ?Natives for Backyard Habitat? program (which the linked Plant Selection Guide is part of) or ?Trees in Newcastle? http://www.treesinnewcastle.org.au/page19200/ContactUs.aspx.
> 
> Just a little explanatory background to my posts... I became interested in native flora as a youth living in NSW and have been an active member of the Wildflower Society (ASGAP WA) for over 20 years. Prior to that, was in the Carnarvon Tree Society for 5 years, where I authored a booklet on growing native plants for the Carnarvon region.
> 
> Blue


Thankyou .
Your info will be VERY HANDY , I have visited their website to help me with shrub selection for the green strip.

Very good resource I found there (TreesinNewcastle) http://www.treesinnewcastle.org.au/...stleorgau/TIN_Topic_17_-_Veg_on_the_Verge.pdf , I'm sure I can come up with a workable a planting plan for my green strip based on this where the tallest thrubs will be < 3m tall.


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## Firedrake (Apr 1, 2015)

Don't forget to take photos! I love seeing other people's native-planted gardens


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## Bluetongue1 (Apr 2, 2015)

kingofnobbys said:


> I found there (TreesinNewcastle) http://www.treesinnewcastle.org.au/...stleorgau/TIN_Topic_17_-_Veg_on_the_Verge.pdf , I'm sure I can come up with a workable a planting plan for my green strip based on this where the tallest thrubs will be < 3m tall.


 
It sounds like you might also be keen to include some understorey plants, which I think is a great idea.

As a general rule, the majority of groundcovers and low herbaceous plants are not bird pollinated, but rather wind or insect pollinated. Insect pollinated plants will obviously tend to attract more insects than wind pollinated species, such as grasses, rushes and sedges. However, the seeds of many wind pollinated plants are eaten by birds (and other animals). The Backyard Habitat Planting Guide (your OP link) has a range of local groundcovers (ignoring Grevillea ?Poorinda Royal Mantle?) and other small plants, and includes what wildlife they are known to attract. 

Dianellas are good for attracting native bees ? I counted 14 Blue-Banded Bees roosting on one plant in my front yard last year. You should also check on the cultivation requirements of species before deciding on what plants to use. For example, three of the four groundcovers listed by TIN require moist conditions to do well ? only _Dichondra repens_ withstands drying out and only once it is properly established. A quick note on the Viola species mentioned. Viola hederacea was split into two species and the species local to your area is actually _V. banksii_. It is this species that is very commonly cultivation, so the incorrect older name of V. hederacea is still very much in common usage. 

Blue


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 2, 2015)

Bluetongue1 said:


> It sounds like you might also be keen to include some understorey plants, which I think is a great idea.
> 
> As a general rule, the majority of groundcovers and low herbaceous plants are not bird pollinated, but rather wind or insect pollinated. Insect pollinated plants will obviously tend to attract more insects than wind pollinated species, such as grasses, rushes and sedges. However, the seeds of many wind pollinated plants are eaten by birds (and other animals). The Backyard Habitat Planting Guide (your OP link) has a range of local groundcovers (ignoring Grevillea ?Poorinda Royal Mantle?) and other small plants, and includes what wildlife they are known to attract.
> 
> ...



Yep, understorey plants (grasses, groundcovers flowering if I get them) are definitely part of the plan, I want to extend the groundcover to at least 1/2 my front yard (esp under my mature weeping bluegum - already have a 10yr old pile of twigs under it that works as nice ground cover for skinks (EWS and the occasional BTS and those little brown skinks). Less mowing IS GOOD !!! more visiting birds, lizards IS GOOD)).

Might get a few spiders , I expect if I have enough birds and lizards visiting , they'll keep the 8 legged bitey visitors at bay.

Was at one stage considering some big bush rocks and boulders but that involves some heavy lifting and hard labour and will be hard to source (legitimately and I don't wont to rob habitat from elsewhere to do this).


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 9, 2015)

No problem with creating a habitat zone on my green strip as far as the council is concerned.  The written response from the council is very supportive of what I plan to do.

Only provisos are maintaining pedestrian throughfare (not impeding this) and height restrictions if there are o/head powerlines and no big trees or shrubs closer than 2m from driveways.
There are plants available (up to 2 per ratepayer per year) at special event each spring , all local native plants and some nurseries also provide discounts on plants in the "Greening the City " program.


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## Bluetongue1 (Apr 11, 2015)

Your existing habitat sounds great. While understorey plants can attract insects and other invertebrates, especially when in flower, a decent layer of decomposing leaf litter is a mini-ecosystem in itself. There are lots of invertebrate that feed on leaf litter and lots of other invertebrates that feed on them. So a healthy layer of litter can provide shelter and an on-going food source for reptiles and frogs. It is the preferred habitat of a lot of species of burrowing skinks and provides good protection for many smaller skinks when foraging. I reckon it helps if you keep the litter at least a little bit moist underneath - so that it can continue to decompose. Snail pellets are a big ?No No?. Lots of litter feeders. other than slugs and snails, will also eat these poison baits.

Last year I had to temporarily rake up the litter under my mango tree, in order to get rid of some grass that had grown into it. In about six square metres of litter I found half a dozen good sized Hemiergis initialis, the Southwestern Earless Skink. A population density of one lizard per square metre - I was quite stoked. Around the yard there are also breeding populations of Snake-eyed Lizards (Cryptoblepharus buchananii), Dwarf Skinks (Menetia greyii) and Marbled Geckoes (Christinus marmoratus). Not too bad for a modern house smack bang in the middle of suburbia. 


Large boulders are more about looks than creating habitat I reckon. A pile of smaller rocks can provide lots of nooks and crannies for shelter and allows for more protected basking. The same is true for wood piles, especially if they contain some hollow logs or branches. Rock and wood piles also provide good places for invertebrates (food for vertebrates) to live.

As a kid I had several Cunningham Skinks escape via a wooden framed wire door on the top of their backyard cage. I didn?t realise the door could be forced slightly open at the corners from inside the cage. The Cunninghams apparently had no trouble climbing the wooden inside frame to reach the door and force their way out. I did wonder at the time why, all of a sudden, they seemed less keen to come out of hiding and sun themselves. Although originally from granite rock outcrops (near Cowra), the escaped skinks set up house in next door?s pile of old lumber at the back of their garage shed. As they looked at home there, and I could still enjoy viewing them, I decided to leave them be. They were still going strong, with adults and babies present, over 20 years later. 

So yeah, a rock and/or wood pile is definitely worth considering.

It's great to see a local council interested in and actually doing something to help native wildlife

Blue


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## kingofnobbys (Apr 11, 2015)

Yep, leaf litter under my shrubs is never disturbed by me and I often hear little critters ( will be little brown skinks and water skinks and the occasional bluetongue) fossicing about in it when I sit quietly on the front patio.

I also often see little skinks heads peaking out and watching me (in the hope I'll toss a mealworm to them - which I regularly do and they grab and dash off with) from amongst the twig and bark pile.

The little skinks love the overflow / watering hole in the bottom of my selfwatering posts that I'm trying to grow berry plants and fruit plants in, I often see then sunning near the pots and if anything startles them they dash straight into the nearest water o/flow hole and not long afterwards you can seen a little head peaking out.

My garden is completely poison free - I tolerate the weeds , the occasional bindiei , and a few ants and slugs and snails.

I collect some of the gumtree twigs and leaf litter and add this to the cocopeat for my BTs and EWS's bedding , if a few bugs come with it, that's fine. My pet EWS loves flicking over the new dry leafs looking for tasty little morsals when her bedding has changed. (perhaps she smells other lizards on it too , she get's very excited and headnods too).


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