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

[kingofnobbys]

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 ?

 

[Bluetongue1]

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

 

[Ramsayi]

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.

 

[Bluetongue1]

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

 

[GBWhite]

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.

 

[Ramsayi]

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...

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.

Blue

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.

 

[Bluetongue1]

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

Blue

 

[syeph8]

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

 

[kingofnobbys]

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

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).

 

[Jeffa]

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)

 

[kingofnobbys]

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.

 

[Bluetongue1]

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.

 

[Wallo]

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

 

[kingofnobbys]

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.

 

[Bluetongue1]

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

 

[kingofnobbys]

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.

 

[Firedrake]

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

 

[Bluetongue1]

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

 

[kingofnobbys]

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

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).

 

[kingofnobbys]

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.