A growing trend
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday November 7, 2009
Sustainable living means you can have your garden and eat it too. THE key to contentment may be closer than you think. A recent survey commissioned by Nursery and Garden Industry Australia found that 86 per cent of Australians spend time in their gardens because of the perceived health, well-being and relaxation benefits.And it's not just the baby boomers stepping outside to indulge in some digging and planting. The young are leading the gardening revolution, with 76 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds planning to get in the garden this spring.Interestingly, two-thirds of Australian adults are growing their own produce. There is increased awareness of a need to produce one's own food, as people strive to reduce their carbon footprints and eat chemical-free food. The modern garden is increasingly a useful one as climate change spurs on our desire for food security.This trend towards sustainability has given the vegetable garden pride of place. It's fashionable to walk in the gate and see the garden brimming with edible produce rather than flowering petunias. And apartment dwellers with small balconies proudly display pots of herbs and salad greens.It's also very green to have a couple of hens in a mobile chook house. And the absence of a rainwater tank, compost heap or worm bin has the environmentally conscious tut-tutting. Years ago, the word "permaculture" was seen as alternative; now, like everything organic, it has become mainstream.Fruit trees such as avocados, figs, olives, apples, nashi pears, mulberries and citrus are becoming as popular as ornamental trees. Many fruit trees are available as dwarf cultivars for small gardens. You can also save space by buying a fruit-salad tree (fruitsaladtrees.com). A single tree will produce up to eight different fruits from the same family, with staggered ripening times.Edible hedges of blueberries, feijoas, pomegranates and bay produce tasty feasts. Wire fences make great hosts for passionfruit, kiwi fruit, grapes and climbing vegetables such as peas, beans and chokos.It is now quite common to see the attractive foliage of vegetables such as leeks, rhubarb, Florence fennel, parsley and artichokes making bold statements in flowerbeds.Modular vegetable beds are becoming increasingly popular when it comes to filling small spaces. Birdies Garden Products (birdiesgardenproducts.com.au) will deliver them to your door. Modular vegetable beds are also available from Bunnings. They are made from Colorbond steel, are available in different heights and can be assembled in four different shapes. Fill them with compost mix for an instant garden bed. If you are renting, you can empty the bed and take it with you when you move. Modular raised beds are also available from needarainwatertank.com.au.You can make your own raised beds with Hebel blocks, bricks, wood or steel. Build up the inside with the no-dig method (Google "no-dig gardens" for the method). Raised garden beds are also good for inner-city yards that may have lead in the soil or have poor drainage.It's time to ...* Buy the 2010 permaculture diary and calendar. The diary ($29.95) features people who are making a difference through their actions and celebrates sustainability, while each month of the calendar ($27.95) is dedicated to a different permaculture design principle. Available from windhorse.com.au and selected bookshops.* Visit Victoria's Garden, 94 Bowral St, Bowral. This garden is an example of being self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables while still having a lovely aesthetic. Open November 14 and 15 from 10am to 4.30pm as part of Australia's Open Garden Scheme. Entry is $6.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald