Assistance for verge gardeners

The City of Fremantle has new information for residents who are keen to convert their front verges into gardens.

The City has developed new guidelines and will host more events and workshops to make it as easy as possible for landowners to create and maintain a verge garden.

It's hoped the improvements will increase the number of verge garden conversions in the Fremantle area.

Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said verge gardens support the City's strategic objectives of greening, urban forestry and water conservation.

"The guidelines are a great resource for anyone who has been thinking about extending their green thumb beyond their property boundaries.

"There are so many social, environmental and economic benefits to creating a verge garden.

"It doesn't just have to be plants and groundcovers. Verge gardens can also include seats or benches, swings and play equipment, community libraries, toy libraries, even edible gardens with herb and vegetable planters to make them into social and productive spaces.

"You can think about fauna-friendly options too like bee hotels, frog bogs and plants that are food sources to promote biodiversity," Mayor Fitzhardinge said.

The guidelines are practical, easy to read and provide step-by-step instructions on how to design and develop a verge garden.

They include lists of the best plants and materials to use, sample garden layouts, waterwise tips and rules about safety.

The new guidelines will be launched at a verge garden community event at Sullivan Hall, White Gum Valley on Sunday 5 May 2024 and will be available at fremantle.wa.gov.au/verge-gardens-scheme

Members of the 'Valley Verges' community group, which has been encouraging people to plant verge gardens since 2019, will be on hand to share their expertise.

David Broun from Valley Verges said verge gardens bring people together to take climate action and preserve biodiversity.

"It's great seeing people working together to bring shade, flowers, bushfoods and birds to our suburbs. We grow plants, share laughs and learn together.

"Valley Verges is a loose alliance of people that love seeing local plants growing in our area. We have huge verges in White Gum Valley which means huge opportunities to transform the places we live into thriving biodiverse landscapes for everyone. And we have fun doing it!" Mr Broun said.

North Fremantle nursery, APACE WA, will be there to talk about the importance of planting endemic species.

"Local (endemic) native species on your verge produce nectar, pollen and seed that function to help build and encourage ecology and biodiversity," said APACE WA General Manager Joanna Hayter.

"Site preparation is critical for success with any native verge conversion – lose the weeds first, then think about soils," Ms Hayter said.

"Enjoy your own mini-nature project. It will lift your spirits, connect you to community and help save the planet.

To register your attendance at the event go to fremantle.wa.gov.au/vergegardenparty

To get budding gardeners started, in May the City of Fremantle is giving residents the opportunity to buy up to 20 half-price native plants per household from APACE WA, while stocks last.

The number of plants per household has been reduced this year, to allow more people to access the scheme.

Residents are asked to register for the Native Plants Subsidy Scheme via an online application form from fremantle.wa.gov.au/verge-gardens-scheme

Starting in September, the City will co-host a series of workshops around Fremantle with native plant experts APACE WA.

These workshops will focus on verge preparation, soil health and plant species selection, providing residents with valuable insights to create thriving green verges.

Workshop dates and locations will be shared via the City of Fremantle's social media channels and in the What's On section of the City's website.

Residents are also being reminded they can request to have a street tree planted on their verge, at no cost, during winter by contacting the City.

City officers are working on an expanded Verge Garden Assistance Program for 2025, to be considered as part of the 2024/25 budget.

These activities follow the recent update of the City of Fremantle's Verge and Urban Garden policy which, as well as providing better support to individual landowners, also encourages community and 'Friends Of Natural Areas' groups to implement and maintain verge gardens as well as other small urban spaces and community led garden initiatives on underutilised pieces of land.

The City also recently formalised the support it gives to 'Friends Of Natural Areas' groups, of which there are five currently active, with a new policy to enable them to carry out their voluntary conservation activities more effectively.