Nature verges are being celebrated through our Bay OK program with the launch of the Nature Verge Competition.
Open to all residents in the Geographe Bay Catchment, entrants simply email or post a photo or video of their verge on social media and could win a $200 garden pack prize!
Bay OK is promoting nature verges as an attractive and sustainable alternative to lawn. While lawn has been the standard verge treatment in the past, its high maintenance and water usage makes it a costly solution. Nature verges, planted with low growing native plants are water efficient, low-nutrient and attract local biodiversity.
Bay OK Project officer, Lisa Massey, says that nature verges play a key role in greening our urban areas.
“Creating nature verges to replace lawn on residential verges is gaining a lot of popularity,” she said.
“Recent studies highlight the importance of urban gardens in providing habitat for native wildlife.
“Nature verges not only require less water and fertiliser, but they also form attractive green spaces and assist with urban cooling, while creating ecological corridors through our streetscapes.”
A nature verge uses low growing, waterwise, native plants and can include some water-permeable hardstand for parking and pedestrians, such as compacted gravel or recycled brick. Verges that exhibit key Bay OK garden principles, such as use of mulch, clay, native plants, waterwise or no irrigation, will be deemed highly competitive.
City of Busselton approval must be obtained for all verge projects. The City’s Nature Verge booklet includes an extensive list of suitable local species and guidelines for creating your verge garden.
To enter your nature verge, simply join the Bay OK Garden Club Facebook group and post a photo or video using #BayOKNatureVerge. The Club is the best resource for local gardeners who want to garden responsibly and protect Geographe Bay. Alternatively, entries can be emailed to geocatch@dwer.wa.gov.au. The competition is open to nature verges at all stages of establishment. The competition closes 15 December 2020. For more information visit geocatch.asn.au.
The Bay OK gardens project is part of Royalties for Region’s Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways programs. These State Government initiatives aim to support the long-term health of our south-west estuaries. The project is also supported by the South West Catchments Council, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
