The Geographe community has embraced the stunning new Bay OK garden installed at Freycinet Park last month.
The garden is a partnership between the City of Busselton and GeoCatch, with support from the South West Catchments Council, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
The garden features old jetty timbers, local native species and Bay OK garden design elements, with a generous seating area and bike racks for visitors.
GeoCatch’s Bay OK Officer, Lisa Massey, said that while visual amenity was very important, the proximity of the garden to the Port Geographe canal entrance was also a consideration.
“The critical step in the garden installation was to firstly improve the soil with applications of clay and compost to keep moisture and nutrients in the soil and out of the Bay,” she said.
The City consulted residents, the Port Geographe Landowners Association and Sensations Café owners last year to determine the site’s current use and expectations for the new project. The garden reflects the wishes of those consulted by retaining views of the water, managing access across the site, and including quality landscaping, leisure seating and bike racks.
City of Busselton Horticulture Supervisor, Iain Ferry, says the project has far-reaching benefits to the community.
“This area is undergoing a lot of development with new houses and gardens springing up every day,” he said.
“This Bay OK garden can be used by local residents as an example of gardening in a coastal location using low fertiliser, native plants and waterwise techniques.”
The garden aligns with the key Bay OK principles: nurture the soil, conserve water and enhance biodiversity. The garden features a limited palette of plant species selected for their foliage colour, dwarf habit and ability to grow in coastal conditions with low water requirements. The flat site previously was beach sand that supported no vegetation and had unlimited access.
GeoCatch’s Bay OK Gardens project supports urban residents to improve water quality in local waterways and Geographe Bay by adopting Bay OK principles in their garden.
For further information on Bay OK gardening, visit geocatch.asn.au
This project is supported by the South West Catchments Council, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
