The Garden Guardians of the Bay continue to show the way toward beautiful gardens that help protect Geographe Bay. Busselton’s Vasse-Wonnerup wetlands provide the most significant breeding habitat for black swans in Western Australia, and regularly support over 20,000 waterbirds. One of the major threats facing these important wetlands is excess nutrient runoff from surrounding households and farms.
The Garden Guardians promote growing native species, adding clay to improve sandy soils, applying soil wetter to lawns and gardens, using coarse chunky mulch in gardens, using only composted manures and swapping traditional fertilisers with slow-release versions.
GeoCatch deputy chair Robin Belford says that urban gardens have an important role in protecting our wetlands and marine ecosystem.
“The campaign is a call to action for all gardeners to champion the right way to garden,” he said.
“We want all gardeners to become ‘Garden Guardians of the Bay’ by growing native plants, adding clay to sandy soils, applying soil wetter, and using mulch. In other words: To protect the Bay, garden this way!”
The campaign is part of GeoCatch’s long-standing Bay OK program. Local gardeners were enlisted to become the superheroes of the campaign, portraying superhero strength and determination to do good for the Bay. Each portrays a garden action that will have an impact on reducing nutrient runoff into the Bay.
TV and radio personality Darren Seinor has been a supporter of the Bay OK program, recently presenting a workshop at Origins Market in Busselton titled ‘Gardening with less water and more success.’
“The Garden Guardians are a great way to help people learn about garden actions that will help protect Geographe Bay. These are ordinary gardeners who are achieving some amazing results by applying the Bay OK gardening methods,” said Darren.
The positive results seen so far will be used to continue educating local gardeners on best-practice gardening in the Geographe Catchment. It is anticipated that the adoption of these positive gardening actions will reduce nutrients leaving gardens and entering Geographe Bay. For Bay OK gardening tips and resources, visit geocatch.asn.au.
