Shirley
Natural sequence principals attempted in small garden
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Shirley Henderson
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 4:03 pm
- Location: Thirlmere
Natural sequence principals attempted in small garden
This is a mini garden created at out local school by parent volunteers and the school children. The design is based on descriptions and information I read in Peters book. It is functioning really well at the moment although I have had some advice from Duane and will be implementing those suggestions. The idea is that the shade structure fills the rainwater tank that overflows into the garden and filters through creek bed. I hope I can upload all the photos in sequence. Have a look and if it works then it is a mini microclimate and an example of what can be achieved no matter how big or how small.
Shirley
Shirley
Last edited by Shirley Henderson on Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
School creek
That is brilliant, well done. I bet the kids and parents are pleased.
you have given me a couple of ideas for my own front yard.
Thanks.
Greg
you have given me a couple of ideas for my own front yard.
Thanks.
Greg
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Shirley Henderson
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 4:03 pm
- Location: Thirlmere
Hi Greg, Thank you for those encouraging comments. After reading Peters book and using my imagination I tried to shrink things down for this garden. The children enjoy it so much and love the bridge and the large stepping stones I put in across the creek bed. Especially when it rains. The parents enjoy sitting around the area morning and afternoon waiting to pick up their children or dropping them off. I have has some good comments but also some bad ones in regards to the weeds. I have let some weeds grow to establish soil stability and some teachers attempted pulling them out. I asked them not to as they were disturbing the roots of the young plants that were getting established. I slash them occasionally but many of the grassses, rushes and sedges are native anyway. They dont make much difference to me because they are all beautiful and all supporting the garden to a degree. You should see the birds and insects that visit. It is a real little food source for them all. Anyway good luck with yours and I would love to hear comments or critisisms from others. The garden is 12 months old. Planted in March 2007.
Shirley
Shirley
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Angela Helleren
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 6:45 am
- Location: Victoria
WOW!!! Congratulations Shirley, that's great! Educating the kids, parents and teachers at the same time.
Over what period did it take to get to this stage?
You should invite Peter Andrews, Julia Gillard (Education Minister) and Peter Garrett (Environmental Minister)
and your State Ministers to see what you and your school community have done and can be done across the country,
.... with proper government support.
Now is the time to be preparing for the winter rains!
Angie
Over what period did it take to get to this stage?
You should invite Peter Andrews, Julia Gillard (Education Minister) and Peter Garrett (Environmental Minister)
and your State Ministers to see what you and your school community have done and can be done across the country,
.... with proper government support.
Now is the time to be preparing for the winter rains!
AngieMany hands make light work.
Unfortunately, too many hands stirring anti clockwise, has spoiled mother natures recipe.
Back to basics.
Unfortunately, too many hands stirring anti clockwise, has spoiled mother natures recipe.
Back to basics.
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Shirley Henderson
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 4:03 pm
- Location: Thirlmere
Angie, thanks for your supportive words. The garden was started Feb 2007 that is when the landscaping began. It was ready to plant in March which is when the school children, local cubs and some teachers volunteered their time to plant 200 tubestock. (they were grown by a local nursery staffed by volunteers and grown from local seed). I watered it once a week by hand to establish the young plants for a few weeks but as we received some rain not much watering was required. There is no tap on the rainwater tank it is solely there for the purpose of overflow. The garden survives on its own and it is not watered. The kids even run over the plants but as their roots are now established even they dont seem to be able to kill them. Through my time of volunteering at the school we have been through a couple of principals, a few deputy's and even now are in the process of changing staff again. It is difficult to educate when there are so many changes in staff. The children are keen but this is a public school and constant staff changes inhibit the consistency required to support environmental education. Still, slow and steady wins the race. I would much prefer Peter Garrett and Julie Gillard to go and see Peters Tarwyn Park or Mulloon Creek. Thanks for the suggestion and I hope my garden shows what difference plants can make to even the tiniest plot of land. We have had good rain and that has been a blessing. Even so prior to this garden being created this area was a play park for over 600 children, it was hard, dry and compacted so plants definitely make all the difference. Shirley
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Shirley Henderson
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 4:03 pm
- Location: Thirlmere
Without willows and weeds our native vegetation has little chance of recovering under the harsh weather conditions suffered in Australia.
Until recently rains have not been too bad on and off and farmers adapted well enough until the next rains came. After the last 8 years of drought it is easy to fathom the unpredictability of our climate and I am sure all of us now have a deep hidden fear that this drought could continue to go on and on or begin again at any time. It’s been a lesson for the water wasters and as for the poor farmers that are struggling to make ends meet, while changing their ways, under I am sure, a very confusing time. So many options, opinions and authorities advising them what to do and others are just asking what should we do? I believe in seeing what works and copying it albeit modifying it to suit my needs and requirements. What Peter has shown is that weeds are as much a part of the Australian environment now as rabbits, foxes, mice, rats, wild dogs, feral pigs, feral cats, birds, deer, horses, cattle, sheep and all the other exotic animals and plants that have been introduced. To single out the willow or other weeds is folly because when they are providing a valuable service to the land, who are we to decide which should go and which would stay. One example is the local Tom cat in the neighbourhood who pees all over the garden, terrorises birds and howls through the night. What happens when you get rid of it? Another takes it’s place. Cats are territorial and if the territory is available and unoccupied or occupied by a weaker cat the new cat takes over. The same goes for weeds. Get rid of one weed and soon after you will find another is taking it’s place. It’s not a matter of whether or not we have weeds but a matter of which weeds we keep and can use, the space we allocate to them and how we manage them. If you can manage weeds to our benefit as Peter explains they are just another resource. Plants are resources be they (what is termed as weeds), exotics or natives plants. The land health tells the story. If you see healthy productive land then you must be doing well. If your land is degraded and in very poor health it is common sense that you need to look for solutions that have proven ability to work. In my field of weed removal I always leave plenty food for the rabbits otherwise they may eat my natives that I am trying to regenerate. When I remove fruiting weeds like African Olives I always leave plenty food for the birds and the foxes, bats, possums etc. Now if I eliminate the berries to get rid of the foxes? Ill get rid of the bats, birds and possums too. Mucking around with food, habitat and shelter is too involved and delicate a process to have all the answers right now. Let the land flourish weeds and all and see healthy soil, plants and wildlife. Try to control it totally and we will loose valuable opportunities to really research what little we have left. I say give Peter Andrews method a go because if you visit one of his demonstration sites you will see an amazing functioning healthy landscape as opposed to humanly controlled environments where total control measures have to be constantly attended to. Nature is a powerful example of evolution right before our eyes. We need to stop interfering with environments that are naturally trying to repair themselves. In Peter’s book he explains how plants perform certain tasks that need to be done preparing the soil for the next succession of plants. Then they may disappear not to return again until that task is required again. They may come back year after year until the task is complete. Peter has watched this happen and is trying to teach it to others. I urge farmers to give Peters method a go even if it is only on a part of your land so as to be able to see with your own eyes and understand with your own mind that here is a man that through trial and error has learned to understand the functioning of Land and water in the Australian landscape.
Getting rid of weeds totally is a fallacy that can be compared to getting rid of people we dont like, feral and introduced pests, blacks, whites and individual races.
Weeds are free mulch, free food, free habitat, free water, and free time.
Now I have a question for Duane. Do you have many farmers and land holders trying out NSF?
Until recently rains have not been too bad on and off and farmers adapted well enough until the next rains came. After the last 8 years of drought it is easy to fathom the unpredictability of our climate and I am sure all of us now have a deep hidden fear that this drought could continue to go on and on or begin again at any time. It’s been a lesson for the water wasters and as for the poor farmers that are struggling to make ends meet, while changing their ways, under I am sure, a very confusing time. So many options, opinions and authorities advising them what to do and others are just asking what should we do? I believe in seeing what works and copying it albeit modifying it to suit my needs and requirements. What Peter has shown is that weeds are as much a part of the Australian environment now as rabbits, foxes, mice, rats, wild dogs, feral pigs, feral cats, birds, deer, horses, cattle, sheep and all the other exotic animals and plants that have been introduced. To single out the willow or other weeds is folly because when they are providing a valuable service to the land, who are we to decide which should go and which would stay. One example is the local Tom cat in the neighbourhood who pees all over the garden, terrorises birds and howls through the night. What happens when you get rid of it? Another takes it’s place. Cats are territorial and if the territory is available and unoccupied or occupied by a weaker cat the new cat takes over. The same goes for weeds. Get rid of one weed and soon after you will find another is taking it’s place. It’s not a matter of whether or not we have weeds but a matter of which weeds we keep and can use, the space we allocate to them and how we manage them. If you can manage weeds to our benefit as Peter explains they are just another resource. Plants are resources be they (what is termed as weeds), exotics or natives plants. The land health tells the story. If you see healthy productive land then you must be doing well. If your land is degraded and in very poor health it is common sense that you need to look for solutions that have proven ability to work. In my field of weed removal I always leave plenty food for the rabbits otherwise they may eat my natives that I am trying to regenerate. When I remove fruiting weeds like African Olives I always leave plenty food for the birds and the foxes, bats, possums etc. Now if I eliminate the berries to get rid of the foxes? Ill get rid of the bats, birds and possums too. Mucking around with food, habitat and shelter is too involved and delicate a process to have all the answers right now. Let the land flourish weeds and all and see healthy soil, plants and wildlife. Try to control it totally and we will loose valuable opportunities to really research what little we have left. I say give Peter Andrews method a go because if you visit one of his demonstration sites you will see an amazing functioning healthy landscape as opposed to humanly controlled environments where total control measures have to be constantly attended to. Nature is a powerful example of evolution right before our eyes. We need to stop interfering with environments that are naturally trying to repair themselves. In Peter’s book he explains how plants perform certain tasks that need to be done preparing the soil for the next succession of plants. Then they may disappear not to return again until that task is required again. They may come back year after year until the task is complete. Peter has watched this happen and is trying to teach it to others. I urge farmers to give Peters method a go even if it is only on a part of your land so as to be able to see with your own eyes and understand with your own mind that here is a man that through trial and error has learned to understand the functioning of Land and water in the Australian landscape.
Getting rid of weeds totally is a fallacy that can be compared to getting rid of people we dont like, feral and introduced pests, blacks, whites and individual races.
Weeds are free mulch, free food, free habitat, free water, and free time.
Now I have a question for Duane. Do you have many farmers and land holders trying out NSF?
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Angela Helleren
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 6:45 am
- Location: Victoria
While it may be disappointing/frustration, to have so many changes of staff at the school....looking to the positive....your garden may inspire them to carried out similar projects at their new schools. Keep them updated on the progress...
As schools and sporting clubs across the nation, are being encouraged/subsidized to put in water tanks, your school has taken the extra step to make the most of every drop.
As the song goes -
"From little things, big things grow!"
Angie
As schools and sporting clubs across the nation, are being encouraged/subsidized to put in water tanks, your school has taken the extra step to make the most of every drop.
As the song goes -
"From little things, big things grow!"
Angie
Many hands make light work.
Unfortunately, too many hands stirring anti clockwise, has spoiled mother natures recipe.
Back to basics.
Unfortunately, too many hands stirring anti clockwise, has spoiled mother natures recipe.
Back to basics.
Congratulations Shirley to you and the children....a fantastic result!!
Pupils bridge eco divide
BY ILIANA STILLITANO taken from http://camden.yourguide.com.au/news/loc ... 74245.aspx
17/09/2008 4:00:00 AM
MOUNT Annan Public School is at the head of the class when it comes to gardening.
It edged out more than 90 competitors to win the schools category of the statewide Sustainable Gardens Challenge.
The school's garden is filled with native plants and has stepping stones along a creek and a bridge for pupils to use to protect the plants. It is a haven for wildlife and has seats in the shade.
The garden was designed by horticulturist Shirley Henderson who spent three years transforming patches of land around the school into blooming gardens with the chain-of-ponds design inspired by natural-sequence farming advocate Peter Andrews.
Miss Henderson said the project started after she replaced an asthma-exacerbating plant outside her son's classroom with a non-allergenic plant.
Water is diverted from the school's drainpipes into the low-maintenance gardens, the water tank seeps into the creek bed and grasses in the pond act as fertiliser.
Miss Henderson, who works in conservation and land management at Camden Council, thanked school gardener Peter Wilke for sharing his tools and being ``so supportive and fun to work with'' and the many pupils who helped her work.
Her efforts have won the school numerous awards from Camden Council and she had been encouraged to enter the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW and Raine & Horne Sustainable Gardens Challenge competition.
Pupils bridge eco divide
BY ILIANA STILLITANO taken from http://camden.yourguide.com.au/news/loc ... 74245.aspx
17/09/2008 4:00:00 AM
MOUNT Annan Public School is at the head of the class when it comes to gardening.
It edged out more than 90 competitors to win the schools category of the statewide Sustainable Gardens Challenge.
The school's garden is filled with native plants and has stepping stones along a creek and a bridge for pupils to use to protect the plants. It is a haven for wildlife and has seats in the shade.
The garden was designed by horticulturist Shirley Henderson who spent three years transforming patches of land around the school into blooming gardens with the chain-of-ponds design inspired by natural-sequence farming advocate Peter Andrews.
Miss Henderson said the project started after she replaced an asthma-exacerbating plant outside her son's classroom with a non-allergenic plant.
Water is diverted from the school's drainpipes into the low-maintenance gardens, the water tank seeps into the creek bed and grasses in the pond act as fertiliser.
Miss Henderson, who works in conservation and land management at Camden Council, thanked school gardener Peter Wilke for sharing his tools and being ``so supportive and fun to work with'' and the many pupils who helped her work.
Her efforts have won the school numerous awards from Camden Council and she had been encouraged to enter the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW and Raine & Horne Sustainable Gardens Challenge competition.