Road gardening

Gardeners

How time is whizzing by – half way through the first month of Spring already.

Time waits for no plant, nor the planters – us.
Some of the things we did last Friday are on my blog for that day.  We covered a lot of ground and did plenty – thanks to the dozen folk who turned up.
And congratulations to Sam who has bought his own compost bin and taken some compost from our road bins to quick start it.
Remember – if you wish to come to the splitting of the beehive on Monday 20 September you need to register on my blog so I can ensure there’s space – maximum of 20 people, and about 12 or so have registered so far:  to register submit a comment on this one:  http://archive.sustainablehouse.com.au/2010/09/splitting-my-bee-hive/
Did you know you can quickly search this and other blogs by clicking on the tags at the right?  Very cute search engine.
I was at the opening of the new community garden at Manly Vale on Saturday – some beaut photo on my blog of their raised bed gardens.  It’s perhaps the best designed community garden I have seen; and it’s Warringah Council’s first.
This Friday we will liberate some more rainwater – direct it below ground so when it runs off the pavement it’s absorbed and doesn’t run off to the gutter.  Each city block here can harvest over 300,000 to 900,000 litres of rainwater a year and keep it where it falls instead of running off the harbour as pollution; and bit by bit we’re getting most of it to stay here in about three blocks.  So far it’s cost us less than $300 to do this – once done, it’s done for ever so that’s free water for our plants.
See you at 58 Myrtle at 9 am or in Peace Park at the compost bins and the road gardens from 9 to 12 this coming Friday.
Bring your friends . . .
And, of course, it’s absolutely fine if you can’t be there – gardening’s not about obligations but pleasure, don’t you think?
Michael
Comments
2 Responses to “Road gardening”
  1. Michael says:

    Prudence,
    Great question, thanks.
    Presently in Australian cities most rainwater is ‘imprisoned’ in pipes as soon as it leaves a roof or road or footpath where once it was naturally absorbed there. Before urban development about 80% of rain stayed where it fell, and about 20% ran off during heavy storms. After urban development the pipes reverse that and treat rain water as if it were a waste product to be got rid of as quickly and efficiently as possible. Thus, the soil life that once thrived dies, the trees never reach their natural canopy height and cover and the insect and bird life dies away. When we ‘liberate’ rainwater with our road gardens here we restore the rain water and the soil to the former productive relationship, the trees grow stronger and there’s more food for the birds, insects and bugs. To liberate the rainwater we make the drains inefficient or simply get rid of them. We drill holes in them so they leak or replace them with ag pipes covered with geofabric to help the pipes leak as much rain as possible to the soil below. Thus the road gardens become self-irrigating, maintenance is cut and plant growth is promoted. We make the rainwater free again to nourish the soil. Yum.

  2. Prudence says:

    Hi Michael,
    I might have missed something but how do you liberate rainwater? Direct it below ground… I don’t quite understand.
    Thanks
    (you’re doing some inspiring stuff)

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  • Michael Mobbs

    Michael is a former Environmental Lawyer who is uniquely placed to consult in four main areas:

    • Sustainability Coach and Speaker,
    • Sustainable Urban Farm Design greening, watering and cooling the cityscape, roads, parks, suburbs,
    • Major Projects Consultant Commercial and Industrial,
    • Residential Sustainability Consultant.
    For permission to re-print any articles or to book Michael for a speaking engagement go to Contacts. Please ensure all quotes from Michael's blog include a reference to sustainablehouse.com....au.