Recreating the Country blog |
What to plant, where to plant and how to maintain beautiful native gardens to make our homes safer during the fire season. Planting native gardens with groundcovers, shrubs, and small trees for fire safety and aesthetics Living in the country has a lot going for it most of the year – plenty of wildlife, cheaper property prices, great communities, less traffic and clean air. Then the summer rolls around and the frightening prospect of bushfires becomes a sobering reality once again. Bushfires can be deadly as we all know too well, and they are going to become more frequent and more serious in the southern states according to the Climate Institute’s long term projections www.climateinstitute.org.au/verve/_resources/2016_Bushfire_Factsheet_-_FINAL.pdf Public enemy number one in the bushfire season, aside from hot days with strong northerly winds, are the plants that burn and carry the fire to our homes - grasses, shrubs and trees. Yet we know native gardens often support important communities of native birds, frogs, lizards and insects, give us shelter and a lot of pleasure, so how can we enjoy our gardens and be fire safe as well? Here are some practical insights into what to plant, where to plant and how to maintain these beautiful native plants to make our homes safer during the fire season.
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Stephen Murphy is an author, an ecologist and a nurseryman. He has been a designer of natural landscapes for over 30 years. He loves the bush, supports Landcare and is a volunteer helping to conserve local reserves. |