Growing Food
Even in the smallest urban space you can grow edible plants, fit solar-powered lights, collect water, compost waste and add a bit of green. City of Sydney Community Gardens are another option to consider.
- Grow water-wise native plants
- Add mulch to garden beds and pots
- Consider native plants, they not only look great, but provide food and habitat for native birds and wildlife.
- Think about greening new spaces such as courtyards, exterior walls, or rooftops.
Did you know?
Choosing plants that are suited to your local soil and weather conditions can save water without restricting your choice of garden design?
Green roofs
A green roof is a roof system designed to promote the growth of vegetation on top of buildings, and can also support various forms of renewable energy and water collection to assist in supplying power and water to building occupants.
Green roofs and green walls are some of the most exciting and innovative ways to green your home and your life.
Download
- Green roofs - Dale Jones-Evans | PDF 1.9Mb
Green walls and gardens featured in the Live Green House
ecoVert™ Home (herb wall)
The ecoVert™ Home is a cleverly designed green wall system that allows the urban dweller to grow their own food, herbs and flowers on the walls of balconies and courtyards and other areas not previously possible. It comprises a header tank, two growing modules, a reservoir and a supporting capsule.
The ecoVert™ Home is Australian made and owned and uses recycled plastic and 100% natural coconut fibre. All components of the ecoVert™ Home are 100% recyclable or compostable. www.ecovert.com.au
ecoVert™ Pro (green wall)
Junglefy’s ecoVert™Pro modular green wall system has been designed to provide cost effective, beautiful indoor and outdoor greening solutions with unparalleled flexibility.
Junglefy’s ecoVert™Pro green wall system has been developed to meet the needs of architects, builders and contractors by providing a beautifully simple, strong and lightweight product that offers versatility and flexibility.
Environmentally, ecoVert™Pro ticks all the boxes. Seeking GECA certification, ecoVert™Pro modules are recyclable and are manufactured from locally sourced, 100% post-industrial plastic waste.
From design through prototyping, testing and manufacturing, ecoVert™Pro is 100% Australian made and owned. www.ecovert.com.au
Earthbox mobile balcony garden
A mobile, compact, garden system complete with water reservoir and trellis. Transform any balcony or small space into a garden and move your plants around to take advantage of the sun’s rays. www.earthboxaustralia.com
Yummy Yards
Made from recycled printer cartridges collected Australia-wide, these environmentally-friendly raised garden beds are strong and resistant to solar damage and rot.
Available in a range of sizes, the kits are easily transported and easy to assemble and disassemble for removal to a new location (great for rental properties).
Sustainable benefits
More than 18 million printer consumables are used by Australians each year and while Cartridges for Planet Ark recovers many, up to 80% of cartridges and materials end up in landfill.
Yummy Yards (made from eWood) re-use printer cartridges and plastic product diverting potentially hazardous materials from landfill. Each Yummy Yard contains 50 toner cartridges from the large multifunction machines (printer/copier/fax all in one machine), and 125 copier bottles. eWood has the same characteristics as hardwood, can be painted, glued and varnished. www.best-solutions.com.au
Community Gardens
The City of Sydney has 15 Community Gardens which are run by the community and used for growing herbs, flowers, vegetables and fruit and for conserving rare plants and seeds.
Most gardens:
- Offer the chance to reduce your household waste by using communal composting systems
- Demonstrate innovative and practical ways to reuse pre-loved materials
- Allow you to learn hands-on gardening and grow your own fresh, organic food
- Are a great place to meet other people and get involved in your local area.
More information on City of Sydney Community Gardens.
Last Updated: Friday 26 August, 2011
