Bird Garden Makeover

Don showed how to make a garden that would be highly bird attracting. The garden selected to be made over backed onto bushland and was roughly twenty metres by two metres in size. Before he started the property was a sorry sight. Not only were some of the plants dying, but also an area filled with exotic plants which adjoins bushland somehow never seems to work very well. One of the aims of the project was to use Australian native plants and existing bushrock to blend the new garden into the bushland beyond.

Site preparation

The first step was to remove the exotic or unwanted plants, and rubbish. Don removed dead lavenders, casualties of the recent wet weather conditions and also the acid soil typical of the Australian east coast. There were a few native plants in the garden, either planted by the owners or self-sown from the bush, and these were saved for possible use later, along with some star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). The old irrigation system was removed. Native bush soil was obtained from a nearby legal soil pit, and spread over the site. The idea was to increase the depth of soil for the new plants to grow in, and also to create mounds which add some variation and interest to the landscape. Don rented a bobcat for the day to enable the story to be shot in the available time - but the work could easily be done by hand and wheelbarrow. (Tip: If you're not used to doing heavy work or gardening, spread the wear and tear on your body by switching hands every now and again when carrying out jobs such as raking.)

Rocks

Existing bushrock was pulled to the front of the garden, overlapped and tucked into the leading edge of the soil mounds, to create a new rock shelf. Rocks are unbelievably difficult to locate in a garden, and you'll find that nine times out of ten the placement you've chosen looks wrong. A good solution to the problem is to try and match a natural rock formation; that way you tie the artificial garden in with the real bushland. Don also noticed groups of smaller rocks scattered around in the bush area, so he created a similar effect with small rocks in the new garden.

Plants

The area to be planted was roughly 60 square metres, so Don bought 60 plants - one per square metre. They were all Australian natives, and all bird attracting. He deliberately overplanted slightly, because it's always possible that some will die. When you're buying your plants remember Don's example of the Eucalyptus 'Summer Red' - plants in flower look great at the nursery, but they are not necessarily the best ones to buy. Here is the complete list of the plants used on this project:

Bottlebrushes:

1 x Callistemon 'King's Park Special'
1 x Callistemon 'Pink Alma'
1 x Callistemon citrinus 'Endeavour' (Endeavour Bottlebrush)

Kangaroo Paws: Bush Gem Series

5 x Anigozanthos 'Bush Dawn'
2 x Anigozanthos 'Bush Sunset'
3 x Anigozanthos 'Yellow Gem'

Banksias:

4 x Banksia spinulosa dwarf - Dwarf Hairpin banksia
1 x Banksia spinulosa 'Gold'
1 x Banksia spinulosa
1 x Banksia collina (Hill Banksia)
2 x Banksia ericifolia
1 x Banksia serrata
4 x Banksia integrifolia - Prostrate Coastal banksia

Flannel Flowers: 5 x Actinotus helianthi

Grevilleas:

3 x Grevillea 'Poorinda Royal Mantle'
3 x Grevillea obtusifolia 'Gingin Gem'
4 x Grevillea 'Superb'
1 x Grevillea 'Moonlight'
1 x Grevillea 'Firesprite'
1 x Grevillea 'Sylvia'
1 x Grevillea shiressii
1 x Grevillea 'Boongala Spinebill'
1 x Grevillea 'Misty Pink'
1 x Grevillea 'Golden Lyre'
1 x Grevillea 'Orange Marmalade'
1 x Grevillea intricata - grafted
1 x Grevillea thyrsoides - grafted
1 x Grevillea 'Billy Bonkers'
2 x Grevillea alpina 'Grampians Gold' - grafted
1 x Grevillea formosa - grafted
1 x Grevillea stenomera prostrate - grafted
2 x Grevillea arenaria
3 x Grevillea lanigera 'Mt Tamboretha

Eucalypts: 2 x Eucalyptus 'Summer Red' - grafted

Not all plants are suitable for all areas - check with your local native nursery which ones are the best bird attracting plants for your area.

Put and Look

This is a tried and true method of planting. Place the plants where you think they should go, then stand back, have a look and decide if it works. You'll remember in our segment Don placed the tall plants at the back. He tucked a banksia in behind a group of rocks, placed a bottlebrush over near the fence where screening was required, and grouped some of the small plants like kangaroo paws together in front of the new rock shelf. Groups of flannel flowers were placed towards the front, amongst the scattering of small rocks. They have silvery grey foliage, so several plants of the prostrateBanksia integrifolia looked good positioned nearby. It's important not to have a structured look to your plantings. Group plants rather than line them up, and here and there put a plant in an unexpected position. This will help to keep your native garden looking natural.

Irrigation

The irrigation was installed after the plants were put in, to avoid accidents like cutting the line with a spade. (Tip: the irrigation line should be laid out in the sun for a while, and then stretched. This helps to remove all the kinks.) After the line is placed in position in the garden, install the sprinklers without the heads and then turn on the water to flush any dirt out of the system. Next put on the sprinkler heads, and finally bury the irrigation line.

Mulch and water in

One of the big mistakes people make when they're mulching is that they spread it too thinly. It should be 4-6" (10-15cm). It's important to water the plants in thoroughly; it's one of the most critical parts of the job, but also one of the most enjoyable.

Fertilise and treat with Seasol

Once the plants were all in, Don applied Debco Green Jacket Native Plant Formulation, an excellent slow release fertiliser which is very safe with natives. Then to combat transplant shock and promote root development, he used a hose end attachment to water on some Seasol.

Costings:

For our garden makeover we paid:

5 cubic metres of leaf mulch/wood chip mix (inc. delivery) $150
5 tonnes of local soil (inc. delivery) $120
Bob Cat hire for one day $305 (you may only need one for 1/2 day)
Irrigation $130
The number of plants used is up to you. We used 60 plants and they ranged in price from $8.50-$35.00.

Extras:

Debco Green Jacket No.5 Fertiliser for native plants is only available in commercial quantities. 20kg costs approximately $130.

Spray packs of Seasol cost $13-$15.

Contact information:

While some of the plants used in our makeover may grow well in your area, others may not. You can obtain advice on suitable plants for your climate and conditions at a specialist native plant nursery, for example:

Sydney Wildflower Nursery West, Marsden Park, NSW. Phone: (02) 9628 4448

Annangrove Grevilleas Native Nursery, Kenthurst, NSW. Phone: (02) 9654 1380

Zanthorrea Nursery, Maida Vale, WA. Phone: (08) 9454 6260

Fairhill Native Plants, Yandina, QLD. Phone: (07) 5446 7088

Kuranga Native Nursery, Ringwood, VIC. Phone: (03) 9879 4076

Nellie Nursery, Mannum, SA. Phone: (08) 8569 1762

Copyright 1999 CTC Productions