By ANNA USHER

Mosman residents with green thumbs are being handed a rare freebie this Autumn: free plants and a free onsite garden design consultation to transform their nature strips into thriving street gardens.

Mosman Council has launched a suite of new resources encouraging locals to apply for verge gardens – with Council staff coming to your property to advise on plant selection and layout, at no cost.

“A well-maintained verge garden can help reduce lawn mowing, provide a habitat for birds and insects, cool the neighbourhood and make your home and street look more desirable,” a Council spokesperson told Mosman Collective.

“It’s also a great way to get to know your neighbours and create a greater sense of community in your street.”

Not just for homeowners

You don’t need to own a freestanding house to get involved.

Owners within strata complexes and renters can also apply -though renters will need written approval from their landlord, and apartment dwellers will need sign-off from their strata corporation.

“Council will assess your application and if you get the green light, we will set up a chat with our team for an onsite consultation and plant selection,” the spokesperson said.

Applications are assessed against strict guidelines, covering pedestrian and traffic safety, sight lines, biodiversity value, impacts on neighbouring properties, and the suitability of proposed plants for the site.

Council particularly encourages locally indigenous species, which are better suited to the coastal conditions and require less water than exotic alternatives.

Shrubs and trees that will grow to less than two metres are recommended. Only trees approved under Council’s Street Tree Masterplan may be planted on a verge.

Why now?

Autumn – along with winter and spring – is the ideal window for planting.

New gardens established during the cooler months have a significantly better survival rate than those planted in the heat of summer. Council advises against planting immediately before a holiday, as new plants need consistent watering for their first few months.

UNSW Built Environment Professor Linda Corkery says the rise of planted nature strips reflects a broader shift in how communities are reclaiming unused public space.

“It’s kind of gone the opposite to [the initial impetus for] the guerrilla approaches, which was activism,” Professor Corkery said. “Now, it’s come to be seen as a valuable thing, because suddenly these vacant spaces are being turned into verdant, productive gardens for the community.

“They are such a great use of unused space, generally tucked away, or on small pockets of land, that is very usable, but that not much can fit on. In a way, [designated verge gardens] have formalised guerrilla gardening and given it legitimacy.”

To find out more, call Council on 9978 4267 or apply using the online form on the website.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Have you created a verge garden in Mosman? Send your photos and story to [email protected]