Wildlife, food and community in a South Hobart garden
Nestled on a steep, south-facing site in South Hobart, Lisa and Anthony’s 1,200 square metre garden began as an overgrown patch dominated by weeds. Over time, they’ve turned it into a thriving space for native habitat, food production and community connection. Gardens for Wildlife Coordinator Emma McPhee caught up with Lisa to learn how the garden has evolved.
Rehabilitation, bit by bit
What was once an unruly slope is now a series of functional terraces. On the steepest sections, Lisa and Anthony have used fallen timber and metal poles to slow water, catch nutrients, and help the soil settle, which is crucial in Hobart’s changing climate.
“When we inherited this garden, it was all blue periwinkle, blackberry, and butterfly bushes. There were signs of previous attempts at plantings, like a box hedge that survived, but mostly just a plant tag cemetery and lots of periwinkle and hemlock,” Lisa said.
Their approach to rehabilitation has been gradual. They began by brush-cutting or hand-pulling weeds and laying down thick mulch, and in less rocky areas used black plastic for solarisation before interplanting. Lisa said she followed the advice of seasoned bushland carers: ‘Keep on top of the weeds. Every time they poke through, pull them out.’ Over time, the weeds lose energy, and the new plantings take over.
Lisa and Anthony have been replacing pittosporum on one side of the garden with native species. Other natives, like a kangaroo apple, have self-seeded nearby. ‘I love kangaroo apple and buzzies,’ Lisa said. ‘Both are great coloniser plants. I love that you can cook with the berries from the kangaroo apple and make jam.’
Wildlife watching
Lisa and Anthony have come to know their garden by watching it closely. ‘A lot of my wildlife watching happens in the early evenings,’ Lisa says. ‘Watching bird antics, especially the yellow-throated honeyeaters, is very satisfying. We’ve just ticked over 40 species visiting our garden.’
Technology helps fill in some of the detail. Lisa uses bat detectors and wildlife cameras to see who else is visiting after dark.
She also keeps a backyard diary, noting climate patterns, seasonal shifts, floods, high winds, heatwaves and which animals have impacted the food garden. Over time, this record has become a valuable way for her to see how far they have come in managing food production alongside wildlife.
Growing food alongside wildlife
The front garden is open to all wildlife while the edible area is surrounded by wallaby-proof fencing. Netting protects part of the edible garden, with chicken wire used instead of fine net in some sections to allow small birds like silvereyes and wrens in to control insects while excluding parrots and possums.
‘I don’t free-spray fruit trees or blast aphids. The birds do it for us. Sure, they might take some fruit, but we always have a surplus,’ Lisa noted.
She encourages other food growers to consider native plants. “If you love dahlias but get insect damage, think about planting some natives to bring in beneficial insects, birds and bats.’
Overcoming challenges
One challenge of living in an open, wildlife-friendly garden is roaming cats. Lisa and Anthony found that having a dog solved this problem, and they take care to ensure that she doesn’t disturb the wildlife.
Another frustration for people with wildlife-friendly gardens is animals munching on young plants. Lisa advises using plant guards for at least three years. She creates them out of simple tip-shop materials, which protect the plants while allowing wind through, which strengthens the plants.
Five tips for a wildlife-friendly garden
- Join a no-mow and no spray register. Lisa and Anthony’s natives on the nature strip were repeatedly cut by contractors. Adding simple signs and joining the council’s no-mow list stopped the unwanted brush-cutting. Lisa also recommends joining the no-spray register, which made a big difference to frog numbers. “Before, we couldn’t attract frogs. Now they’re permanent residents. This year we’ve had the most frog calls ever,” Lisa said.
- Embrace ‘clutter’. As the garden became more complex, more species arrived. “There was a turning point when we started seeing spinebills and black-headed honeyeaters – species that usually avoid open areas, Lisa said. The garden’s bird bars – wide, shallow bowls containing water – are surrounded by varying amounts of vegetation. The open bars draw in ravens, butcherbirds and rosellas, while thornbills and black-headed honeyeaters prefer the protected, vegetated bars. As the garden thickened with perching spots, microclimates formed, insect life flourished and bats benefited too. A bat detector revealed up to seven species – far more than Lisa expected.
- Encourage insects. Supporting year-round habitat for beneficial insects is also important to Lisa as a food grower. ‘We plant natives to provide shelter and resources for insects throughout the year. That way, our amazing insects aren’t just here in summer. They’re helping with pest control across seasons.’
- Involve community. Lisa emphasises the value of communication and negotiation with neighbours. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking. When a huge pine next door was blocking the light and damaging the soil, she offered to split the cost of removing it. ‘They agreed. Now we have a beautiful view and thriving plants.’ They also keep the front garden open to the street. People often stop to admire it, so when they found someone sitting on a rock hidden by lomandra, they made a small seat from old railway sleepers. “The garden isn’t just for us; it’s for everyone to enjoy,” Lisa said.
- Maintain plants under power lines. Contractors trimming under power lines once topped the garden’s hakeas, so Lisa and Anthony now we maintain the height themselves. Keeping on top of this work protects key habitat plants and reduces the need for intervention.
Part of a connected landscape
From a once-degraded slope, Lisa and Anthony have created a garden that links people, wildlife and place. It now supports birds, bats, insects and other wildlife, grows food, and welcomes the community.
Lisa sees the garden as a microcosm in itself, as well as a stepping stone within a larger network of habitats. ‘It’s all about creating connected islands at all scales. Across the road is our threatened Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest, and beyond that, Kunanyi, and further still, the Wilderness World Heritage areas. Our garden links into that larger landscape.’
Banner image: Series of bird bars in Lisa’s garden.