Bird Baths
Bird baths dotted through the garden ensure a good supply of water for the birds. In order to ensure the garden is a magnet for butterflies and insects self seeding of wildflowers, including the grey foliaged Senecio is encouraged. This helps to evoke the feeling and scent of a piece of Australian bush in the eastern suburbs

Flora For Fauna
Three dwarf eucalyptus leucoxylons provide the parrots and other nectar eating birds with food for much of the year.

Produce Garden
Produce garden using recycled sleepers and peastraw mulch

Vegies
For an enthusiastic cook like me, a vegetable garden is essential. Beds have been built up using old redgum fence uprights and filled with a mixture of chicken and cow manure, mushroom mulch and compost. They are rejuvenated in spring and autumn each year. Fruit trees also feature throughout the back garden.

Rainwater Tanks
One of two rainwater tanks used to collect water for use on the garden and a large pond that collects rainwater and will hopefully one day become a frog pond.

Frogless Frog Pond
This pond in the back has been built along Balinese lines using mainly local stone to give it an Australian flavour. So far, no frogs have chosen to take up residence.

Compost Bins / Worm Farms
One of several compost bins/worm farms

Callistemons
Three local callistemons have been planted to overhang the pond edges. Their new silver growth and pale lemon flowers are particularly attractive in spring.

Birdbath
Another of many birdbaths.

Chickens
Chickens take care of the kitchen scraps and produce manure to fertilise the garden

Recycled Stone
Local stone from the (now closed) East Doncaster quarry has been used to create a dry stone wall. The spaces between the stones creates valuable habitat for skinks and insects.

Pond
Recycled childs pool used as a pond

Water Wise Gardening
The only water the front garden beds receive is from diverted stormwater or rain.

Stormwater
Mulched beds with stormwater directed onto the plants through slotted agi-pipes

Bio-diversity
In keeping with my philosophy of encouraging bio-diversity in my garden, there are plenty of self-seeded local grasses and a mix of indigenous and Australian wildflowers, such as Orthrosanthus and Bracteantha.