Getting wild in the garden

FRIENDS of Ballarat Botanical Gardens are hosting a Wilding the Garden Open Day next week with a focus on biodiversity.

On Saturday 14 October, Friends volunteers and likeminded local environmental groups will have stalls inside the Robert Clark Centre sharing information with home and landowners on how they can establish gardens which best support native wildlife.

“People’s approach to gardening has to change, and it is changing,” FBBG president Terry O’Brien said.

“Urban gardeners have a responsibility to do something about the environment and need to attract and cater for insects and animals.

“Over time, we hope people will worry less about manicured lawns, and move more towards meadows.

“That’s a long way away, but let’s have a think about how we approach our gardening, and talk about making our gardens more biodiverse.”

Birdlife Ballarat, Field Naturalists Club of Ballarat, the Dark Sky Community, Ballarat Regional Beekeepers, Gardens for Wildlife Ballarat, and the Australian Plant Society will each have a stall from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

In the courtyard at the back of the Robert Clark Centre, an FBBG BotaniKIDS activity will be led, and in the gardens’ nursery next door, native propagated plants will be sold.

City of Ballarat environmental officers are also taking part and will be seeking community feedback on their new biodiversity strategy before a consultation period closes on Sunday 15 October.

“This particular Saturday is one of the last opportunities to have input to this,” Mr O’Brien said.

“The City is seeking the community’s engagement and ideas on how to better manage and restore the natural environment across the Ballarat region.”