We have a new street tree between our young street tree and the neighbours established street tree. It’s just inside their verge so I’ve checked with them that they are happy for me to extend the verge garden to include this tree.

It will be easier for them mowing because there will just be a single line their side of the tree instead of them having to go around the tree.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll move the grass and replace with plants.

People who park there often walk around to the back of their car to get something out the boot, and then step onto the verge. They will want to walk between the tree and the existing verge garden so there will have to be enough flat green for them to do that. Most probably some mulch to keep it firm with mazus or native violets holding it all together. Both will take light foot traffic.

A week on and I’ve taken out the grass between the tree and the kerb, and the tree and the footpath. That leaves the grass between the gardens intact to protect the soil for now – remembering that it will need to be replaced by something that people can step on to get from the road to the footpath.

The line on the near side makes it easier to mow to a line without those little strips of grass.  That will be a shallow spade edge, keeping the grass back from the tree.

I’ve put some paper daisies close to the Westringia to greet people as they approach. And a Goodenia ovata tucked under to their left.  It will grow out towards the morning sun.

Against the kerb and the pavement, there are several Mazus plants which should give flat green without the need to mow. It will be shaded most of the day and it seems to survive well in this clay soil.

Under the tree there are two scaevola plants and an Orange Spade Flower (Hybanthus aurantiacus). The leaves from the nearby tree can be scooped up and put on the garden.

It’s all holding up well in the heatwave. Watch this space!

Update!

The grass between the gardens is gone. There’s a very light spread of tea tree mulch – enough to cover the soil so it’s easier to walk on but not thick. The viola banksii, dichondra and mazus will grow through and make this a flat green area that people will walk through but doesn’t need mowing.

The spade edge on the left makes it look neat and cared for. People are more likely to accept the change if the garden looks like someone is looking after it.

The corridor view. Flush with the concrete footpath and the kerb so there is no soil or mulch escape, and no trip hazard or those ankle-twisting furrows you get with many grass verges.

Plants are beginning to take. I’ve added a small Brachyscome multifida to see how that does on the verge.