What if we changed our nature strips into valued places with street trees for shade, and low-growing native plants for habitat and biodiversity, connecting throughout our cool, walkable suburbs?

If just half the residents of our city made this small change from grass to garden, supporting the street trees planted by councils, it would add hundreds of hectares of shade and biodiverse habitat.

And we can start right now!

All that land is there waiting for us all to take better care for it. There’s no need to buy extra land.

Councils are already planting street trees to shade and cool our cities.

Residents already mow the grass.

All we need to do is work together with a common purpose.

Do you want to be part of making it happen?

Start on your verge

Find out where to start (or why to start) and become a proud and confident verge gardener who understands how their garden plays a part in the overall greening of our cities with our free Verge Garden Basics – Understanding the Space course on Substack.

“It’s a challenging place to garden. I think your course has saved me a lot of angst and heartache already.” Alex A.

No verge? Lots of people help family and friends do theirs instead. Others join group projects and contribute in many other ways with citizen science, writing stories, making videos

Group Projects

Are you already part of a group concerned about the environment, biodiversity loss or urban heat?

It just takes one or two of you to start the ball rolling, and you can use it as a group project to benefit both the environment and your group.

ACF Community Brisbane Northside uses verge gardens as their “Save Our Big Backyard” nature activity to increase awareness of the need to protect biodiversity in the community.

We help you leverage and promote your activities and conversations to build your group and spread your message with a flexible and doable project that connects your members within your local community.

Your members can use the free resources, and you can use them for easy activities and lively discussions at meetings.

Collaborations for Scale and Change-making

Collaborations are the key to making the changes we need to address climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Here we build on the conversation skills practiced as individuals planting, and the habits of leverage and promotion practiced as a group.

We provide the platform and coaching for your community to create their own collaborative project that focuses on your assets and goals.

You’ll be part of our growing network of collaborators who use the skills gained in practical experience gardening on the verge and participating in group projects, and then go on to share their knowledge and experience to form more projects.

Subscribe to the Shady Lanes newsletter and join our community on Substack