Sustainable Backyard

The Sustainable Backyard is a demonstration garden that has been designed to illustrate sustainable principles. It shows some of the ways in which the typical suburban backyard can be transformed into a productive and edible landscape.

It features chickens which are moved around different beds, a worm farm, composting, liquid manure barrels, and a range of fruit trees, berries and vines.

In the Sustainable Backyard you will see examples of sustainable garden design:

  • Some things have many functions 
  • Most available space is used - including vertical space 
  • Nutrients are recycled and replaced using compost and green manure. 
  • Waste is used as a resource 
  • A wide range of annual and perennial plants are grown to produce a year round food supply 
  • Vegetable beds are designed for effective crop rotation 
  • Animals (bees, chickens, worms and insects) are a key part of the garden 
  • Recycled materials are used wherever possible to save money and reduce waste 
  • Each system imitates a natural system.