Bigtime Backyard Biodiversity

The United Nations (doers of good all over the world) have declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, and we couldn’t be more excited! To celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity, and help you get pumping in your patch, SGA are kicking of the year with some biodiverse backyard bushfoods, allowing you to have your habitat and eat it to! Check it out here.

Gardening in 2010 – New Yard Resolutions

We’ve all been there – 12.05am on the first day of the New Year always seems the perfect time to make bold announcements about what we are or are not going to do for the upcoming year. But, as the Dutch Courage wears off and January turns to February, New Years Resolutions seem to fade into the past like slurred verses of Auld Lang Syne. So, this year, instead of making a series of personal resolutions you won’t keep, why not turn your attentions to the garden? To give you a kickstart, we’ve whacked together a list of New Yards Resolutions - ten top tips for the patch and the planet in 2010. No bad singing, cheap champagne or party hats required! Check them out here.

Food Security – A Global Problem with Local Solutions

Food security is a term that, like global warming and climate change, we are going to hear a lot of in 2010, and with good reason. But, unlike a lot of earth threatening issues that seem just too big for an individual to make a real difference, there is so much each and every one of us can do to ensure food security for our families, our communities and the planet. Find out about food security, and how we can all make a difference here.

Parsley - Grow Your Own Garnish

As herbs go, parsley is generally not regarded as one of the more exciting plants in the patch, but the reality is far different. Like the author, parsley is versatile, good looking, hardy, easy to grow and doesn’t drink much (ok, that’s where the similarities ended). Have a go at growing your very own garnish this month. Parsley – you can’t go past it. Read all about it here.

Early Blight of Tomatoes

As our tomatoes begin to bear the fruits of their (and our) labours, unlucky gardeners may notice this little blighter about the place. As attractive fungi go, Early Blight of Tomatoes ain’t going to win any prizes, and can be downright disastrous to toms at this time of year. Get up close and personal with this freaky looking fungus here:

February in your Patch

As we ease back into the new year after a lovely break, it’s time to hit the patch with a wee bit of planting and a whole lot of planning. Brave the heat and show your garden you care this month – hug a tree, whack a weed, maintain your mulch, watch your watering and fix up fallow beds. For all your fab Feb tips and tricks, check out this month’s February in your Patch, perfect for wherever you happen to be across Australia! Click here for great February info.

Mary Trigger – SGA CEO is G Magazine Eco Hero!

The unsung guru of the gardening world, SGA CEO Mary Trigger has been named as one of G Magazine’s Top 20 Eco Heroes, an accolade that celebrates Australians paving green paths, inspiring others and achieving big things in sustainability. Mary has been recognised for her fantastic work at the helm of SGA, and the great work she, and the organisation, have done in bringing sustainability to gardeners across Australia. Good on you Mary, we always knew you were a legend!

The SGA Crew Head to the Zoo – Werribee Workshops Autumn 2010

Sustainable Gardening Australia is presenting a series of four workshops at Werribee Open Range Zoo (VIC) during Autumn 2010. These workshops have a Werribee Plains focus and are designed to encourage participants to become more sustainable within their own backyards and local community. Each workshop will focus on a different topic such as Sustainable Garden Design; Garden Plants for the Werribee Plains; Creating Habitat Gardens and Gardening in Low Rainfall Areas.

Click here to book a workshop.

Click here for more information, session times and dates etc.