Nature is close-by
By Sue Brunskill I sit at my computer near a large glass window, looking out on a red salvia that has been flowering for many months. I have been seeing many interesting nature interactions – and we are supposed to look away from the computer regularly aren’t we! While I would much prefer being out …
Community Cornucopia
By Chris McGorlick At the height of summer, and as the cusp of Autumn approaches, there is a highly seasonal occurrence that I relish every year. It’s not the flowering of an exotic plant, nor the arrival of a migratory creature, nor the fruiting of a particular vegetable. But rather, the proliferation of harvest …
Habitat open garden
By Lizette Salmon, Gardens for Wildlife Albury-Wodonga Project Officer Gardens can provide vital stepping stones for native animals moving through the landscape for food, water, breeding or migratory purposes. Even small habitat gardens have the potential to provide temporary and longer-term refuge for native birds, insects, reptiles and small mammals. A case in point is …
Getting to know ladybird beetles
By Karen Retra Did you know there are about 500 species of ladybird beetles in Australia? Of these, I regularly see five species in my garden. Ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae family) are terrific pest controllers. For many species, both the larvae and adults feed on small, soft-bodied and sap-sucking insects like aphids, scales and mites. Maybe …
The value of a garden
By David Thurley The Roman philosopher Cicero once said “If you have a library and a garden you have everything you need.” Gardens mean so many things to different people and that may vary from time to time. Our native garden changes with the seasons as the various native trees and bushes flower and grow. …
A Dam Good Idea
By Jonathon Howard I’ve built a series of ‘leaky weirs’ on my property. A leaky weir is a structure designed to slow water flow, filter the water through the vegetation, and reconnect the water to the surrounding floodplain. People might be familiar with these structures if they have seen Peter Andrew’s ‘Natural Sequence Farming’ on …
Making compost
By Charles Robinson Autumn is compost-making time and I love it. About twelve years ago I planted an extensive deciduous forest comprising English Oaks, Liquidamber, Claret and Golden Ash, Tulip Trees, Ginko Biloba, Red Oaks and Pin Oaks. These trees have many benefits but, best of all, they provide masses of leaves for the compost. …
Can I suggest a worm farm…?
By Jenny Indian A friend recently commented that she found autumn beautiful and yet a little depressing. This stopped me in my tracks – as one prone to fret about heat and summer, autumn is simply the finest of times. Not just the colour and light from those wonderful deciduous trees but the joy of …
Tapping the potential in our own back yards
by Anne Stelling, Parklands Albury Wodonga Now seems a perfect time to take a fresh look at what we do in our everyday lives, to rethink our mindsets, to change our habits and routines. After all, we’ve all rolled with the punches throughout a pandemic as a matter of necessity and found that we can …
Something from Nothing
By Kirsten Coates After months of deliberation and soul searching, we came to very sad decision last week. At the rear of our house stands an old pear tree, estimated to be at least 100 years old, gnarled, wizened and full of character. We have often mused at what that old pear tree has seen. …
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About Living Lightly …
Living Lightly is a column in the Border Mail newspaper on Wednesdays featuring local stories about sustainable living.
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