This series of workshops by Sustainable Gardening Australia aims to give you the tools and techniques to garden for wildlife and support biodiversity in your local area. The variety of workshops aims to give you the skills and knowledge to plan and build a Wildlife friendly garden at your house.

All seminars are at Currawong Bush Park Conference Centre, Reynolds Road Doncaster East.

Supper at 6.45pm Seminar begins 7pm sharp.

Workshop 1:

Planning a Habitat Garden for Wildlife

Wednesday 20 November, 7pm – 9pm

Our indigenous animals are struggling with the effects of urbanisation and the removal of habitat, but with a few simple changes, a garden can become an inviting space for local fauna to visit and live in.

Learn how to become a ‘Champion for Wildlife’ by incorporating food sources, water, shelter and nesting places in your garden for our indigenous animals.

Activity: Propagating indigenous seeds and seedlings to take home.

Presenter: Charlotte Harrison, Sustainable Gardening Australia

Workshop 2

Soil Care in a Habitat Garden

Thursday 21 November, 7pm – 9pm

All gardens begin and end in the soil. In this workshop we will dive into the world of soil and how to care for it so your wildlife garden flourishes and becomes a welcome home for wildlife.

There are many simple ways to improve the soil in your garden and the paybacks can be huge, improving the local environment, supporting wildlife and maintaining a productive and beautiful garden.

This workshop will introduce you to the science of soil and provide tips on how to protect and improve soil for a wildlife garden in an environmentally beneficial way.

Activity: Attendees can bring their own soil samples to pH test. Examples of different soil typles and tests provided.

Presenter: Charlotte Harrison, Sustainable Gardening Australia

Workshop 3

Attracting Native Bees and Butterflies into the Garden

Wednesday 27 November, 7pm – 9pm

Native Bees and butterflies are great pollinators and beautiful additions to any garden. There are many things you can do to attract them to visit you and maybe even set up residency in your garden.

This workshop will introduce you to the wonderful world of native bees and butterflies, their role in nature as pollinators and as an important player in the food web and discuss practical ways that you can attract a range of insects to your garden.

You’ll be helping the environment while enjoying the splash of colour, movement and beauty native bees and butterflies bring to a garden.

Activity: Attendees can make a native bee hotel (nesting site) using bamboo canes, flower stems and other materials.

Presenter: Charlotte Harrison, Sustainable Gardening Australia

Workshop 4

Attracting Small Birds into the Garden

Thursday 28 November, 7pm – 9pm

Seeing small birds visit our gardens is becoming less common but there are changes we can make that will encourage them back.

This workshop will share some of the challenges small birds face in the urban environment and what can be done to invite them back to visit and maybe make a home.

A few of the local small bird champions will also be introduced and the session includes heaps of tips for providing food, shelter, water and breeding sites to create habitat for birds.

Presenter: Charlotte Harrison, Sustainable Gardening Australia

SGA - Creating a Wildlife Garden Seminar Series