Group Co-leader Nick beside Habitat Tripod

By: Michael Fox

I joined the Crosby Road Bushcare team last Saturday to plant up the Habitat Tripod with vines and shrubs that will create safe habitat for small birds like Fairy Wrens to nest.

Climbing Guinea Flower

Vines and creepers were planted to climb the legs of the tripod create an attractive garden feature that is also scrubby habitat for small birds.

Climbing Guinea Flower Hibbertia scandens with its large bright yellow flowers in Spring and Summer is popular with native bees like the Great Carpenter Bees genus Xylocopa. 

Native Sarsaparilla

Native Sarsaparilla Hardenbergia violacea producing purple flowers in Winter and Spring is caterpillar food plant for the Common Grass-blue Zizina labradus butterfly and provides for for seed eating and seed eating birds.

Group Co-leader Cori planting

The Bushcare team also did infill planting to complement past planting.

Mulching new planting

Mulch was spread around new plants to retain water and keep the soil cool.

Creeping Boobialla

Effectiveness of the Crosby Road Bushcare team’s planting protocol can be seen in rapid spread of Creeping Boobialla Myoporum parvifolium which has covered large areas beside the steps, flowers winter, spring and summer, and is already producing food for fruit eating birds.

Grey Butcherbird

Inspecting the work and having lunch on insects disturbed by the team was a handsome Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus.

Plant Local to Feed Locals.

Find discount local plant species to attract birds, butterflies and bees to your Pollinator Link garden.