Caring for Your Nature Strip!
The nature strip or ‘verge’ is the public space between your property and the road curb. It’s a zone that contains various utilities such as telecommunications, gas, water, and power services, as well as street lighting. Usually featuring grass and a tree, it serves several important purposes:
- Providing a level area for waste and recycling bins.
- Ensuring safe access for pedestrians, strollers, and wheelchairs between the road and footpath.
- Enhancing visibility for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, particularly at intersections, curves, and driveways.
- Allowing easy access for service providers to perform maintenance or repairs.
- Creating room for tree planting, contributing to the neighbourhood’s greenery.
While the nature strips throughout the Marigold neighbourhood are the property of Wyndham City Council, the maintenance and regular upkeep are the responsibility of the landowner whose property is parallel to each nature strip section.
Basic Maintenance
Regular upkeep of your nature strip goes a long way in enhancing the overall ambiance of our community. Taking care of it involves simple tasks like regular mowing, weeding, and picking up litter. By keeping it clean and tidy, it creates a welcoming environment within our community for everyone.
Benefits of a Well-Maintained Nature Strip
Apart from the visual appeal, a well-kept nature strip brings various advantages:
- It aids in rainwater absorption and minimises stormwater runoff,
- Increase the aesthetics of the neighbourhood,
- Softens the impact of the hard surfaces, the roads, and pavements.
- Boosts your property’s value and overall well-being.
Street Trees
Another common feature of most nature strips are street trees. Street trees add to the natural aesthetics of our community as well as having practical benefits including providing shade, contributing to CO2 absorption within the environment and cooling down the neighbourhood.
You can help care for your street tree by following the below;
- Watering it regularly – particularly in the drier months.
- Keeping the base weed free and mulched but remembering to keep mulch away from the tree trunks
Remember, the street tree is also the property of Wyndham City Council and cannot be removed without prior approval being granted. It is your responsibility to care for the street tree like it is your own and you may be held accountable for any damage that occurs to tree within your boundary.
Landscaping Ideas
Most nature strips comprise of grass and a street tree, however, they are not the only accepted treatments and you do have some liberties to beautify your patch.
Transforming your nature strip into a charming corner can be a rewarding project. Consider options like using gravel, mulch, and approved plants to give it a unique touch. However, please remember that your design should still accommodate essential functionality such as pedestrian pathways, postal services, vehicular movement, parking, and waste collection.
Landscape Permit Application
Should you decide to take your nature strip to the next level with landscaping, you’ll need to secure a permit. Adhering to the Beautification of Nature Strips Policy is crucial in ensuring your project aligns with community guidelines, which can be found here.
For further guidance on obtaining a permit for your nature strip, you can contact Wyndham City Council on 1300 023 411.
Our Marigold Sales team are always here to help! If you have any queries about anything mentioned above, please feel free to reach out via either of the methods below and let’s work together to create a beautiful and inviting community through our nature strip care efforts!
Phone: 1300 888 181
Email: info@marigoldtarneit.com.au
Drop in and say hello! Sales Office Open Saturday to Wednesday 11am to 5pm
