For too long we have treated our gardens as if they are paintings, a still life, something to look at and admire, as if they were an art gallery, not our home. Something for others to admire, not our sanctuary. Our gardens become something to prune, control and admire. Something a maintenance guy comes in and tidies up when needed. Beautiful, yes. Decorative, yes. Neat and tidy, yes.

But could we enlarge our idea of gardens to be a lifeboat for wildlife?

Wildflowers are disappearing from our roadsides, remnant bushland and suburbs. Every patch of concrete, every fence, every lawn that feeds no one, becomes part of the silence. But what about your garden?  Your garden can become home to honeyeaters seeking nectar from  a Correa alba in winter. Or for blue wrens seeking home in silver tussocks. Or frogs wanting a shallow pond or dish of water. Or butterflies seeking pollen on daisy flowers.

When we enlarge our idea of gardens to include wildlife we enlarge our lives as well.  It becomes a home for many. A lifeboat for many creatures. And a lifeboat to create a pocket of peace for ourselves. 

Bunnings is now showcasing Taz Wild Flowers in their tubestock section in Tasmaniian stores. I hope you enjoy the range.  

Australia has a huge pantry of edible native vegetables and Warrigal Greens or Warrigal Spinach could be hailed as our national superfood. Warrigal performs unique magic tricks. It turns sand into soil, and conjures up leaves rich in antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, K and B6. And the best trick of all, it tastes great.

Where the Wild Greens Grow
Warrigal enjoys some of Tasmania's most expensive real estate along our beaches and estuaries. Warrigal sits higher than the high tide, on a perch at storm tide. From this vantage point Warrigal enjoys the wind chiming through the casuarina's, the salt spray of the surf, and uninterrupted ocean views.

Early European settlers, including Captain Cook used Warrigal to combat scurvy. Seed was taken back to to England by Joseph Banks where it was cultivated in Kew Gardens. It became popular in the early 1800's as a spinach substitute and it's still popular in some high-end restaurants in the UK and Europe.

Growing Warrigal Greens
Warrigal is very easy to grow in your veggie garden. One plant will feed your family, and the best part, the more you pick the leaves the more it grows. Warrigal likes a well-drained position with plenty of sun, and like all spinach plants it responds well to food and water. It will tolerate neglect but for lush growth and tasty leaves it's best to treat it as you would any other valued vegetable crop. Warrigal  has a prostrate habit and sends out runners of tasty fresh young shoots. Pick and pick often is the key to success. 

In winter we add layers of clothing especially here in Tasmania. We start with many thin layers of undergarments, working up to a couple of jumpers, a puffer jacket, scarf, beanie and gloves. This reminds me of our garden. Layers upon layers are exactly what our gardens need.  Layers for warmth  in gardens, are ground covers, grassy plants, small shrubs, tall shrubs with a few trees. These layers protect plants from the cold and damaging frosts.

In summer we do the reverse and shed layers of clothing, seek shade and a cool drink. Plants, birds and wildlife also crave shade and a cool drink. Layers of plants provide shade and protect the moisture in the ground. With too much heat and lack of moisture our plants will become stressed and shed their leaves.

layers work well for both winter and summer gardens.