The City of Hobart is distributing over 4,000 free plants this year to accelerate the growth of nature strip gardening across the city. This initiative builds on the success of the 2023 program, which has already seen close to 8,000 plants find new homes in Hobart neighborhoods.

In an added bonus, five lucky households will receive a trailer load of free mulch, a bucket of biochar, and an established tree to boost their gardens and contribute to Hobart’s tree canopy.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds expressed her excitement, stating, “Since launching our free nature strip plants program in 2023 we have seen a real surge in nature strip gardening.” She highlighted how “Individuals, families and even entire neighbourhoods are getting together to turn boring old nature strips into beautiful gardens that can be enjoyed by the entire community.”

Lord Mayor Reynolds also encouraged past recipients to reapply and “restock your nature strip with fresh plants.”

Helen Cushing, a freelance horticultural journalist, emphasised the community and environmental benefits, noting that

“Street gardens transform public space, bringing communities together with each other and nature, creating beauty, and giving birds, butterflies and other little critters places to feed and live.”

She added, “Street gardening is really sociable – curious neighbours come out for a chat…everyone loves what we’re doing.”

South Hobart nature strip gardener Patrick Meagher echoed these sentiments, stating,

“Anything that brings the community together and sparks conversations about nature and the environment is a good thing.”

He concluded, “It’s great the council is offering plants to the community.”

Residents can apply for their free plants here.

The program is open until 7 July 2025.

The Hobart City Council’s HCC nature-strip-policy can be accessed here.

 

 

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