In the garden

Designing your garden to suit Bendigo’s dry climate will help it to thrive in local conditions and use less water. By selecting locally native plants or other plant species that are suited to our local climate, practising natural garden maintenance and talking to other local gardeners you will save money and enjoy better gardening results.

Guides to gardening in the Bendigo environment

Indigenous plants

The Indigenous Plants of Bendigo booklet includes practical information on:

• 104 different local plants
• Local soils
• Attracting wildlife to your garden
• Protecting and enhancing remnant vegetation
• Environmental weeds

Download the Indigenous Plants of Bendigo booklet.

Home grown fruit and vegetables

The Home Grown booklet is a practical guide to growing fresh fruit and vegetables in your own backyard and connecting with your community and local food growers. It provides information on:

• Plans and design
• Garden maintenance and health
• Common pests
• Harvest
• Connecting to local organisations

Download the Home Grown booklet.

Creating wildlife-friendly gardens

The City of Greater Bendigo has developed this booklet to help our residents to design and plant gardens – or even small patches of gardens – that will benefit local wildlife by providing food and shelter, as well as stepping stones so they can move freely across our landscapes. It provides information on:

• Garden design
• Native plants
• Native animals
• Planting and maintenance

Download the Creating Wildlife-Friendly Gardens booklet

Natural garden maintenance

Mulch and compost are important to a water-wise garden, and there are many ways to protect your plants from pests and diseases using natural methods that don’t rely on chemicals.

Find out more:

• ABC website: Gardening Australia Water-Wise Gardening Fact Sheets
• ABC website: Gardening Australia Biological Pest Control Fact Sheet
• YouTube: Costa's Guide to Household Composting

Getting to know local gardens and gardeners

Visit a garden, community food garden or regional park in and around Bendigo for ideas and inspiration for your own garden. You could start with:

• Bendigo Botanic Gardens
• Rosalind Park
• Canterbury Gardens

There are several community interest groups who meet to swap garden ideas. Groups such as the Bendigo Native Plant Group and the Friends of Bendigo Botanic Gardens meet regularly and are happy to share their knowledge and skills with others. Go to the Bendigo Botanic Gardens website: Join the friends.