Knox Environment Society’s Irene Kelly and Darren Wallace tend to the new nursery. 27670
By Casey Neill
KNOX Environment Society Community Nursery has a new home.
The group can now look to the future after setting up shop next to Ferntree Gully library.
The group faced uncertainty at its former home on the closed Ferntree Gully Secondary College grounds because plans for that site remained unclear.
Knox councillors unanimously voted to let the group to move to Ferntree Gully Recreation Reserve at their July meeting last year.
The new location has ideal sunlight for growing plants and will give the nursery a more prominent position.
The nursery has offered locally grown indigenous plants and expert knowledge to Knox gardeners for 25 years. Profits are put back into the community.
Knox Environment Society president Darren Wallace said demand for indigenous plants has grown.
“It’s increasingly important as local residents realise exotic plants are not the way forward in a drying environment,” he said.
He said the plants were primarily important for their drought tolerance, but also provided habitat for wildlife and native birds.
“And they reinforce the natural character of the local area,” he said.
The group plans to landscape the library car park precinct with indigenous plants to showcase ideas for home owners. They are discussing water recycling facilities with South East Water and hope to have a system running within two months.
“We’ll make good use of what would otherwise be waste water and preserve drinking water,” Mr Wallace said.
“We have a responsibility as an environmental group to put in place infrastructure other can learn from and apply in their own situation.”
