Back to Back Win for Waterwise Garden Award

29 October 2007

Last week James and Julie Daniells from Kilmore were awarded Goulburn Valley Water’s 2007 Waterwise Garden Award at the Goulburn Broken National Water Week Award Night.  This is the second year in a row that the couple have won this award.

Goulburn Valley Water’s General Manager Technical Services, Mr Allen Gale said that this is the third year that the award has been conducted and it specifically targets the Corporation’s residential customers.  “I would like congratulate James and Julie on winning this award for the second time,” he said.  “Their beautiful garden was established in Kilmore more than four years ago when the town was on severe water restrictions and they are still on in-house use only.”

“James and Julie’s garden survives on rainwater and greywater," said Mr Gale.  “They have 15 different varieties of Grevillia and 6 different Callistemon, Acacia’s, Westringia and other types of plants including Photinia and Hebes.” 

Goulburn Valley Water’s Public Relations Officer, Mary Connelly-Gale said that when she met with James and Julie it was a delight to see the development of their garden since last year.  “The front garden is growing really well and providing a lot of privacy. This year James has further developed their back garden and created a play area for the children, a very small lawn area (16m2) which is not waterec, an orchard, a vegi garden and a native back drop along with a chicken run.” 

“Through innovation James has been able to reduce the amount of water needed for the orchard and vegie garden by half, said Ms Connelly-Gale. “James has hooked up a dripper system to a cherry barrel and now the plants are getting the water where they need it down near the roots.  Before this set up James would use a watering can or bucket.”

Ms Connelly-Gale said that James and Julie are very passionate about their garden and really appreciate the birds and other wildlife that are attracted to their garden,” she said. “They enjoy sitting in their dinning room watching the Honeyeaters, Rosellas and Wattle Birds and are encouraging their children to enjoy growing vegies and to have an understanding of plant watering requirements.”

Julie said that James has put many hours into this garden and they are now reaping the rewards from having more time to enjoy the garden because of less maintenance and eating the their own vegetables and produce.  James said that he is really proud that he has developed a self sustaining garden that requires very little watering and produces food for the family.

Mr Gale said that the award does not specify a type of garden.  “We don’t expect that a waterwise garden will necessarily be a native garden.  However in the case of the Daniell’s it mostly consists of natives,” he said.  “We are looking for people who think about saving water both in the design stage of a new garden and when maintaining their existing garden.”

“This year we received 9 nominations from across the region, and I would like to congratulate this year’s second and third prize winners whare are both from Mooroopna,” said Mr Gale.  “Lois and Duncan Ryan came second and Linda Cusworth came third.”

“Nine months ago Lois and Duncan removed all their lawn and created their Waterwise garden,” said Mr Gale.  They have created a very interesting garden with succulents, cacti, natives, decorative grasses and groundcovers. Their motto is “if they can’t survive frosts and little water then find something that will.””

Lois and Duncan describe their garden as one of discovery not only for themselves with the different plants but for children who visit as they have a number of little garden ornaments that children can discover. 

Mr Gale said that prior to living in Mooroopna Linda and her family lived on a farm.  “This meant that when the family moved to a suburban block Linda brought her Waterwise techniques with her.” 

“Linda has a number different gardens in one – she has a formal garden out the front with roses and camellias, a fernery which loves the shower water, a native garden and what she describes as a bit of Bali garden,” he said. “Linda enjoys the fresh, alive feeling that her garden gives and the way the various plants flower at different times of year.” 

Linda said that with its easy care plants that require little fuss, there is minimal weeding and mowing which means more time for relaxing and entertaining in the garden.

Authorised By L.J. Gleeson 104-110 Fryers Street Shepparton