It’s been a tough few months for the Upfield Urban Forest, with the Level Crossing Removal Project (and now Coronavirus) arriving uninvited to spoil our greening good vibes!
The Victoria ALP Government through its LXRP authority has killed 150 trees surrounding Moreland and Coburg stations (many established and rated “significant” by arborists) - but our urban foresters have also endured the loss of smaller, newer gardens that had so brightened the Upfield shared path in recent years.
Denise began gardening in the stretch between Reynard and Cameron Streets (Coburg) in 2013. Like many guerilla gardens along the Upfield train line Denise’s garden emerged gradually through trial and error. Heavily compacted clay soils and skin-eroding, shovel-destroying gravel and ballast meant only the toughest would survive. Even natives she attempted to plant in early days were no match! In desperation Denise bought plants from nurseries but found they were often stolen.
In the end Denise established her garden using cuttings of salvias or transplanting species that had done well in her own yard. Over time the garden evolved into one of the most colourful and curated along the Upfield line, with neighbours pitching in over the years to add Lilly Pillies and Eucalyptus trees. I always had a soft spot for the beautiful Hardenbergia (‘Happy Wanderer’) Denise managed to get going (apparently they like well-drained soil!) They climbed up the wire fence and their purple flowers would cascade over the top bringing beauty through winter and spring for all who passed.
When Denise learned her garden was to be destroyed for the Level Crossing Removal Project she graciously called upon her fellow foresters to come and help her salvage as many plants as possible for re-homing elsewhere along the train line and in Moreland backyards.
A little bit of Denise’s garden now lives on in my street in Coburg North in the form of lovely Hardenbergia, Salvias, Lomandra and hardy, clumping flowers, which are brightening up a tough spot near some gas lines.
Meanwhile a little further north, Marc and Lyndsay’s garden also received the LXRP kiss-of-death recently. Marc’s garden was plated in triangular shaped patch of lawn abutting the shared path at Gilmour Street, just north of Bell Street in Coburg. The couple began the garden about seven years ago, in part to improve the view from their backyard and to block out a new highrise apartment building. But the lovely garden of course also provided many passing pedestrians, cyclists and train commuters with shady respite from a fairly grim stretch of urban reality.
Like Denise, Marc put a call-out to Moreland’s gardeners to come and salvage plants from the level crossing removal project. Sadly there was no saving many of the lovely young gum trees Marc had planted, with the LXRP even planning to chop down a well-established, much older Eucalypt on Gilmour Street. Here’s hoping that it at least can be spared.
Thank you Denise, Marc and Lynsday (and neighbours!) for providing such beautiful trees and plants for us all over the past decade. It was not for nothing and may your green thumbs help shape whatever comes next!
Words: Jane H