The Canberra Discovery Garden

On Sunday 12 February, ACTEW launched a new waterwise community education garden at the National Arboretum Canberra. This exciting garden explores Canberra’s unique climate, soils and geology and will teach visitors how to achieve a beautiful, sustainable and water efficient garden in any season.

The series of linked garden rooms, including a covered outdoor learning area, will facilitate community workshops, tours, talks and school groups and an interpretive trail will allow visitors to engage in self directed learning and discovery. The garden types and plant selection will educate visitors on how to attain a healthy, water wise garden through sustainable gardening practices and planting for your climate.

ACTEW would like to thank the ACT Government and the National Arboretum Canberra for their assistance in the development of this project, as well as members of the Community Reference Group who contributed to the garden’s design.

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• Where is the Canberra Discovery Garden located?

  The Canberra Discovery Garden is located within the gates of the National Arboretum Canberra.  

   

  

   

  Entry into the National Arboretum is either off Tuggeranong Parkway, or from Forest Drive off Lady Denman Drive, Yarralumla. From there, follow the signs to the Canberra Discovery Garden, which is located on the Events Terrace.

• What is a waterwise garden?

  A waterwise garden uses water efficiently.  There’s no need to replant your garden – even well-established and water-dependent gardens can be trained to use less water.

  The Canberra Discovery Garden is based on ‘Xeriscape’ (meaning ‘dry landscape’) principles, which make a good checklist for ensuring your garden is as waterwise as possible. These are:

  • Design and plan your garden
  • Know your soil
  • Select appropriate plants
  • Be practical with the amount of lawn
  • Use water only as required
  • Mulch gardens
  • Carry out necessary maintenance.

  More information on how to apply each of these principles in your own garden can be found in our Fact Sheets.

• Why has ACTEW created the Canberra Discovery Garden?

  To inspire and educate water users and to show you how to create a beautiful, sustainable and water-efficient garden in any season. Gardens and lawns are the biggest single water use area in the ACT, so the Canberra Discovery Garden is a key platform for our community education about water conservation. It also pays tribute to the hard work that many Canberra gardeners have put into their gardens and lawns during the past decade of drought.

  Contributing to the long-term sustainability of the ACT through reductions in water use is one of ACTEW’s corporate commitments.

• What is there to see and do at the Canberra Discovery Garden?

  Visit the Garden for talks, workshops and practical demonstrations of many aspects of sustainable gardening, from choosing the right irrigation system to composting, to testing your soil health and more. You can also take a self-guided tour of the Garden using the interpretative signage, or just chill under the arbors on our outdoor bean-bags and enjoy the view. Click here for information about upcoming events.

• When can I visit the Garden?

  The Canberra Discovery Garden will have limited monthly opening hours in 2012, while the National Arboretum Canberra is still under construction. It is expected that both the Discovery Garden and the Arboretum will be open to the public on the second Sunday of every month. At present these dates are:

  • Sunday 12 February
  • Sunday 11 March
  • Sunday 1 April
  • Sunday 13 May
  • Sunday 10 June

  The Arboretum as a whole will open in 2013, to coincide with the Centenary of Canberra.