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Green Connections - Plant Native Gardens & Verges

Plant native gardens and verges to support local wildlife, cool our neighbourhoods and create greener streets.

Get started with Green Connections

Yellow Wattle Flower The Council's Green Connections Program helps residents create greener, cooler and more beautiful neighbourhoods by planting for nature and climate — with support or at your own pace.

This page has everything you need to get involved — whether you join our supported seasonal planting program or choose to plant independently year-round.

Find out how to participate, what to plant, where to get help, and explore useful resources and local examples.

Choose how you’d like to get involved

There are two ways to get involved — join our supported planting program or plant independently at your own pace.

Option 1: Join our supported planting program

Best for: Residents looking for structured guidance, curated native plant packs and technical advice from our Green Connector volunteers.

Our program runs in seasonal rounds to help ensure new seedlings are planted during the cooler months, when conditions are best for getting established.

What you receive:

Curated plant and resource packs
A tailored selection of local native tube stock (groundcovers, shrubs, or trees) chosen specifically for local soils and climate conditions, complete with mulch and step-by-step guides. (This program replaces our previous native plant giveaways, tree voucher and verge incentive programs).

Volunteer support
Access to dedicated community volunteers (Green Connectors) who can visit your property to offer advice on site preparation, plant placement, and long-term care.

Join our supported planting program: How it works

Register your interest

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Applications open annually in Autumn for a winter planting season. Check back here or sign up for our environment newsletter to know when the next round opens.
Site assessment

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Our volunteers are available to help streets where three or more neighbours are participating. They will review your garden or verge spaces to match you with the perfect plant packs and coordinate connected corridors.
Collection and planting

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Attend a dedicated workshop to pick up your curated pack from the Council and start growing!
Soak & Snap

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Share your new planting with the Council by uploading a photo and completing our ‘Soak & Snap’ survey. Your participation will be added to our growing map of gardens and verges across the Council being cared for by the local community to support local wildlife and cool our streets.

Soak & Snap Survey >

Option 2: Go solo, plant at your own pace

Best for: Residents who want to plant in their own time or missed the supported planting program intake.

You can get started at any time of year and create your own native garden or green your verge at your own pace.

Simply follow our Green Connections Quick Start Guide and Verge Gardening Guidelines below, choose suitable local native plants and use resources on this page for advice and inspiration.

You can also let us know you’re participating through our Soak & Snap survey and share your planting with us.

Plan your garden with nature

Create a water-sensitive garden

Sustainable Garden Payneham South - WSGD Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is about managing rainwater in a more natural way.

Instead of rainwater running straight from your roof, driveway or paths into the street, you can help capture, filter and soak up rainwater where it falls.

Simple things you can do at home include:

Reducing hard surfaces so more rain can soak into the ground
Installing a rainwater tank
Using permeable paving that allows water to soak through
Creating a rain garden to collect and filter rainwater.

^{Photo: Garden, Payneham South - Winner: Sustainable Garden Awards 2018}

Create spaces for wildlife

Native Bird and Plant 480x320 Biodiversity-Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD) is about creating gardens and outdoor spaces that provide food, shelter and habitat for native wildlife.

Your garden can become part of a network of green spaces across the neighbourhood, helping wildlife move between larger areas of habitat.

You can help by:

Planting local native plants that provide food and shelter
Choosing a mix of plants to support birds, butterflies and bees
Creating layers of vegetation, from groundcovers to shrubs and trees
Connecting your garden with nearby green spaces and gardens.

Even small changes can help. Together, gardens, verges and other green spaces can create a healthier and more connected environment for our community and local wildlife.

_{Photo credit: Green Adelaide}

How to guides and resources

Green Connections Quick Start Guide

Discover which local native species thrive in our local suburbs, attract native birds and pollinators and require minimal water. The guide also includes a list of local Adelaide retail nurseries that specialise in native tube stock and biodiversity planting.

Download Quick Start Guide

Verge gardening guidelines and how to apply

Want to green the nature strip outside your home?

Read our simple guidelines and apply for your quick, free permit

Find out more

Quick tips for year-round success

Timing matters: In Adelaide, the best time to plant native species is between May and August when the rainfall is high and the soil is cool.
Watering in: Even drought-tolerant natives need regular watering during their first summer to help their root systems establish deeply.

Need a hand?

Get support with our Green Connectors

Green Connectors Group Our Green Connectors are local volunteers who know these plants well. They’ve successfully grown many of the approved species and are here to support you.

They can help with:

Choosing the right plant for your space
Planting tips to give your new plants the best start
Watering and care advice through the seasons
Creating a micro‑forest with neighbours
Troubleshooting common problems
Taking part in Soak & Snap and tracking your plant’s progress.

Email: sustainability@npsp.sa.gov.au to be connected with a Green Connector.

See what others are growing

Visit local gardens and community spaces

Want to see native plants growing locally or connect with other keen gardeners? Visit these welcoming community spaces around our City:

St Peters Billabong, St Peters: Community managed revegetation site where you can view mature native trees, shrubs, and water-sensitive habitats in action.
Borthwick Park, Kensington: A great spot to see local community biodiversity initiatives and established native plantings that thrive in our local environment.
Linde Community Garden, Stepney: While this site focuses on general community gardening rather than local native species, it is the perfect group to join if you want to meet other passionate local growers, share gardening tips, and get involved in community planting.

View image gallery of Linde Community Garden:

Explore the Green Connections map

Explore the interactive Google map to see locations and number of gardens and verges across the City cared for by the local community to support wildlife.

Find more resources

Plant nurseries

Nursery	Location	Open Hours	Path A	Path B
Adelaide Advanced Trees	264 Cherry Gardens Road, Cherry Gardens SA	Mon–Fri 7.30am–4pm	Yes	No
Coromandel Native Nursery	28 Star and Arrow Road, Coromandel East SA	Mon–Fri 7.30am–4pm	No	Yes
State Flora Nursery	Queens Jubilee Drive, Belair SA	Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; weekends & public holidays 10am–4pm	Yes	Yes
Provenance Indigenous Plants	40 Sandy Crescent, Salisbury Park SA	Wed & Sat 10am–3pm	Yes	Yes

Regional guides

Contact

Email: sustainability@npsp.sa.gov.au

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